Summer Bucket List Linkup

Hey y'all!  I am really late to the party today, but hey, better late than never, right?!

Today, I am linking up with Holly and Trista.  They're hosting a Summer Bucket List linkup.  And this is perfect, because I've been making mine.

This is P's last summer before she starts kindergarten. Up until now, it's been me and her...all day, every day.  I really want this last summer to be fun and exciting and memorable for her.  I started our bucket list a couple months ago...with the idea that we would begin on June 1st.  That is just a few days away.  And here we goooooooooooooooooooo...

I am really excited to get started.  And to share them here on Just Breathe.  I hope everyone else makes a Summer Bucket List.  Let's see how many we can cross off the list!?! 

Until next time...

Hey y'all!  I am really late to the party today, but hey, better late than never, right?!

Today, I am linking up with Holly and Trista.  They're hosting a Summer Bucket List linkup.  And this is perfect, because I've been making mine.

This is P's last summer before she starts kindergarten. Up until now, it's been me and her...all day, every day.  I really want this last summer to be fun and exciting and memorable for her.  I started our bucket list a couple months ago...with the idea that we would begin on June 1st.  That is just a few days away.  And here we goooooooooooooooooooo...

I am really excited to get started.  And to share them here on Just Breathe.  I hope everyone else makes a Summer Bucket List.  Let's see how many we can cross off the list!?! 

Until next time...

A Little Photo Dump

So, I am doing this little post because, well, I don't have another one planned. Talk about not being prepared. But this is my weekend...in photos.

I'm not sure when this was...I think Friday!?!  But we all decided it was going to be a lazy day.  And when we ALL decide that...it's a miracle.

Honestly, we didn't do anything Saturday or Sunday.

Monday, we went to a very impromptu cookout at my brothers.  

I did have time to throw this yummy little beauty together.

We got ready.  P dressed herself.  Of course.

I was able to get a little more sun on those bright white legs.

Lunch/dinner was pretty darn good.  And the company wasn't bad either!

And P got to play outside with her cousin C.

P was worn out and actually went to bed easily.  Yay!  And I got some more sun.  It was a semi-relaxing day.

I wanted to throw this in...because Graye is adorable.  She doesn't normally sleep on her back.

And last night, I saw the back of P's head.  Oh My!!  Her hair is getting really curly!

Ok, well, that's all for today.  Hopefully, I will have something of more substance later in the week.

Happy Reading!

So, I am doing this little post because, well, I don't have another one planned. Talk about not being prepared. But this is my weekend...in photos.

I'm not sure when this was...I think Friday!?!  But we all decided it was going to be a lazy day.  And when we ALL decide that...it's a miracle.

Honestly, we didn't do anything Saturday or Sunday.

Monday, we went to a very impromptu cookout at my brothers.  

I did have time to throw this yummy little beauty together.

We got ready.  P dressed herself.  Of course.

I was able to get a little more sun on those bright white legs.

Lunch/dinner was pretty darn good.  And the company wasn't bad either!

And P got to play outside with her cousin C.

P was worn out and actually went to bed easily.  Yay!  And I got some more sun.  It was a semi-relaxing day.

I wanted to throw this in...because Graye is adorable.  She doesn't normally sleep on her back.

And last night, I saw the back of P's head.  Oh My!!  Her hair is getting really curly!

Ok, well, that's all for today.  Hopefully, I will have something of more substance later in the week.

Happy Reading!

A Pinspired Recipe: "____" Tortilla Minis

If you go through the crafts and recipes I have done from Pinterest, you would think that I have spent hours on the site.  In reality, I spend barely 15 minutes a week on there.  I get on once a day to check my feed.  I have some people with really great taste on my feed.  I like their pins and if it is a really good one, then I take a screen shot.  That's the process y'all.  I know you were dying to know.

So, today's gem was one of those "screen shot" likes.  I really like ideas that I can involve P.  Especially if it is food related.  Kid is a pb&j addict.  I digress.  This recipe looked good...sounded good...and was easy to do.  AND it has the potential for "spin-offs," which you will see later.  The "spin-offs" are the reason for the blank in the title.  They can be Pizza Tortilla Minis or Taco Tortilla Minis...etc, etc.

This here recipe is for Mini Tortilla Crusted Pizzas.  They are super cute!  Check out the pin here.  And here is what their pretty pizzas look like!   I completely forgot to take pictures while making it, but I have some pics of the finished product.  I'll show you in a minute.

Here's the how-to:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray (I used a couple of 6 muffin tins)
Use a round object (I used a drinking glass) to cut circles out of your tortillas.  I was able to get 4 circles per tortilla.
Push your tortilla circles into the muffin pans to form little cup/bowl shapes.
Top with whatever you want!!!!!
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes and ENJOY!

*The actual recipe for the photo at right can be found on the blog, Dashing Dish.  Here is a link to the post about the Mini Deep Dish Pizzas.

