getting my crafting groove back

Here is what my desk looked like after Christmas...

Oh my goodness, can you believe it? Seriously. It was awful. I am embarrassed to admit it. I was avoiding it like the plague. The kids kept putting stuff on it and I was trying to purge drawers and stuff at the same time. It made for a very disturbing place to be. I was definitely not crafting at all. I spent a good week (after kids were asleep) cleaning it up.

Now it looks like this...

Way better, wouldn't you agree? It is still a work in progress. Why is it that crafters need to constantly be reorganizing and redoing their spaces?

I purged a lot from here, although it still looks like I have a ton. I find that a clean space makes me work so much more. Clutter and piles do not add to my creativity.

I have been making a few scrapbooking pages here and there (16 as of last night). I have also been making some cute gift tags and lunch box notes and cards. I always feel happier doing something that I like as opposed to things I have to do. I am literally stealing a few minutes after the kids go to sleep or if they are engrossed in a good PBS kids show. I am determined to get my crafting groove back. I have so many projects that I want to do: sewing, painting, making decor things, and of course scrapbooking and card making and I have been putting them off for a while now. I guess because we were trying to sell our house and I felt like I always had to be cleaning. And then sweet Asher was born and sleep was my priority if I had a few minutes.

It is so much fun to be working on a few crafty things again, even if for just a few minutes a day. Having a clean desk has been the best part. I am loving how it is organized (but there is always room for improvement!) and I can work and clean up quick therefore I am excited to start again the next time because my desk is always so tidy.

Do you work better in neat and tidy spaces or creatively cluttered spaces? Just wondering...

Monday morning musings

Blogs can instantly turn into forums for complaining. I've done my fair share here. I am really trying hard to avoid that but jeepers it is tough. I so want to tell you about playgroups that went awry and house showings that broke my heart over the weekend but I won't. You don't want or need to hear me moan and groan do you? I didn't think so.

On a lighter note, 17 pounds or so lighter, my baby is six months old today!

Say what?

Yep, six months. Don't blink, your kids will be all grown up.

I tried to get a cute picture of us together using our photo booth, it just didn't happen. And all that schmag stuff behind me is Big Tall Hubby's PhD stuff. I'm trying to ignore it too. Don't even look at my kooky hair- still trying to be patient as it grows out. I am dying to get it cut but I am really wanting a ponytail! Maybe 2012 is the year I stop being a perfectionist... nah, don't count on it.

my menus for this week:

• chicken and dumplings (kids are loving this but I am sick of it, I don't even eat the chicken, this is the last time for a while)
• cauliflower puttanesca (still haven't made this one but I am this week)
• stuffed peppers and roasted veggies
• pizzas and salads
• grilled cheese/veggie sandwiches (homemade half and half bread) and soup
• shrimp/mushroom alfredo fettuccine with some veggie side dish (not sure yet)
• potato and bacon frittata and biscuits

my things to do this week:

I don't have an "official" list. Honestly, last week kind of threw me for a loop. I had all these plans to get things done after all our celebrating but life gave me some curve balls so I am playing catch up. (unexpected visitors, house showings, terrible playdates, doctor's appointments, etc.)

I do hope to:

• clean up the basement
• take kids' clothes to resale shop
• finish taking boxes to Goodwill (I took 7 last week!!!!)
• return some items to Michaels and hopefully score a cute basket or two for Zoe's room
• finish the massive room clean up with Zoe (we are almost done)

Have a super fun week everyone.

Just bragging: I have scrapbooked 15 layouts so far this year! Yay me! I love that "craft" is my focus word. It really has helped me to make myself do things I want to do.

15 minutes can do more than save you 15 %

When I have 15 minutes the last thing I want to do is get on the phone and call an insurance company. Sorry Geico.

I didn't mean to do this. I promise. It was 8:10 AM on a school day. I was getting out a spoon, a Buzz Lightyear spoon to be exact (Tanner is very particular about his flatware) and this drawer was just looking like a hot mess.

8:25 AM (must leave for bus by 8:31 AM) and I had this huge mess on my counter.

Then...

Ain't it so purty?

I even had a small pile to add to my Goodwill box. Ha! It didn't even cost me a penny. Take that Geico. 100% savings! Boo-yah!

