Wannabe Green

New URL!

2010-05-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hi come on over to my new home!

Project and Giveaway at my new URL!

2010-05-18T04:11:00.000-07:00

Come check out this great wall hanging and a giveaway at my new blog url http://www.lifelovegreen.com/

Same blog new location!

2010-05-17T07:25:00.001-07:00

I finally got my own URL

www.lifelovegreen.com

Check it out for a great giveaway! Including items from Apple Valley Soaps, Love for Earth, and The Pleated Poppy.

http://www.lifelovegreen.com/2010/05/the-new-url/

Followers I haven't figured out how to transfer you yet so for now you will have to manually 'friend' the new blog. When I see you on the new blog as a friend I will remove you from this one so you don't get duplicates.

I'm really excited I hope you all like it!

Stupid tonsils

2010-05-14T04:43:00.000-07:00

Ok lets face it I'm in my late 20's and I feel like I've been sick for a year. I finally convinced a Doctor that it was something more than a 'simple' case of strep over and over and over and, well you get the point. I'm sick of having my throat hurt sinuses plugged and being tired. So I went to the ENT and he said my tonsils are chronically inflamed. Grrr I'm at the end of a one month trial with a heart burn meds to see if that was irritating my throat but I don't think that did the trick. That means I have to get my tonsils out (most likely, we are going to try one more thing with allergies I hope.)

I don't really like the thought of surgery even a fairly minor one. Plus this will take me out of work for a few weeks, talking is kinda important for my job. Grrr

Sorry just wanted to whine a little today.

Come back Monday for the big announcement!!!

Oh and don't forget today is the last day to write the FCC about this: http://wannabegreen.blogspot.com/2010/05/i-need-your-help.html

Thougths on Thursday

2010-05-13T05:05:00.000-07:00

" I need specifics"

"Honey its in the bag outside pocket in the blue case" seems pretty specific till you realize we just got back from a weekend away and there are about 6 bags to choose from. Oops no wonder my husband was frustrated with me.

"The construction people are going to call on Monday about Tuesday" In my head this means they are going to call and see if that is an option. It really meant they were going to come no matter what and were going to check in on Monday. Big problem when they showed up and the electrical hadn't been moved yet...

These are two examples of how communication can fail. This seems to be something that hubby and I need to work on. Most of the time we are just fine, but other times we will be talking in circles because we don't know what the other person means. All I needed to say was, Honey its in the toiletry bag outside pocket in the blue case, and we would have been fine.

This can easily become a frustration in your marriage, but its an easy one to correct. Starting now I'm going to make sure I'm clear in what I'm saying so that my hubby has less of these avoidable frustrations. This in turn will ease some tension (on those bad days we just can't seem to say things right) and just generally make a better marriage.

Oh so check this out, the electrician is coming today to move some outlets in the kitchen and outside the house. Hubby and I talked about weather or not the vent needed to be moved before the guy came. Mac was very clear and because of that I wasn't stressing at 10:30 at night trying to take out the vent, Thanks hon!

Deadline is tomorrow!!! Please don't forget to write the FCC and save Video Relay Services as we know them.

Pictures 12-19/You Capture Yellow

2010-05-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

It has rained 10 of the 13 days this month. I literally went outside during a break between showers yesterday. I got this idea right away after seeing the theme was yellow. However with the rain and the travels it got put on the back burner till last night....oops. Well here they are:

This it the sign that inspired it all.

This one is one of my favorites because I got to play with the shutter speed, and it worked!

Another one of my favorites.

My life in pictures (well part of it.)

2010-05-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

These pictures represent a large part of my life, basically my high school years. A time when I grew in the understanding of who I am, and learned that others opinions didn't matter so much. The summer between my sophomore and junior year I went to Honduras for 3 months on a mission trip. When I came back my parents had moved to a new house (don't worry I knew it was happening.) Here it is:
See those windows at the top? That was the upstairs that I shared with my brother. We each had our own room and between those two windows was a large walk in closet that we shared (a door in each room.) We went through many stages with that closet, at one point I had my dresser in the middle to divide it but most of the time it was open. 'Buddy' and I were great friends, we still are. In fact I can say for most of my life he was my best friend. We talk about pretty much everything. We are both married now so its different, but we are still great friends. In fact he is part of the big surprise that is happening on Monday...

This building is part of a conference center my parents ran for a while. My friend Rose and I got permission to have a place where youth from the area (we lived in a party town) could come and hang out, play games, and basically have something to do besides drink. Little did we know that soon the building would be to capacity we would have a live Worship band every weekend and we would start serving dinner. It was great and a lot of my memories happened here.

This is the main building of the Conference center my parents ran. Its amazing. I've worked behind the scenes, with some fairly famous people and I've been interpreting the weekend worship there for years. I've made some great friends in the "techies" that work there every year and some of the musicians as well. There has been a lot of learning here and a lot of friends made. When my first hubby got sick it was over a 'conference weekend' and that is where we escaped to for peace and honestly fun. I still make sure I'm there at least one weekend a year.

This was my best friends house in high school. We are still great friends, in fact he is the father of my godson that I talk about every once in a while. Heck I was friends with the whole family I was even in his sisters wedding! His parents are some of the most loving people I know, at their own expense most of the time. They always had a few random teenagers roaming about the house. I have a lot of memories of movies, back rubs, napping and eating with friends and family here.

This is literally the crossroads of my life, behind is my high school town, left is my first husbands farm home and the city we lived in when we got married. To the right is my now and my future with Mac. Here I am standing at the crossroads (on a very windy day, why is it always so windy when I travel?) I've had a lot happen in my life, its taken me many different directions. But I like the way its going now. I've been blessed beyond measure. I just can't say enough... Here is one of my life quotes that pretty much sums it up:

"We live, we love, we forgive and never give up. Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above And today we remember to live and to love." ~SuperChick We Live

Please don't forget to write the FCC and save Video Relay Services as we know them.

Weekly giveaway list

2010-05-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

Here are the giveaways that I'm aware of for this week, remember to check back for additions.

www.walkslowlylivewildly.com has a great giveaway check it out!
http://walkslowlylivewildly.com/2010/05/11/catina-jane-arts-giveaway/comment-page-3/#comment-12907 (blogger is being silly)

Great hammered necklace giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/KristenNecklace

Apple Valley Soaps!

2010-05-11T04:20:00.001-07:00

With so many choices out there how do you decide what soaps to use on your skin? I choose to use hand made, naturally derived soaps that I know all of the ingredients in. I've mentioned them before in a post but they are so cool I wanted to do a whole post on them.

I mean even the paper they put around their amazing soaps is beautiful. The cedar wood soap decks are hand carved and the little bit of Sisal bag is an amazing to exfoliate. I'm just starting to transition over to all natural soaps as I'm running out of what I have. Currently I'm using their Vanilla Buttermilk Bar and it is heavenly. I'm also starting to use their shampoos I just got the Rhassoul Clay and Sea Mud Shampoo Bar and the Beer and Egg Bar!

