Way Back Wednesday - Thursdays Catch Up Moment

I completely forgot to post my "Way Back Wednesday" post last night, even though I thought about it at least three times yesterday.  Ooops!

Looking back is a great way for me to keep grounded and remember how we got to where we are today.  I love my family more than I could ever explain and I look forward to spending everyday loving my kids!

Anyway, so here we go... back to December of 2006.

Things were so simple then... "J" was just learning how to drum.  He's now become quite proficient and much louder!  LOL... And "L" wasn't as opinionated as she is now, almost five years later.

These two just melt my heart!  I seriously can't get enough of them.  :)

Hope you enjoy my little walk down memory lane as much as I do!

Until next time... ♥

More Random Things About Me

It's been a little while since I've posted any fun facts about me, so I figured I would take a few minutes this morning to do just that.

So, let's begin!

1.  I love hot sauce - and I put it on almost everything.
2.  Potatoes are my undoing - No matter how they are cooked, I can't resist them!
3.  I love the smell of watermelon, but I don't like the fruit.
4.  I have brown eyes.
5.  Contrary to popular belief, I don't have any tattoos.
6.  I like to stuff blueberries into raspberries to make razzbluberries....mmhm, so good.
7.  I could live on cheddar cheese.
8.  My favorite color is fuschia, followed closely by various shades of green.
9.  I love garlic.
10.  Bob Marley soothes my soul.
11.  I play guitar... sometimes.
12.  I can't resist a good karaoke session.
13.  I love to wear leg warmers!
14.  I make tutus.
15.  My kids rock!  Seriously!
16.  I often think about adopting.
17.  Litterbugs piss me off.
18.  I love the smell of:  fresh cut grass, cucumbers, & the ocean.
19.  I moved around a lot as a kid, so I can't ever say, "I grew up in...{insert city here}..."
20.  I hate shaving!

Alright, I think 20 is enough; probably more than you really wanted to know.  LOL.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed learning more about me.  If you have anything to say about my fun facts, don't be afraid to comment.  (Keep it clean though)

Until next time... ♥

Missing my brothers...

I'm missing my brothers today.  Both of them.  Because right now, they are both in jail.  Locked up for foolish behavior!  One here in this area and the other on the west coast.

My brothers are 11 years apart in age, and barely spent much time together while growing up, yet some how they are almost identical in mannerisms and attitude.  It's quite uncanny really.





FreeJack

 



StevieB w/my niece "N"

 



Anyway, today, I miss them both dearly...

Saturday's Shoe Picks - Purple Hues

It's another snowy day here in New England, (UGH, I know, right?  When will winter stop???)  so I have to rethink my shoe search for today.  I was going to post about sandals, but the white covering on my lawn makes me sad, so I don't even want to think sandals right now.

Instead, I'm looking for the perfect shoes in the perfect color -- PURPLE.  :)  Incase you don't know this, I adore the color purple.  It used to be my absolute favorite, but then I had my daughter and pink took it's place, but purple is slowly climbing its way back up the ladder to the top spot.

SO, let's see what my favorite site is offering up today.  If you don't know what site I'm referring to, it's 6pm.com!  It's the absolute BEST site for inexpensive shoes!

rsvp Claudette

Type Z Senta

Not Rated The Situatio

Promiscuous Dylan02

Type Z Tiffney

Nine West Epitomise

    Ah...purple... how I love thee!  These shoe finds are fabulous and all listed under $50 on 6pm.com right now!  So, what are you waiting for?  Head over there and look for your favorite colors and styles.  You're sure to find something you like love!

Until next time... ♥

I survived...

a teen boy sleepover, that is... lol.

My son had three of his friends sleep over last night.  Before I agreed to this, I had some serious hesitations.  I mean really, what would four teen boys do at a sleep over?

Let me just tell you, it all worked out fabulously!  There was WAY less drama then when my daughter has friends over.

The boys hung out, ate everything in sight, played video games, danced (seriously, they did...), and seemed to just have a good time.  I really wish that I had a secret camera running to catch some of the antics, but no such luck.