So do you have 15 minutes to organize something this weekend?

I'll bet you do.

Here are some ideas:

• duh, your silverware drawer (or if you are a hillbilly like me, your flatware that you call "silverware", the only silver I wear is around my neck or on my ears)
• your sock drawer (no holey ones allowed anymore)
• your purses (pass some on to your diva daughter, she'll be so excited)
• your hubby's junk drawer (My Big Tall Hubby has one, it is... woo-dawg, don't even get me started!)
• school papers/project dumping ground (might be a basket, might be a box, whatever it is, purge baby purge)
• hats, scarves, mittens, gloves (we still have a looooooong winter ahead of us girls)
• sort/share some pictures on your computer or **gasp** empty those envelopes sitting on your desk from Walgreens photo lab
• go through your makeup and get rid of that raisin colored lip stick from 1998, you don't want to look like a vampire do you? well maybe you do (Team Edward!)
• recipes-you'll probably find one you haven't tried yet but want to
• t-shirts, you know you have too many, admit it
• kids craft supplies, maybe you won't have to go to Target on Feb. 13th and grab the last box of Looney Tunes Valentines for your child who really wanted Toy Story cards, they can make homemade ones this year! Yes! Your kid will be the teacher's favorite, I promise. Creativity and resourcefulness always win extra points with the teachers.

Whatever you pick, do it fast, do it quick without over-thinking it, pretend you have to catch the bus.

this one is full of my made up words

A couple responses to yesterday's post:

I searched ABC new forever trying to find the story about the negative health effects of sitting for a long time but I cannot find it anywhere. Anyway, here is a similar version:

Time news story about sitting for long periods

It pretty much says the same thing. I hate when bloggers just sprout off facts (or things that seem factual) and don't back them up, or at least try to.

And by the way, ABC news has a crazy full website. So Diane Sawyer, love you babe, but please don't tell me to look at your website for more information. (Have you ever noticed she says that all the time?!) That website is its own world wide web of info. Shooo-eee!

And yes, Sarah, my princess, Asher is in fact at the stage where he grabs my hair and pulls me in for a wet, slobbery, mouthy "kiss." At least, I call it a kiss. Mmmm-wack!

And just a little tip...

I am using all my gift cards like crazy. Who doesn't love gift cards? This time of year is great because you are getting all those Christmas bills and you still have to shop, notice say "have to", I have to get more organizing things for all the toys Santa brought! Gift cards are the answer.

I used to try to keep the receipts taped to the card so I would know how much balance I had left but sometimes I keep gift cards for a while before I use them and then I would lose the receipts. I finally figured out that if I use a Sharpie, don't you just love Sharpies, and write the balance on the card as soon as I get home I can file the receipt (in case of return) and I still know my balance. Yeppers, I'm a genius like that.

Some companies have a number you can call to check the balance of gift cards but honestly, my house is too loud and crazy to talk on the phone even for a couple minutes. Be sure to check the rules of your gift cards, some of them expire (I don't get that but they do) and some take money off if you don't use them in a certain amount of time. GAH!

Do you love all my made up words? Just call them Jenny-ese.

watchin' my weight Wednesday

Does carrying around a 17 1/2 pound weight all day count as a workout?

What if he's really cute? Does that count as an extra rep?

How about never sitting down? I actually just heard last week (ABC nightly news maybe?) that sitting for 7 hours a day has the same negative effects as smoking! Who knew? Seriously, I never sit down, except to feed the baby. That has to count for some calorie burn right?

My treadmill time has been sporadic at best this past week. So bummed about it. I really do want to get up and get moving but honestly, I haven't heard the alarm clock for about 6 days. How is that possible? Jeezels. The only way I knew it was time to get up at all was because Big Tall Hubby got up and pulled the covers off me, freezing me to death. That is crazy. Usually I wake up at the slightest noise. I do get up with the baby (and Tanner- who has taken to waking several times a night- should I just give him back the paci?!). But that pesky beep of the alarm just goes unnoticed. I guess my body has programmed itself to hear what it needs to hear.