(I somewhat followed her ingredients list.  I omitted the sweetener.  I used pizza sauce, parm cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to make the sauce/paste, then topped with Mozz cheese and diced pepperoni)

 

Personally, I thought these were really good.  I really like the sauce/paste.  It has a great flavor.  I will probably be using that for all of the pizzas we make.  P was not as fond of them as I thought she would be, but that's ok.  We will try again.  Next time, I'll starve her first.

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

This past weekend, I got a little antsy and thought I would try this idea with some other ingredients.  I really like salsa and sour cream and I had this chicken stuff that is amazing!



Anyway, so here is what I used for the Fajita Tortilla Minis.

The Tyson Grilled & Ready is the Southwestern flavored fajita strips.

And of course, Southwestern corn.

Everything stays pretty much the same as far as cooking goes.  It's just the prep that's different.

Oven at 425 degrees.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.



 



My prep was pretty simple on this one too.

I took my salsa and mixed in some of the corn.  That was my sauce base.

I covered that with fiesta blend cheese.

I topped it all off with the Southwestern fajita strips, diced.






I think next I am going to try this without the corn.  I'll add some sour cream and use taco seasoned ground turkey instead of chicken.  That sounds good too.

You can take this idea and run so many different ways with it.

Here are some more ideas:

• Omelet type dish (with veggies, breakfast meats and cheese)
• Seasoned diced veggies (with or without cheese)
• Mac n cheese cups

Now that I've made myself hungry, I'll go have a cup of coffee. 

If you go through the crafts and recipes I have done from Pinterest, you would think that I have spent hours on the site.  In reality, I spend barely 15 minutes a week on there.  I get on once a day to check my feed.  I have some people with really great taste on my feed.  I like their pins and if it is a really good one, then I take a screen shot.  That's the process y'all.  I know you were dying to know.

So, today's gem was one of those "screen shot" likes.  I really like ideas that I can involve P.  Especially if it is food related.  Kid is a pb&j addict.  I digress.  This recipe looked good...sounded good...and was easy to do.  AND it has the potential for "spin-offs," which you will see later.  The "spin-offs" are the reason for the blank in the title.  They can be Pizza Tortilla Minis or Taco Tortilla Minis...etc, etc.

This here recipe is for Mini Tortilla Crusted Pizzas.  They are super cute!  Check out the pin here.  And here is what their pretty pizzas look like!   I completely forgot to take pictures while making it, but I have some pics of the finished product.  I'll show you in a minute.

Here's the how-to:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray (I used a couple of 6 muffin tins)
Use a round object (I used a drinking glass) to cut circles out of your tortillas.  I was able to get 4 circles per tortilla.
Push your tortilla circles into the muffin pans to form little cup/bowl shapes.
Top with whatever you want!!!!!
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Let cool for 1-2 minutes and ENJOY!

*The actual recipe for the photo at right can be found on the blog, Dashing Dish.  Here is a link to the post about the Mini Deep Dish Pizzas.

(I somewhat followed her ingredients list.  I omitted the sweetener.  I used pizza sauce, parm cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder to make the sauce/paste, then topped with Mozz cheese and diced pepperoni)

 

Personally, I thought these were really good.  I really like the sauce/paste.  It has a great flavor.  I will probably be using that for all of the pizzas we make.  P was not as fond of them as I thought she would be, but that's ok.  We will try again.  Next time, I'll starve her first.

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

This past weekend, I got a little antsy and thought I would try this idea with some other ingredients.  I really like salsa and sour cream and I had this chicken stuff that is amazing!



Anyway, so here is what I used for the Fajita Tortilla Minis.

The Tyson Grilled & Ready is the Southwestern flavored fajita strips.

And of course, Southwestern corn.

Everything stays pretty much the same as far as cooking goes.  It's just the prep that's different.

Oven at 425 degrees.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.



 



My prep was pretty simple on this one too.

I took my salsa and mixed in some of the corn.  That was my sauce base.

I covered that with fiesta blend cheese.

I topped it all off with the Southwestern fajita strips, diced.






I think next I am going to try this without the corn.  I'll add some sour cream and use taco seasoned ground turkey instead of chicken.  That sounds good too.

You can take this idea and run so many different ways with it.

Here are some more ideas:

• Omelet type dish (with veggies, breakfast meats and cheese)
• Seasoned diced veggies (with or without cheese)
• Mac n cheese cups

Now that I've made myself hungry, I'll go have a cup of coffee. 

Some Weekly Pinspiration: A Lace Skirt Extender

Weeks ago, P and I were shopping and she took off.  This is nothing new.  No matter how much I scare the crap out of her concerning bad people, her innocent little heart doesn't get it.  But, I digress.

When she came running back, she was so excited.  She had a shiny pink dress in her hands.  She said "Look Mom!  You should get this."  It was actually really cute.  It was a large so I didn't have high hopes.  But I tried it on and it fit.  And it was cute!  It was a  little on the short side, but I bought it anyway.