And the best part?  It's 9am, Saturday morning and they are still asleep!  Ahhh... to be a teen!



Until next time...

I slacked off...

I slacked off this week and didn't get much posted to this blog.  boooooo.

So, stop back this weekend, 'cause I hope to get a few new posts up.

TGIF!!!  Enjoy your day!

Until we meet again...

Get Your Facts Straight...

Before you accuse me of something I haven't done yet.  Something you have no proof of.  Something you know nothing about.  You better just check yourself in the mirror... because you're looking stupid right now.

Seriously!

Saturday's Shoe Picks - Steppin' Out In Flats

It's no secret; I love shoes.  I love shoes of all styles!  Stilettos, Pumps, Wedges, Peep Toes, Flats... The list goes on and on!  Not to mention, flats always make me think Spring! 

Since this post will feature flats, I should also mention that I simply adore flats!  The comfort and cutesy style of flats makes them a number one pick for me! 

So, let's take a look at Saturday's shoe picks that I've gathered together for you (ok, for me...) today:

Matisse Holly

Gabriella Rocha Neve

Blowfish Saveur

Miss Me Muse

Fitzwell Sidone

Romantic Soles Glacier

 
Well, what do you think?  Don't you just love them?  I certainly do!

The best part is that they are all listed under $25 at 6pm.com right now, so my budget loves these shoe picks too! :)  

Until next time... Happy steppin'!

Cake Ball Attempt - Don't Judge Me

HAHAH.  Ok, so I thought I could whip out beautiful cake balls like Bakerella does.  Oh, was I wrong.

SO. VERY. WRONG.

The fine art of crafting beautiful cake balls is much much harder than I ever suspected!  Somewhere along the line, I must have missed the "best practices" memo on how to perfect the end result.  grrrr.

Let me back up and say, the beginning process is quite simple.  You back a cake, let it cool, crumble it into a large bowl and mix in a container of frosting.  After mixing in the frosting, you chill the mix for about 45 mins to an hour.  Once chilled, simple pinch out or scoop out enough of the mix to make 1" - 2" balls, rolling them between your hands.  Line balls up on a cookie sheet covered with wax or parchment paper and put into the freezer for 3 - 4 hours.  This is the "easy" part. 

When your cake balls are sufficiently chilled, melt chocolates or candy melts in a microwave safe bowl or in a double boil pot, and start dunking your cake balls to cover them completely.  

This is where the hard part begins.  The dunking process is quite tricky.  If your cake ball becomes too warm it has a tendency to slide off whatever instrument you are using to dunk with.  So, you either have to work in small batches or you have to work very quickly, therefore, there isn't much time for fancy dipping. 

This is where I feel I failed!  My cake balls were perfectly rolled.  Chilled to perfection.  But, my dunking skills were dismal.  I tried to use bamboo skewers to dunk the cake balls, but the balls just slid around on the stick and then it was terribly difficult to get the cake ball to come off the stick once the candy coating was applied.  Most of the cake balls were transferred to the cookie sheet with a huge hole in the top of each one, which I later filled with leftover melted candy melts. 

In the end it worked out ok...but they didn't look beautiful like I had hoped they would.  However, they taste pretty darn good.  A little sweet for my tastes, but my kids love them! 

The truth is, I'll probably try making these again...but hopefully I figure out a better method for dunking!  

So, check out my cake balls and please let me know what methods you've tried to make the process easier! 

 
Until next time... Happy Dippin' ♥

Way Back Wednesday - Three Years Ago, This Week

I know I said this already, but I can't help say it again.  I enjoy looking through old photographs!  Seeing those old memories captured takes me right back to that exact moment when the picture was taken.

It's a lot like time traveling but never leaving my couch.  :)

While browsing through my stored photos, I found myself looking at my captured moments from three years ago, this week.  The photos that follow were taken on 4/17/08...  I remember this day like it was only... well, you get the point.  :)    

We walked along the river...