This is a truly family owned and operated business and that is another thing I like about them. They have some great deals going on through the month of May before they go on break for a few months for the new baby. So stock up now.

I asked Natalie a few questions and got a fabulous answer check it out!

We are a family of 9 (soon to be 10) who has had various garden-variety skin issues (eczema, etc.) over the years. Using steroid creams seemed to eliminate the symptoms, but not the problems, and I did not like to continue slathering steroid cream all over the bodies of my small children. One night while walking through the Mall of America, my husband and I saw a display of Lush products and freaked out at how high priced everything was...yet we marveled at the marketing success of this company. It got me thinking..."if THEY can make stuff like that...why can't I?" And so I began a search for HOW to create ALL natural products (Lush uses chemicals as well as artificial scents/colorings in their products) that would appeal to a growing number of people who are concerned about what they put on their skin...the largest organ of their body!

My first lotion bar was the Cocoa Butter lotion bar...and it completely eliminated the eczema on my 4 year old's legs! Encouraged by this success, I made my first loaf of soap and "tested it" on friends and family. Everyone gave it rave reviews...and I made another one. And another one.

After making many loaves and selling them "at cost" to friends/neighbors and family, I began to delve into the whole area of shampoo bars. I have so many issues with my own hair...I wanted to see if I could make a shampoo bar that would help. After a year and a half of tweaking, tweaking, tweaking...I have come up with some amazing recipes that are FABULOUS for your hair! My hair dresser is totally amazed at how shiny, healthy, and strong my long, thick, permed, colored hair is! You would NEVER know it has been so chemically treated. I do not have split end problems anymore...fly-away, elastic issues...etc. I love my hair for the first time in my entire 40 something years of life. : ) I have had so many customers rave about the results they get just switching from a conventional, chemically laden, liquid shampoo to an all natural, solid, moisturizing shampoo bar.

Right now I am getting ready to have a baby boy in June, so we are going to shut down shop for the months of June-July to enjoy our new family member. Our customer base knows this and our stock is selling out quickly. However, we will be up and running...and fully stocked...August 1st. We will have three new body bars to introduce, giving you 26 body bar choices...AND we will have two new shampoo bars giving you 10 shampoo bar choices for all different kinds of hair/scalp types.

One more note of interest: our children are very involved in our little home business! We home educate our children, giving them an opportunity to learn how to run a business, and finish college early. Our 16 year old son manages our website, makes soap decks and has over a year of college credit under his belt. His goal is to graduate from college the year he is supposed to graduate from high school. Our 14 year old son makes soap decks and fixes computer issues for me. (What would I do without THAT????) Our 10 year old daughter does data entry and measure/pours all the oils/butters for every loaf of soap that is made. I am slowly training her in on other aspects of the business as well so that she will be a great asset to her future family. The rest of the "littles" are great testers...and love to get free "sniffs" whenever a new loaf of soap is being hand cut.

So grab a cup of java and come visit our quiet, peaceful, online shop sometime! You can make purchases through the month of May. After that, you can make wish lists and come back again August 1st! www.applevalleynaturalsoap.com

Now for the fun stuff come back next week for a big announcement and a chance to win some Apple Valley products and other great green items! Its my first giveaway!!

Please don't forget to write the FCC and save Video Relay Services as we know them.

The way I make cards.

2010-05-10T04:46:00.000-07:00

I make my cards in batched, this is one of the ways that I make sure I use every scrap of paper. I know this isn't the most green of hobbies but hey everyone has a vice....

Anyway this was for valentines day, I pick a few papers and use them in different combinations for the cards. Then I make leftovers that I can use when something comes up alter. These could be used for anniversaries, notes to the spouse or other such occasions.

I don't know if you can see it but I like to use the negatives as well. For example the top middle red card and the bottom middle red card are the same cut out one has the negative and one is the shape. I start with basic embellishments and then add more once I know who the card is going to and why.

May is kinda a crazy month for me I have 14 separate events that need cards, so needless to say there isn't a lot of left over this month to leave as blanks...

Here are some close-ups of this month I started with 5 pieces of coordinating papers and just went to town. Each month I have one different thing I do, Feb was the Cricut for the shapes, this month was using brown in on everything and a few rub-ons and buttons. Here are some examples of the ink.Here is a example of how I use buttons. Don't forget to sew them on before you put the paper strips or squares on your card or you will have to sew through your card and have it showing on the inside. I've also found a little tape on the back of the paper makes it hold up to sewing a lot better.
The major tools I use are mostly from Creative Memories which is pretty much what I use for scrap booking exclusively, but for card making I'm less picky. I like the 12 inch rotary trimmer, the personal trimmer and the punches for card making.

So there you have it, let me see some of your cards so I can 'craft-lift.' ;)

I need your help.

2010-05-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

Please link up, tweet, facebook whatever. If you agree with what I'm saying help make a difference. Ask me if you have any questions

**** The FCC is no longer accepting comments***

I honestly don't know how to start or how to explain this so instead of a 3 page explanation I'll just get to the point. I work for a video relay company (VRS) that interprets phone calls for people who use sign language. Think about all the calls you make in a day, to family, your doctor, your banker...on and on for business and pleasure. These calls would not be possible for Deaf people without an interpreter. This service is provided by the government as a part of the ADA law (Americans with Disabilities Act) the same law that requires wheelchair ramps and such.

Anyway, the VRS system is governed by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and on April 30th they published a public notice with the proposed pay rates for TRS (telephone relay service). This new rate will mean a significant decrease in pay for the companies that do the most work. Here is a direct quote from the public notice
" This calculation results in rates of $5.7754 for Tier I, $6.0318 for Tier II, and $3.8963 for Tier III. The Bureau also particularly seeks comment on whether the Commission should adopt 2010-2011 interim Fund Year rates based on NECA’s proposed use of weighted averages in calculating each of the tiers, as described in the 2010 TRS Rate Filing."
So this is what that means, the bigger companies that process most of the calls will not be able to go on at that level of income. They will be forced to either shut down or reduced their numbers considerably. This will cause more calls to go to the smaller companies who won't be able to process the calls in the allowed time by the FCC. Therefore they won't get paid for their minutes and have great financial troubles as well. I just don't understand how they think the bigger companies who are doing more work can survive on that amount. They are doing more work because they have more interpreters and therefore more overhead expenses. I honestly just don't understand the logic.

Anyway back to the point, if you don't like how this sounds and you don't like the loss of equal communication for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing please write to the FCC before May 14th. I've made it easy just follow these steps and if you want you can even copy and paste the letter I have at the end of this message. Please help keep the phone accessible for everyone.

So here is what you can do:

***The FCC is no longer accepting comments***

Sample letter

Thoughts on Thursday "Slowdown"

2010-05-06T05:05:00.000-07:00

Life can get busy, work, kids, projects around the house....