And it has sat on my dress hook for about a month + because it is too short to wear for normal everyday attire.

One day, I was poking around Pinterest and I came across this little gem.  You can actually purchase this at ThreeBirdNest on Etsy for $34.99.  Wow.  That's just crazy.

I needed this...for so many reasons, but I was not about to pay that much for a piece of fake silk and some lace trim.  Really?  No.  So, I decided to make my own.

I bought a little black half slip from Wal-Mart.  It was $4.96.  I bought some black lace trim from the fabric section at Wal-Mart (2 1/2 yards for $4.93).  So, for a grand total of $9.89, I had my supplies. A third of what I would have paid...actually a fourth if you included shipping.



So here is what I used...



* Vassarette Half Slip (size large) 24 in long
* 2 1/2 yards black lace trim (not ribbon)
* my sewing machine!





I always end up doing things the hard way...mainly because I don't pay attention to all the details.  This particular slip had a slit up the side.  For $5 bucks I was going to maker it work.  I just figured i would sew up the side...easy peasy.  Yeah not so much.  It was also curved, so after it was sewn up, the one side was still curved.  I just hiked up the hem line...sewed it and then trimmed it off.  It really did not need all that length anyway.

Getting ready to pin the hemline

 I pinned the hemline and the lace trim all at the same time.  Two birds, one stone.  I sewed one side at a time for the first layer.  After I sewed this side, I flipped it over and pinned again.  Then sewed. 

When I was done sewing the first layer, I had this pretty little lacy slip.

Next up, I started pinning my second layer of lace trim.  This was much easier.  I pinned all the way around this time.  I kept sewing til I was done.

My "vintage" double layer lace skirt extender

Please excuse the poor pictures.  It was after midnight and a drink might have been had beforehand. 

All in all, I think this slip turned out really well.  I can't wait to wear this dress now.  P will be so excited!

The best part about this project is that you can do this easily.  You don't have to have a sewing machine.  This can be done by hand.  You can do this in any color.  And you can even funk it up if you want to.  You can do a half slip or even a whole slip.  You can find slips at resale shops and places like Goodwill for super cheap.

I hope you've all been inspired to go make something pretty!

Oh and check back tomorrow for an awesome recipe for some fun foods.

Weeks ago, P and I were shopping and she took off.  This is nothing new.  No matter how much I scare the crap out of her concerning bad people, her innocent little heart doesn't get it.  But, I digress.

When she came running back, she was so excited.  She had a shiny pink dress in her hands.  She said "Look Mom!  You should get this."  It was actually really cute.  It was a large so I didn't have high hopes.  But I tried it on and it fit.  And it was cute!  It was a  little on the short side, but I bought it anyway.

And it has sat on my dress hook for about a month + because it is too short to wear for normal everyday attire.

One day, I was poking around Pinterest and I came across this little gem.  You can actually purchase this at ThreeBirdNest on Etsy for $34.99.  Wow.  That's just crazy.

I needed this...for so many reasons, but I was not about to pay that much for a piece of fake silk and some lace trim.  Really?  No.  So, I decided to make my own.

I bought a little black half slip from Wal-Mart.  It was $4.96.  I bought some black lace trim from the fabric section at Wal-Mart (2 1/2 yards for $4.93).  So, for a grand total of $9.89, I had my supplies. A third of what I would have paid...actually a fourth if you included shipping.



So here is what I used...



* Vassarette Half Slip (size large) 24 in long
* 2 1/2 yards black lace trim (not ribbon)
* my sewing machine!





I always end up doing things the hard way...mainly because I don't pay attention to all the details.  This particular slip had a slit up the side.  For $5 bucks I was going to maker it work.  I just figured i would sew up the side...easy peasy.  Yeah not so much.  It was also curved, so after it was sewn up, the one side was still curved.  I just hiked up the hem line...sewed it and then trimmed it off.  It really did not need all that length anyway.

Getting ready to pin the hemline

 I pinned the hemline and the lace trim all at the same time.  Two birds, one stone.  I sewed one side at a time for the first layer.  After I sewed this side, I flipped it over and pinned again.  Then sewed. 

When I was done sewing the first layer, I had this pretty little lacy slip.

Next up, I started pinning my second layer of lace trim.  This was much easier.  I pinned all the way around this time.  I kept sewing til I was done.

My "vintage" double layer lace skirt extender

Please excuse the poor pictures.  It was after midnight and a drink might have been had beforehand. 

All in all, I think this slip turned out really well.  I can't wait to wear this dress now.  P will be so excited!

The best part about this project is that you can do this easily.  You don't have to have a sewing machine.  This can be done by hand.  You can do this in any color.  And you can even funk it up if you want to.  You can do a half slip or even a whole slip.  You can find slips at resale shops and places like Goodwill for super cheap.

I hope you've all been inspired to go make something pretty!

Oh and check back tomorrow for an awesome recipe for some fun foods.

Weight-y Wednesday...but Not Really.

It's Weighty Wednesday, but I think there may be more pressing matters on everyone's minds right now.

