Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
10 things i couldn't live without this week
1. after a few weeks of having to skip ballet (due to the hubs insane work schedule), i went at if full force. i felt like i was having to make up for some lost time. i was so incredibly sore come tuesday morning. like 'take one step out of bed and fall on the floor' kinda sore. and i am not going to lie...my calves...they still hurt. they will probably be better tomorrow....just in time to make them sore again.
2. the tuesday duck park followed by taco tuesday lunch date is really starting to become quit the tradition. but this past tuesday, i was pleasantly surprised to find one of my friends, lily, from orlando working at the restaurant. she was in town doing some interviews for managers and was just sitting down to eat some lunch when we rolled up. how awesome for me! so it was great to spend the hour over tacos, swapping stories of how we have been for the past year or so, and chucking over the boys antics.
3. we had an amazing story time this week. the boy has been so good at story time after spending a few months away from it. he sits cross legged and listens and answers questions and tells little stories. it's really cute. we love the lake worth library and story time!
4. the boy and i went to our first real beach playdate of the year. it's crazy to think about it being january and playing in the sand and sun, but it happened. we ran up and down the beach. splashed in the waves. and we both suffered our first sunburn of the season. note: sunscreen expires.
5. i finally opened my etsy store this week. i have talked about and planned for this shop to open for what seems like years. but i did it. i finally did it. if you haven't stopped by yet, please take the time to check it out. i will eventually adding some vintage clothing and some of my handmade goodies. if there are any pieces that i have made and featured here on the ole' blog that you would like to purchase please let me know and i will list them for you.
6. i was asked this week to be a featured blogger for UK shopping blog called Shopaholic. I am so stoked for this opportunity and it just kind of blows my mind.
7. after the hubs crazy work schedule this month, spending the past two days with him has been amazing! i always love it when he is off, but these have been really good. we've stayed up way past our bed times trying to take advantage of every minute that he doesn't have to be at work.
8. oh man i made the best mac and cheese friday night for dinner (and i can't wait to finish off the leftovers for dinner tonight!) i used this recipe from country living, but added a bit more cheese and an entire package of thick cut bacon. it was amazing! by far the best homemade mac and cheese ever!
9. we took the boy to the fair last night. it was a blast. the last time when just the boy and i went, he didn't want to go on any rides. this time (probably because his daddy was there) we went on tons of rides. at first the hubs and i were super nervous that the ride was going to start and he was going to freak out and we were going to just have to sit there and watch him panic. or as the hubs declared...he would have jumped in front of the ride so they would have to stop it. so we waited and waited for the first ride to start. i could feel our nerves getting higher. then it started. the boy looked a little unsure at first, but then almost in an instant a smile spread from ear to ear and he was laughing so hard. he loved it. it was pretty much on after than. he rode so many rides alone, and we even found a few that we could all ride together. we ate more deep fried food than i care to admit to. played carnival games. and touched a lot of stinky farm animals. the boy was passed out in my arms before we even got to the parking lot!
10. this may seem silly to some, but i have to say that this is one of the biggest highlights of my week....we finally got a new rug for the family room. i loved our old rug. simple cream colored shag. or at least it was when we got it. over the years the dog and the boy have destroyed that rug. the few beginning months of potty training is what really did it in for that poor rug. but now we have a lovely mustard yellow pee free brand new rug.
2. the tuesday duck park followed by taco tuesday lunch date is really starting to become quit the tradition. but this past tuesday, i was pleasantly surprised to find one of my friends, lily, from orlando working at the restaurant. she was in town doing some interviews for managers and was just sitting down to eat some lunch when we rolled up. how awesome for me! so it was great to spend the hour over tacos, swapping stories of how we have been for the past year or so, and chucking over the boys antics.
3. we had an amazing story time this week. the boy has been so good at story time after spending a few months away from it. he sits cross legged and listens and answers questions and tells little stories. it's really cute. we love the lake worth library and story time!