Its easy to make it through the day without taking time to actually be with your spouse and acknowledge their existence. We just bought a new house last May and have been working on it pretty much non-stop. Even the simple act of painting can become quite time consuming. Make sure you are taking breaks between projects so that life can happen. Don't get so caught up in the next thing that you miss out on what you are doing. The kids are going to grow up. You and your spouse are going to get older, make sure you are enjoying life while you can. Never take a single day for granted, tomorrow isn't guaranteed for any of us.

You Capture Spring, round two.

2010-05-06T04:31:00.000-07:00

Sadly my week got to busy for me to take some more pictures with my shoes on the baseball field for this week (that was my plan.) But I was looking through some of my archives and found these great pics from spring 2008 at a park across the street from my old work. It was a great place to walk during lunch and 'get out of the city.'

I like this vantage point.

This combines two spring things green trees and dog walks.

Check out other You Capture greats at I should be folding Laundry

This blog is carbon neutral!

2010-05-05T05:59:00.000-07:00

How cool is that?

I've seen this logo on a few blogs and to be honest I always thought it was a little crazy. I mean who would pay to offset the minor emissions of a blog? Well yesterday I finally clicked on one of them to see what was going on and turns out its a pretty cool program...and its free! (oh and blog emissions aren't so minor)

Ok so here is whats going on. The Plumas national forest in northern California was destroyed by lightning strikes and a moon light fire. The Arbor Day Foundation (a non-profit conservation and education organization) has the goal helping reforest 5,500 acres of Plumas National Forest with 792,000 trees. They are working together with the "My Blog is carbon neutral initiative" as the US partner.

For every blog that posts about the initiative they will plant a tree in this devastated forest. The reduction of carbon emissions of one tree is approximately 11 lbs per year. The carbon emissions of a blog with 15,000 hits a month is 8 lbs per year. Since I have along ways to go before I hit 15,000 hits a month I'm in the clear and my blog become carbon natural!

Want to make your blog carbon neutral its easy!

1. Write a blog about the project

2. Click here pick a button and add it to your blog

3. Email CO2-neutral@kaufda.de with a link to your blog.

That's it.

CO2-neutral@kaufda.de

PS check out this great giveaway from Tatortots and Jello: http://tinyurl.com/mondaygiveaway

Giveaway link

2010-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this great home decor giveaway http://tinyurl.com/mondaygiveaway

Here are a few giveaways on I should be folding laundry

http://tinyurl.com/momdaygive

http://tinyurl.com/gussygive

http://tinyurl.com/cherrycreekgive

http://tinyurl.com/camarastrapgive

One more! What cute aprons!

http://tinyurl.com/cuteaprons

A great birthday weekend!

2010-05-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

My weekend started late Saturday morning (yeah for sleeping in) with a trip to the farmers market!

It was my first time this season, it was a short visit however because 15 or so min after arriving I got a call from hubby saying he had an accident with a knife and was bleeding pretty bad. I got home and took a look at it, it had already clotted so we steri-stripped it and went on with our day. On to a Living Green expo! It was great and I'm glad my honey came with me, it was nice just to be with him and check out all the fun booths. After that it was off to a late lunch at Olive Garden, yumm. It was there we discovered he was bleeding again, off to the hospital for some stitches. He didn't want his picture taken so this is all I've got.

After that we went home and just relaxed for the rest of the night. It was nice. Then on to Sunday, my actual birthday. We went to Church and then to Dinner with the family, yumm!

The best part was free dessert!

Then we did a little shopping and I spent my birthday money, the hubby took me to one of my favorite stores and told me to get whatever I wanted for my present from him. Woo Hoo!

We played frisbee for a while with the puppy...

Then it was time for movies and a relaxing evening! What a great day...oh and I made out with some great loot too!

Close up of the eye shadow:

It's my birthday!

2010-05-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would let you all know it's my birthday today! I'm planning on a great dinner with my new family and some fun shopping with my hubby. Come back later to find out where and see some pics.

Cooper photo shoot.

2010-04-30T04:11:00.000-07:00

This is my first follow friday, hope you like my photo shoot!

OK so these first two pictures are just snap shots so you can see how much our little guy has grown.

This is him Jan 27 sitting on a pillow (for an idea of the size.)

Here he is in late March/Early April with a 80lb golden retriever friend.

So don't let these next pictures fool you he is a 50 lb big boy he is just eating a big bone.

On to the photo shoot (I'm kinda proud of these)

I like that this one is a little blurry it showes how excited he was for the bone.

Mine!

Please don't take it...

Thoughts on Thursday: Dress Yourself

2010-04-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

We hear it all the time "Dress for success" right? We all know this applies to work but how can it apply to a marriage? I think it can in a few different ways.

#1 This one is the obvious way, don't always be in sweats. I'm not saying you have to dress up and look perfect, I'm not even saying you have to do this everyday. But once in a while make an effort to put yourself together. We made such an effort when we were dating and on our wedding day, what happened after we said 'I Do?'

#2 Dress yourself with the right attitude. How you choose to react to your spouse is up to you. Make sure you approach problems, confrontation, and reprimands with a respectful and loving attitude. Also be excited to see your spouse, its nice to come home to a warm greeting.

#3 'Dress' your bed. It doesn't need to be perfect, but have you ever noticed how nice it is to walk into your bedroom with the bed looking good? I don't think I have to tell you where this might lead...

I had some great pictures of the hubby and I getting ready for the wedding that I thought I uploaded last night. However when I got to work they weren't there :( I'll add them tonight.

15 min till I'm out the door, and Greening your morning.

2010-04-28T05:48:00.001-07:00

So at least once a week I hit snooze one to many times....I'm sure I'm not the only one. Anyway there are days when I only have 15-20 min to get ready and I find that putting on my make-up is what makes or breaks my timetable. So I thought I would show you my staples, what I use when I'm in a hurry. As I've mentioned before I'm in the process of switching to greener more natural makeup, but I'm not going to just throw out what I have that would be a major waste. So I'm using it up.

(Top Left to Bottom Right)

1. CO Bigelow Lip Tint (Bath and Body Works)

2. Mary-Kay blush brush (its greener to keep it till its dead than buy a new one)

3. M.A.C Bronzer/Highlighter/Blush (it was a Christmas thing so they no longer have it)

4. Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in Starlit Pink. (Now in a tube with wand)

5.Everyday Minerals base in Golden Fair (I'm in love!)

6. Everyday Minerals Baby Bamboo Brush (only available in select kits but checkout their kits they are amazing!)

How to green your morning.

~ Take your shower the night before and let you hair air dry. Then the next morning it will only take 1/2 or none of the electricity to style it since you only have to use the flatting iron or curling iron instead of also using a blow dryer. If you put your hair up every other day like I do you don't use any (second day hair!)

~While we are on the subject shower everyday if you must but only wash your hair every other.

~Use bar shampoo and soap instead of traditional store bought. Less ingredients, plastic and better for your skin and hair! My current fav is the Vanilla Buttermilk Bar from Apple Valley Natural Soaps it leaves my skin silky. I haven't switched to shampoo yet because again I'm trying to use up what I have.

