HEATHER LESSITER

Get your free cup of Yopliat!

2011-02-01T11:16:00.000-05:00

The newly reformulated Yoplait Original yogurt now has two times the calcium of the leading yogurt with 50 percent of the Daily Value in every cup. To celebrate its commitment to calcium, Yoplait is giving away one million free cups of Yoplait Original!

Visit Yoplait's Facebook page to sign up to receive a free cup of Yoplait Original yogurt and make a personal commitment to meeting recommended calcium requirements, each day.

Houston, We Have a Teenager!

2011-01-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

Today, at 4:57 AM, my oldest son officially became a teenager. Am I really that old?!?!

While I'm sure the teen years will bring their own set of challenges and obstacles, Matthew is really a good boy and I have every confidence that he will continue to be. I am so proud of the way he has grown and I know he will enjoy his teen years to the fullest.

I am predicting that our home will now never have enough food to keep him fed and that these next few years will fly by even quicker than the previous years have. I will try to squeeze in every last parenting nugget I can so that my voice will always be in the back of his mind guiding him on his way. We will get on each others' nerves and have arguments over school, driving, friends, chores and much more. I also know, however, that sooner than I think, he will be out with friends and working and I will wonder what happened and where the years went. I will hang on with both hands as we venture forth into this uncharted territory together.

Happy Birthday, Matthew! We love you!

Happy 2011!!!

2010-12-31T10:16:00.000-05:00

Wishing each and every one of you a very happy and prosperous 2011!

White Deer Video

2010-12-29T10:07:00.002-05:00

Here's a very interesting video about some very interesting deer.

Thank you

2010-11-11T09:54:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all of the veterans out there! You are the reason we are here and free!

In loving memory of those who gave their lives for our freedom.

I really have been writing. Just not here.

2010-10-28T09:01:00.000-04:00

It's been a while, but Football season is just about over here. Well, the season is finally over, no more shoving food in our faces and rushing out the door to practice, but we still have the awards ceremony to get through.

I am always hoping to have more time to sit down and write... maybe this will be the year??? It's too bad the ubiquitous "they" can't invent something that transfers what we think into a formatted document that I could merge into my blog as I am always writing in my head.

I truly think I have some form of mental OCD that causes me to compose every daily event in my head as if it were a blog post or part of a book. If I could harness that and transfer it immediately to written words, I'd have tons of fodder for your reading pleasure! Sadly, my mind often goes blank when I sit down to write and I move on to other things. Before you know it, it's bedtime and the whole thing starts over in the morning.

So I have been writing, just not where anyone can actually read it or comment or anything. Isn't it funny how a hobby like blogging can change the way we view the world or go about our daily lives?

Sunday Reflection

2010-09-05T05:30:00.000-04:00

“We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly”

-Sam Keen

Sunday Reflection

2010-08-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

"To me every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably

perfect miracle."

- Walt Whitman

Sunday Reflection

2010-08-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

Sunday Reflection

2010-08-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without

brightening our own."

- Ben Sweetland

Sunday Reflection

2010-08-08T06:01:00.001-04:00

Sunday Reflection

2010-08-01T06:04:00.004-04:00

"I never worked a day in my life. It was all fun!"

- Thomas Edison

Visit my food blog today!

2010-07-28T09:51:00.000-04:00

I'm posting at The Fat Bottomed Girl today! On the menu: French Fries!

Sunday Reflection

2010-07-25T06:01:00.001-04:00

May the Lord continually bless you with heaven's blessings as
well as with human joys.
- Psalms 128:5

Sunday Reflection

2010-07-18T06:03:00.000-04:00

Summertime Tips

2010-07-16T11:04:00.000-04:00

Summer has hit the half-way mark, but there is still plenty of warm weather left. I plan on enjoying every minute of it! Today, I'd like to share some various tips that come in very handy in the summertime.

1.) Get Rid of Fruit Flies. It's amazing what you can do with common household items. A dish of cider vinegar on the countertop will get rid of fruit flies!

2.)Comfortable Summer Sleeping. Treat yourself to a luxury with something as simple as baby powder or cornstarch. Sprinkle a little on your bed sheets and relish the comfort!

3.) Banish Flies! Fill a zip-top bag (the freezer type work the best) 1/3 to 1/2 way with tap water. Place 3 pennies in the bag. Hang bag near a screen door or every 8 feet or so around a picnic area to keep flies away. I had heard this gets rid of flies before, but never believed it until I went to a picnic and saw it work first-hand. I now have one bag near each of my screen doors and the flies are gone!

4.) Keep your cooler cool without ice packs. This tip is great for those times when you need a completely disposable lunch or if you run out of room for ice packs in your cooler. Freeze part of your lunch! You can freeze all kinds of things that you'd normally take in a lunch and by the time you get to eating/drinking them, they are thawed, but still cold. Freeze grapes, orange slices, almost any kind of berry, bottled water or other drinks and yogurt. You now have a healthy item in your lunch and it helps keep it all chilled to perfection!

What I've been up to...

2010-07-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

During my long break from blogging, I began doing some family history research. I've put in a lot of hours and made many phone calls. I am hoping to make some trips to the farm that three generations of our family have owned and to several cemeteries and libraries yet this summer and fall.

I'm in the process of organizing the info I've found (and am still finding) into a book... possibly a couple of books at the rate I'm going. In true modern fashion, though, a website gives instant gratification and makes for an easy way to disseminate the information to everyone at once. I already have a handful of blogs, what's one more? LOL!

So here is the link to The Hanna Family. It's a site dedicated to my Mom's side of the family. I have only added a few photos at this point, but I have so much more to share and I hope you'll enjoy reading and looking there as much as I have had putting it all together.

Let me know what you think!

The Hanna Family

Sunday Reflection

2010-07-11T06:07:00.001-04:00

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.

~Helen Keller

'Kung Zhu' Zhu Zhu Pets!

2010-07-10T08:17:00.003-04:00

Remember the 2009 holiday season? You couldn't turn on the television or radio without hearing all about the hot toy called Zhu Zhu Pets. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were scouring every toy store and the entire internet in search of the hottest new toy, Zhu Zhu Pets. There is a reason for that craze and it is about to happen all over again with the release of the Kung Zhu Pets.

The reason for the craze is that Zhu Zhu Pets are super cute, interactive and fun. They have all the benefits of a real hamster without the maintenance. No food to buy, no mess to clean up.

Thanks to MomSelect.com, my boys and 9 of their friends got the opportunity to test out the new Kung Zhu line from Cepia, LLC., the makers of Zhu Zhu Pets.

The Kung Zhu line is geared more towards boys between the ages of 6 and 10, but as you will see, are just as loved by both girls and boys of a larger age group. It gives a whole new dimension to the "Zhu-niverse" and I am excited to see what they have planned for these cute little guys next.

Our party package included 11 hamsters, armor or tanks for each one and 13 pieces of the Kung Zhu play set. The Kung Zhu Hamsters consist of two teams, Special Forces (think military) and the Ninja Warriors (for the Kung Fu fans).

The kids couldn't wait to get the play set out, so they dove in and put together the entire play set in about 20 minutes. They did a much better (and quicker) job than I would have and had absolutely no trouble. The play set pieces are simple to assemble, do not require tools and are interchangeable. They can be connected, but many of them can be used as an individual piece.

The hamsters come ready to go right out of the package. They maneuver easily through the habitrail-type tunnels and training runs. They make cute little "hi-ya" sounds, marching cadence calls, and bugle calls mixed in with the hamster coos, purrs and squeaks.

Our party was made up of 7 boys and 4 girls between the ages of 4 and 12. They all loved their new furry friends and were even more excited when they were told they got to take their pets home with them. Even my little one-year-old nephew enjoyed chasing the hamsters around! The kids made their Kung Zhu Pets race, compete and play all afternoon (read: hours of entertainment!).

Here are the pictures:

Rose-Petal Jam

2010-07-07T13:00:00.001-04:00

Check out my latest recipe posted at The Fat Bottomed Girl: Rose-Petal Jam!

4th of July Boat Parade

2010-07-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy from the Portage Lakes Boat Parade. The parade isn't very long, but it grows a little bigger each year. The entrants decorate their boats, mostly pontoon boats, and cruise around the lakes waving and throwing candy just like a regular parade.

There were more boats than this, many with cheerleaders, local political figures and kids throwing candy or squirting water, but these are the highlights.

The Safety Boat- On the back was a huge sign that read: "Caution. Men NOT Working."

The Mystery Machine complete with Scooby Doo and Gang.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory- They played the "Oopma-Loompa" song while 'Willy Wonka' zipped around them on a jet ski. There was also a "chocolate" fountain pouring off the back.

The Fire Boat

The Military Tank-

Under the Sea- I loved the mermaids on the front!

National Parks- This was probably my favorite. Smoky the Bear was on the front, the "wheels" actually turned and on the back was a sign that said: "Go PARKing!" Very cute.

What does your community do to celebrate teh 4th?

Happy Birthday, USA!!!

2010-07-04T06:20:00.001-04:00

Here's hoping everyone has a happy and healthy Independence Day! Enjoy it with your family and friends.

Take some time to remember those who have fought and died for our freedoms over the centuries. Remember their families left behind. Remember the brave souls who crossed a treacherous sea to find a new and better life, those who took matters into their own hands and formed a nation out of an idea, a handful of colonies and acres of unexplored land. Also remember those who were forced to leave their ancestral lands in the white man's quest for more and how the decisions of people over the ages has forever changed the face of North America.

How I lost 10 Lbs. Overnight

2010-07-03T07:07:00.000-04:00

While I have never been one to obsess over my weight, I do try to maintain a healthy one. I never panic if I gain a pound or five and I never, ever ask anyone if something makes me look fat... they may answer with a "yes" after all. :o)

I try to eat healthy, but I don't deprive myself and I do have a very strong will power. I am notorious for refusing birthday cake and/or ice cream. I like to listen to my body and if I get a craving, I often ask myself if I am truly hungry or simply thirsty. It is almost always the latter.

With that said, I have a bathroom scale like most American households do. It's a digital one, but not one that talks to you like in the Garfield cartoons. I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle that kind of abuse. I hop on occasionally just to see where I am at. I have a weight range I like to stay in and I would be thrilled if I dipped below that range a bit more, but I don't really 'diet' to get there.

A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated Steven's 8th birthday with a family party. Some of my family members who are keeping track of their weight loss were contemplating cake and ice cream and took turns on the scale. Mandy suggested that my scale was over by 10 pounds. I hadn't had any problems with it, so I didn't worry about it too much until a few days ago when Matthew (who is 12) said he was so close to hitting 90. He went in to weigh himself and said he was now at 86. Now, no 12 year-old boy under 90 lbs. should be losing 3 lbs. in a day, so I thought maybe the batteries were going out.