4. the boy and i went to our first real beach playdate of the year. it's crazy to think about it being january and playing in the sand and sun, but it happened. we ran up and down the beach. splashed in the waves. and we both suffered our first sunburn of the season. note: sunscreen expires.
5. i finally opened my etsy store this week. i have talked about and planned for this shop to open for what seems like years. but i did it. i finally did it. if you haven't stopped by yet, please take the time to check it out. i will eventually adding some vintage clothing and some of my handmade goodies. if there are any pieces that i have made and featured here on the ole' blog that you would like to purchase please let me know and i will list them for you.
6. i was asked this week to be a featured blogger for UK shopping blog called Shopaholic. I am so stoked for this opportunity and it just kind of blows my mind.
7. after the hubs crazy work schedule this month, spending the past two days with him has been amazing! i always love it when he is off, but these have been really good. we've stayed up way past our bed times trying to take advantage of every minute that he doesn't have to be at work.
8. oh man i made the best mac and cheese friday night for dinner (and i can't wait to finish off the leftovers for dinner tonight!) i used this recipe from country living, but added a bit more cheese and an entire package of thick cut bacon. it was amazing! by far the best homemade mac and cheese ever!
9. we took the boy to the fair last night. it was a blast. the last time when just the boy and i went, he didn't want to go on any rides. this time (probably because his daddy was there) we went on tons of rides. at first the hubs and i were super nervous that the ride was going to start and he was going to freak out and we were going to just have to sit there and watch him panic. or as the hubs declared...he would have jumped in front of the ride so they would have to stop it. so we waited and waited for the first ride to start. i could feel our nerves getting higher. then it started. the boy looked a little unsure at first, but then almost in an instant a smile spread from ear to ear and he was laughing so hard. he loved it. it was pretty much on after than. he rode so many rides alone, and we even found a few that we could all ride together. we ate more deep fried food than i care to admit to. played carnival games. and touched a lot of stinky farm animals. the boy was passed out in my arms before we even got to the parking lot!
10. this may seem silly to some, but i have to say that this is one of the biggest highlights of my week....we finally got a new rug for the family room. i loved our old rug. simple cream colored shag. or at least it was when we got it. over the years the dog and the boy have destroyed that rug. the few beginning months of potty training is what really did it in for that poor rug. but now we have a lovely mustard yellow pee free brand new rug.
Friday, January 27, 2012
storybook breakfast
this morning the boy "didn't want anything" for breakfast. so i knew that if i was going to get him to eat i was going to have to get creative. after assessing what i had to make i offered him some eggs. that was quickly replied to with a very stern "NO". then i replied...."would you like green eggs? you know like in your book?" his eyes lit up. he couldn't believe that i was asking him this question. so i quickly jumped on it before he could change his mind (like he has a tendency to do). i whipped out the eggs, green food coloring, and since we didn't have ham i made him green blueberry yogurt all while chirping out lines from the book. i think he got a kick out of it.... i did anyway. i am pretty sure the hubs thought i was nuts.
for the eggs i simply added a few drops of green food coloring while beating them before cooking. for the yogurt i mashed up some fresh blueberries, added a scoop of greek yogurt, a few drop of food coloring, and a squeeze of the old honey bear.
do you have any clever food tricks to get your toddlers to eat? please share them...i'm desperate! haha!
thrifty finds
i couldn't be more excited for this weeks thrifty finds! and with the grand opening of my new etsy store i am finding myself thrifting through a whole new set of eyes. it used to all be for me and the boy, but i am seeing the potential all around me!
the first thing that i found....literally sitting out side the door of the store just waiting for me... was this beautiful watering can. i don't think that it's old, as a matter of fact i am pretty positive that it's not. BUT i have been wanting/needing a watering can for years. i refused to spend the money on a brand new, generic looking can. i told myself that i would wait until i found one at a garage sale of thrift store. currently i have been using a recycled milk jug...you know i am only kinda ghetto sometimes. hehe. but look at this beauty! oh she is just so cute. and $2. perfect. see ya later milk jug.