I found a dress that I want to buy when I get to my goal weight. I taped it to my treadmill as inspiration. I also downloaded Kelly Clarkson's new song, love it. And I have been listening to this a lot after the kids go to bed. Does night-time dancing/lip syncing while folding laundry count as a workout?

Next Wednesday I hope to post a weight loss and a successful week of workouts. Please excuse me as I go do some more weight lifting with my baby.

Really?!

Big Tall Hubby says we say "really" too much. Really?! It's even in the new Reese Witherspoon movie preview. I know I do, I am going to try to stop.

Oh yeah, he looks cute here but let me tell you. Too much partying has made this boy appear to be possessed by the devil. Yesterday, he bit Parker twice, threw a laundry basket at him, tried to push on Asher's head while he was in the exercauser and he hit all of us at least once. He said "no" so many times I think he used it all up. Sounds like a typical day of a three year old and normally I wouldn't complain. Read on to see why this behavior might have put me over the top.

Saturday,we had our last birthday celebration at our house. (until Asher's in July) And I was ready to take a break from partying and making cakes and cleaning house and all that. Our celebrating has been happening since October... no kidding! It starts with Parker's birthday and then comes Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Year's and sprinkle in some birthdays and well this party is pooped I tell ya. So anyway, I was ready to hang up my streamers, wait I already did that, a lot! I was ready to put them in their storage box and put my feet up.

Then our old realtor called. Really?!

She had a client who wanted to see our house. Really?!

We aren't even actively listed for sale. Our house is apparently still on the "for sale by owner" site we used way back and we get random calls for it every now and then. We have been tossing the idea of relisting on that site so we can try to sell at a lower price (because there would be no realtor commission) but I have been saying, "no way can I do that right now! I have a teeny baby for goodness sake Big Tall Hubby!!! Don't you know how hard it would be to sell a house with a newborn? I know because I have done it with Tanner!" To which he replies, "really?!"

Anyway, you can imagine what I have been doing for the last 24 hours. Yep, cleaning and the like. When our old realtor called yesterday, I was in the middle of 9 loads of laundry. No joke. I was planning on doing some catch up since last week I was cooking (and more cleaning) and entertaining. 9 loads of laundry just don't disappear so I kept at it until 1:00 last night and in between I was a cleaning fool. I do not miss staying up late cleaning house for people I don't even know.

Now do you see why my three year old's behavior might have been causing me to eat all the leftover Recess Cups from the cupcakes I made on Saturday! Really?!

Then, a totally different realtor called us. Really?!

She too has a client who found our old house listing and they want to come see the house maybe on Sunday. Really?! So now I have to keep this place clean until then?! Really?!

Have I told you before how much I hate the house selling process? Yep, I have? Sorry. I really, really hate it. Really.

So there. I am officially being a big complaining blogger mom. I hate that too but sometimes you just have to do it.

my things to do this week:

• catch up on sleep lost from late night cleaning and marathon laundry session, ha ha
• finish cleaning Zoe's room with her
• take books to sell to Half Priced Books
• take clothes to kids' resale shop
• finish these darn thank you notes (I swear I am finishing them this week! I refuse to look at them anymore!!!)
• maybe go to Hobby Lobby to look for some fabric (project idea swimming in my head)

my menus for this week:

• I have lots of leftovers from our party and I have a few things from last week that I didn't make so I'll be cleaning out my fridge and pantry. Nothing exciting to share. I think Big Tall Hubby has some late nights this week so the kids and I will be foraging. ;)

Have a great week everyone.

Really. :)

Buzz and Woody & Watchin' my weight Wednesday

Before I had four kids I used to say:

I'll never let my little girl's Barbies be naked.

I will have up-to-date scrapbooks.

I will not have fingerprints on my windows or toothpaste spit in my sink.

My eyebrows will always be perfectly plucked.

My CD's will stay alphabetized, how else can I find the one I want?

I will never skip a workout.

Then, I had four kids. Do I need to say anymore?

Never say "never" ladies. Never.

The only toys Tanner asked Santa to bring him: Buzz and Woody


Holy moly. Does anyone else cry their stinkin' eyes out when they watch Toy Story 3? Jeezels, those folks at Pixar sure knew what they were doing with that one. My boys are watching right now, I had to leave the room. Needed tissues. Lots of tissues.