I flipped the scale over to find that the battery cover was popped out slightly and so was the battery. I popped it back in and Matthew stepped on to find that he only weighed 84 lbs. He was disappointed because he's been trying to put on a little more muscle for 7th grade football. What can I say? He got his dad's metabolism for sure!

The scale issue being resolved, I decided it had been a couple of weeks since I had weighed myself. I've been getting into the upper regions of my ideal range and avoided getting on the scale too often so as not to beat myself up. So I hopped on and held my breath in anticipation. Sure enough, I was 10 lbs. less than I had weighed the last time! I guess Mandy was right and I'm so glad she was! :o)

Will You Take Me Back???

2010-07-01T17:32:00.000-04:00

Okay. I seriously miss blogging. It's been a coon's age since I last posted and though I keep touch with several blogging buddies on Facebook, I miss so much that is going on by not keeping up with my own blog and reading others.

What I need to do is give it another go and not berate myself if I can't crank out a post everyday like I'd like to. I've also had several companies contacting me to do reviews and posts for them and I really feel like I owe it to my readers (if I have any left, that is) to pass on my "professional Mom" opinion and information. I do still read blogs for that type of information, so it only makes sense to reciprocate.

So I guess my question is, are you ready to come back and listen to my babbling and opinions? Cause I'll give them whether you like it or not. :o)

Sunday Reflection

2009-09-12T05:44:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

~ Quarterback~

That's my quarterback, on the left of the picture, in mid-handoff.

Sunday Reflection

2009-09-06T05:41:00.001-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

"The morrow was a bright September morn;The earth was beautiful as if newborn;There was nameless splendor everywhere,That wild exhilaration in the air,Which makes the passers in the city streetCongratulate each other as they meet."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Places for Peace

2009-09-05T07:16:00.000-04:00

As a Mom, lunch lady and babysitter of young kids, days are pretty hectic. Not an hour goes by that I don't have a child talking to me or asking for something or complaining or tattling on someone. Some days there seems to be no end in sight. On days like that, I like to plot an escape!

Here are some of the places I like to "escape" to when it all gets to be too much. Shhh... don't tell the kids, though.

1. The clothesline. I love to hang the laundry out on the line, but no one ever wants to help with laundry. They see me unload the washer and flee in the opposite direction! The clothesline is a good escape when the kids are eating lunch and are less likely to try and track me down.

2. The dog pens. Feeding the dogs is yet another chore for the day, but the pens are far, far, far from the house and provide the perfect opportunity for me to hide when the goin' gets rough.

3. The car. When I'm on my way to or from work or during my daily route for work, I get a little drive time and to someone who is pretty much surrounded by kiddos 24/7, driving has such healing powers you can't imagine! With the radio on to sing along with or turned off to enjoy the silence, driving sometimes is my only escape for the day and I truly relish the time.

4. The grocery store. I know it's a chore, but have you ever been to the store without the kids? It is amazing how quickly you can breeze through the aisles! No waiting for one of the kids while they climb onto the end of the cart to ride along, no frantically searching the shelves for a spot to return the "I want this" to. I wish our local store had the free child care room that their main store has. It would surely add to my grocery shopping pleasure!

5. My MP3 player. There are many times when I can't get out to any of the aforementioned places. When these times creep up, I turn to my trusty MP3 player. I can disappear into my room and escape to a relaxing place with some Enya or get my frustrations out with some metal or rock.

6. My room. I mentioned it above and it can't be beat for a quiet retreat. This sometimes backfires, though, if the kids start to argue or if one of them just has to tell me something right now!!!... but it's worth a shot most days.

7. My yard swing out back. Very often, I can get a good 10 minutes out here before anyone realizes where I am. I can sit and put my feet up on the huge rock Mike put out there for me. Occasionally, I'll see a deer or two in the field or hear a woodpecker in the woods. I can see and smell my Sweet Bay Magnolia, which has the added bonus of screening the neighbors' house from my view. Yes, there is no place like it!

8. My front porch glider. Since the kids can see me through the window this lacks the privacy of the swing in the back, but if I just need some fresh air, it is a great place. Living in a small town, you can almost guarantee someone will drive by and wave at you or maybe walk by or ride their bike by and stop for a chat.

As far as escapes I'd like to have, we keep thinking about digging the back yard up, throwing in a couple of pond pumps and fillin' her up. I can picture a little dock and a bench or maybe even a stone terrace with a table and umbrella. That would be a great place for peace -and a swim- if you ask me (am I dropping enough hints here, honey?)!

Where do you like to escape to?

A Tip or Two- Freezing Store Bought Meat

2009-09-03T05:33:00.002-04:00

If you are like me, you love a good meat sale. Hubby and I have found a few good sales this summer, so we stocked up on a few things. I love to vacuum seal things before I freeze them and if you don't have a vacuum sealer, I highly recommend investing in a good one. You will not be sorry!

Anyhow, when I vacuum seal something I have bought in the store, I cut the label off of the package and stick it in with the food. I now have the weight, cut and date on it all in one spot without having to write a thing!

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Poll: Perfection

2009-09-02T15:50:00.004-04:00

We all want things in our lives to go as we plan them. If we didn't, we would never plan anything and just let things happen. When you have an event coming up that is important, though, sometimes we over plan and don't leave room for things to just happen.

Take a wedding for example. It is a huge event that we dream of for years- at least women do- and we have a certain plan for what that day will be like. So many people have every second so meticulously planned out that when something doesn't go according to their plan, they get upset, mad or even explode with rage. Have you ever heard of Bridezillas? To me, they are nothing short of spoiled brats and divas who can't see what babies they are acting like.

So what if the florist can't get the white roses you wanted and has to use carnations in your arrangements? The only people who would possibly point a thing like that out are rude and inconsiderate and should be told so. So what if someone gets drunk and makes a fool of himself? Why let it ruin your good time?

Here's another example: we host my hubby's family nearly every year for Christmas dinner. Everyone makes food and helps out in the kitchen. A few years ago, we had an "incident" just before dinner was ready. The sink backed up and wouldn't drain. If we ran the disposal, all of the water would get pushed into the other side of the sink and flow right back as soon as the disposal was switched off. We had to call the plumber down the street (remember this is Christmas day) in the middle of his dinner to get his drain snake, take everything out from under my kitchen sink and clean out the drain pipe. Dinner was delayed while the drain was cleaned out and all of the cleaning products, rags and vases were put back under the sink. Everything turned out fine and that is the Christmas we always joke about.

My point is that so often, the unexpected moments, even if they seem terrible at the time, are the things that really make the memory... well... memorable.

So my poll for this week is about perfectionists. Do you know someone who goes over-the-top in their quest for everything to be perfect? Click your answer in the right-hand column and come back in a few days to check out the results!

image credit

Pics from Our Trip To Kennywood!

2009-09-01T15:23:00.003-04:00

Last month (is it really September already??), we all went to Kennywood Park in Pennsylvania. We had a total blast and I thought I'd share some of the pictures with you. Enjoy!

Sunday Reflection

2009-08-30T05:04:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Crazy Busy Week!

2009-08-29T18:55:00.002-04:00

I'm so glad this week is under the bridge. It's not that it was particularly bad or anything, just busy. Well, busier than any we've had the whole summer and I guess I just wasn't as prepared for it as I thought I was.

We started school on Monday and for the love of Pete we should NEVER, EVER begin the school year with a full, 5-day week! Who's genius idea was that (and I seriously hope you can detect the sarcasm in that one)??? By Wednesday, the kids and staff are so worn out and bewildered with information overload that we are all zombies come Friday.

Adding to the craziness was Mike's schedule this week. Please understand that I am so not complaining about this. I am very thankful that he has a good job. The fact that they were on overtime this week is nothing short of a blessing, but it meant that he didn't get home until 7:30 each night. It was just one more thing, you know? It makes for lots of phone calls to my sweet nieces to beg one of them to watch the babysitting kids that don't get picked up until 5:30 so we can leave at 5 for practice. This also makes dinner as a family practically non-existent.

I have not been to the grocery store for a full shopping trip in about 3 weeks. I have a freezer and pantry that get me through most of what we need, but after 3 weeks of only sprinting in for a gallon of milk or a package of buns, we started running out of things. I couldn't get away from football practice this week long enough to grocery shop, so the one weeknight off of football was spent shopping... with the boys. Let's just say that they came home from Wally World with Madden 10 and a Momma with a fried brain.

Today was Matthew's first game. He is Quarterback this season and so thrilled to be playing again. He lives and breathes football year-round, so he's in his glory once Fall rolls around. They lost their game, but he had a good time and came away smiling. That's all that matters.

So before I tackle Mount Wash-more that has built up in my laundry room, I'll leave you with a couple of links:

~ This week's Make it From Scratch Carnival.

~ My weekly craft post at Make It From Scratch. It's a treasure hunt!

~ How to Peel Peaches! I let you in on a little secret at my food blog, The Fat Bottomed Girl.

A Tip or Two- Washing Your Hands in a Public Restroom

2009-08-27T00:01:00.001-04:00

I know this seems like a silly post. Of course you all know how to wash your hands, but think about what you're really touching in there:

You use the restroom and touch the handle on the toilet or urinal, then, you touch the faucet. You wash your hands and touch the same faucet again. You touch the handle on the paper towel dispenser and then touch the door handle.

If everyone does that same procedure, we're all touching the same germs we just washed off, right? So let me fill you in on how the health department instructs us to wash our hands in the school kitchens.

First, if there is a paper towel dispenser with a handle, press the handle on it a couple of times, but don't tear the towel off. Leave it hang there until you have clean hands.

Second, wash your hands for 30 seconds. Sing the Alphabet song twice to yourself to time yourself. Do NOT turn off the water.

Third, tear off your paper towel and dry your hands. Using same paper towel, turn the faucet off. In a public restroom with doors, use the same paper towel to open the door, hold the door open with your foot and throw the towel away.

Now your hands are clean!

Before you start in about hand sanitizer rather than washing hands, think about the bottle it is in. That bottle can be just as icky as the faucets. Save it for times when you really can't get to a sink to wash your hands.

Our new MIRL-friend!

2009-08-26T04:21:00.002-04:00

*Be sure to answer the related poll at the top of my sidebar!*

After all of the trips through Ohio on his motorcycle, Kokopelli finally let us talk him into visiting us. Maybe MIRL-friend (Meet In Real Life friend) doesn't exactly sound right in this case, but you get the idea.