then i was pleased to find these super cute vintage seafoam green earrings. they remind me of gum balls. they are enamel coated metal, and while huge (they are literally the size of large gum balls) and kinda on the heavy side, they are super unique and retro. and with my current obsession with the color i am not sure if i am going to put them in the store or in my jewelry collection.
also not pictured, due to the fact that he insisted on taking it to bed for his nap, the boy found a pretty cool monster truck. the owner of the store was kind enough to pull in down out of storage and gift it to him. i think that it was because he was so impressed with his chattiness. the old man and the boy sat on a sofa and talked for a good ten minutes about cars and life while i perused the store. love that place! hope you have a great weekend and happy thrifting!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
thankful thursday: share a smile
do you ever smile at strangers? i do it all the time. it was how i was raised. most people just give a half assed smile in return. sometimes they give a stare like "girl - you must be crazy". occasionally i get a dirty look in return. but it's rare to get a genuine smile right back at me.
i grew up spending a lot of time with my great grandmother, veronica. she smiled at everyone. all. the. time. she was constantly telling me to smile. and was known for walking up to a complete stranger and demanding the same from them. as a kid i was so embarrassed by her willingness to tell people to turn that frown upside down - but as an adult....well i wish she was still here to help me brighten peoples day.
smiling doesn't hurt. so why is it that so many people walk around with such smug looks on their faces? many would argue that they don't have anything worth smiling for. this is where i demand to interject.
{i can her my grandma's words running through my head and right out my mouth.}
nothing to smile for? really nothing at all? you are here aren't you? alive? and well? you have a home? food on your plate? people who love you? is there really nothing in the world that is worth the contraction of a few small muscles in your face? smile!
i get it. i have bad days too. but if i smile out of kindness at you, can you please return the favor? and that's all it is...my inner kindness shining through. it's my inner sunshine. i am not crazy!
and now for you...try it. just for one day try smiling at strangers that you pass. maybe start small and simple. old people in the grocery store are easy....they will always smile back. start with one, then two, shit why not three. try it for one whole day, then the next day, and the day after that. next thing you know it will become habit and you will find yourself sending smiles out to the world (and people will look at your like your nuts too!)
smiles are contagious....and free. give them to everyone you meet. be thankful that you have something to smile about.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
huge in the UK! hehe
UK lifestyle blog, Shopaholic asked me to be a featured blogger on their awesome website! Sweet! Check them out!
alterior motives
i am sitting hear mentally planning the trip of a life time! my sister haley will be here in one week. i get 48 hours to spend with one of my best friends. i am not sure that she knows exactly how pumped up i am for her arrival.
as i have mentioned before, i am much older than all 6 of my siblings. they range in age from 9 to 21....and me, well i am about to celebrate my 29th birthday. haley is the closest in age to me (21).
it's been what feels like years since we have spent some quality time together. there have been a few short visits or getting to see each other in passing, but no real one on one time. and this trip in particular is especially important to me.
for one, i am considering it her birthday present to me! gracing me with her presence is about all i could ask for! and two...well two is my alterior motive. you see haley is recently done with college and at a point in her life where she is ready for a new adventure. currently living way up in the pan handle she is so far removed from all of her family. i have been there. when i was her age i felt a little removed from my family as well, and i remember how badly i wanted to be with my sisters.
here are some facts about my sister:
- she is incredibly free spirited.
- she is far more beautiful than she knows
- she is a zoologist
- she belongs on the beach
here are some facts about lake worth:
- i describe lake worth as a bohemian mecca
- we can ride our bikes to the beach
- we have an awesome zoo
- the people here are awesome
so if you can't read between the lines here....let me spell it out for you. i want haley to move to lake worth. bad. my plan? well it's going to be a whirl wind tour of everything awesome about south florida. bike rides, beach trips, zoo visit, maybe some bar hopping, adventures galore.
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