Tanner plays with his Buzz and Woody exactly like Andy does in the Toy Story movies. It is creepy. How did the movie people get it so perfect? Buzz and Woody go everywhere Tanner goes. So sweet. He loves them a whole lot. I love him.

Watchin' my weight Wednesday:

Oh sigh, really. Losing weight stinks. Keeping it off, stinks even worse. I still need to lose about 15 pounds. Seems like so much. I have realized that with each baby, I need to lose about 5 more pounds than I gained to get back to somewhat "normal". I don't know if it's extra fat, skin, loss of muscle, or whatever, I just know I have one pair of jeans that sort of fit and the rest are staring at me in my closet every time I open the door. They are saying, "Jenny, get off your big bootylicious and exercise! Don't you want to wear my cute distressed, perfect hole in the knee, goes with anything self?" To which I reply, "yes I do, shut up you dumb jeans, I only slept three hours last night and I have thirteen loads of laundry to do and birthday cakes to make!" Jeez, the nerve of some clothes anyway.

I have been trying (I am italicizing a lot today!) so hard to get up and exercise before the kids get up. I am not doing very well. I sometimes think I should go get on the treadmill after a middle of the night feeding, I'm wide awake then! I know it will come. Loving exercise again. Right now, it seems like torture. Sorry to say. The truth hurts.

I would love to go back to my beloved Weight Watchers. I checked my schedule and I literally do not have one night that is free to go and Saturday mornings are completely out of the question. I'm pretty bummed. Those meetings worked for me. Accountability works for me. So I am going to share my successes/failures with all my bloggy momma friends. I know you'll understand! ;) Any ideas or tips you would like to share, I am always looking for new tricks in the weight watching game.

This week, I am making friends with my Ipod, downloading a few songs to get me motivated. I am tracking (writing down) all my meals and snacks in an effort to see when I eat and what. I'll keep you posted as the pounds just roll right off.

My motivating song of the week is "Soar" by Christina Aguilera. I love it. The lyrics are so perfect for what I need to hear right now. I love Christina, she can wail so perfectly. One good thing about working out in my Rocky basement is that I can wail along and dance and no one else can see. :)

things I am doing this week:

• finishing thank you notes
• cleaning Zoe's room
• packing up lots of boxes for Goodwill
• cleaning my kitchen, it is so icky and sticky, must have been all those goodies from Christmas
• celebrating Big Tall Hubby's birthday
• family party on Saturday

my menus this week:

• oven baked, fried chicken and potatoes and green beans for Big Tall Hubby's birthday
• mexican pizza and fruit salad
• italian subs on homemade rolls with oven fries
• slow cooker chicken fettuccine
• southwest stuffed peppers and chips/salsa
• cauliflower penne puttanesca with homemade french bread

See ya later gals!

Looking for Bigfoot

My family is convinced there is a Bigfoot (or a lot of them, would that be Bigfeet?). Let me clarify, everyone but ME! I think it is a big goofy hoax. Unfortunately, I am alone in this. Now there is this really annoying show called "Finding Bigfoot" on some nature channel (I don't know which one because I leave the room every time it is on).

My Big Tall Hubby and the kids camp out on the couch every episode and plan out their next excursion. Last year on vacation, we were walking through the jungle-y part of Sanibel, Florida and my kids were hollering (no other way to describe it) for Skunk Apes, another version of Bigfoot. OK, really? I am seriously annoyed at this. We go on nature walks and they all holler and scare each other silly, "did you just see that bush move? It's a Squatch!" Ugh. I just want to deck them all.

My Big Tall Hubby has them brainwashed that when he retires, we are all going Bigfoot hunting. Don't count me in, I'm going to the beach, and not the one where the goofy people on tv swear they have seen the Skunk Ape.

I keep telling them, every time they tune in to their favorite show, that if the people on the show indeed found a Bigfoot, we would have heard about it already since the show is taped way before. They don't argue with me, but they still sit glued to the tv. Can I say, "ugh" again? How about adding an eye roll?

I just go upstairs to fold laundry or organize something when the show comes on, I'm a party pooper and I don't care.