Poor guy had to run all over Wayne County to find us all, but he made it. He visited with Mom, Mandy, Jason and Ernie in the morning. He came here in the afternoon and spent the evening with Kristy and Chros in Wooster.

Despite the helmet, Matthew and I knew exactly who he was as he slowly (cautiously? LOL) approached the end of our driveway. It was exciting to meet the character we've all come to "know" form our online blog and Facebook adventures. I even ~~bullied~~ talked him into a picture! I have to admit he was much taller in person than I imagined.

I hope we didn't overwhelm him and drive him off forever. LOL! We're all so glad to finally meet him!

First Day of School Pics

2009-08-25T08:42:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of school. I always take pictures of the boys on the front porch with a sign. One day, I may even get them all together in order and everything!

Matthew leaves early enough that the sun isn't a factor, but poor Steven couldn't even open his eyes. We did a reshoot of his pic in the evening.

Much better. :o)

School Year Resolutions

2009-08-24T07:48:00.003-04:00

Last night as we talked and got our school supplies all loaded in backpacks, Matthew stated that he is going to be more organized this year. I frantically searched for my real son, but soon realized that he hadn't been snatched up by pod people and he was serious.

We decided then and there that we all needed school year resolutions- just like the ones you make for New Year's. We each chose our goal and stated the steps we would take to meet those goals.

Here's an example: Matthew's resolution is to be more organized. The steps he plans to take are: Use study hall time to get rid of papers he no longer needs from his binder, Keep a backup folder for each class in his locker to hold important papers that he might need later, take his time writing and when putting papers into his binder ( can you tell that his binder was an atrocious hodge-podge of paper mess last year?).

My plan for later on today is to get those goals and steps down on paper. I'll make a copy for him to keep in his binder (in a sheet protector) and one for home. We plan to revisit our goals in a month and evaluate whether the steps we're taking are working or not. We'll make adjustments if necessary.

I think this will be a fun tradition for us to begin. You're welcome to join us and let us know if you're making any school year resolutions!

Sunday Reflection

2009-08-23T00:08:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.

Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.

Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits.

Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.

Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.

~Mahatma Gandhi

A Tip or Two- Battery Corrosion #3

2009-08-20T00:01:00.002-04:00

In the past couple of weeks, I have given you tips to remove battery corrosion from electronic devices and rechargeable devices. Today, I am going to address removing corrosion from your car battery. If you aren't comfortable doing this yourself, do not hesitate to ask a friend or relative who is more mechanically inclined or take it to a garage.

Corrosion on a car battery's terminals can make your car hard to start or not start at all. If untreated, it can ruin a battery which is expensive to replace. Luckily, the prevention is easy and cheap.

There are many tutorials on how to clean your car's battery using baking soda (to neutralize the battery acid and eat away the corrosion), but this one from HowToCleanStuff.net is the best one I've found and they say it a lot better than I could.

Steven-isms #15

2009-08-19T04:09:00.001-04:00

I was browsing my feeds one day and reading one of my favorite blogs; Steven was looking over my shoulder. There were pictures of food sprinkled in with the post. He leaned in closer and jerked his head back, "Eew! What is that?" He asked. I explained what it was and he grimaced, "Looks like something a baby coughed up!"

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Instead of Chipmunks, Steven says, "chickmunks".

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Steven calls the Raging Rapids ride at Kennywood the "Raging Rabbits". I hope they have good water filters to catch all of those hare balls!

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In the picture above, Steven is gathering things to build a 'war frog hut' in our landscaping. I have no idea what a war frog is, but I hope I never run into one. They sound nasty. ;o)

Things You Learn Working In A School Cafeteria: Part 2

2009-08-18T08:44:00.002-04:00

I grabbed this post from my drafts folder for today. I had planned on posting it at the beginning of the summer, but I didn't have access to my blog for such a long time that I forgot about it. With school starting up again, I thought it would be an appropriate topic.

Part of my job at school is serving in the cafeteria.
Last year, I posted Things You Learn Working In A School Cafeteria. I thought you'd be interested in some new discoveries and epiphanies in the same area. It never ceases to amaze me what kids will come up with and each day is an adventure.

Keep in mind that I worked in a middle school cafeteria last year and this year, I am in an elementary school. The differences are vast I tell you!

1. Watch where you put your hand. Just make sure you glance down at the table before you lean on it to wipe it up or whatever. You never know when or where there will be a big glob of ketchup, half-eaten gummy bear or an unidentifiable mess lurking.

2. Kids have no interest in whether their shoes are tied or not. I don't even bother telling them anymore...

3. Kids can divulge a plethora of information in the 20 seconds they are in front of a cafeteria window. I know when their Mom's get pulled over, I find out when goldfish get flushed and I know who's Dad 'likes his beer'. They are all too willing to share the latest news with us.

4. Reread number 2 above... same goes for zippers.

5. No matter what you pack in their lunchbox or what is on the school menu, your child is eating something completely different... or nothing at all. I guarantee it.

6. Kids can suddenly become allergic to foods. I've seen it happen. For instance, whenever we serve peas there is a surprising number of kids who are allergic to vegetables. Even though they'll take the mashed potatoes next in line. Hmmm... curious!

7. Kids ask lots of personal questions. Very, very personal. You don't really need to know if I've ever taken weight loss pills now do ya? I don't think so.

So now you see why I love my job so much and going back to school for me is something I look forward to. I am constantly entertained and amused; there is never a dull moment!

Why I Love...

2009-08-17T10:39:00.003-04:00

... Smells!

Our sense of smell is closely linked to memory. Think about how the scent of a certain dish cooking can remind you of Grandma's kitchen, or a cologne can remind you of hugging your Dad after work. A scent can spark a memory in an instant. Some of my favorite scents:

~Vanilla. Reminds me of baking Christmas cookies. My Dad also used to smoke vanilla tobacco in his pipe. I vividly remember that scent. I love vanilla lip balm, vanilla lotion, vanilla candles, vanilla extract straight from the bottle (hiccup!)...

~My kids. Doesn't matter if they are sweaty from being outside or fresh from the tub. I'm sure the sweaty thing will change when they are teenagers, but for now it is bliss!

~Spaghetti. I love to smell spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove. Next to steak, it is my favorite meal.

~Tomatoes. Every time I pick tomatoes from the garden, I walk back to the house sniffing the life out of them. Something about that smell just screams summer to me.

~Apple Pie. So most of these have to do with food and now I am hungry. LOL! My Grandma makes the best apple pie in the history of mankind and I dare anyone to challenge her... I'll do the taste testing, thank you. ;o)

~Baby powder and lotion. Need I say more?

~Coffee. Love the smell, hate the taste.

~ Pumpkin pie. Again with the food! I should have eaten lunch before posting this. :o)

What are your favorite smells?

Sunday Reflection

2009-08-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Purple Azalea

Addictions and Computer Time

2009-08-14T13:44:00.003-04:00

Sorry about the late post today. I have been busier than busy today. The weather is nice and the kiddos have been running all over trying to squeeze the last life out of summer before school starts. Can't say as I blame them.

I have been working on the website for Matthew's football team. Things are going well and I've got a ton of things to post over there in the days to come. If you'd like to see what they've been up to, visit the site!

I also spent some time today working on my craft for my Make It From Scratch post tomorrow. I'll let you know when that one is up.

I have to admit that I've also spent some time on my latest addiction. Okay, it's more like an all summer long addiction, but I'm not the only one. My whole family is hooked on Farm Town on Facebook! It's been an unofficial race to the mansion and Mandy won. I am just trying to get as far as I can before school starts.

If you've never played FT, please take this as your first warning, it is highly addictive! Once you start earning coins and experience points, you can't stop and you want to get further and further into the game so you can buy a house or more land and eventually, the mansion. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever experienced an addiction to a game like that?

Well, I'm off to tend farms and post some more! Have a great weekend!

A Tip or Two- Battery Corrosion #2

2009-08-13T00:02:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I gave you a tip on how to remove whitish battery corrosion. Today, I want to help you remove the black or grey battery corrosion that can often prevent a rechargeable item from working and charging properly. The most common case of this in my house is in our phones- cell and cordless- so that's what I will refer to.

Open the battery case and remove the battery. There should be at least two contact points where raised portions on the phone meet the battery. These are often small square places where the metal on the battery touches the metal on the phone. A small area of grey or black will often form on these points over time. Using a clean pencil eraser, gently rub the grey spots until they disappear. Repeat this on the battery itself. Replace the battery and cover.

If you have a phone that sits on a base to charge, you will want to clean those contact points, both on the phone and the base, with a clean eraser.

Repeating these steps regularly, such as every month, can help your devices perform better and give them a longer life.

For All You Cat and Dog Owners

2009-08-12T04:34:00.002-04:00

If you feed your pet Purina products, make sure you visit Purina.com and take the Health and Wellness Challenge each week in August to get a FREE printable coupon for Purina products! You can even choose between wet and dry dog or cat foods and treats. I know I'll be printing mine each week!

How Do You Like Your News Reported?

2009-08-11T07:12:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of the participants in my poll: Do you have a secret stash of your favorite treat? last week. Here are the results:

Yes, and it's all mine.- 66%
Yes, but I share with someone.- 0%
Sometimes.- 33%
No.- 0%

This week, I have a different topic for you all to discuss. It is about the media and all of the advances we've made in technology.

In recent years, technology has grown by such leaps and bounds that we often hear about news as it is happening. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. I like hearing about certain news items immediately such as the attacks on the WTC, a vote on a hot local or national issue or the latest on a large storm or weather event.

The problem I have found is that in the heat of the moment, facts are not clear and the wrong information is often reported. The media then has to revisit the entire event and correct themselves and we have to adjust our entire perception of the occurrence. We then relive the event over and over in differing scenarios or with different outcomes often remembering the wrong information that we were reported in the first place.

It's as if the media outlets are so anxious to be "the first to report" something that they would rather risk their integrity by reporting something incorrect than report what is known and leave the details for a more comprehensive follow-up story.

So what do you think? How do you want your news reported? Answer the poll in the sidebar and feel free to discuss further in comments.

image credit

Perfection

2009-08-10T00:02:00.000-04:00

We love having bonfires and cookouts. This summer has been the exception. It started out cool and very dry and July brought a lot of rain and more chilly nights.

Last weekend, we finally had a small cookout over the fire and it was so nice! We ended up getting a sprinkle of rain after we ate supper, but the fire kept burning and right before dark, we decided it was time for some s'mores.