~ Use a green make-up I'm seriously loving the Everyday Minerals base and eye shadow.

~If you still like to go to the counter and purchase, consider MAC they have a back to MAC program where you can return 6 of their primary packaging either to the store or mail in and get a free lipstick!

~Here is the easiest one of all, turn off your water while you brush your teeth.

Well that is all I can think about for now, let me know if you have any green hints for me.

Pictures 8-11/You Capture

2010-04-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

Using this weeks You Capture theme I took a few more pictures for my 100 Possibilities Project. (for more about this project and my past pictures click here.)

You Capture is the brain child of Beth of I should be folding laundry. On her blog it is a Thursday thing but since I already have a Thursday thing I thought I would post mine today and then link it up to her post on Thursday. It was great inspiration for my photography project. This weeks theme is

"Spring."

I moved in to my house the end of May last year....I didn't even know I had this bush. It just kind of appeared this year and boy is it pretty. Does anyone know what kind it is?

This is my favorite, I like the variety of colors and the contrast. I also like it because I can look at it and see what I should of corrected. The shoe on the right should have been angled a little more so you could see more of the shoe. This means I'm learning!!!
Before I cut the grass.

The shoes don't have to be the focus of the picture, again I'm learning. Plus look at my pretty flower box!

Busy Day

2010-04-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've got to much to do today including uploading pics for this weeks posts. See you tomorrow!

To: Amber age 12

2010-04-23T04:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Amber age 12

Life is hard, but there is no avoiding the hurts because they are what make you into who you are.

You will be teased for what you believe, but this will just strengthen your beliefs.
You will struggle at school but that will make success even more sweet.
You will be told you can't, just to prove that you can.
You will fall in love, marry young, and lose your husband to cancer, and you will survive.
You will start life all over again and find that there is more love for you than you can imagine.

You will find a man that you love.
You will find a job that you love.

But best of all you will find yourself.

~Amber age 26

This picture perfectly showes my past (angel wing tattoo) and my future (hubby) and myself (colorful flowers.)

I wrote this letter to myself as an entry in to a project for Janae on the blog Pink Moss. Read more about the idea, the instructions, and the response on her blog.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

Check out my Sister-in-law's post on earth day and how people have influenced her green changes.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-04-22T04:09:00.000-07:00

Its my first guest blogger...kinda. I saw this post on one of the blogs I follow "A Little Great" and loved it I wanted to share it with you so I contacted the blog and asked if I could, they said yes!

Here is a little more about them:

ALittleGreat.com is the brainchild of two life-long friends. We asked some of our brilliant friends to help us share greatness with our fellow women and this blog is the result. There is something for everyone... from fashion to furniture, crafts to cuisine, fitness, beauty, decorating, parenting and so much more!

"5 things to improve your marriage."

1. Do something thoughtful. Even if it's something small, just so long as it is nice and unexpected, your husband will love it! Doing small acts of kindness for your spouse creates positive feelings towards you and adds to the "reservoir of positivity" and will get you through the difficult time. Ideas: make his favorite dinner/desert, give him something he has been hinting he would like to have, offer to give him a back rub, or (heaven forbid) initiate some romance.

2. Make time. It may seem obvious that we spend time with our hubbies, but there are so many things that distract us that often our relationship falls by the wayside. So schedule some time with him. Plan a date even!

3. Think before you speak. Oh man, sometimes I suck at this. But do as I say, not necessarily as I do... right? Take his feelings into consideration. Sometimes, ok, lots of times, I think I'm funny when I'm really not... do you have this problem too? So think about how you are going to make him feel before you verbalize that witty comment that seems so hilarious in your head.

4. Don't take him for granted. It's easy, after you have lived with someone for so long, to take them for granted. Don't! Think about how you felt about him when you were dating or newly married. I keep photographs around the house for this particular purpose. Anytime I struggle with this I imagine how it felt to see him on my doorstep when we were dating... and there I am... in love.

5. Support him. It's a tough world out there! When he walks through the door at the end of the day, let him know that you think he's a LITTLE GREAT. Delay your complaints about the kids and your day and smile as you welcome him home.

Take a look under my sink. (Greening your cleaning)

2010-04-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

Ok first of all just for honesty reasons here is what under my sink looks like...

Cleaning products are what started my journy to green I would break out in a rash every time I used a 'normal' cleaner and the fumes of some would give me a headache.

I still have a lot of old product I'm trying to use up and some specialty cleaners as you can see but these are my 5 favorite products and the ones I use most often.

1. Shaklee Dish Wash Concentrate~ I use drops, yes drops of this product for my dishes. We still hand was pots and pans as well as a few other oddly shaped things that don't get clean in the dish washer. Plus my husband things it works tons better than Seventh Generation. So here is the green impact, Concentrate=less plastic, and it can be recycled, also a standard bottle lasts at least 5 times as long as a bottle of standard soap (at least in our house.) Its biodegradable and has no phosphates!

2. Method squirt and mop~ Again I use very little of this when I use it and I don't have to add water or rinse with water afterwards. Also the amazing scent! It is non-toxic and biodegradable as well, good for the puppy. Not to mention I use it with a microfiber mop head that can be thrown in the washing machine when it gets to dirty instead of buying another one.

3. Shaklee Dish Wash Automatic Concentrate~ This 32oz bag can take the place of 2.5 48oz boxes of cascade to do the same 48 loads of dishes. Plus it is Natural, Concentrated, has Biodegradable Surfactants, No phosphates, and No chlorine. Also it just works!

4. Method Wood for Good Furniture Polish~ I use this a lot, I have quite a bit of wood in my house and after I dust with my microfiber cloth I use this to clean up stains and protect the wood. Again just like everything else it is natural and the bottle is recyclable.

5. Shaklee Basic H2 Cleaning Concentrate~ This tiny bottle makes my glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner and decreaser. All with just a few drops + water. It is ultraconcentrated – 16 ounces makes up to 48 gallons of super powerful cleaner when mixed with water.

I use all of these cleaners with clothes not paper towels just to top it off.

Giveaways on blogs I follow

2010-04-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

Here are a few great giveaways I know about this week:

Tip Junkies "Mothers day Gift Guide and Giveaway" is amazing check it out!

Lets be Green Together has a fun giveaway of organic socks.

Vol.25 is giving away some of her great art at the Young House Love website check it out!

Here is a amazing giveaway for a neat desk scanner from The Alternative Consumer.

Extreme Personal Measures is having a bake ware giveaway!

Birthdays

2010-04-20T06:03:00.000-07:00

Birthdays always make me reflective I think about my life, what I've done and what I hope to accomplish in the future. I start to wonder about what this year is going to bring and what "27" will feel like.

I wonder what this year will bring:

~How big will Cooper get?
~What will we do on the house (bathroom pics VERY soon I promise)?
~What kind of adventures will Hubby and I have? (we are planing some camping and kayaking!)
~Will they ever figure out what is wrong with my sinuses?

