Projects

I am really bad at updating blogs but I wanted to start posting some of my many hopeful upcoming projects. I have started to frequent pinterest.com and have fallen in love with the site. There are so many great crafts and DIY not to mention other wonderful links to all over the internet. It is like heaven for my ADD brain. I decided starting a list and prioritizing some of the things that I want to accomplish from the website might help me stay organized, haha. So here it is...

1. Gifts (can't post the actual project until they are completed and sent out)
2. Kitchen Island
   I got the idea from here. Ours will be red to match the rest of the kitchen. We desperately need some more storage space in the kitchen.
3. Lack Tiled Side Table
   I got this idea from two places. I wanted something different for our side table. Something that would add some more color. I saw this at IKEA Hackers and loved it but I couldn't find the right tiles to match our living room. Then I ran across this when I was Pinterest. So I am in the middle of first making 121 2x2 tiles with mod podge, some scrapbook paper, and clear gloss spray paint. After I am done with the tiles then I will glue them to the table and finally lay the grout. This project is almost complete and I will write a complete post along with picture on it when it is finished.
   
4. Family Rules Collage
   Hopefully this will look something along the lines of this. I want something that I can hang in the living room, maybe framed to remind the kids of our rules.
5. Bored Jar
   Love this idea. It is just what my kids need, especially my middle daughter. On days that she has misbehaved and lost TV and computer time she comes to me at least 25 times to let me know that she is bored. I think this may fix it.
6. Scrabble Coasters
   A gift for my mom.
7. Detail Chore Cards and Incentives
   This is something that I have worked on, on and off. I ran across another woman who did something similar and it reminded me that I needed to refresh mine and start back. I will make a separate post explaining how our incentive plan works or at least how I hope for it to work.
8. Towel Baskets in the Bathroom
   Great idea for our very small bathroom!
9. Advent Calendar
   I want to make sure the kids have an advent calendar this year. Now I just have to decide which one to make.

2011 Reads

1. Spinning by Baron, Michael
2. Eyewall by Bernard, H.W. "Buzz"
3. Beautiful Disaster by McGuire, Jamie
4. TEMPUS by Lynn, Tyra
5. Her Perfect Revenge by Mara, Anna
6. One True Love by Freethy, Barbara
7. The House of a Thousand Candles by Nicholson, Meredith
8. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Johnson, Maureen
9. Water for Elephants by Gruen, Sara
10. How to be Cool by Johanna Edwards
11. Matched  by Ally Condie
12. Crossed (Matched) by Ally Condie 
13. Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
14. Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck
15. Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck
16. Lifelines by C.J. Lyons
17. Mad River Road by Joy Fielding
18. Mothers and Other Liars by Amy Bourret
19. Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, Book 3) by Patricia Briggs
20. Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4) by Patricia Briggs
21. Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson, Book 5) by Patricia Briggs
22. River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) by Patricia Briggs
23. Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
24. Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle) by Christopher Paolini 
25. Spinning by Michael Baron
     

Catching up my blogs...

Life is crazy as usual! There is so much to do and I am so overwhelmed that sometimes it makes me just freeze up instead of getting things done. So very frustrating!

We are moving and I am excited about it but of course stressed at the same time. The new place is a good bit cheaper and Bill is moving in with me so we should be able to save some money. It is only about a quarter mile from where we are living now but moving is still a hassle! The house literally looks like a tornado went off in here. I am in the middle of taking the kids bunk beds apart as we speak and it is a pain in the ASS! Yup lots of stress!

Also lots of other things coming up. My calendar is packed full. There is a trip to Darlington this coming weekend to visit Bills mom, April 30 we are going to French Broad Music Festival, going to NJ on May 7th, after school camping trip the weekend after the kids get out of school, then the following Thursday we are flying to Florida for 4 days, then as soon as I get back I will probably being flying to NJ again.

Ok so it is no wonder that I am stressed. During all that I have to be packing, moving, starting my medications for this surrogacy, taking care of 3 (sometimes 4 kids), and working. How the hell am I going to survive?

Yet another 101 Goals update....

I want to complete many of these goals but I get over welmed with the amount of things that I want to accomplish. I have decided instead of putting a date on when these things should be finished I will simply say that I will work on them and get them done when I can. I may delete and add to these things as my life continues to change. You never know where life is going to take you. If I only learned any one thing from the past year and a half it is that you never know so be prepared for the unexpected and be prepared to adjust goals, dreams, and priorities.

The Goals

"Daffodils" by William Wordsworth

Thank you to the wonderful man who sent this to me today. You have made my life so beautiful.

"Daffodils" (1804)
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Meal Plan Monday

So I am a day late posting but my my menu was done yesterday. I have found this great new online software that makes menu planning so much easier (http://www.mealsmatter.org). Add meals quickly to the calender and then select a date range and make a shopping list. East to navigate and lots of recipes in the data base. If you want to use one of your own recipes then add it to the database with a quick copy and pastes.

Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken Biscuit Cups
Wednesday: Farfalle with Creamy Wild Mushroom Sauce
Thursday: Leftovers or Frozen Pizza (Alexis has a basketball game)
Friday: Dinner at the Restaurant for Bill's Birthday (Happy Birthday Sweetie!)
Saturday: Chicken Potpie
Sunday: BBQ Chicken
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Monday: Jambalaya

Give Me Five Monday

Five reasons I am thankful this year.
1. My children are awesome and all are healthy.
2. I have a loving family.
3. I have a wonderful boyfriend who loves me and has made my life so wonderful.
4. I have a chance at lots of new beginnings.
5. I have not only a job, but a place I love to work with an extended family there that makes it even better.

For more Give Me Five Monday participants check out BeccA's Buzz!