This Is The Year

Aaaaaand we're BACK! Oh, how I've missed thee Mod Podge Mania! I've missed the challenge of completing a project each month to share, as well as the inspiration that comes from seeing the projects of others! Let's not part ways again, mmmkay? This month's project has a little back story. Please bear with me. I have a sweet friend in my life, who is very young (23) and going through a real trial in her life. More than I've ever had to deal with, and especially at such a young age. A while back when she was really feeling heart-broken and discouraged, she posted a song on her facebook page. The name of the song was "A Little Bit Stronger". Knowing what she was going through, and listening to the song really tugged at my heartstrings. I sent her a text and she told me she was trying to be "a little bit stronger". I knew I wanted to give her a Christmas gift that had those words on it. I was thinking a piece of jewelry. Well we were ...

Today I'm linking up to Friday Confessional ...it's supposedly good for the soul. I confess... My level of maturity (and appropriateness) varies depending on who I'm with. I confess... I have secretly thrown away a pair of shoes and an ugly hat of my husband's that I hated, when he wasn't home. I confess... I don't always speak as appropriately as I should in front of my children. I am not a very good example sometimes! I confess... I almost sent my girls to have a sleepover with their grandma tonight, while my husband and son are at scout camp, just because I wanted to have the night and the house all to myself. I confess... I only skim-read the 16 chapters of material I was supposed to have read over the holiday break in preparation for my last night's school board meeting. And I did it just before the meeting. Then faked my way through the discussion. I confess... I have a sink full of dirty dishes, and I have no intention of washing them before I go ...

But still BLAH! Give me some sunshine and flowers!! I did have a fun day hanging out with My mom and cousin J today. We had a fun day of window shopping and I even got some inspiration for my February Mod Podge Mania project! I am so excited to get started on it! But first to get things ready for this month. Don't forget the party starts on January 31st. I hope you'll all come party with me! I didn't get around to visit everyone yesterday or today, but I will be catching up...promise! I will NOT become a blog-slacker again! So who's been watching American Idol? What do you think of the new judges? I have always liked Steven Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez. I was very curious to see them judge. I actually haven't watched AI for a couple of years, because it was opposite NCIS (one of my all time fave shows). Since I don't have DVR, it was either or...so AI was the one sacrificed. I was excited to hear it moved to Wednesday instead of Tuesday - and was eager...

I'm feeling particularly UNinspired today. Not sure why, just feeling blah. You know when you get that way? Wait, it's only me? Crap. Perhaps it's because after some very balmy days of sun and nearing spring-like temperatures - we got a freakin' snow storm. Very depressing for a girl who has had enough of the white stuff, and is ready to see some bright cheery colors. I'm feeling sort of stressed with a bunch of stuff sneaking up on me...with my church calling, as well as Pixie's 8th birthday. 8 is a big deal birthday in our family. She will be having a friend birthday party next Thursday, and then be baptized on Saturday, followed by a family celebration. Lots of stuff to plan, and it just sort of snuck up on me! So I have to get the invitations finished tonight, in order for her to be able to hand them out tomorrow! I also have to make invitations for a primary event that need to be handed out...and then I need to get the birthday party supplies, and ...

Time for another week of making new friends and learning more about old ones!! Not that any of you are OLD!! Answer each question using only one word... 1. Where is your cell phone? pocket 2. Your most significant other? driving 3. Your hair? messy 4. Your mother? generous 5. Your father? sick 6. Your favorite? laughing 7. Your dream last night? forgotten 8. Your favorite drink? DP 9. Your dream/goal? order 10. What room you are in? front 11. Your hobby? life 12. Your fear? failing 13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ahead 14. Where were you last night? home 15. Something that you aren't? rich 16. Muffins? depends 17. Wish list item? motivation 18. Where you grew up? Here 19. Last thing you did? laundry 20. What are you wearing? jeans 21. Your TV? Elf 22. Your pets? Dog 23. Friends? hilarious 24. Your life? good 25. Your mood? fair 26. Missing someone? no 27. One place that I go to over and over? mom's 28. Something you want: willpower 29. Your favorite store? undecided 30...