Its also a time to reflect on what I've learned over the last year:

~Yes I can find love again.
~I don't have to let fear control my marriage. Yes hubby could get sick, but why worry about it?
~It's ok to be a little selfish, have a little me time. In fact its healthy
~My body does well on a raw diet and I need to integrate it into my diet more often.

Finally what a great time to look at the blessings in my life:

~Hubby
~A supportive family
~Great friends
~and last but not least a God who is in control of everything.

Earth day is on its way!

2010-04-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been looking into recycling the 'not so normal' and have found out some interesting things I thought I would share.

Did you know you could recycle aluminum foil? I didn't (although now that I think about it why not?

Here are some other interesting things that some of your local recycling centers will accept:

antifreeze
automotive, household and rechargeable batteries
plastic flower pots
used oil and oil filters
appliances
cell phones-dontate to a battered womans shelter in your area!
clothing
electronics
fluorescent bulbs-it is illegal to throw these away
tires
aerosol cans
bikes
books-paperback books may be able to go in your curbside bin
Christmas lights and cords
eyeglasses
Styrofoam/bubble wrap- take to your local UPS store
mattresses
carpet
concrete and asphalt- check with your local cement companies to see if they will take it

Check out this great website http://www.earth911.com/ to find recycling centers near you and other great hints.

Thoughts on Thursdays

2010-04-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

"Take time to laugh"

Lets face it sometimes life get too serious. It's during these times that we need to make time for a little fun. Weather its a night out on the town, a weekend in a hotel, or just a quick TV show that you know will make you smile. Take a few min to laugh. The stress of life can take a toll on your marriage even if the stress has nothing to do with your marriage. Make some time to have fun with your spouse.

Here are some of the things I do:

I keep little notes the hubby has given me in my work bag for stressful moments.

I keep a file of 'smiles' in my e-mail.

I have a few good old stand by movies or shows.

I scrapbook or some other craft.

So what do you do anyway?

2010-04-14T04:50:00.000-07:00

This is me, I love what I doI get to make funny faces and no one laughs at me....
I'm a sign language interpreter!
These pictures were taken at one of my favorite places to interpret a Bible conference in the Mid-West. I started interpreting music and it is still my favorite. You can be so expressive with music and the meaning of the song. It is also the hottest job I do, summer air outdoor stage and stage lights wheww.

However that is not how I get paid my paying job is working for a video relay company. It's pretty cool. Anyone know what TTY's are? This is the new and improved version! Its all done though web cam and interpreters. I simply interpret everything I see the Deaf person sign on my web cam and then sign everything I hear on the phone line back to them. Its very smooth and except for the times when I'm interpreting for a man its easy to forget I'm there.

My job is so interesting, think of all the things you do and talk about over the phone. To your mom, your friend, the electric company, business meetings and so on. I can go from telling someone they have cancer to announcing a pregnancy. Its a crazy up and down job and I love it!

Any questions let me know!

Integrating Raw

2010-04-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to figure out how to make Raw a bigger part of my diet now that the hubby is home. The easiest way is salads, we both like them and they are easy to do on there own or with a meal. Any morning we are home together we like to make a 'real' breakfast instead of our normal green smoothies. Now we use a berry and date syrup that is just made in a blender. We froze the left overs and used it over the next few times. Last night the hubby even ate flax crackers! I'm working on integrating more raw items into our diet and replacing some of our staples with their raw counterparts.

Does anyone else have good ideas on how to integrate raw to a house that is not 'into' raw?

I'm having a house warming/Entertaining at home party this weekend at my place and I'm thinking I might make some kind of sweet treat that is raw for everyone to try...we will see.

I also just bought a raw 'cookbook' for more inspiration. I'm really excited about it, I just need some time to dig through it...I can't wait for this bathroom to be done (this weekend!!!)

A thoughtful post

2010-04-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

Read Genesis 1:25-31, better yet I'll post it right here for you:

" 25God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
30and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so.
31God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

This is the creation story its pretty basic and straight forward but that doesn't mean its not thought provoking. Look at verse 31 notice it says it was very good. Adam and Eve had done nothing but they were acceptable because God said he was. So if God says we are 'very good' why do we struggle with this need for significance? Since the fall of man we have been isolated from our true form of significance and we have been trying to fill the void ever since.

We are trying to fill this void with everything but the one thing that can fill it. Its the whole 'God shaped hole' theory. I think a lot of people use this analogy wrong, this isn't the salvation message this is the how to live your life message.

If we could just focus on living for Christ instead of others we would all be a lot happier.

What is a CSA?

2010-04-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

Photo by galant from everystockphoto.com

CSA stand for Community Supported/Sustained Agriculture. Its a monthly subscription to a local farm that delivers a portion of veggies and or fruit to you through out the summer. They can be delivered weekly bi-weekly and in different portions sizes. There are also different options as far as how the produce is grown, organic, sustainable and the like. Each CSA also has its own delivery protocols. Many have a designated pick up spot on certain days and you just let them know which one you would like to do. Some will deliver to your door, and others you need to go to the farm and pick it up yourself.

There are also options for sweets (maple syrup and jams) coffee, eggs and even meat.

One thing to realize is that this is not a groceries store you don't get to pick what you get whatever is in season. This means you might get a lot of spinach one week and have to wait for July till you get tomatoes and the like. It also means you may get some vegetables you have never heard of before or some that you don't like. That is fine give them away or switch with a friend.

If you interested in getting a CSA this Summer. I would suggest starting with these websites to locate one in your area www.localharvest.com or http://www.foodroutes.org/ you can find a listing for your area and start narrowing it down to which one you would like.

This is such a great way to support organic, sustainable and locally grown produce. Not to mention if your on a raw diet its a good way to get some new veggies in your diet.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-04-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

"Don't let fear affect your marriage."

I have to admit this one is personal, and honestly a little embarrassing to me. But if it will help someone else well then....here it goes.

We all have fears, spiders, thunder, whatever. But some of us have bigger fears, fears that can hurt your marriage if your not careful. Some of us have lost a spouse to illness and are afraid it will happen again. We fear this so much that we don't like to be away from our spouse and end up smothering them. Others have been cheated on either in a previous relationship or by a current spouse, and they are afraid it will happen again. They are so afraid that they don't give themselves fully to the relationship they are in. These are just two examples of many situations, just two ways it could play out. These fears can choke a marriage, if a spouse feels like they are being smothered or they aren't getting everything from their spouse.

This is a somewhat new revelation in my marriage, I don't think I'm smothering the hubby. But my fear of loosing him has caused some tension recently. But the good news is that after some discussion with my husband we figured out the 'root of the problem' and now we, together, can work on it.

Where is fear affecting your marriage?

Shoe pictures 5, 6, and 7

2010-04-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

Lol this is on the new floor in my bathroom (still needs to be grouted) how is that for a tease?

I really like this one because it is more artistic than I normally am. I'm a boring centered straight on picture takers who would never crop off the edges of something on purpose. But then again that is why I'm doing this right?

These two pictures really make me smile they are all things from our wedding. The back bottle of wine was a gift and the wooden wine holders were bought on our honeymoon in Honduras and Belize. The of course the shoes.