I live in Arkansas...which is right next door to Oklahoma (just in case anyone was geography illiterate).  The storms that raced through OK, came through AR too.  We were luckier in my state.

I am a mother of a small child.  I have lost family members throughout the years, including a brother, sisters, and my father.  I know loss.  So, I understand to a certain extent the grief that the communities in OK are feeling tonight.  One that I hope to never know, is the loss of a child.  I could not imagine the pain...the suffering...the fear.  And part of me distances myself from that pain I see on the tv and on the internet.  All the while hugging my daughter just a little bit tighter.

I won't lie.  I haven't watched or read one news organization concerning the aftermath of the tornadoes in Moore, OK.  I've seen some of the photos online and I read enough on my Facebook feed.  It's terrible.  It's tragic.  And I know that it can and HAS happened where I am in Central AR.

I know that we will all join together and help Moore and others rebuild.  That's what we do.  We're from the South.  We work hard.  We care about our neighbors.  We've been known to give the shirt off our backs.  We rally.  It's not just about football, ya know?!

And so, we help.  We help in the ways we can.  We give our money.  We give our items.  We give our time.  We give our thoughts and prayers.  These families have lost everything.  Dollars and clothes and the clearing of debris will not bring back their sons and daughters.  But it is one less thing these souls will have to worry about later.  Do what you can.

And while I am talking about doing what we can, please don't forget about the other family members.  These people also lost their pets.  If you know me, you know that I will oftentimes connect with animals before people.  There is something so basic in the relationship between an animal and a human.  There are no pretenses.  There is no "you scratch my back" mentality.  There is love and there is companionship.  There is duty and loyalty.

It is obvious that the humans are the primary objective in these situations.  Especially for those members of the communities affected.  I also believe that we should be doing what we can for those furry or 4 legged babies.  I mean, these babies do matter.  In some cases, the furbabies are the only family these people have.  I have read some amazing stories of animal rescues and reunions.  I've read about people taking their time and money to save these injured and scared animals.  It is truly commendable.

Since I am an animal person, I've put together some information on how you can help the furbabies in need.  They need us too.  Remember that.  (As a side note, please do not jump on the bandwagon that I am advocating the ignoring of helping human victims.  It's a simple fact that animals do not have a voice.)

The OK Humane Society is in need to supplies and monetary donations.  You can find information on their website www.okhumane.org.  A direct link to their needs can be followed here.

Animal Resource Center, Inc. in Ok - https://www.facebook.com/animalresourcecenter

Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pet-Food-Pantry-of-Oklahoma-City/14415251226717

Missing Pets in Moore - http://www.reddit.com/r/missingpetsinmoore/
Lost & Found Pets in OK - http://okclostpets.com/
Moore Oklahoma Tornado Lost and Found Animals - https://www.facebook.com/OKpets

Here in AR...the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission will have a community drop off from Tuesday through Friday at the following address:

1 Natural Resources Drive,
Little Rock, AR.

Below is a list of needed items:

Cages/crates
Paper Towels
Dog/cat food
Disposable feed bowls
Leashes and collars
Spray bottles
Gloves
Little boxes and kitty litter


I urge everyone to do what they can.  Any tiny bit will help.  And remember, it doesn't have to be money.  Materials and time are also needed.

Again...my thoughts go out to those affected by the recent severe weather in Oklahoma.  BB

It's Weighty Wednesday, but I think there may be more pressing matters on everyone's minds right now.

I live in Arkansas...which is right next door to Oklahoma (just in case anyone was geography illiterate).  The storms that raced through OK, came through AR too.  We were luckier in my state.

I am a mother of a small child.  I have lost family members throughout the years, including a brother, sisters, and my father.  I know loss.  So, I understand to a certain extent the grief that the communities in OK are feeling tonight.  One that I hope to never know, is the loss of a child.  I could not imagine the pain...the suffering...the fear.  And part of me distances myself from that pain I see on the tv and on the internet.  All the while hugging my daughter just a little bit tighter.

I won't lie.  I haven't watched or read one news organization concerning the aftermath of the tornadoes in Moore, OK.  I've seen some of the photos online and I read enough on my Facebook feed.  It's terrible.  It's tragic.  And I know that it can and HAS happened where I am in Central AR.

I know that we will all join together and help Moore and others rebuild.  That's what we do.  We're from the South.  We work hard.  We care about our neighbors.  We've been known to give the shirt off our backs.  We rally.  It's not just about football, ya know?!

And so, we help.  We help in the ways we can.  We give our money.  We give our items.  We give our time.  We give our thoughts and prayers.  These families have lost everything.  Dollars and clothes and the clearing of debris will not bring back their sons and daughters.  But it is one less thing these souls will have to worry about later.  Do what you can.

And while I am talking about doing what we can, please don't forget about the other family members.  These people also lost their pets.  If you know me, you know that I will oftentimes connect with animals before people.  There is something so basic in the relationship between an animal and a human.  There are no pretenses.  There is no "you scratch my back" mentality.  There is love and there is companionship.  There is duty and loyalty.