The temperature was perfect, there was just a hint of a breeze and the bugs stayed far away. The boys were so excited to make s'mores. They kept giggling as Steven tried to sneak in bunny ears behind Matthew's head while I took about a million pictures of their sweet faces by the fire. It was one of those days you wish you could bottle up and relive over and over, but pictures and posting about it is as close as I can get. It really couldn't have been more perfect.

Sunday Reflection

2009-08-09T00:06:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

If you are distressed by anything external,

the pain is not due to the thing itself,

but to your estimate of it;

and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

~Marcus Aurelius

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-08-08T13:02:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I made it through yesterday. It was a ~~horrible~~, ~~terrible~~, ~~no good~~, ~~very bad~~ trying day as the kids I babysit and my boys teamed up and attempted mutiny. This is partly my fault since I had them all on Wednesday and bragged on Facebook about how good they were being.

I've watched most of these kids for about 5 years now, and the whole bunch of them are more like brothers and sisters. They also fight and plot like like brothers and sisters and you know exactly what I mean. The day began with fighting and quickly moved on to plotting. Suddenly, they decided that the rules we've had here for 5 years didn't apply to them and the house exploded into chaos of Pippy Longstocking-like proportions!

I won't relive the scenario by getting into any of the oh-so-nuuuuumerous painful details, but suffice it to say that by the time lunch rolled around, my throat was sore from yelling at the little buccaneers.

By the grace of God, I got ~~an hour~~ a few minutes away from the house thanks to my SIL needing help ("SURE I'll come over!") and my niece agreeing to watch the kids for me. The day wore on without anymore snags from the kids, but the evening was a blur with football practice, a birthday party and getting Matthew packed for a last-minute weekend camping trip with a friend.

Today has, thankfully, been much quieter. I posted the cute flip-flop sandal birthday card that I made for the party over at Make It from Scratch today, so check it out! Hope you all have a peaceful, mutiny-free weekend!

The Explaination of Life

2009-08-07T10:15:00.003-04:00

My Mom sent this to me in an email and I thought it was too cute not to pass on.

The Explanation of Life~

On the first day, God created the dog and said:
‘Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.’

The dog said: ‘That’s a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I’ll give you back the other ten?’ So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:‘Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I’ll give you a twenty-year life span.’

The monkey said: ‘Monkey tricks for twenty years? That’s a pretty longtime to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?’And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:‘You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer’s family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.’

The cow said: ‘That’s kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I’ll give back the other forty?’And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created humans and said:‘Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I’ll give you twenty years.’

But the human said: ‘Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?’

‘Okay,’ said God, ‘You asked for it.’

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

A Tip or Two- Grilling with Skewers

2009-08-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

Whenever you grill shishkabobs or anything else using bamboo skewers, the skewers tend to burn. Here are some tips to slow or prevent this from happening:

1. Soak your skewers in warm water before grilling. I lay a couple of paper towels over the top to keep the tops wet and hold them under the water a bit.

2. Turn the heat down on your grill. Cooking the meat slower will make your meat more tender and will be less likely to char your skewers.

3. Fill the skewers to the top and leave a little 'handle' at the bottom. Hang the handle over the edge of the grilling surface. Just be sure not to close the lid while the ends are hanging over or your kabobs will get flipped right off the grill.

Footbaaaaaaaaall!!!!

2009-08-05T11:54:00.002-04:00

Here it comes again... football season. Matthew's favorite sport and one of mine as well. Conditioning starts tonight and next week practices will begin.

I've been really anticipating the season this year because last year, I was asked to be a booster club trustee. We've spent all year preparing: ordering uniforms, checking existing equipment, planning fundraisers. I feel like it is all coming together now.

For the next few months, Matthew and I, and sometimes Steven, will spend 8 hours a week at practices followed by Saturdays at games. We'll get home, do homework, eat supper and rush out the door to make it on time.

Our nights will get a bit crazier as we try to cram in as much family time as we can before showers and bed. Not to mention getting some of the housework done before I crash. Luckily, I am much more productive at night (read: not a morning person).

If you know me at all, you'll know that the real part I can't wait for is watching the games. I love to cheer and yell at football games. There must be something in the air in the fall that gets my blood pumping and my vocal chords quivering. I can't help but yell at the top of my lungs when I watch a football game.

Matthew is okay with me yelling as long as he can drown me out or doesn't hear me. Mike is not as cool with it. I know I embarrass him from time to time, but I really couldn't care less. It is an animal response to seeing warfare on the gridiron. I imagine much like the ancient Romans watching the gladiators... only without the mauling and bleeding. That is, as long as they have candy bars at the concession stand *wink*.

My Secret Stash

2009-08-04T07:37:00.002-04:00

It's no secret that I love chocolate. Dark Chocolate in particular, but almost any will do. The problem with it is that my kids also love chocolate, so keeping it around is tougher than one might think.

My kids aren't big candy eaters in that it takes them forever to eat holiday or parade candy. I usually end up sending it to work with Mike and he shares it with everyone. I think it's because I have never kept candy away from the kids. It isn't a taboo thing for them, so the temptation or thought that they are going against the rules is removed. Nonetheless, candy that I buy for myself somehow disappears quicker than anything else.

I don't think there is a mom out there that hasn't hidden candy or some other treat from their kids or husband at one time or another. I do it all the time. I often have a couple of stashes around the house for emergencies. You know, stressful days, when I haven't baked, Thursdays. ;o) I think it's a natural thing to need that little sugar rush or satisfaction once in a while.

For some people, a secret stash might be ice cream or doughnuts. For others, it might be something like peanuts or Doritos (OOH! What a great idea! Note to self: start a Doritos stash.) I'm sure the variety is endless.

So I have posted a poll in my sidebar for you to tell me: Do you have a secret stash of candy or treats in your home? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what kinds of treats you love to stash or where you stash them; home, work or your car.

Don't Rock the Boat.

2009-08-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

From time to time, I'll get a migraine. Mostly they come in the summer when the sun is bright and I am working outside. They begin with a burning in my neck and shoulders and culminate with nausea and light/sound sensitivity. Good times, I tell ya.

Generally, I can catch the burning sensation, take a couple of Excedrin (my personal favorite) and stem the problem before it gets to the point that I have to hole up in a dark room with my head under a pillow for an hour or two. Occasionally, though, one will sneak up on me and BLAMMO! I'm down for the count.

There's no denying that headaches are a part of motherhood. When you are pregnant, you get them about every 12 hours or so. Okay, not literally, but it feels like that. And after the baby is born, they are brought on by sleep deprivation and the ever-lovely bio-physical changes while your body attempts to return to normal.

When the kids get older, they keep 'em coming. Ohyesindeedy they do! Take your pick of triggers there: constant questions, screaming, fighting with siblings (Boy am I glad my sisters and I never did that. Right, Mom? Right???), running through the house, you name it. It begins with a futile deep breath, then you rub your temples and before you know it, you're under a pillow somewhere like an ostrich with his head in the ground.

My newest motherhood headache is a fan-tab-u-lous game called Rock Band. I really love playing the game, I rock on the guitar (ahem) and just ask anyone that knows me personally what happens when I have a microphone in my hand. Their first response may be something like, "Are you sure you want to do that? You'll never get it back."

I've come to realize, though, that playing the game and listening to the game down the hallway are two totally different things.

All I've heard since he bought the thing is the tapping and pounding and thumping sounds Matthew makes while playing the drums. The best part is that he loves to have his doors and windows wide open while playing. A few times, I've had to shut the door so I can hear to talk on the phone or, you know, think clearly and he gets offended. As if his drum playing skills are something everyone should relish. I think he secretly hopes an exec from Epic is going to be driving by and be drawn in by his siren songs.

We've had a talk about the drumming. He has since kept the playing down to a minimum and won't throw a fit if I need to shut his door. At least it's nice out right now and he can play outside. My plan for the winter is to keep plenty of Excedrin on hand and close MY bedroom door when I need to.

image credit

Sunday Reflection

2009-08-02T00:39:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Pink Rhododendron

Start the Weekend with $1 Off!

2009-08-01T06:19:00.004-04:00

I am busy, busy, busy today! Football season officially starts for Matthew today with Equipment handout. Ahhh... 80 kids trying on shoulder pads, jerseys and pants. Sounds almost as fun as swimsuit shopping, doesn't it? ;o)

Before I skip town for the morning, I thought I'd pass on a little coupon love to you all.

Recently, I tried the new 50 Calorie Fiber One Yogurt and I loved it! I know you will, too. Click the link below to get your printable $1.00 off coupon and enjoy some healthy deliciousness!

Get Coupon

Thanks to MyBlogSpark for the great gift to start the weekend!

The All-American Soap Box Derby

2009-07-30T06:55:00.000-04:00

I have to apologize to my commentors. Yesterday, I had to reactivate word verification on my comment form. You can thank the horrible spammers with their crappy computers for that. They got me in trouble once and I'm determined to not let it happen again!

One of the big events in the Northeast Ohio area is the All-American Soap Box Derby. People from all over the U.S. compete in the hopes of qualifying for the derby in nearby Akron, Ohio. when I was in junior high, I actually competed in the local Soapbox Derby Queen Contest. I didn't win, but I did make it to the finals. I met a lot of nice girls, made some cool memories and got to ride in a few parades (commence with the elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist wave).

The race, which began when a newspaper photographer noticed few boys racing the homemade, engine-less cars down a hill in Dayton, Ohio in 1933, has become a family tradition for many of the racers who now have children and/or grandchildren who compete as well. The AASBD website has a comprehensive history of the derby. Over 170 communities in the U.S. now hold AASBD qualifying events for children ages 8-17.

You might also be interested in this video of All-American Soap Box Derby preparations from Ohio.com. There are a few related videos that follow, so feel free to sit back and watch them all with your kids! Who knows, there may be a future derby champ in your home right now.

A Tip or Two- Battery Corrosion

2009-07-30T00:04:00.000-04:00

A large number of things in our house are battery operated. We have a slew of animated holiday decorations, toys, electronics and appliances that all require batteries. Let's not forget the smoke detectors in our house as well. One of the ways we've kept all of them in good working order is to change the batteries as soon as they die. Anything that is left sitting with batteries in it can develop corrosion that could ruin the item.

Corrosion is often a whitish, crusty stuff that forms around a battery terminal and anything touching it. I recommend wearing rubber gloves just to be safe when removing the batteries just in case any of the battery acid has leaked out. Dispose of batteries properly.