Parker made this Bigfoot and it is taped next to our tv. So now we have found Bigfoot and I have to stare at it all day. Ugh. Eye roll. Big sigh. (the picture doesn't show, but this Bigfoot is really big!)

Speaking of my buddy, Parker... he was chosen to be student of the month for his class! Whooee! I was so excited.

His big sister has been chosen every year of school and I was secretly praying for him to please be selected. It's hard to follow in the footsteps of a very successful older sibling. I knew he would be crushed if he didn't get selected but he wasn't saying anything about it yet. I am not kidding, I was really praying every day, I know some people might think that kind of praying is wasteful but I'm telling you my child's happiness and positive self esteem are worthy of my prayers. Anyway, I am so proud of him. I knew he was working so hard in class and I was holding on to hope that he would be recognized. The power of prayer is amazing.

Have a great weekend.

Watch out for Squatch!

As you put those new toys away

Put a label on those new electronic cords before you forget.

Don't think you will remember which cord goes to which item.

Because you won't.

I speak from experience.

I just uncovered a box of cords, not labeled, I have no idea what they are for, maybe a digital camera, maybe a Leapfrog toy? Just call it the cord lotto. Trying to upload pictures to my computer, this cord works! We have a winner! Ding ding! It would sound something like that.

Zoe got a Nook (I know! spoiled brat!) and an I Pod for Christmas and just looking at those cords along with a few more just made me start to sweat.

I used my label maker for Big Tall Hubby's new car warmer travel coffee mug, pictured above, (and a whole slew of other things) but you could also use a small piece of masking tape, cut to size Avery labels, White-out written with Sharpie, or a silver Sharpie (those show up great on black).

Happy labeling my friends. :)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

Don't worry, I'm not getting all intellectual/bookish on you. I'm not that talented.

Between all these birthday posts, I haven't had time to reflect on Christmas. I am still kind of in shock that it has come and gone already!

The Best of Times:

Tanner was the funnest kid (sorry to my other three) this year, he really got into Christmas and his excitement was infectious. He was pretending to be Santa on his sleigh. :)

Baby Jesus had a special visitor.

My Big Tall Father-in-Law got us this nativity scene when we had only been married a year and I didn't think much of it then but over the years it has become one of my most treasured holiday items. Big Tall Hubby takes each piece out of its box and tells the story of the nativity. Sounds kind of corny but it is really sweet. The kids love to see it and rearrange it. The brand is Fontanini (Italian I think) and it is made of this really sturdy plastic. That sounds weird but the details are great and plastic is good for a house full of kids! The monkey is not the only stray that made his way into this stable, I found lots of Tanner's animals in here throughout December. The poor camel is laying on his side. I found the ox and lambs under the table with Buzz Lightyear later on, someone was having a lot of fun with the nativity scene.

I had fun dressing up Asher for Christmas. He might not be so cooperative next year.

I love shopping this time of year, even if I don't buy anything. All the stores are stocked with organizing bins, tubs, baskets galore. And every magazine is all about organizing or losing weight.

I always buy the People issue of how the people lost half their body weight, that is such an awesome issue. I wanted to buy the Us weekly too, but darnit if they didn't put Kim Kardashian on the cover. I refuse to give that family any more of my time or money. I hate that they got famous for her alleged "leaked" video. Just makes me so sick. Anyway, I wish I could buy all the magazines at my grocery checkout, they are so tempting... all those glossy pages of inspiration!

The Worst of Times:

A bit too many of these...

over the past month is making me realize how important it is to restart my "Watchin' my Weight" posts. You don't mind do you? I need that accountability. Just like the rest of the world, I too am trying to drop a few pounds. You can find the best deals on workout equipment and gear right now, I don't need any, but all this saturation makes me want to work out. I just need to put my stuff to work.

And lastly, this...

We have only had a dusting of snow so far and that was enough for me. I really do not like winter at all. Nothing about it. Sorry to all you snowbirds and skiers and sweater lovers, I am ready for spring.

Thank goodness, I have a whole year before this happens again!

Just a random note...

Today is "Jump in a Puddle and Splash your Friend day"

My newspaper published a year long list of names for each day. How funny. I will try to remember to post some every now and then. Weird thing about today, it is raining so I guess I could splash someone if I wanted to!