It is obvious that the humans are the primary objective in these situations.  Especially for those members of the communities affected.  I also believe that we should be doing what we can for those furry or 4 legged babies.  I mean, these babies do matter.  In some cases, the furbabies are the only family these people have.  I have read some amazing stories of animal rescues and reunions.  I've read about people taking their time and money to save these injured and scared animals.  It is truly commendable.

Since I am an animal person, I've put together some information on how you can help the furbabies in need.  They need us too.  Remember that.  (As a side note, please do not jump on the bandwagon that I am advocating the ignoring of helping human victims.  It's a simple fact that animals do not have a voice.)

The OK Humane Society is in need to supplies and monetary donations.  You can find information on their website www.okhumane.org.  A direct link to their needs can be followed here.

Animal Resource Center, Inc. in Ok - https://www.facebook.com/animalresourcecenter

Pet Food Pantry of Oklahoma City - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pet-Food-Pantry-of-Oklahoma-City/14415251226717

Missing Pets in Moore - http://www.reddit.com/r/missingpetsinmoore/
Lost & Found Pets in OK - http://okclostpets.com/
Moore Oklahoma Tornado Lost and Found Animals - https://www.facebook.com/OKpets

Here in AR...the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission will have a community drop off from Tuesday through Friday at the following address:

1 Natural Resources Drive,
Little Rock, AR.

Below is a list of needed items:

Cages/crates
Paper Towels
Dog/cat food
Disposable feed bowls
Leashes and collars
Spray bottles
Gloves
Little boxes and kitty litter


I urge everyone to do what they can.  Any tiny bit will help.  And remember, it doesn't have to be money.  Materials and time are also needed.

Again...my thoughts go out to those affected by the recent severe weather in Oklahoma.  BB

A Day Late...

And a Dollar Short...right y'all!?!

That's about how I'm feeling right now.

I did not have the energy or patience to do much of anything yesterday...including writing a post.  Sorry...I'm not sorry.  I woke up with a massive headache (which is different from my usual migraines).  I barely got dressed.

Are you looking for a weekend recap?  Yeah, I'm going to make that short and sweet.

Friday...I slept.  No really.  I took P to her dad's and then I came home and ate and then went to sleep.  After I woke up from my 4 hour nap, I decided to start on some things I've been needing to do for a while.  Then I didn't do them.  And I decided to make a "half slip skirt extender."  Yeah, it turned out awesome.  I'll be putting the tutorial up later in the week for Weekly Pinspiration.  You should totally be looking forward to that.

On Saturday, I did more of the same.  I didn't leave my house once.  Not once.  I actually did manage to finish some projects...including a remodel of my "office" window.  I took down some boards and put up a sheet and some new sheers.  Sounds odd?  Yeah, it probably is.  I also made a new version of this tortilla muffin thing.  I'll be posting that recipe later this week too.  There are lots of ideas for that recipe.  That's another one to look forward too.

Sunday...I cleaned house.  It needed it.  And I slept some more.  I love to sleep.  I have this need to catch up every other weekend.  No matter how many plans I have.  No matter how many awesome things are going on.  I will probably be sleeping if I don't have P.  Plain and simple.


Well, that was my weekend.  I really hope yours was way more exciting than mine.  I will leave you with some adorableness from my childrens....

 Check out all her mama hair!  That's what we call the waves and curls and frizz...because it's just like mine!

It hasn't always been like mine.  Just over the last few months has it gotten more out of control.  She loves the poofy part. 

The Evidence

And the furry ones...

This is seriously how they sleep together.  I do not pose them.  Let's face it, what cat would even let you pose them?  They just end up snuggling...usually because Remy wants to.  It really is adorable.  

And speaking of Remy...check out his new video.  Seriously, he may have been around humans too long.  He eats with his paws now.

And...that's all folks...

And a Dollar Short...right y'all!?!

That's about how I'm feeling right now.

I did not have the energy or patience to do much of anything yesterday...including writing a post.  Sorry...I'm not sorry.  I woke up with a massive headache (which is different from my usual migraines).  I barely got dressed.

Are you looking for a weekend recap?  Yeah, I'm going to make that short and sweet.

Friday...I slept.  No really.  I took P to her dad's and then I came home and ate and then went to sleep.  After I woke up from my 4 hour nap, I decided to start on some things I've been needing to do for a while.  Then I didn't do them.  And I decided to make a "half slip skirt extender."  Yeah, it turned out awesome.  I'll be putting the tutorial up later in the week for Weekly Pinspiration.  You should totally be looking forward to that.

On Saturday, I did more of the same.  I didn't leave my house once.  Not once.  I actually did manage to finish some projects...including a remodel of my "office" window.  I took down some boards and put up a sheet and some new sheers.  Sounds odd?  Yeah, it probably is.  I also made a new version of this tortilla muffin thing.  I'll be posting that recipe later this week too.  There are lots of ideas for that recipe.  That's another one to look forward too.

