This Is The Year

Hello everyone! I feel like I've been such a boring blogger lately, and haven't been by to visit as many of you as I'd like. I miss you guys! Today I'm hoping to make it around to everyone I've been missing! I love Wednesdays, and connecting with everyone at EM:ME hosted by the amazing Amber ,to give and receive motivation and inspiration in my quest to be fit (and hot!). If you'd like to join in, just head over to Amber's to see what it's all about! This week's question: Show us your inspiration picture. Of yourself skinny, of yourself fat, of a celebrity that inspires you to keep going. I have the following 2 pictures taped up on my treadmill. They are a constant reminder to me that No, my 1 hr is NOT up, and Yes...I can do this! I think Jessica Alba is beautiful, and as close to physical perfection as one can get! I remember an interview with her once when she was in Dark Angel, and she was asked how she kept in such good shape. I just remembe...

This past couple of weeks has been eventful on the school front. I'm fortunate to be able to have my children attend a charter school which I was a part of creating, and starting. It has been a trial and a blessing! But that's a story for another day. Our school is affiliated with Expeditionary Learning (EL). EL takes the approach of going beyond the walls of the classroom as much as possible. The year is divided into learning expeditions, where every aspect and subject of the learning is related to the topic of study. Fieldwork is a big part of EL. Ideally fieldwork will NOT be just a field trip related to the topic of study, but actually real world application of the concepts taught in class, as they relate to the topic of study. We're still working on this! We're only in our third year, and there is so much to do when starting a school from scratch! Some other, more established EL schools have actually done things like environmental analysis of water samples from a l...

You all know I love my food! I love finding new recipes to try out...which is why, each week, I look forward to Recipe Swap Monday at Our Chaotic Life . I got the idea for this from Allrecipes (they have several versions), but I tweeked it, changed it up a bit...so I'm calling it mine!! Mexican Lasagna Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground beef (I use extra lean) 2 cans refried beans 1 packet taco seasoning mix (we like the "hot"!) shredded cheddar cheese, or blend - to taste 4 flour tortillas 2-3 chopped green onions 1 can diced tomatoes, OR diced tomatoes w/ green chiles, OR 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes OR 1 cup salsa! (can you tell I like to mess around with recipes and try different things?) Directions: 1 - brown hamburger, drain if needed. 2 - stir taco seasoning and refried beans into hamburger, mix well 3 - in 9x13 baking dish layer 2 tortillas, trimming to fit, half of beef/bean mixture, and top with shredded cheese. 4 - Repeat. 5 - top with chopped green onions and your ...

When I first moved into our house, I was overwhelmed with the possibilities/responsibilities of owning our own home. There was so much I wanted to do, and I was so excited to have our own place! We bought an older home, nothing fancy, but it was ours. I haven't accomplished a great deal of what I had in mind, because there was just so much else going on in life...that's getting ready to change though! Anyway, there is one experience I'd like to share about one of my little flower beds. There is a small, semi-circular flower bed that sits right to the side of where my front walk leads up to my front steps. Our first spring here a lovely bright red and yellow tulip bloomed. It was really big. I loved seeing it bloom each spring. This one, single giant flower. One day a few years ago, my mom mentioned to me that the bulb had probably multiplied quite a bit under ground (since it was so big), and that I should dig it up and divide it in the fall, and have a few more tulips the...

President Gordon B. Hinckley on motherhood: “Most of you are mothers, and very many of you are grandmothers and even great-grandmothers. You have walked the sometimes painful, sometimes joyous path of parenthood. You have walked hand in hand with God in the great process of bringing children into the world that they might experience this estate along the road of immortality and eternal life. It has not been easy rearing a family. Most of you have had to sacrifice and skimp and labor night and day. As I think of you and your circumstances, I think of the words of Anne Campbell, who wrote as she looked upon her children: You are the trip I did not take; You are the pearls I cannot buy; You are my blue Italian lake; You are my piece of foreign sky. (“To My Child,” quoted in Charles L. Wallis, ed., The Treasure Chest [1965], 54) You [mothers] are the real builders of the nation wherever you live, for you have created homes of strength and peace and security. These become the very sinew of...

I posted this once before, but I love it so, and thought it would be appropriate to share it again. How to Be a Mean Mother A mean mother never allows candy or sweets to take the place of a well balanced meal. A mean mother insists on knowing where her children are at all times, who their friends are and what they do. A mean mother breaks the child labor law by making her children work - washing dishes, making beds, learning to cook and doing other cruel and unpleasant chores. A mean mother makes life miserable for offspring by insisting that they always tell the truth. A mean mother has teenagers who are wiser and more sensible. A mean mother can smile with secret delight and pride when she hears her grandchildren call their parents "mean". What the world needs now are more Mean Mothers! Author Unknown

If you're here for Amy's Round Robin and want my recipe for the most delicious brownies you'll ever make, go here . Now...here'as a fun idea for a pay it forward, that won't break the bank! I'm just going to paste this pretty much word for word from Life At Eventually Cottage, which is where I got this idea: Dollar Store Challenge!!! Welcome to the Dollar Store Challenge! You need to put your creative thinking caps on for this one, guys! The challenge is to search your local dollar store, or the dollar spots at your favorite store. Create a home decor item or a gift using only items from the spots I just mentioned, and supplies that you already have on hand. The total cost of the item that you create CANNOT exceed $5!!! The purpose of this challenge is to show that it is possible, with some creativity to create great things without a lot of money. It can be done! Should you agree to take on this challenge, you must: 1. Post about it on your blog 2. Link back t...