Have a great day.

Well hi there 1983!

I've been tackling/reorganizing/cleaning my closet one shelf/area at a time for a while now, then Christmas came (and went) and it is a disaster again. Let me just say that I love my closet. I love it so much. It is huge. I know that if/when we ever move it will be bigger than my kitchen in our new house. It's that big. Unfortunately, it becomes the catch-all for junk, in-progress projects, depository of all things I need to "get to." AND it has those totally dumb wire shelves they put in all new-ish houses and really bad lighting so with all that being said, I still love it.

I have thought about installing a really cool closet system over the years but that hasn't happened and with us being in holding pattern (hate it, will we ever move!?) I don't want to invest a lot of time and money or energy into projects that we can't take with us. So I just keep clearing off one shelf at a time, one rack at a time, redoing it and just plain old wasting time, because as Big Tall Hubby says, "I love it in there!"

Why in the heck am I confessing my love of my closet today (and not even posting one picture of it?! You don't want to see it- trust me, Christmas stuff is still piled in there!) well I was cleaning off one of my icky wire shelves and I came across a cute little retro Strawberry Shortcake tin full of goodies, you know when Strawberry wore orthopedic shoes and ginormous hats, not cute sneakers and glitter.

See my goodies...

Two of my favorites, friendship pins and a Wham! button. I had gobs of buttons. My BFF from elementary school and I used to cover our jean jackets with these. I have some with some really funny sayings like, "I don't understand why I'm not rich and famous" I must have been quite a smarty pants in third grade! Did anyone else do this to their jackets? We were so cool. **snicker snicker**

Our shoes were covered with these cute friendship pins. I can't believe I still have some. I remember sitting on the floor making these watching "Solid Gold" at my grandma's house every Saturday. I stole all her safety pins. What is really funny is that I have pink and white and green beads on these, some things never change, those are still my favorite colors. :)

And shall we talk about Wham!?

Please know that I was seriously their biggest fan. I was going to marry George Michael. Don't you dare laugh! I was a naive nine year old. I didn't know about his "preferences" then. I remember reading my Tiger Beat magazines and they would always tell how old he was and I would calculate how old he would be when I was 18 (old enough to get married) and I remember thinking it was ok that he was like 12 years older than me. I wouldn't care because I loved him that much. Oh, the innocence of youth. I still loved him after he went solo and his preferences became a little more questionable. Could I still blame it on my youthful innocence or was it those jeans he used to wear?!

I watched this video this morning. He is still a cutie. I had those yellow fingerless gloves and I wanted a Choose Life shirt more than you can imagine. Enjoy!

P.S. Parker says "those guys' shorts are way too short mom, that's inappropriate."

I really need to find some of Big Tall Hubby's old basketball pictures to show Parker what inappropriate shorts really look like!

hello, I'm finally addressing the new year!

Um, yeah, we're like two weeks into the new year and I am finally getting around to acknowledging it. Some organized mommy I am! I told you, January kills me. I tell myself every year, I won't get behind and I'll stay on top of everything but by December 26th, I'm just done. Unfortunately, the fun at my house isn't. I swear I just kind of go on auto pilot until about the 21st or so of January. Of course we have the obvious: Christmas and New Year's. We also have Tanner's birthday, Zoe's birthday, and Big Tall Hubby's birthday. It is crazy. One of my "goals" (don't like to call them "resolutions"- that sounds to finite and if I failed, I'd be feeling really bad, "goals" sounds so much more doable) anyway, one of my goals is to have all my holiday shopping done by December 1st of next year, so get you wish lists to me early people! Now I do have one exception (well four actually) I will allow myself to get the kids' gifts because their wishes/wants change once those holiday commercials start playing. So hold me accountable mommas, December 1st, 2012, no more holiday shopping for me!

Like I said, crazy busy around here:

Asher, my sweetie, is now five months old (as of Dec. 30)

He is the light of our lives. Everyone here loves him. I totally get the whole spoiled baby thing now. Poor kid will probably never do anything on his own, he has three slaves at his beckoned call, all he has to do is kind of holler and they are within an inch of his face.