Sunday...I cleaned house.  It needed it.  And I slept some more.  I love to sleep.  I have this need to catch up every other weekend.  No matter how many plans I have.  No matter how many awesome things are going on.  I will probably be sleeping if I don't have P.  Plain and simple.


Well, that was my weekend.  I really hope yours was way more exciting than mine.  I will leave you with some adorableness from my childrens....

 Check out all her mama hair!  That's what we call the waves and curls and frizz...because it's just like mine!

It hasn't always been like mine.  Just over the last few months has it gotten more out of control.  She loves the poofy part. 

The Evidence

And the furry ones...

This is seriously how they sleep together.  I do not pose them.  Let's face it, what cat would even let you pose them?  They just end up snuggling...usually because Remy wants to.  It really is adorable.  

And speaking of Remy...check out his new video.  Seriously, he may have been around humans too long.  He eats with his paws now.

And...that's all folks...

Building a Jewelry Display

Today, I wanted to tell you about my jewelry display. I am absolutely loving this. It's functional. You can decorate it any way you choose, so it makes a great decorative addition to your room.   You can also make this any size and change up the smaller details to fit your needs.

What you will need (for this particular style):
 *All items can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot.

- Sheet of thin plywood (depending on the size you want your display to be)
- 2 x 4 lumber (amount needed will also depend on the size of your display) *also, you will need the sides cut to create a frame for your back.
- various sized dowel rods
- hooks from the hardware section
- painter's tape
- paint (I used acrylic from the craft section at Wal-Mart)
- screws
- wood glue
- drill and saw



I knew I wanted a chevron background.  So I began by painting the plywood solid white.  It took a couple of coats.  After that had dried, I used the painter's tape to mark off where I wanted the board cut.  (I had to take it to my parents house because it's just not feasible for me to own a circular saw in my apartment!)






I went ahead and did my measurements and marked off my chevron stripes.  I first decided how many points I wanted (I regret not doing 2 full v's).  I used the vertical tape to mark the points.  Then I just connected the vertical tape with painter's tape and you get this!  At this point, the smartest thing to do would be to go back and trim the vertical tape off so you only have the chevron stripes in tape.  (I did not do this.  I was a moron and created a shit ton of extra work for myself)




I didn't have the patience to wait for the board to be cut, so I went ahead and painted my stripes. A very good tip I have learned to stop bleeding is to paint over your tapes edges with the color that is UNDER your tape.  That way, when the color bleeds, it will bleed the same color.  Once you have done that, you can paint your background.  I chose pink.  Peel your tape while the paint is still wet.

After the back dried, I took it to be cut down to the size I needed.



 I missed some photo ops. The next step would be to take your 2 x 4 pieces and screw them together to form a frame.  I primed my frame and started painting away.

 

Again, missed photo ops.  After the frame dried, I flipped it over.  Laid the back on top.  And screwed it all together.  Just a tip...make sure the boards you purchase aren't warped.  

After you have everything all together, you will get to add the details.  I added small white hooks to the top for necklaces.  Originally, I was going to put a rod all the way across, but I didn't like that it would interfere with the hanging necklaces.  I cut my dowels rods so that the larger ones would only go a small way across.  I drilled holes in the sides and screwed the dowel rods into the sides.  The tiny dowel rod was slide through drilled holes on either side.  I placed tiny dowel rods vertically into drilled holes on the bottom.  I used the wood glue to helped keep them secure.

I am very pleased with how this turned out.   I may at some point repaint the background.  But the design is awesome!!

Hope this inspired you to go build something pretty!!

Today, I wanted to tell you about my jewelry display. I am absolutely loving this. It's functional. You can decorate it any way you choose, so it makes a great decorative addition to your room.   You can also make this any size and change up the smaller details to fit your needs.

What you will need (for this particular style):
 *All items can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot.

- Sheet of thin plywood (depending on the size you want your display to be)
- 2 x 4 lumber (amount needed will also depend on the size of your display) *also, you will need the sides cut to create a frame for your back.
- various sized dowel rods
- hooks from the hardware section
- painter's tape
- paint (I used acrylic from the craft section at Wal-Mart)
- screws
- wood glue
- drill and saw



I knew I wanted a chevron background.  So I began by painting the plywood solid white.  It took a couple of coats.  After that had dried, I used the painter's tape to mark off where I wanted the board cut.  (I had to take it to my parents house because it's just not feasible for me to own a circular saw in my apartment!)






I went ahead and did my measurements and marked off my chevron stripes.  I first decided how many points I wanted (I regret not doing 2 full v's).  I used the vertical tape to mark the points.  Then I just connected the vertical tape with painter's tape and you get this!  At this point, the smartest thing to do would be to go back and trim the vertical tape off so you only have the chevron stripes in tape.  (I did not do this.  I was a moron and created a shit ton of extra work for myself)




I didn't have the patience to wait for the board to be cut, so I went ahead and painted my stripes. A very good tip I have learned to stop bleeding is to paint over your tapes edges with the color that is UNDER your tape.  That way, when the color bleeds, it will bleed the same color.  Once you have done that, you can paint your background.  I chose pink.  Peel your tape while the paint is still wet.