Begin by taking a paper towel and wiping the battery case out gently. This will remove any moisture. As for the metal parts, which is usually the part covered by the corrosion, using a small piece of sand paper or an emery board (like the ones you shape fingernails with), gently sand the corrosion off. Wipe the area out again with a new paper towel. You may also want to blow the inside of the battery case out with canned air or another dry-air source to remove any dust and moisture.

Place fresh batteries in the case and try the device again. Wash your hands and gloves thoroughly afterwards.

Why I Love...

2009-07-29T06:33:00.000-04:00

... Swinging.

~It gets your blood pumping!

~The rush of the air through your hair.

~The kids can push the adults and feel like they are the grown ups.

~ It makes you feel like a kid again.

One From the Vaults

2009-07-28T06:49:00.000-04:00

Busy day today, but here's something from my "drafts" folder that I wrote in December. Looking back at this, I can laugh. It was obviously written in the middle of "one of those days" and it finally came out in this post. I often write things like this (rants) and feel better afterwards; the post gets saved and never published. Ahhh... keybaord therapy! Enjoy and laugh with me.

Am I the Only One?

I start my day by waking up to Mike's alarm. I get out of bed and get the coffee maker going and put his lunch in his lunchbox while he gets dressed. We have a 3 minute coffee maker and he is generally walking down the hall before the coffee maker is finished. He heads out the door.

Even before his tail lights are out of sight, Matthew is out of bed. The next hour is spent starting the washing machine that I loaded the night before, getting Matthew's lunch packed, trying to catch the weather and a bit of news and letting in babysitting kiddos.

Matthew catches the bus and I wake Steven up. The next hour is spent getting Steven motivated to stop playing long enough to eat a decent amount of breakfast and get dressed. More babysitting kids show up. I somehow manage to get them all ready for the bus and out the door on time.

The next hour and a half is spent trying to get myself ready for work, feeding the dogs, making or answering phone calls, making an attempt to get my daily housework started and trying to catch the news and weather that I never got to see earlier.

After work, any of the work I did before I left is undone as all of the kids come home from school. The kitchen floor is desecrated, the tables are piled with school papers, the mudroom- ugh, I don't even want to think about wading through the mudroom- the bathrooms are spotted and fingerprinted up and everyone wants to talk about their day.

The evening continues with the same type of pattern as we trek from one event to another or work on school projects or projects around the house and the like.

My mind is always on the next task, but the thought flow gets disrupted easily and often. There is always something more pressing than whatever it is I have on my mind. There is always someone who needs something and they have no regard for what it is that I need to accomplish. The fact that I might actually have something else on my agenda is a completely foreign concept to them.

No one even thinks to ask me if I have something else to do or if I have the time to help/look something up/ do something for them. It is expected. Its all part of the 'Mom has nothing better to do' mentality.

I don't want to be crabby about it and I don't want to be the martyr who blows up and gives everyone the old "why me, boo hoo" speech. Besides being such an annoying whiny-baby thing to do and the fact that it goes in one ear and out the other, it makes me part of the problem.

I am a nurturer. I like taking care of people. I love that my kids can come to me for anything and I love that I am there for them when they do.

(Here it comes...)

... BUT...

... Now and then, I need a break. I dream about one weekend where we have nothing planned and nowhere to go. One weekend where we turn off the phone, lock the doors and I get to do exactly what I planned to do when I planned to do it. One weekend when the phrases, "Where's my __________?" or, "Can you __________?" are banned. One weekend when something I have cleaned STAYS THAT WAY for more than 30 seconds. One weekend when I don't have to ask for help either- someone sees that the laundry needs folded and just does it without wanting a shower of praise or a reward. Hey, I did say its a dream.

I know this is never going to be a reality and in reality, I'd probably be offended if no asked me for help. I'd feel obsolete if I wasn't asked to do something within about a 24 hour period. That's just how I am. Is it too much to ask for a little compassion? Is it too much to ask for some consideration?

3 Simple Ways to De-stress

2009-07-27T00:08:00.000-04:00

Stress is everywhere. We worry about a million things everyday- job security, finances, our children, foreign relations, health, etc.. Every time we worry, it effects us and those around us. When you are stressed, it effects the way we speak and react to those around us. In turn, the relationships we have with our spouses, children and co-workers can suffer from the negative impact of our stress. Ever heard the saying, "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."?

We have to take an active role in the way we act and react. WE must be the ones who take steps to de-stress and improve the situation. Taking care of yourself first is one of the best ways to help take care of your family.

So how do we de-stress? With all of the craziness in the world and all of the demands on our time, how do we keep it from entering our life and wearing us down? Here are some great tips:

1. Turn off the TV. You heard me, just turn it off! The constant barrage of bad news and updates on that bad news make our subconscious think these things are happening all day long, over and over again. Read your news online instead. You can pick and choose which stories you read and once they are read, they are done.

2. Take a bubble bath. Even if you usually opt for a shower, take a nice, relaxing bubble bath and soak your worries away. It may sound cliche, but adding some soft music and candles to create some atmosphere out of the ordinary. You'll feel transported from the stressful day.

3. Breathe deeply. Write a note to remind yourself if you have to. Taking ten deep breaths after a stressful moment or day will oxygenate your blood and help melt tension away.

Image Credit

Sunday Reflection

2009-07-26T00:04:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

I long to accomplish great and noble tasks,

but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble

tasks as though they were great and noble.

~Helen Keller

Trix Swirls® Creative Kid Gift Basket Giveaway Winners!

2009-07-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone who entered my Trix Swirls® Creative Kid Gift Basket Giveaway both here and on Facebook. Your answers were really creative! Y'all are SO CRAFTY and you know I love that! Keep your eye out for another great giveaway soon right here!

So, without further ado and flattery, the two winners are:

Just Breathe

and

Mari

Congratulations!

Sometimes You Just Have to Start Over

2009-07-24T00:41:00.000-04:00

Sometimes life just gets to be too much for us. It can be as extreme as a relationship that has fizzled out or as commonplace as a closet that has gotten overloaded with clutter. When it gets to a certain point, you just have to wake up, admit that enough is enough and start over. The relationship needs ended and the closet needs to be completely purged. Wipe the slate clean!

I am using today to do some of that type of stuff. I have a few closets, both literally and figuratively, around here that need to be emptied and restocked with the bare necessities. From time to time, I have to just go on a de-cluttering bender to clear my junk and clear my head. The peace it brings to walk into a clean room is incentive enough.

Ever noticed how freeing it is to just toss that pile of papers you haven't taken the time to go through? How about clicking that "mark all read" botton in your feed reader or inbox? Ahhh! Like a lead jacket has been taken off. 99% of the time, you won't have missed a thing and you'll feel much better.

Now is a good time because school is only a month off (cringe) and there are no children's birthdays (aka "toy-clutter-fests") in our house in the very near future. There is a slight chance my de-cluttered spaces will stay that way for a while!

While my closets won't be resembling the one pictured above (Sorry, honey, not by a long shot) I need to fling the physical clutter from my life before I can fling the mental clutter. Peace is on the horizon!

Image Credit

A Tip or Two- No More Flat Soda Pop

2009-07-23T00:11:00.002-04:00

~~Have you entered my Trix Swirls® Creative Kid Gift Basket Giveaway yet??? You have until midnight tonight!~~

This is a new little series of posts where I choose one or two of the vast amounts of semi-useful tips I have floating around in my head and pass it on to you.

Today's tip is about keeping your 2-liter bottles of pop (or soda if you aren't from Ohio) from going flat before you can drink them. This will work on any screw-top bottle of fizzy drink. After pouring your drink, replace the cap and screw on tightly. Then, simply hit the bottle on the bottom kind of hard- enough to make it all fizz up inside. The extra fizz will re-pressurize the bottle and settle quickly. Next time you open the bottle, you should get that familiar "Pssssssshhhhhhh" sound and your drink will be as fizzy as when you first opened it!

Please note that some people will tip the bottle over and hit the bottom. It works either way.

Pet Peeves of Mine

2009-07-22T07:31:00.005-04:00

~~Have you entered my Trix Swirls® Creative Kid Gift Basket Giveaway yet??? You have until midnight tomorrow night!~~

1. People who act stupid. As in, "What's that??? I'm too ignorant to look it up for myself. Can you just tell me what it is?" Puh-leeze! You don't have to pretend you know everything, but Google something for once in your life.

2. People who are book-smart, but are socially inept and have no common sense. How does that combination happen???

3. People who do not teach their children respect and responsibility. If you have children, that is your job from day one. Don't wait until they are 5 or 10, start now and it will be much easier.

4. Food that gets stuck between my teeth and makes them hurt. GAH! Like after eating corn on the cob. Love the corn, hate the half-hour of flossing that follows.

Trix Swirls® Creative Kid Gift Basket Giveaway

2009-07-21T10:23:00.008-04:00

That silly rabbit has been up to his TRIX again. This time, he has mixed up the colors and flavors in Trix® cereal to create the new Trix Swirls® cereal. MyBlogSpark has generously given me two Trix Swirls® Creative Kid gift baskets to giveaway!

THE GIVEAWAY

As modeled above by the lovely Steven, each gift basket includes a coupon for a FREE box of Trix Swirls® cereal, a colorful apron, a set of watercolor pencils, watercolor paints, brushes, a sketchbook, and an art supply box. Steven even suggested filling the art supply box with Trix Swirls® so he can always have them with him for a quick snack! That's thinkin'!

Trix Swirls® combines two mouthwatering fruity colors into every fun puff that will satisfy kids' taste buds and spark their creativity! A good source of calcium and vitamin D, the Trix Rabbit won't be the only one who can't resist these fruity combos, which include lemony green, berry berry blue, and rasporangey orange!

MY REVIEW

My kids loved the new Trix Swirls® variety even more! The color combinations fascinated them and they had a great time trying to figure out how that silly rabbit did this? Did the Trix get caught up in a tornado? Did the rabbit hide them in the washer on the spin cycle? LOL! The flavors were as much of a delight, tasty, fruity and fun! Trix Swirls® is a wonderful way to rediscover a tried and true favorite!

HOW TO WIN

How do you think the cereal got it's swirls? Leave a comment on this post (or on my Facebook post about htis giveaway), and make sure I can contact you via email, by midnight on Thursday, July 23rd telling me what you think and you're entered to win one of the two baskets! You can leave one comment each day for additional entries. Two winners will be drawn at random and announced in a separate post here on Saturday, July 25th.

You do not have to have a blog or Blogger account to win. Anonymous comments are welcome, just make sure to leave an email address. I reserve the right to delete any rude, crude or spammy comments and I'll be the judge of that, so play nice, please. Good luck!!!