What are you just NOT willing to give up - Even for the sake of losing weight? That's what Shortmama asks today. If you've been around for even a little while - you know of my deep and abiding love for Dr. Pepper. Our love affair is so epic that I even got THIS for Christmas from the ever fabulous Tanielle . Yeah, she totally loves me. I cannot bring myself to give it up. Although I HAVE abstained since New Years Day. That's pretty good for me. I mentioned previously that I have decided to limit my DP drinking to times when I am out to dinner, or somewhere special with hubby. Which will be rare since we hardly ever get a chance to go out!! The other thing that I just won't sacrifice is salt. I love salt. Salty food is my weakness. I would pass up chocolate cake for french fries any day of the week. I know salt is soooo bad for you, blah, blah, blah. It can cause high blood pressure. I have the lowest blood pressure ever. Seriously. I have never had high b...

Okay...seriously? I cannot BELIEVE this is an actual ad. But I saw it. With my own eyes. Right in the middle of watching my beloved NCIS. I laughed so hard - like in disbelief. Now don't get me wrong - I know this is a serious issue. But really? Who WROTE this? I KNOW right? In other news...I'm joining the revolution! The down with "No Reply Blogger" movement. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read this over at Mamarazzi then! And seriously...enable your settings to allow me to respond to your comments via email! Mamarazzi explains it all, and how you can fix it! I really wanna be able to reply when I love what you have to say! I'm off to a budget meeting for the school now. I know that sounds boring...but I really, REALLY love the people I get to associate with when I go. I consider them all friends outside of just our school association...plus....free lunch! What could be better? Just another little reminder about Mod Podge Mania on Janu...

Well, if I were to get a dollar for every time I have been asked how to pronounce my name since I've started blogging...I'd be able to get Cowgirl's bedroom finished no problem!! I know I have tried to type it out phonetically for people, but it just looks weird. I mean, I know it already DOES look weird anyway...but hey - my mom's fault. Not mine. So many inquiries have not received a suitable reply. I decided that ya'll needed to just HEAR someone say it. So, I enlisted the aid of my favorite Monkey, and here you have it: Just in case you didn't catch it: hoz-meen This name has been the curse of my life. I am not even kidding. The nicknames the boys came up with to tease me...I had one that followed me all the way through High School! It was given to me by a group of boys when a substitute in Middle School (don't even get me STARTED on the hell that was getting a new teacher for the first time, or having a substitute) slaughtered my name during ro...

I love me a good survey! And yes, that is supposed to be a picture of me thinking...I actually do that sometimes. FMM: A Survey Why do you blog? I started blogging for the purpose of getting more exposure for my business. That quickly changed. Now I just love enjoying the friendships I've made, while at the same time journaling my life, and that of my family. What is your favorite TV show? Hawaii Five-O baby! Best show that's been on in YEARS!! What's the first thing you drank this morning? Water Are you married, single or in a relationship? Married - 15 years now! List three of your hobbies. Crafting, reading, playing the piano What do you like most about yourself? I think I have a lot of integrity. List a couple of your favorite sites : Well, blogger, of course. FB, and the iTunes store! What's the last book you read ? It's been such a long time since I've finished a book. But I am working on John Adams by David McCullough, as well as No Apology: The ...

Just a reminder .... MOD PODGE MANIA is coming back! MONDAY JANUARY 31 will be the first Mod Podge party of the year! I hope you'll come link up a project and spend some time checking out the craftiness of others!! Then come back the last day of each month for more crafty fun. It's gonna be a blast! Here's a peek of some of the fun I've had in the past with Mod Podge . It is the most fun to use your imagination, or be inspired by the creativeness of others, and come up with something truly unique for your home, or for a gift. I adore Mod Podge! Spring nest and eggs - Mod Podge-ing scrapbook paper on to cheap plastic eggs! Fun fall clothes pin magnets! One of my favorite projects ever - Smile Ladybug chair! I can't tell you how many sets of fun napkin coasters I have made. LOVE! Love these letter blocks - I have done some for every season. This was a bridal shower gift for my little SIL . Thrift store books purchased for $1, then covered with sheet music p...