Until we came to a spot just above one of the lower dams...

We decided to skip rocks

"J" teaches "L" how to properly hold a rock for skipping

Further up the road, rock climbing was in order
Um, what sign?  ;)

After climbing where we shouldn't...You won't tell right? We then moved on... we checked out all the bountiful joys that nature provides and stopped to take a family photo. Well, what I mean is, a photo of the kids with their grandmother, my mother. 

"Nina", "J", & "L"

All in all, this was a wonderful Spring day enjoyed together three years ago as a family.  We had a good time then and I really enjoyed reliving these moments through this post.  :)  ♥

Until next time... ♥

Saturday's Shoe Picks - Spring Edition

Living here in the northeast, we still have to worry about winter weather for a wee bit longer, but today seems to be the exception to that.  It's 52 degrees right now and should get up to the low 60s by mid afternoon.  For early April, this is fantastic.  So, I want to get this post out of the way now, so I can go out and enjoy it!

Usually when I think of Spring, I think of Easter dresses, capri pants, strappy sandals or flats, and such, so I think I'll see what 6pm.com has listed today to suit these needs.

Romantic Soles Jessica

Gabriella Rocha Longs

 

Fitzwell Bali Fuschia

AK Anne Klein Alzira

There you have it.  Four options to show off those feet for Spring!  The best part?  All four pair shown above are listed under $25 on 6pm.com right now!  So, go over there, place an order, and in just a few days you will have fabulous Spring shoes!

Until next time... Happy Spring!

"L" Loves Her Animals

In the upstairs hallway lies a cabbage patch doll.  She's only been played with a dozen times since she was purchased approximately five years ago.  The American girl doll that was unwrapped on Christmas morning two years ago takes up permanent residence in her bunk bed.   Barbie doesn't stand a chance around here...

You may be wondering what I'm getting to... well, here it is.  "L" doesn't really like dolls of any kind.  She never has and I doubt she ever will -- not just because she's getting older either, she just prefers animals.  Stuffed animals mostly, but it doesn't stop there.  She has hundreds of animals... give or take.  Animal figurines toys also fill several toy boxes.  Her love of animals runs deep.

The manufacturer of Webkinz made a small fortune off of us! The same can be said for Hasbro's Littlest Pet Shop toys! 

Seriously, "L" LOVES her animals!  Mostly dogs & puppies.  Some of her favorite dogs include Huskies, Dalmatians, & Great Danes, but she also really adores little dogs.  Penguins also hold a higher rank within the animal kingdom hierarchy she has created.  Most recently, "L" has been talking a lot about wolves, so they are most likely at the TOP ranking right now. Not too long ago I would have said that Bengal Tigers and snow white tigers held the top spot, but I should mention that "L" loves animals.  period.

It's been endearing to watch "L" go through these animal stages.  I sometimes envision building a totem using the animals she loves.  For now, I'll settle for these photos and the memories they evoke when I see them:

 

 This little girl loves her animals!  And I love her! ♥ ♥ ♥

Shopping for Undergarments for Little Girls

Yesterday I dragged my little lady, who is all of 9 years old, off to Walmart to purchase undergarments.  "L" is just starting to show signs of needing a little extra coverage, especially now that warmer weather is coming and clothing garments are being made with thinner fabric. 

So, there we were in the girl's section looking at undergarments for little girls and I was appalled!  Most of the bras that were available had padding! PADDING FOR A 9 YEAR OLD?  Why would that be necessary?  Why in the world would that be acceptable?  WHAT THE HELL??? 

I do NOT believe it is necessary for little girls to have padding of ANY sort in their undergarments!  I don't want my little girl to be walking around with her elementary school classmates with Dolly Parton boobies!  EVER!

As a mom, I am seriously pissed about this.  Apparently it isn't enough for little girls to develop sooner these days, but now clothing manufacturers are padding their unmentionables too?  Please, someone tell me why this is!!!