A Quick and Cute Link

2009-07-20T18:51:00.002-04:00

I just saw this on Yahoo! and had to pass it on to you all. Sounds just like a movie...

Lost love letter reunites couple after 16 years - Yahoo!

Sunday Reflection

2009-07-19T15:36:00.002-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Apple Blossom

Nature Valley Granola Nut Custers

2009-07-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

Recently, I received a few samples of the New Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters to try. The samples I received were Roasted Almond, Nut Lovers, Roasted Cashew and Honey Roasted Peanut.

The clusters are like a bite-sized granola bar- just right for snacking. They retail for around 3 to 4 dollars per package. The 100% natural ingredients vary with the different flavors of course, but they are easy to read and range from tapioca syrup to plain old, baking soda and salt. Think of it: ingredients in a packaged food that you can recognize and pronounce!

As a bonus, the packages are resealable and perfect for tucking in a gym bag, purse, diaper bag, car or backpack. What a great way to enjoy a wholesome, delicious snack any time or any place! As a person with diabetes in the family, I appreciate the 4 to 5 grams of protein in each serving as well. Just enough to keep me going during that mid-afternoon slump!

The flavors are a little bit sweet and a little bit salty with a subtle honey flavor. I really liked the wonderful crunchy texture and nutty taste. I did find them to be a bit crunchier than a granola bar, so I wouldn't recommend them for people with dentures or very sensitive teeth. My kids loved them and I can see them quickly becoming a car favorite for after practices and after school. I also recommend them with a glass of milk for a quick breakfast on the go.

A big THANK YOU to MyBlogSpark for the great samples!

"Jiggling"

2009-07-15T00:04:00.003-04:00

Thanks to an event at school 2 years ago and a section in his gym class this year, Matthew has learned to juggle. Steven is 7 and calls it "jiggling." His latest idea is that Matthew can 'jiggle' to attract customers to his lemonade stands this summer. Not a bad idea! I offered my services as the bearded lady, but he didn't seem to think people would like that. I guess they've all grown accustomed to my beard. :o)

Let me just state here and now that Matthew got his coordination from his Dad, because I couldn't do this in a million years. Enjoy!

Movie Quotes Quiz Answers

2009-07-10T00:09:00.002-04:00

Here are the answers to yesterday's Movie Quotes Quiz. How did you do?

1. Ferris in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

2. Vivian in Pretty Woman.

3. Sissy in Urban Cowboy.

4. "Townie" in The Water Boy.

5. Victoria in Beaches.

6. Evelyn in Fried Green Tomatoes.

Movie Quotes Quiz

2009-07-09T00:01:00.000-04:00

Here are a few movie quotes for you. See if you can correctly guess which flick they come from. Answers will be posted tomorrow. Good luck!

1. "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

2. "...be still like vegetables- lay like broccoli."

3. "Can you two-step? Wanna prove it?"

4. "You can doo eet!"

5. "(She) wants me to learn her how to play tennis."

6. "Face it, girls. I'm older and I have more insurance."

Why I Love...

2009-07-08T19:40:00.002-04:00

Line-drying:

1. The fresh scent.

2. The lower electric bills.

3. The speed. I can easily dry two or three loads at a time on the line as opposed to one at a time in the dryer.

4. The solitude. No one ever wants to help hang laundry and that's fine by me. I enjoy the quiet time... even if it is only a few minutes at a time. :o)

Catching Up Again

2009-07-07T08:00:00.002-04:00

So much has gone on in the past couple of months since I've been able to post, so I'll try to sum up some of the highlights:

KIDS- The boys had great baseball seasons this year. Steven's Coach's pitch team went undefeated. They all got really nice trophies and an ice cream/pizza party after the last game. They had a lot of fun this year! Matthew's team was the Runner-up for the Eastern Wayne County Major League Division. The Championship game was a tough one with a tough ump who had the world's tiniest strike zone. He called it that way for both teams, but it really frustrated all of the pitchers and made the game drag on forever. Matthew went on to play on two All-Star teams and his 11 and under team won theirs after starting with two losses. It was a great time!

FAMILY- We went fishing in Canada last month and had a week of cool, windy weather. We made the most of it, though and it was nice to get away. We brought home a few fish for the freezer, so all was not lost.

GARDEN- Our first garden is doing well. I will be posting a couple of Garden Project posts soon to catch you up on that. So far we have harvested some lettuce and the rest of it is coming along well- tomatoes coming in, peppers popping out and beans flowering! I also have 5 apples on one of my new apple trees which was unexpected. I rally didn't think we'd have fruit for a couple of years, so this is a nice surprise!

WORK- Work is over for me for the summer... one of the perks of working for the schools. I am enjoying the summer with the kids and have gotten quite a bit done around the house! Always a huge plus!

HOBBIES- I've been crafting, reading and writing. I will say that my writing has slowed to not much more than a crawl without being able to blog. There is no feedback and that is one of the things I love most about blogging.

FINALLY!!!!!

2009-07-06T16:10:00.003-04:00

After over 2 months of not being able to access my blog, I am back!!!

WOOT!!!!!!

I don't want to go into details, but rest assured that I will be closing my old posts to comments. Those nasty spammers can insert links to things that can get you into trouble without you ever knowing which link it was or what the link directs your readers to.

I apologize for the lapse in posting. I will be back to a regular schedule soon. I have some posts that had been scheduled to post that didn't and I have to update and arrange those again,but there is so much to fill you in on!!! I can't wait to get back to writing and blogging and commenting. I've missed it! I look forward to posting at Make It From Scratch (if Stephanie will have me back, that is) and The Fat Bottomed Girl!

Sunday Reflection

2009-05-03T00:01:00.001-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Flowering Pear Tree blossom and buds.

Sunday Reflection

2009-04-26T00:48:00.001-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Weeping Cherry Blossoms.

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-04-25T17:19:00.003-04:00

We had a busy, but peaceful time this week. The boys' baseball practices were willy-nilly at best because of the weather, but we muddled through it just fine.

As soon as it started hailing on Wednesday night, Steven flung himself dramatically on the couch and began sobbing (Where does he get this from? LOL!) because he was sure his practice would be cancelled. He was right and called me while I was at Matthew's practice. My quick fix was to offer to make cookies or stop for ice cream on the way home. The ice cream won and I had a happy 6 year-old. Crisis averted!

The temperature change from Thursday to Friday was a 30 degree increase and I couldn't be happier! It has to be really warm before I'll wear shorts (and make sure you put on your sunglasses when that happens), and I have been wearing them all day. Feels nice!

I'm hoping to get our garden tilled one final time tomorrow and get the first round of plantings in. I'm starting with some lettuce, radishes, onions and carrots. I also have some herb seeds to get started, but I might use the cold-frame for those. We'll see.

Here's a question: has anyone else been getting an annoying number of calls for vehicle warranties and insurance quotes? I have no idea how to get them to stop! You get a recording, so you can't ask to be removed from the list and if you get to where you can actually talk to a person, you're caught in their evil trap of language that obligates you to at least receive their paperwork in the mail. UGH!

Well, hope you're all enjoying nice weather wherever you are! Have a great weekend!

6 Exercise Tips

2009-04-24T20:30:00.000-04:00

Spring is here and right now is the time to think about your exercise routine. Our New Year's resolution is a distant memory by now, but I'll wager that it had something to do with exercising more, taking better care of yourself or losing weight. Remember how you started out so good and once you missed a day, you "fell off the wagon"? Well all that is about to change! Read on...

THERE IS NO WAGON

Forget about "the wagon", it doesn't exist! Just because you can't exercise or walk each and every day, doesn't mean that you have to quit completely. As a matter of fact, doing the same exercise everyday will become counterproductive after time. Get rid of the, "I have to exercise for this many minutes this many times a week or I am a failure" mentality. Don't be so hard on yourself and have fun with it. Speaking of fun...

MAKE YOUR WORKOUTS FUN
Walk with a friend, turn on one of those peppy workout shows in the morning and make up your own moves, do something you've never thought of as exercise. Shake things up and don't let yourself get bored. Who says your workout has to be only jogging or limited to riding a bike? Get a jump rope like when you were a kid and jump away. Do an old workout or warm-up routine/drill from a sport you played in high school. Don't overdo it in the beginning and challenge yourself to build up slowly to a harder or longer level. You'll have a much easier time getting motivated if you are doing something you actually enjoy.

LISTEN TO THE COMMERCIALS AND JUST DO IT
Don't worry about doing something perfectly, workouts done imperfectly are still workouts. Who cares if you can Mambo the "right way"? Do it with enthusiasm and get that heart pumping! So what if you have to start out by doing push-ups with your knees bent? This isn't gym class; there are no grades for perfection.

HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE
Exercising with a friend is a good way to build in that motivation. You can even get a group of people and when one can't make it, the rest go on without them. You'll always have someone to walk or work out with. If you are more competitive, you might also consider creating a little friendly competition with a friend or relative. See who can lose the most within a certain time frame.

TRY THE LATEST FAD
Why not?!? Take a look around at stores and garage sales for workout items you have never tried. Maybe you'll really like the Perfect Push-Up or the Kettlebell. You won't know till you try. Just remember, none of these things work unless you keep doing them. Which brings me to my next point...

REMEMBER, THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL
No amount of workout equipment or planning will work at all if you don't keep some kind of consistency. Like I mentioned above, you don't have to do the same thing everyday, but doing something as often as you can will only do you good.

My Six-year-old Gangsta

2009-04-23T18:38:00.003-04:00

Steven, my dramatic and totally-not-like-me-in-anyway-shape-or-form (ahem) six-year-old son, has an obsession of late. No, it isn't Pit Hair and it isn't Star Wars-I fear that obsession will never die. He thinks it's funny to end every conversation by pointing his fingers at us and calling us, "playa".

Now, we live in a small rural town that is basically white, retired couples and young families. I'm not naive to the influence of TV and video games, but WHAT??? Where did this come from? I mean, it is really, really funny and he certainly knows how to get a laugh anyways.

So I dropped him off to school yesterday morning and before he shut the door, he turned to speak. Rather than the usual, "Love you, Mom." I got, "I'm out, Dawg!"

Maybe it's too much American Idol because suddenly he's talking like Randy Jackson???

image credit

Go Green the Right Way

2009-04-22T09:09:00.002-04:00

It's Earth Day and, though we're always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint, some of the things we consider to be major changes that will greatly help the environment don't actually have that big of an impact. Conversely, some of the tiniest alterations to our daily lives and homes can have great benefits to our planet.

Yahoo! Green published a wonderful article this week: Pick Your Green Battles that will clear up some of the confusion as to which changes are worth the effort.