Yes, I am far too lazy and beat to come up with an original title, so I just copied Shortmama's pretty much word for word Today she asks us what motivates us. I've already mentioned that I am motivated by vanity. Particularly my desire to wear cute clothes, and have them actually STILL look cute on me! I have shown in the past some fun sets I put together on Polyvore. Here's my favorite one. I would LOVE to wear something like this this summer: The other thing that motivates me...and I know this is really weird, and I know they say not to do this. But I weigh my self every day. I'm sort of obsessive about it. I weigh myself at the same time every day. If the scale has gone up at all, it motivates me to do better that day than I did the day before. If it goes down, I am super encouraged and motivated to keep the momentum going. So either way I feel motivated. On the other hand, when I wait for a week before weighing myself, I feel super discouraged if the numb...

Stuff I'm sick of.... Stuff I miss... Girl's night... at the soccer game. Camping. (look how little Bookworm was - he's so tall now!) Date night......at the soccer game. (Doesn't my husband look thrilled to be with me?) Porch swings and tee-shirts. Chris Wingert.. . At the soccer game (yes I took a picture of him from behind - so?) Sunflowers (these are the gorgeous one's from Tanielle's yard). Roasting Marshmallows. Is anybody else longing for warmer temperatures and outside fun?

All I can say is, I better be wearing this outfit soon! If you read that post you know I have some exercise goals I've set for myself for this year. I think they are great goals, and I think I set up a good plan to achieve them. Now on to the execution. Yesterday my friend Kimberly and I set out for our first day of "training" to get ready for a 5k we'd like to be able to run in June. Neither of us have ever been in any type of race. It was cold, but we were very enthusiastic! Even when we realized that over HALF the walkways were not cleared, so it was actually more like snowshoeing...we pressed forward! We just figured we were burning more calories trudging over the slippery, uneven terrain, so it was sorta a bonus, right? Of course by this morning I felt as if I had been beat with a 2x4 across my hips and lower back. But it was all good. I got my kids off to school then geared up for another day of calorie burning! Now first let's get a shot of what ...

FRIEND MAKIN" MONDAY!!! Okay, I just had to yell that. Because I used to participate EVERY week, and I loved it. In fact, some good blog friends, whom I actually now consider close real friends whom I just haven't met in person, were first found through FMM. It has been such a long time, but I am so glad to be participating again. This week's topic is resolutions. I already shared some fitness goals here . But something I really, REALLY would like to accomplish this year? I'd like to love my home. Now don't get me wrong, I am SO grateful to have a roof over my head. To have a space for my family that is warm and safe. So please know that I am not trying to sound ungrateful. I know that there are many who don't own a home, or even have a place to stay. But I don't love my house. It is old, and dated, and is falling apart cosmetically. If you've known me from my early blogging days you know that the bane of my existence is the barforamic pink c...

So it's that day of the week, AND that time of year. I'm talking about when we discuss our goals/progess with the battle to turn muffin tops to skinny jeans (even though I actually canNOT get on the skinny jean bandwagon and will stick with my bootcuts, thank you very much). This week Shortmama asks us about our health goals for 2011. What we'd like to achieve and how we are going to get there. I of course want to lose weight, as well as get healthier. I have lost a significant amount of weight in the past. I loved how empowered I felt, and how I enjoyed every aspect of life so much more. Sadly, I was struck with a horrible case of bronchitis, which Cowgirl then caught which developed into a 5 day hospital stay for her with viral pneumonia, followed by the shocking death of a young family member, then the holidays, then my pregnancy with Monkey! I'm not looking for sympathy, or to make excuses. Just wanting to illustrate how easily life can derail you, even whe...

Happy New Year! I posted on my Facebook status, at 1 a.m. New Year's Day that I was going to blog regularly. That was my New Year's Resolution. Then my modem promptly died. I was ITCHING to blog! I was down for 5, yes that's 5 DAYS! There was of course no business services from our provider on New Years Day. Or Sunday. So when we finally got help on Monday, and they determined it was the modem, they told us it would be here by Wednesday. UGH! And I waited all. day. long. It did not arrive until this evening. So mean! I truly came to appreciate my access to the wonderful world of blogging, once I didn't have access! I first need to start off the New Year by apologizing to my wonderful California blog friends, who also happen to be Facebook friends. You see, there was this little online competition. Walmart was awarding $1 million to the Foodbank of the city that got the most support on Facebook. Salt Lake climbed first to 3rd place, then steadily to first....