Parker is almost reading all the way by himself. I am so proud of him. He is also writing a really cool horror story, a little each day. He will be the next Wes Craven maybe? He is also playing basketball. His team picked the name "Angry Birds". I voted for "Wildcats" but I guess there isn't an app for that.

Zoe had a Harry Potter sleepover with one of her girlfriends from school to celebrate her 9th birthday! I cannot believe she is nine. Really, that girl is just a teeny baldy thing isn't she?

Parker made her these "flowers" aren't they so cute? I put together these girly boxes for them for the sleepover. She only wanted to invite two friends which was ok with me but unfortunately only one could make it. I think it worked out great, they got along fabulously and they seemed to have a great time. They went to bed giggling and woke up the same way, sounded like a good time.

She insisted on a golden snitch cake. I think my kids are trying to make me looney-er than I already am with these cake ideas. Who do they think I am the Cake Boss or something? Please ignore this horrid picture of me, my Big Tall Hubby takes the worst pictures of me, ever. And I forgot to get a good picture of the cake. (Another one of my goals for 2012 is to grow my hair a bit, hence the icky hair. I hate that in-between stage!)

I made Hogwarts castle cookies for Zoe to take to school. That princess castle cookie cutter came in handy! Glad I kept it. (And the ball cake mold has been used three times: basketball cake, Elmo cake, and now a golden snitch! Glad I keep all kinds of weird stuff.)

I would love to learn how to decorate cookies and cakes better. I think when I finally have the time to practice, my kids will be too old for me to do it! Can't you just picture them like 21 years old and I finally am making them choo choo train cookies?!

And here is Tanner exhibiting sleepover hangover.

Yes, he is literally sleeping standing up (and leaning on the couch!). This was the day after the sleepover and we were all just laying around all day. Hung over indeed.

My word for this year is "craft". I am hoping it inspires me to craft everyday. I of course wish it meant scrapbooking only but I am thinking it will also include card making, baking, gift wrapping, trashing to treasuring, decorating, blogging, making things for the house, etc. all that good stuff I love to do. Last year, my word was "pretty." I tried to put forth a pretty self everyday and I feel like I did a good job. Aside from the obvious of wearing makeup everyday and fixing my hair, I tried to have a pretty attitude and outlook. I definitely had my ugly days but for the last 365, I feel like I did ok. My crafting goal is to try for 15 minutes a day, I even bought a timer in case I feel like I can't do it.

I have some other goals in mind too: exercising regularly (like the rest of the world!), incorporating more green into my life (recycling/reusing), major purging from my house (closets and basement mostly), trying new recipes a few times a month, and improving my picture taking.

So hell-o 2012, glad to meet you and looking forward to getting to know you!

my menus for this week:

• lasagna and homemade french bread
• navy bean soup and corn bread
• homemade pizzas
• black bean enchiladas
• chicken and dumplings

my things to do this week:

• write thank you notes
• clean off my desk, it's bad people, no kidding
• take boxes to Goodwill
• cut and sort my coupons (I'm a couple weeks behind)

have a great week everyone

January kills me every time

50% of our family birthdays are in the weeks between Christmas and January 17th. (Tanner, Big Tall Hubby, and Zoe) I am slightly busy... I am surrounded by needy, bossy, Capricorns! ugh.

I am a madwoman right now:

Planning birthdays

Cleaning up from the holidays, where the heck do all these pine needles come from?!

Packing up holiday decor (some to keep, some to give away- Goodwill here I come!)

Organizing all the new gifts and presents (it's ridiculous this time of year)

Making goals and lists for the new year**

Beginning my exercising again (along with the rest of the American population)

All the while trying to keep up my regular mom/wife duties, it's exhausting as you can well relate.

Unfortunately, this guy

is trying to give up his naps. **sigh** Why do they fight it? Kids, they are dingalings, I tell ya. They insist on staying up late when they get that big kid bed, that taste of freedom is just too much then they don't take a nap during the day. So of course they are viciously tired and they conk out at the worst times and cannot be woken up for anything. This makes for tired kids and mommies.

I promise to be back in full blogging force next week. I love the start of a new year and new goals and new things to do lists!

Have a great week, I hope I survive our first sleepover party this weekend. Ei-yi-yi!

**I promise to share next week.