After the back dried, I took it to be cut down to the size I needed.



 I missed some photo ops. The next step would be to take your 2 x 4 pieces and screw them together to form a frame.  I primed my frame and started painting away.

 

Again, missed photo ops.  After the frame dried, I flipped it over.  Laid the back on top.  And screwed it all together.  Just a tip...make sure the boards you purchase aren't warped.  

After you have everything all together, you will get to add the details.  I added small white hooks to the top for necklaces.  Originally, I was going to put a rod all the way across, but I didn't like that it would interfere with the hanging necklaces.  I cut my dowels rods so that the larger ones would only go a small way across.  I drilled holes in the sides and screwed the dowel rods into the sides.  The tiny dowel rod was slide through drilled holes on either side.  I placed tiny dowel rods vertically into drilled holes on the bottom.  I used the wood glue to helped keep them secure.

I am very pleased with how this turned out.   I may at some point repaint the background.  But the design is awesome!!

Hope this inspired you to go build something pretty!!

Weight-y Wednesday and some NSVs

It's Wednesday again.  And I get to come back and admit again that I have been slacking.

I haven't been eating well.  I haven't been running...or walking either.  It's been just me, my weights and the floor.  Nothing serious.   And when you half-ass it...you get half-assed results.   

...............................

Now for something more uplifting.  

NSVs (non scale victories)

The scale is not the only determining factor in your weight loss success.  At least, it shouldn't be.   There are a host of other things that you can celebrate.  

Here are some of mine...

• I can see my feet!

• The ring that I got for Mother's Day 3 years ago fits again...for the first time in 3 years.

• My sharms are going away.  (Sharms are like cankles, except with your shoulders and arms.)

• I can wear my necklaces without those 3 inch extenders you buy separately.

• I am starting to see the outline of my collar bone under my skin/flab.  (This one is super awesome, because the collar bone area is my fav part of a body.)

• My shoes fit better.

• The area of my thighs that touch is getting smaller!!

All of these things have made my body transformation exciting.  A lot of people say that it's not about the number on the scale...that it's about how you feel.  Well, that can be true to a certain extent.  I feel pretty good right now.  But I can't stop here.  I am still overweight.  I have a family history of heart disease and cancers.  The extra weight is not my friend.  Whether I feel good or not. 

So, yes, I will continue to work to get down to a goal weight range. 

But you should always celebrate those victories in between!

Happy Hump Day!!

It's Wednesday again.  And I get to come back and admit again that I have been slacking.

I haven't been eating well.  I haven't been running...or walking either.  It's been just me, my weights and the floor.  Nothing serious.   And when you half-ass it...you get half-assed results.   

...............................

Now for something more uplifting.  

NSVs (non scale victories)

The scale is not the only determining factor in your weight loss success.  At least, it shouldn't be.   There are a host of other things that you can celebrate.  

Here are some of mine...

• I can see my feet!

• The ring that I got for Mother's Day 3 years ago fits again...for the first time in 3 years.

• My sharms are going away.  (Sharms are like cankles, except with your shoulders and arms.)

• I can wear my necklaces without those 3 inch extenders you buy separately.

• I am starting to see the outline of my collar bone under my skin/flab.  (This one is super awesome, because the collar bone area is my fav part of a body.)

• My shoes fit better.

• The area of my thighs that touch is getting smaller!!

All of these things have made my body transformation exciting.  A lot of people say that it's not about the number on the scale...that it's about how you feel.  Well, that can be true to a certain extent.  I feel pretty good right now.  But I can't stop here.  I am still overweight.  I have a family history of heart disease and cancers.  The extra weight is not my friend.  Whether I feel good or not. 

So, yes, I will continue to work to get down to a goal weight range. 

But you should always celebrate those victories in between!

Happy Hump Day!!

Mother's Day Weekend

This past weekend was filled with joy and laughter and lots of memory making activities.  Yeah...that's a load of crap.  It was a weekend...just like every other weekend.

I woke up to fix breakfast.  Fought with P about her "homeless girl" attire.  Fixed lunch and dinner.  Tried to avoid tantrums and meltdowns (unsuccessfully).  Etc.  Etc.

Friday was grocery shopping day.  Saturday was "fun" shopping day.  And that pretty much was the extent of those exciting days.

(edit...I forgot...Saturday, I spent the evening rearranging my living room.  That was actually fun.  Awesomeness!)

Sunday was Mother's Day.  I'm a single mom.  So, there was no sleeping in or breakfast in bed.  There were no surprise gifts (I got mine a few days ago because P couldn't wait).  And of course, this was the ONE morning P doesn't want pancakes.  I was really craving some, but since she didn't want them, I didn't make them for me.