Oh and there was no editing done to these pictures except cropping.

Eating Raw Thoughts

2010-04-07T04:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sick, I have the sore throat, stuffed nose, ear pain, sinusitis thing going on. Here is the interesting part, while I was eating raw I was on the edge of this I could feel the pressure in my ears but I was fine, a little stressed out and pushing myself but not sick. Now that I'm eating out more frequently (we are finishing up the bathroom and cooking takes time) and eating less raw I've been feeling worse and worse until Monday morning it hit me. I could barely swallow let alone talk. It seems awfully coincidental that this happened at the same time that my eating habits changed...

I believe that we should be eating as natural as possible, our bodies weren't created to eat all of these processed foods. They stress out our bodies an make it harder for it to do other things (like take care of cold and flu viruses before they take us out and we need an outside chemical to help us out, antibiotics. I think we shroud be taking care of ourselves in order to introduce as few outside chemicals as possible.

So this leads to the issue of organic vs current growing methods. I think organic is great, however for the majority of Americans it is just not financially possible. Therefor as much as possible I try to buy organic when I can and believe in the "dirty dozen" from the Environmental Working Group:

12 Most Contaminated
Peaches
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes (Imported)
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

12 Least Contaminated
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papaya

Spring wreath.

2010-04-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

I saw this wreath on Tater Tots and Jello earlier this year and decided I wanted it to be my spring wreath. So I craft-lifted her idea made a few tweaks and made my own wreath. For her wreath and institutions you can go to her website here:

1. First buy a wreath of any size just, remember the bigger the more flowers you have to make. I chose a 16" wreath and in my craft store it only came in the flat style not the rounded shape. Then cut strips of burlap 2"-4" wide depending on the size of your wreath. Hot glue the end to the wreath and start wrapping. Repeat this step till the whole wreath is covered.

2. Using various round objects cut out different sizes of burlap and fabric circles to make your flowers with. I used a plastic cup (left over from the wedding) a candle lid, and a few other things. Fold the fabric a few times so you can cut out 4 or 5 circles at at time. I cut out approx 25 of each size in both burlap and scrap fabric. All together it was around 100 circles if I had to guess.

3. Now start making your flowers . Its easy just build them from the bottom up largest to smallest alternating burlap and fabric. You can change it up on how many layers and if you want fabric on fabric or burlap on burlap just make a variety. Fasten them together with a brad. Most of the flowers I could poke through by hand but a few were thick enough that I used my big bite to punch a hole.

I also made some small folded bunches that you can see in the bottom left corner of this picture. I took two circles of the same size and put them back to back right side out then I folded it accordion style two or 3 times and fastened it with a brad.

4. Next I went through the pile and made about 85% of them have some texture and volume. I used hot glue and made a few folds here and there and then glued them together to give them more dimension.

5. Now just glue them to the wreath! I had a lot of one particular yellow fabric (since I was using scrap) so I put those flowers in their own pile and made sure to spread them out between the other flowers. I saved the little rosettes till the end and used them to fill in the bare areas.

There you have it!

A few notes:

This is made out of styrofoam so make sure if you hang it outside it is in a safe from rain area (ie on a door between the storm door or under a larger overhang.)

I need to start remembering to take pictures before its dark out or when I don't have time to upload them so I take them with my phone. Come back tonight for better pictures.

I had everything but the wreath and the burlap on hand. Plus I bought those to things with coupons! That made this a very cheap project!

If you make one please post it some where and either send me the link or a picture or put it in the comments I would love to see it!

PS come back tomorrow for some more 100 possibilities project pictures!

Sunshine Rolls

2010-04-05T04:08:00.000-07:00

This isn't hard, maybe a little time consuming, not very healthy and very yummy. It's sunshine rolls!

This is a recipe from a great family friend they are a big hit with everyone. They are even fun to make with others, I've made these with help from my husband, cousins, brother and just on my own. Here is my brother and I making a batch a few years ago.
Set out 2 large eggs

Mix together:
2 C Bread Flour
1 Pkg Rapid rise yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C Sugar
2 Tbs vital wheat gluten (in the baking or health section)
2 tsp Cinnamon

In a sauce pan mix:
1 1/4 C Milk
1/2 C Butter

Melt together to 120-130 degrees on a candy thermometer
( Have a helper? They can do this at the same time you are mixing the dry ingredients)

Mix with dry ingredients then add the 2 eggs at room temp.

Next add in 2 C four and kneed till smooth (I use the dough hook in my stand mixer for 5 min)

Roll out into a rectangle shape cover in 4 Tbs melted butter and 1/4 C sugar add cinnamon to taste. Roll into a long tight snake and cut into 12 pieces (I cut of the ends first.)

In a sauce pan mix:
1/2 C Butter
1 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C White syrup.

mix till smooth and just starts to boil, pour on to a 11x24 pan covered with parchment paper.
( Have a helper? They can do this at the same time you are rolling out the dough)

Place cut ends of rolls on the pan 3x4 and cover with a towel let rise overnight.

The next morning bake at 350 for 18-21 min depending on pan and oven.

Yumm

He is alive!

2010-04-04T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is it, without Christ's death on the cross bearing our sins we would have no change or living the sin free life we would have to in order to get to heaven. Today is the reason I know Mark is in heaven. Mark believed in Easter, he believed in the cross and resurrection and that belief is why he is in heaven healed rejoicing with the angels right now.

But what about those on earth? As a friend of mine pointed out "

Most of us think of the Easter as when Jesus died and rose again; many of us even think of Jesus as being God; but how many of us tie the two together and think of "God" dying?" ~Shawn T.

Just think about that for a little bit as this Easter season comes to an end.

Things I love

2010-04-02T04:14:00.000-07:00

Something Green:

Can I just tell you how much I love these, wow oh wow. They are double layered and very well made. Not to mention as green as you can get compared to the plastic bags at the store. These you can use over and over again and they are so bright and cheerful. I've tried a few different kinds and these are my favorite by far. I'm going to get a second set now that I'm eating more raw (and my dog may or may not have eaten one or two.) Check out Love for Earth and see what they have in stock, oh and her shipping prices are amazing and each set comes with a cute tote to keep them in!

Something To Do:
Its spring and last summer my boats didn't make it into the water I'm so excited for our first paddle!

Something Old:

these are my favorite silver shoes,as you can see they have been well loved too. They are stained and have a hole in the toe. Its time to replace them but I just can't seem to find anything good enough.

Something New:

Oral-B tooth brush- I have weak teeth and a sugar habit lets just say I'm more than a little cavity prone. I just switched from my Sonicare to this Oral-B. My teeth feel like they just came out of the dentist office squeaky clean! Plus with the smaller replaceable heads than my Sonicare there is less waste.

Something Yummy:

Caribou Coffee Passion Fruit-Green Tea Smoothie (just had my first one this year)

Something techie:

The map on my Google Analytics it says people from the:

USA

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia

Spain

Belgium

Malaysia

Romania

Philippines

have all visited my blog how cool is that!