Sunday Reflection

2009-04-19T19:44:00.003-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Easter with the cousins!

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-04-18T20:36:00.005-04:00

WOW! I can't believe how beautiful it was here the last two days!!! We got a taste of summer for certain and that should be juuuust enough to hold us over during the next system of rain and cold (which may be 5 days). Let's hope so!

That's one thing I've noticed about Ohioans, one moment of wonderful can see us through a looooong stretch of not-so-good. Think about it: one great win by an Ohio sports team can last through several losses; one 70 degree day can carry us through weeks of cold, rain, snow and wind and one 'glimmer of hope' on the horizon of the financial world can ease the worry until our 401K plans start to rebound. We're resilient like that. We're resourceful and resilient people who can bounce back and brush the dust off so we can soak up the sun once again and show the world what we're made of.

So we had a good week that started off with a bunch of rain and cold. And believe me it was COLD and damp. I was stiff for 2 days after Steven's rainy practice Monday night. I'm getting old! We made it through all of the running and practicing and working and learning this week to arrive at one heck of a Friday and Saturday.

We took the opportunity during the nice weather to till the garden again, work on the lawn & the landscaping and wake the house up from winter (aka put screens in). My lawn is mowed, my screens are in and I have line-dried sheets to sleep on tonight! Life is good!

I also posted a new post at Make it from Scratch today. Head on over and check it out!

It is supposed to rain tomorrow, so I have a book that Mike sent me all ready to go! It is called The Shack and it is interesting! I'll be sure to post a review when I finish it.

Tomorrow, I will post my Sunday Reflection post and Monday I will post a video of Matthew's new talent. Let me just say that he gets his coordination from his Dad, because I KNOW he didn't get it from me. LOL!

Hope you all had great weather and a great week where you are!

Frugal Vacation Tips

2009-04-13T18:17:00.006-04:00

This may be a bit early for some people, but I start planning for our vacation about this time every year. My thinking is that if I begin to plan early enough, I'm much less likely to forget something. When you are packing basically the entire house, you have think ahead.

If you could use some tips for your vacation that will save you money, read on! You might also want to check out my Vacation Prep Tips that I passed on last year.

FRUGAL VACATION TIPS

1. Take advantage of club memberships and insurance company benefits/services. We belong to AAA and they have so many fabulous services and benefits besides their wonderful roadside assistance. Your AAA card can get you discounts at many, many restaurants, theme parks and hotels around the country and the world. You can also get Trip Tiks (a map of your trip) and books with information on local hotels, restaurants and attractions. Call your local office for details. Since we drive outside of the US, we also call our insurance company and they send us (free of charge) an international insurance card good for the duration of our trip. Contact your company for information on that and any other services they provide.

2. Pack meals for the trip. If you are driving, you will save time and money by not stopping at a fast food place to eat. This is also a great way to use up what food is left in your fridge before you go.

3. Get your car serviced before you leave. Get those cars up on car lifts for full tune-ups, oil changes, tire rotations, fluid top-offs and alignments one to two weeks before your vacation. We also like to wash our car and treat the windows with a product like Rain-X. You'll be aware of any problems before you leave and will be able to have anything major taken care of.

4. Copy your passport and other travel documents. Keep these copies in a separate place from the originals. If anyone loses their documents, you have all the information you'll need.

5. Do your homework. Check out what the food and gas prices are in the area you'll be staying. You will be able to buy things ahead and take them rather than pay twice as much at your destination or you can take more money with you if need be. You don't want to charge anything extra on your credit card if you don't have to.

6. Buy early! Add one item to each grocery trip and you will hardly notice the difference. Make sure you hide the items once you get home or they will disappear before the vacation gets here. :o)

7. Split the list. Vacationing with friends or family? Get together, make a list of everything you can- or are willing to- share. Split the list and you will avoid bringing doubles and save money at the same time.

8. Shop thrift stores for souvenirs. Buy a t-shirt or sweat shirt at the local Goodwill and save a bundle over the souvenir shop price! Summer is also a good time to hit the garage sales wherever you are. I'd prefer to buy something I can use from a garage sale than something that will collect dust from a souvenir shop.

9. Take what's in your fridge and freeze the rest. Throw your eggs, milk and veggies that are in your fridge into your cooler. You won't have to stop at the store when you arrive at your destination and you won't waste the food at home. Bread and buns can be frozen until you get home. I also like to have whomever is house-sitting for us pick up some milk and other essentials right before we return home. It is nice to walk in and not have to go out shopping right away.

10. Plan for flying WAY ahead. Be sure to know all of the rules and requirements of your particular airline. Find out what you can take and what you can't so you can plan to buy what you need when you arrive. This will save you a massive headache and stress if you can be prepared.

11. Use your credit card. A bit contrary to the advice I gave in tip #4, and I'll tell you why. IF you are travelling outside of the US, you may get a better exchange rate by using your credit card. Do not use the card for cash advances unless it is an absolute emergency, but do use it for things like gas and hotels. Be sure to pay off the balance right away!

12. Check out your destination. The web makes it so easy to research your vacation destination, so why not do it? Look for local zoos, outlet stores, museums and parks. find out their hours and admission charges. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the unique places you'll find and you can plan your itinerary much more efficiently and frugally!

Sunday Reflection

2009-04-12T00:24:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there.
Clarence W. Hall

Have a Blessed and Happy Easter!!

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-04-11T21:53:00.003-04:00

Busy as ever and still going strong! I can't believe that tomorrow is Easter already! It seems like just days ago we were in the middle of snow and cold... oh wait... that was just days ago. Well, that's Ohio for you. You get a day or two of Spring when Mother Nature pulls the rug out and BAM! Back to winter we go.

So my sewing machine is taunting me and mocking me as I try to finish up some Easter stuff and make something for my new little nephew that is on his way. I can't figure out what is wrong and it's driving me crazy!!!

Unable to post my weekly craft post at Make It From Scratch, I resorted to posting a new recipe for a simple Homemade Chicken Pot Pie. This recipe will take just a few minutes to whip up and it doesn't have all of the preservatives and sodium the store-bought versions have.

I also recently signed up for Facebook and am having a blast taking quizzes and keeping up with friends that I rarely or never see. My badge is in the right-hand column if you'd like to 'friend request' me.

Matthew started baseball practices last week and Steven will start this week. Just in time for that, I posted a list of Sport Parent Car Essentials. Also check out my posts on Keeping Up and Stain Removal Tips- just a couple of other things that might come in handy if you're in the same boat as me.

I hope everyone has a blessed, peaceful and fun Easter!!!

Sports Parent Car Essentials

2009-04-09T20:56:00.004-04:00

If you have a kid in any kind of sport, you know what it's like: long practices, suddenly changing weather and unexpected accidents can put a big damper on an evening if you aren't equipped. Below, I have listed some things you may need at one time or another to help you be the Alpha Mom you always wanted to be. Approach it from the Boyscout point-of-view and always be prepared. Grab an old backpack and load it up!

- Towels. I recommend at least one towel (bath or beach-sized is preferable) per person in your family. Roll them up and tuck under a seat. Use them to wipe off wet bleachers, muddy or wet kids, as a makeshift blanket or as a seat cushion. I'm sure you will find many other uses as well. I like to cover take-out bags with a folded towel to help keep food warm on the way home!

- First Aid Kit. I recommend you buy a starter kit from a discount store and refill as needed. You can also start with a plastic shoe box and fill it yourself. Whichever you choose, I highly suggest including: Instant cold packs (the kind you smash and shake to get cold), bandages (medium and large), alcohol wipes, antibiotic ointment and tweezers. Gauze, tape and popsicle sticks or tongue depressors (for use as splints) can also come in handy.

- Spare jackets. You can use hand-me-downs, thrift store finds, old hoodies or whatever. You never know when you'll forget a jacket or when an unexpected cold-front will move in. You can never have enough layers around. These are also handy when you stay longer than expected at a cookout.

- Blanket. At least one, maybe two. Blankets, like towels, can serve many purposes. Spread one on the ground for a pic-nic or for toddlers to play, cover up in the cold, cover the seat in your car, fold and place on bleachers to reserve seats or provide some cushioning. A blanket can also provide shade if needed.

- Trash Bags. I'm talking the large, leaf-bagging style. If you've ever taken a muddy child home from football or soccer, you will LOVE this idea! Take out a trash bag, make your child STAND IN THE BAG inside your vehicle. Pull the bag up around the child and your car seats will be saved. You can also throw their muddy equipment in a bag. If you have a whole roll of bags, you will become an instant hero with the other parents. :o) These also make great rain ponchos in a pinch.

- Bottled Water. I know we are all trying to go green, so if you want to bottle your own water at home, feel free. I keep at least a couple of bottles of water in my car because we often get half-way to practice when someone realizes they have forgotten the bottle I handed them just before we walked out the door. We've also had really hot days when we needed more water that we first brought.

- Umbrella. A large one. I like my golf umbrella, but I am seriously thinking about getting a beach umbrella, too. I am not exactly what you'd call a "bronze goddess" and a beach umbrella would be perfect for those late July, all day baseball tournaments in the blazing 90+ degree heat.

Earn your Master of Science in Nursing Degree Online

2009-04-09T20:30:00.002-04:00

We all know the medical field is booming right now. Nursing is currently one of the most in-demand careers. If you or someone you know already has a bachelor's degree in nursing, this article is for you.

Saint Xavier University offers a comprehensive online course of study for a Master of Science in Nursing -MS Nursing- in Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). Coordinate care between nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians and more after completing the program and sitting for the CNL certification examination. Assume the leadership role you've always desired.

This MSN CNL program is custom-designed to suit a busy schedule which will allow you to continue working in your current position while pursuing your master's degree in this exciting field. The online courses will be combined with a weekend of campus time to optimize your efforts and expedite your training. The professional faculty at Saint Xavier University will provide you with the skills expected by many of today's employers. Lead yourself to a more fulfilling career as a CNL with Saint Xavier University!

Fiber One Giveaway Winners

2009-04-06T09:09:00.002-04:00

And the winners of the Fiber One Yogurt Fiber Friend Pack Giveaway are:

Mom

and Stephanie!

Congratulations and thanks for playing along!!

Giveaway Deadline Reminder

2009-04-05T20:35:00.004-04:00

Just a quick reminder for you. The deadline for the Fiber One Yogurt Fiber Friend Pack Giveaway is midnight tonight. Enter by leaving a comment with your email address on the giveaway post!!

I will draw THREE lucky winners and post them tomorrow!! Good luck!