After getting her fed, I got to fixing the cake for Mother's Day lunch.  I got pinspired and just threw some stuff together.  It turned into an angel food cake with cream cheese/cool whip/strawberry chunk icing.  It was topped with strawberry chunks and a melted nutella drizzle.  AH MAZ ING!!!!  And pretty too!

We got dolled up and went to our family's cookout. 

The food was delicious.  And we had a blast.

 We usually get a game of something going.  I say we when what I mean is they.  Today, they played volleyball.

And while they played volleyball, P and her uncle went around the block.

We came home and wasted time.  We were planning on having movie night but we were both pretty tired.  We went to bed early.  Early for us.  

I hope all of you mamas out there had a wonderful Mother's Day.

One Lucky Mama

Have a wonderful week everyone!!

This past weekend was filled with joy and laughter and lots of memory making activities.  Yeah...that's a load of crap.  It was a weekend...just like every other weekend.

I woke up to fix breakfast.  Fought with P about her "homeless girl" attire.  Fixed lunch and dinner.  Tried to avoid tantrums and meltdowns (unsuccessfully).  Etc.  Etc.

Friday was grocery shopping day.  Saturday was "fun" shopping day.  And that pretty much was the extent of those exciting days.

(edit...I forgot...Saturday, I spent the evening rearranging my living room.  That was actually fun.  Awesomeness!)

Sunday was Mother's Day.  I'm a single mom.  So, there was no sleeping in or breakfast in bed.  There were no surprise gifts (I got mine a few days ago because P couldn't wait).  And of course, this was the ONE morning P doesn't want pancakes.  I was really craving some, but since she didn't want them, I didn't make them for me.

After getting her fed, I got to fixing the cake for Mother's Day lunch.  I got pinspired and just threw some stuff together.  It turned into an angel food cake with cream cheese/cool whip/strawberry chunk icing.  It was topped with strawberry chunks and a melted nutella drizzle.  AH MAZ ING!!!!  And pretty too!

We got dolled up and went to our family's cookout. 

The food was delicious.  And we had a blast.

 We usually get a game of something going.  I say we when what I mean is they.  Today, they played volleyball.

And while they played volleyball, P and her uncle went around the block.

We came home and wasted time.  We were planning on having movie night but we were both pretty tired.  We went to bed early.  Early for us.  

I hope all of you mamas out there had a wonderful Mother's Day.

One Lucky Mama

Have a wonderful week everyone!!

Weight-y Wednesday on a Friday

As I wrote on Wednesday, things have been hectic.

I have not been doing as well with the exercise as I should have been.  My idea to walk five days a week went out the window on day 2.  Yeah.  I have no will power.  I have been keeping up with the weights and such.

The reason Weight-y Wednesday was postponed was because the numbers were skewed.  You ladies know what I'm talking about.  Usually, once a month, girls' bodies go haywire and bloat and retain so much water weight that they could feed an entire herd of cattle.  I don't generally have this problem.  I have been taking Depo for years.  I don't generally have a cycle and I generally have only a couple of the symptoms.  Due to my recent weight loss, my body had to readjust.  And so I had a cycle for the first time in SIX years.  Boo!

One day I weighed 171.0 lbs.  The next, it was 173.6 lbs.  Talk about a shock.  

So, today is Friday.  And I have my eating back under control.  And here is what the scale told me this morning.

So, I'm up a 1.8 lbs.  I am also taking measurements and that is where things get exciting!  I've lost 4 inches over my whole body in the last 10 days.  Weights.  They make the difference ladies. 

I really do need to get my stuff together.  I've been half assing things.  If I want real results, I need to step up my game and really commit. 

I'll work on that.
Have a great weekend people!

As I wrote on Wednesday, things have been hectic.

I have not been doing as well with the exercise as I should have been.  My idea to walk five days a week went out the window on day 2.  Yeah.  I have no will power.  I have been keeping up with the weights and such.

The reason Weight-y Wednesday was postponed was because the numbers were skewed.  You ladies know what I'm talking about.  Usually, once a month, girls' bodies go haywire and bloat and retain so much water weight that they could feed an entire herd of cattle.  I don't generally have this problem.  I have been taking Depo for years.  I don't generally have a cycle and I generally have only a couple of the symptoms.  Due to my recent weight loss, my body had to readjust.  And so I had a cycle for the first time in SIX years.  Boo!

One day I weighed 171.0 lbs.  The next, it was 173.6 lbs.  Talk about a shock.  

So, today is Friday.  And I have my eating back under control.  And here is what the scale told me this morning.

So, I'm up a 1.8 lbs.  I am also taking measurements and that is where things get exciting!  I've lost 4 inches over my whole body in the last 10 days.  Weights.  They make the difference ladies. 

I really do need to get my stuff together.  I've been half assing things.  If I want real results, I need to step up my game and really commit. 

I'll work on that.
Have a great weekend people!