After standing in the undergarment section for well over 15 minutes stewing about the added padding, we ("L" & I) finally walked away with a package of sports bras.  These weren't the style that I was originally hoping to get for "L", but at least I know she won't be walking around with padding at only NINE YEARS OLD!  

So, I have a message for Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, & any other clothing manufacturing company making undergarments for little girls:  GET A CLUE! These are little girls you are marketing to!  Low self esteem is already at an all time high... do you honestly have to add to it? 

Way Back Wednesday - Looking Back A Few Years

Every once in a while (ok, frequently) I like to look back through old photos to see how my family has changed.  There's something about the nostalgic feelings that I really enjoy, so I'm dedicating Wednesdays to looking back.  :)

So, here we go... back to 2005:

"L" spreading love!

"J" - my shining light

Melt my heart!!!  Six years has passed since these were taken and so many things have changed, yet I still see those same beautiful faces looking at me every day!

I simply love seeing these older photos.  I'm thankful that I've been able to capture so many moments over the last few years.  I love the journey of memories that float through my mind when I see these pictures.  ♥ ♥ ♥

Until next time... ♥

Sometimes, I Get Crafty...

Every once in a while, I get the urge to make something.  I have tons of ideas swirlin' around in my head all the time, but finding the time to put these crafts into motion is hard, sometimes impossible, but quite rewarding when I am able to follow a thought through.

Let me start by saying, I love tutus!  I love seeing little girls with poofy skirts!  These days there are many variations of the tutu; long ones, short ones, multi-colored ones, etc...

Recently, I tried my hand at making tutus and I should say, it was SO easy!  I used a very simple method that really just involves making a loop and feeding the tulle through to make a knot.  One of these days, I'll post a step-by-step tutorial, but for now, I just want to get a few pics up so you can see what I'm talking about.  Here are a few of my newest creations:

What I like best about these tutus is that they are reversible!   One side has more black that shows and the other has less.  :)  

I plan to make several of these babies to bring with me to craft fairs/shows and some of the hippie shows I go to each summer in hopes to make a few bucks from my efforts.  

First, I just have to find a good site that sells bolts of tulle relatively cheap.  If you know of a where I should go, please leave me a comment with the URL!  I'll forever be in debt to you!  ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Until next time... Happy Twirlin'! 

A Good Day!

Today was a good day!  I spent most of the later part of the afternoon at my Nana's with my daughter, my niece, and her mom. Visiting with family always makes me feel warm and fuzzy.  Especially seeing my niece.  She's just so precious right now.  Nine months old and cute as ever. 

"L" & "N" = cousins...  ♥

"You aren't foolin' me."

 

 

Walkin' with a lil' help from Momma.

The best part about today... It was a casual day.  Not a holiday where you HAVE to get together or a special occasion where you can't get away from it.  No, today was a regular day with family.  We banged on things, we crawled around, we ate, we ate some more, and we enjoyed ourselves!  ♥ 

I hope to have many more days like today.  Many more moments like this!  It was a good day!

Saturday's Shoe Picks

I think I'll dedicate a Saturday post to shoes.  Yes, shoes.  Why?  Because I LOVE them!  I might have a slight unmeasurable addiction to shoes.  I own many pair and I constantly look for more!

I recently found a site online that offers amazing deals on shoes/clothing/accessories and such.  This site continuously has fabulous daily deals that change every day, so my obsession just grows and grows.  I check this site EVERY SINGLE DAY.   I'm guessing by now you might be wondering what site I keep giving love to, eh?  It's 6pm.com!  So, if you love shoes, GO check it out!

Now, on to the real reason for my post today.  I want to display a few of my favorite shoe picks this week!  So, get ready to "ooohhhhh & aahhhhhhh"!   :)



Calvin Klein Kaylor

 


Type Z Disco





Luichiny Lemon Drop


 

rsvp Kaelyn




So, there you have it.  My picks for fabulous shoes this week!  And the best part... they are all listed under $50 on 6pm.com right now!  See why I can't get enough of that site!!!  

I hope to make this a regular post topic, so check back next week for Saturday's Shoe Picks! 

Until then...