Sunday Reflection

2009-04-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

The winds of God's grace are always blowing.
It is for us to raise our sails.
~Ramakrishna

Week's Wrap-Up

2009-04-04T09:39:00.002-04:00

Spring Break is winding down. We've had plenty of stuff to keep us busy this week including our new garden. Things are going well. Here are some other things we did:

I am hosting another giveaway for you! Be sure to leave a comment on the post, Fiber One Yogurt Prize Pack Giveaway by midnight Sunday (That's tomorrow night!)!

I finally signed up for Facebook. About time, I am told.

We made Beaded Eggs that I give instructions for in my weekly craft post at Make It From Scratch. Feel free to "Oooh and Aaah".

Matthew got a new bike! I'm sure it won't be long till he attaches a trailer and offers moving services to the neighbors.

I detailed digging a garden. We're nearly up and running!!! I can't wait!

********************

NEXT WEEK

Matthew starts baseball practice and we are back to school. can I just say that I'm glad we will have a short week? I love the routine of school and work days, but a full week after a long break is almost too long for kids who have been able to sleep in for 9 days straight.

I may also bring back my Thrifty Thursday posts. I have had a couple of requests for them. What do you think? I don't get a lot of feedback on them, so let me know if you like them or not.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

The Garden Project: Digging a Garden

2009-04-03T13:52:00.007-04:00

***Have you entered my Fiber One Yogurt Prize Pack Giveaway yet?***

Digging up a patch in your yard for a garden can be a traumatic thing for any lawn-enthusiast. Just ask my hubby. All of the years of lawn care and maintenance are about to be "defaced" by a shovel. I know he was worried about where to put it and what size to make it. He is one to second guess things and put decisions off until the last possible millisecond. I am much more decisive. Once I make up my mind, it is made up. Don't ask me to change the plan or do something entirely different- I've already visualized it and that's how it will be. He's a trooper to put up with me... and vice-versa, I might add. (LOVE YOU HONEY!)

We (And by 'we' I mean 'he'. I had to take the pictures you know.) started by putting 4 stakes in the ground where the corners of our garden would be. We measured the sides so they were equal, then measured the diagonals. If your diagonals are equal, the garden is square.

Then, run a length of string or twine around the 4 stakes, winding around each stake. Mark along the string using spray paint or a line of pulverized lime. Remove the stakes and string.

It isn't necessary, but at this point, you may want to remove the sod (grass) with a sod kicker or shovel (wear gloves if you use a shovel). The excess sod can be used to fill in bare spots in your lawn (lay on bare spot and water daily) or it can be broken up and added to a compost pile.

Now you can begin digging along the lines you painted. Dig up large chunks of the ground and, if you haven't removed the sod, turn the chunks over so the grass will break down. You may have to take a shovel or hoe and break the chunks up further to help them dry out more.

Once the dirt is sufficiently dry (which can take some time), you will want to till the garden up with a cultivator, tiller or disk attachment on a tractor. You can also add lime (to help the grass break down and make the soil less acidic), fertilizer, manure, sand or compost before you till the soil up. You can check with your county's extension office to find out what to add to your local soil.

New Bike News

2009-04-02T20:28:00.003-04:00

The latest and greatest news in our eleven-year-old boy's world is his new set of wheels!

We sold his old 20 inch bike on craigslist last weekend and we've been on the hunt for a bigger bike ever since. The hunt ended successfully last night with this beauty and he even had cash to spare. He paired the money from selling his old bike with 4 gift cards he had from his birthday and had $13 left over for the bank. I think he did pretty good!

Fiber One Yogurt Fiber Friend Pack Giveaway

2009-04-01T21:14:00.005-04:00

I don't know about you, but I find that if I compete against someone, I am much more motivated to reach my goals. It always helps to have a buddy along for the ride. That's why I'd like to tell you about a new site called http://www.fiberfriendfaceoff.com/.

MY REVIEW

When you visit http://www.blogger.com/www.fiberfriendfaceoff.com you can create your own personal avatar, or "Fiber Friend". You then face off against a weekly opponent to help learn about daily fiber requirements and the health benefits of fiber. Just by registering, players are entered in a sweepstakes for a chance to win great prizes including daily gift cash cards, weekly Flip Video T camcorder and a grand prize trip-for-two to a luxury spa in Arizona.

The face-off only takes a minute to play and you'll learn a lot. PLUS, when you win, your avatar throws his or her hands in the air in victory!!! Maybe it's just the cheerleader in me, but that's enough to keep me coming back right there.

As a huge bonus, players can also download discount coupons for Fiber One products including Fiber One yogurt, chewy snack bars, ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, toaster pastries, muffin mix and pancake mix, all great tasting foods that help to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Fiber One yogurt provides 20 percent of the Daily Value of fiber and is a good source of vitamins A &D.

THE GIVEAWAY

THREE lucky commenters will win a fabulous Fiber Friend gift pack including one VIP coupon to try a complimentary 4-pack of Fiber One yogurt, a nutrition journal (to track your daily activities and food), water bottle, pedometer with calorie counter, and a cute and compact kitchen scale! (Similar to the one pictured above.)

I have to admit that I LOVE the pedometer! I love to wear it and try to take more steps each day! I even love competing against myself. :o)

HOW TO WIN

Leave one comment on this post (make sure I can contact you via email) by midnight on Sunday, April 5th. You can leave one comment each day for additional entries. Three winners will be drawn at random and announced in a separate post here on Monday, April 6th.

I reserve the right to delete any rude, crude or spammy comments and I'll be the judge of that, so play nice, please. Good luck!!!

Sunday Reflection

2009-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Each Sunday, I post a poem, photo or quote that I love or that speaks to me. Feel free to comment or post your own. See more here.

These photos are from the fireworks on the 4th of July last year. I am impatiently awaiting (consistent) warmer weather and fireworks remind me of humid summer nights, fresh watermelon and swimming all day.

It's Gonna Be A Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day

2009-03-27T21:50:00.005-04:00

Once I can get these kids to go to sleep, that is...

Actually, that lyric holds true in many ways. It popped into my head this morning as the sun came up until I looked at my windows. YUCK!!! They were in dire need of a good squeegee-ing. Mike was bringing supper home, so I had time to hit them all with some spray and a squeegee after work. WHAT A GOOD FEELING!!!

We are off all next week for Spring Break, so I am excited to be able to check one job off my Spring Cleaning list! Windows- checkaroo! My actual Spring Cleaning list is floating around somewhere in my head along with grocery lists, Easter ideas, craft ideas and posts that may or may not make it to the ol' blog. Maybe I should consider a hard copy just in case my brain decides to take the week off, too.

Not that that has ever HAPPENED... or... anything (My husband didn't hear that, did he? Oh yea, I typed it. WHEW!)

ANYHOO!

The list includes:
Detailed vacuuming
A possible TV wall mount in our room

Dusting everything!!

Tackling the basement shelves (Oy vey!)

Working on The Garden Project

Cleaning out our closets

I've got my work cut out for me! Luckily, we're supposed to have a few nice days next week.

****************************************

In other news...

I HAVE to tell you about a new family in the neighborhood. There are 5 kids who are always inappropriately dressed for the weather and I've only seen an actual adult once. NICE! They moved in in the fall and I've considered calling CPS on them more than a few times. Never because of any abuse (other than letting their kids run around outside in near zero temps with an adult-sized hoodie as a coat), but for the parents (if you can even call them that) being complete idiots.

You know, I feel bad for the kids in this situation. They have no choice in the matter and they suffer because of the parents' total lack of sense and parental ability. I know that on more than one occasion these parents have left for work while three of the kids (5th, 3rd and 1st grades) are left to get on the bus by themselves on a two-hour delay day. This means that the 5th grader gets on the bus a full hour before the 3rd and 1st grader. AND!!! One day, the two younger ones locked themselves out of the house at least 30 minutes before the bus came with no coats on and the two-hour delay we had that day was due to the wind chill being too low!

The kids lack guidance of any kind and are disrespectful, rude and are constantly causing problems. They come over, as soon as they get off the bus, wanting to play. I feel bad, but I send them home. It is not my responsibility to watch them. I can send my boys and the kids I babysit out to play and have no problems, but those kids come over and I have to be on guard constantly.

"Get down from there!" "Don't do that!" "That's not nice." "Take turns and be polite." I feel like I have a yard full of toddlers all of a sudden. It really is stressful. I do not want to spend my spring break or summer warding off certain neighbor children. We have several other neighbors with kids that I don't mind having over, but these kids will not be here all of the time. That's my final answer.

I know that I have to nip it in the bud. If I let them come over to play now, they will be back.

Do you have problems with this? What do you do?

All He Wants for Easter...

2009-03-25T21:30:00.004-04:00

You guessed it! Steven lost all 4 of his front teeth. I can't believe how cute it is when he talks! We never had this with Matthew because he lost his first two teeth and it was a full year until the next two came out.

Steven actually lost the lower teeth a few weeks ago. The top teeth were lose enough that he would constantly push them apart by sticking his tongue between them and push them back with his fingers. Mike talked him into letting us wiggle them. He worked one out and, after rinsing and looking at it, Steven came out crying that we had, "... left a big hole(!)" in his gums. A few minutes of sympathy and hugs from Mom and Dad made it all better.

By the next afternoon, he had earned the nickname "Jack"- short for Jack-o-lantern. I was calling him "Nanny McPhee" because he kept doing this:

We were worried about him swallowing the last tooth in his sleep and talked him into letting us pull it. Literally 5 minutes later, it was out!

I ask you, is there anything cuter???

When There Are No Words

2009-03-23T21:32:00.003-04:00

Last week, a 10th grader in our school district was killed in a tragic accident. You can read the story here.

As a parent, you can't imagine losing a child... just the thought is unfathomable. The agony of it must be immense. The "why's" and "what if's" must play on an endless loop through your mind.

Even an adult would have serious issues dealing with the feelings that would follow, so think of that little brother. He is one year older than Matthew. He is in the grade ahead of him and I wonder how he is doing. I served lunch to him and his remaining brother all last year, but I do not "know" them.

I saw the father and the two sons walking down the street as I worked this morning. To see them, you would never know. They looked like any other father and sons walking to the store to pick up a snack or something to drink. It's a good sign, I suppose. It was slightly comforting to see them and know that even though their world must be dark and upside-down inside, they are living on the outside.

My heart aches for them. All of them have a lifetime of this memory to come. It will fade and lessen as the years go by, but it will always be in the back of their minds. I won't be attending the funeral and I will likely not send a card, but they are in my thoughts. When there are no words, there are always prayers. That's what I will send and I know they will be felt.