Someone on Twitter:

@Gadgetmom6 is as addicted to tech and such as I am but she knows more than me and has helped me with a lot of questions recently about switching phones to one that actually works. I know many people love their blackberrys but I'm over them.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-04-01T04:08:00.000-07:00

"Spring is here"

A lot of things change when it starts to feel like spring, our eating habits change to lighter meals and more grilling , cleaning habits change to purge out the old and get deep down clean. Outfits change to shorts and tees and brighter colors, sandals come out boots are put away. We bring out the lawn mower instead of the snow blower....you get the point right?

How about a fresh start to your marriage too? Just like our first grill out (above) this can be a time of new and firsts in your life. Take some time to sit down and discuss what you would like to change this spring. Think of it as a frest start.

Bathroom closet madness

2010-03-31T04:03:00.000-07:00

How many of you have shelves that look like this in your linen closet?

Yeah those are mine...yikes. Notice there is no room for towels. Ok it is a little extra bad because we still don't have the bottom shelf in from the bathroom demolition (why you may ask? I have no idea I'm putting it back tonight!)

So here is the project I've been working on for a long time, use this stuff up!

I'm to the point of using one dedicated shampoo/soap/lip gloss/whatever till its gone just so I can get rid of something but they are everlasting!!!

I honestly can't tell you the last time I bought lotion, oh ok yes I can it was last March because I needed a certain brand after my new tattoo.) But other than that the only thing I've bought is lip gloss because I use a lot of the CG Bigalow stuff during the winter. My SIL just got me a few more so I should be set for summer!

This is part of my attempt to lessen the clutter in my house and I've moved these items with me between 3 homes and that is enough!

I want to de clutter my life, so bad I've tried a few different ways but its all baby steps and that is ok. I don't want to open my closet and have to take a deep breath before looking for something. I like organization and its just not possible with this much stuff!

What are you doing to pair down in your home?

My next project is to figure our greener alternatives to replace these items with once they are finally used up. If anyone has suggestions for body soap that won't over dry the skin, shampoo for oily hair and a good natural lotion let me know! Extra bonus would be to have it the Minnesota area so that I could buy local.

Just for fun here is the new tattoo it says my hubby's name in Korean.

Raw Week 3

2010-03-29T04:34:00.000-07:00

Day 15~ Smoothie for breakfast and lunch (I was in a hurry) with carrots on the side. Dinner was and AMAZING Cashew cheese log and flax crackers from a local raw restaurant. I split it in half and had a 1/2 a grapefruit with it. Full Raw Day!!

Day 16~ Smoothie, and leftover cheese log and grapefruit. For dinner I was at a friends for spaghetti and puppy play time.

Day 17~ Smoothie, Yummy salad with avocado, tomatoes, red pepper, sunflower seeds, and cut up olives for the 'dressing' (the good kind soaked in all sorts of spices and oil from the local co-op) Dinner at friends, we had crock pot chicken burritos.

Day 18~ Smoothie, delish lettuce wraps with my home made tomato pesto (a few substitutions to the recipe) and a salad for dinner.

Day 19~ Smoothie and then hubby was home we had a snack of chips and salsa and then went out for PF Changs for his moms birthday.

Day 20~ Not raw at all celebrating the hubby being home. (ok that is kinda a lie instead of syrup on our pancakes we did a raw berry syrup that was amazing just dates a little water and berries!)

Day 21~ Smoothie with watermelon! Lettuce wraps with homemade sun dried tomato pesto spouts, red peppers and something else I can't remember. Dinner will be Italian before the hockey game we are going to tonight.

Observations~

I know I've said my skin is clearer but I've also noticed that when I do get a blemish it heals much faster. I feel like the world is much clearer, I don't know if this is solely because of the raw diet but I believe its a part of it. My brain just seems to be functioning better. I find I'm full faster and honestly a little longer (I still have a decent metabolism.) I have more resistance to the 'bad' snacks at work and am craving more healthy snacks. The other day all I could think about was an apple with cheese slices!!

Hopes for the future~

I want to keep raw as a part of my diet to help balance out the processed foods that will still be a part of my life. I'm hoping that 2 or 3 days a week I will at least be raw for 2 meals a day and maybe even a full day. Ryan likes salads and summer is coming so that will help a lot. I've seen improvements in my appetite, cravings, and skin, so why would I stop? :)

I want to get a dehydrator (I had a loaned one from my parents for years but they finally wanted it back) and a bigger food processor, I think mine is only 2 or 3 cups. Any suggestions for those to things in a 'normal' price range would be appreciated.

Green Make-up!!!!

2010-03-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

Guess what came in the mail this week????
My new make-up from Everyday Minerals!!!
I got a cute spring set of theirs and they just came out with a second set.

Yes I really am that excited. Up until now I've been just trying out their sample foundation and I love it. But I'm not going to buy a bigger size until my skin tone changes this summer a little. I still have a 1/2 full MAC foundation that was so expensive I just cant bare to throw it away. That leads me in to one of the reasons I'm in love with this new make up:

~ The Price!

A full sized foundation is only $12.00 Eye shadows are $6.00 If you just want a mini size of a fun color you won't use much its only $2.50!

Here are the sizes you will see they are comparable to most other mineral brands:

Base .19oz/5.5g

Cheek .19oz/5.5g

Conceal .19oz/5.5g

Finishing Dust .42oz/12g

Kaolin Powder .17/5g

Natural Reflections .19oz/5.5g

~Samples

This is my problem with most cosmetics my skin is hard to match. Even if I go to a MAC counter it might look good there but when I get home blah. This company has mini sets of foundations and other products that you can order and try them out free before you buy. You get one free set with every order even if its the only thing your order. Just pay the shipping. Or if you want a few more samples they are only 5 dollars each for the set.

~Free Stuff and Discounts

They always have codes for at least one if not two free item options. Just look under the beauty perks tab for more information about the current promotion. There is also discounts available for volume buying 5-11 full sized items 25% discount 12-infinity 45% discount!

~Materials

Organic and Vegan here is a quote right from their website

"Everyday Minerals and Everyday Naturals products are free of nanotechnology, carmine, dimethicone, fragrance, animal by products, bismuth oxychloride, silicone and lake dyes. We are a vegan line and do not believe that the above ingredients should be included in any products."

~Shipping

The 'regular' shipping is quick and the cost is minimal. They pack in cardboard that can be recycled, and recycled tissue paper.

~Long lasting

I've tried a lot of different foundations and one of my biggest pet peeves is that at the end of the work day it doesn't look like I put anything on that morning...grr. This lasts through the work day sure there is a little fading (especially if your a face touch er like me) but I still look fresh at the end of the day!

~Foundation Options

They have 35 different color options in 4 different styles
Matte – Provides a silky smooth matte finish that is ideal for normal to oily skin.
Semi-Matte – Softer glow for normal to combination skin.
Intensive – Silky near-matte finish, mattify oil where needed without drying your skin.
Original Glo – Gives your face an added touch of dewiness with long lasting coverage and is ideal for normal to dry skin.

Plus you can buy (or get free) 4 color sample packs (one of each style) to find your perfect match.

~Handmade in small batches

"At Everyday Minerals, all of our products are handmade with love in small batches. Each product has a batch code on it, which tells the date of manufacture. To ensure freshness of our products we stock small quantities."

I bought the Spring for Women kit but this picture also includes 5 mini eyeshadows that were free. The rest of the items were part of the kit. This kit is extra fun because all of the profits go to a charity called Women for Women that helps women survivors of war.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-03-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

"Listen to those you love."

Chances are if you love them and you trust them they might just be right. I listened to some advice from my husband this weekend and I think it saved me. I'm all about pushing myself and he has been encouraging me to take care of myself and wouldn't you know he was right. God bless him.

My mind is racing.

2010-03-24T05:26:00.000-07:00

I had a really hard weekend I'm not going to lie. Saturday I broke down. These last few weeks have slowly started to remind me of the time right after Mark (my first husband) passed away. I'm alone in a house, with a new puppy that needs to be trained, projects that need to be done, a house that needs to be kept up and a day job...I was overwhelmed and freaking out. One of my biggest fears is looseing my hubby...again. I called Mac and we talked for a while and I started feeling better. This week is going much better PTL! Anyway

These last 2.5 weeks with my hubby gone have been interesting to say the least. There have been highs and lows and a lot of questions. The questions are what have my mind racing. I'm in a stage of life where I'm trying to define myself, don't get me wrong I know who I am, but how does that play out in 'real life?'

Here is what I know I am a believer in Christ and I know that because of my sins, his death and resurrection is the only way I will get to heaven. I know that I am deeply loved by many people, I am truly blessed in this area. I know that I enjoy taking care of people and making them happy. I like to craft, read, and do projects around the house. I enjoy the outdoors and pretty much anything you can do outside. I believe in being responsible with the world we live in. I also believe that our bodies weren't created to live on so much processed food.

So where does that leave me? Spinning that's where, these are some major areas that I want my life to represent. But how does that play out in real life, what does it look like?

I don't want to be the normal everyday Christian but I don't want to be the zealot on the street corner either. If I truly believe what I say I don't why don't I have the desire to be in the word studying more? Why don't I want to share my faith more readily? I know I live it out in general. I know people can see I'm different but I want them to know why.

I want to take care of the ones I love as much as I can but not at the expense of my mental and physical heath. This is honestly new to me, Hubby is trying so hard to help me with this but I'm struggling with accepting what he says as truth. For example I wanted to get the bathroom done before he got home. I was working myself so much that I was falling asleep and taking 3 or 4 naps AT WORK! He told me I didn't need to do it myself and he would help when he got home. But I just kept working on it until I broke down physically and emotionally this weekend. I slept so much over the weekend (multiple hour naps) but at least this week I'm doing well. I've been working on keeping the house together, because that makes me happy. I'm still working on the bathroom but just a project or two a day. This week is so much better my positive attitude is back and I'm definitely more awake! I know the hubby will still love me no matter what but I keep convincing my self he would be happier if...

I want to be green without being a nut job (or have people view me as a nut job.) and I want to eat as healthy as possible, but does that mean organic, raw, local, or do I eat a variety of fruits and veggies so I stay balanced no matter where they came from and what chemicals may have been used? This is a big one right now since I'm doing the whole raw thing. I'm honestly at a loss.

**edited to add the following**
It was pointed out to me that I can be pretty harsh on my self, while that is true, that is not the spirit of this post. I'm actually excited about most of these things. I'm excited to define my beliefs on food and greenness there is so much you can do and say and I want to know where I stand so that I'm not pushed into something I don't want to do. With the pleasing others situation, I'm excited because I'm starting to not only know what is healthy for me but to act on it! Your right however my knowledge of the Bible and my beliefs is something I do get down about.

However I just wanted to point out that this was not meant to be a bummer post.

Raw week 2

2010-03-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

Day 8~ Smoothie, leftover tacos from before the hubby left...gotta clear out the fridge. Dinner was raw spaghetti. It was good I reviewed a few recipes for sauce and decided to go basic 2 tomatoes, garlic and green onions all blended up in my food processor. Shredded zucchini as 'pasta.'

Day 9~ Smoothie, healthy frozen dinner, handful of raw nuts for a snack and Zucchini spaghetti and apples with aged cheddar for supper.

Day 10~ Smoothie (with fresh lemon juice a few carrot sticks) Green wraps for lunch with spouts, raw tuna salad, cucumber and carrot sticks on the side, Raw nuts for a snack and a grilled chicken sandwich for dinner.

Day 11~ Smoothie, Green Wraps and Leann Chin for dinner (a friend asked me out and I miss having dinner with people.)

Day 12~ Banana for breakfast, and some pistachios, Lunch was lettuce wraps, and dinner was Mexican out with the family (cuz's birthday)

Day 13~ Banana for breakfast, salad for lunch and apples and cheese for supper. (Day 1 of 4 totally raw.)

Day 14~ Orange and pistachios for breakfast, salad for lunch and banana, nuts and chicken noodle soup for dinner (tummy was bugging me.)

Observations~

My skin is still fairly clear it is definitely better than normal. I feel more awake during the day but still have a need for a nap when I get home. This might have something to do with not getting enough sleep overnight and the work load at home and work. I have noticed the first negative thing all though I don't have any proof it is from the raw diet it has been the only major change lately. I'm having a gas build up problem....embarrassing, it hurts. I found if I eat less more often then that helps a lot. I"m going to try that today and see what happens. As long as we are on gross and embarrassing topics I've also noticed that my body is processing food more efficiently and that is a big plus. Our bodies weren't created to digest all of these crazy chemicals and processed foods.

Blog Happy

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to realize how happy blogging makes me. Friday morning I started a little down, but by the end of going through my feed reader I was smiling and excited for the day. My blog community inspires, challenged. provokes thoughts, encourages, and keeps me in contact with old friends and new. I like that I can share my thoughts, ideas, hints and progress to anyone who cares.

I love discovering new blogs and then sharing them with all of you so that you can love them too. I've found friends that I haven't spoken to in years and friends I'd forgotten completely about.

My friend Sara's blog was the major inspiration for me going green(er) and my crazy healthy eating (not always but it has improved dramatically.) She is the one who started me on green smoothies and the reason I'm going raw for 3 weeks. Through her blog I've connect to so many others to help me along this journey. I'm discovering myself and who I want to be.

My life up until now has always been controlled by some outside force (good and bad) Being young, parents, school, cancer....but now nothing just God, me, hubby and Cooper. I've learned so much until now I've loved and I've lost but I've never truly figured out me. But I am now, and I like it. I've always been a little different and that hasn't changed, it is just defined now.

I'm working on putting it into words (not my greatest strength which is funny for a blogger) and will share it as soon as I do.

Fridays final thoughts

2010-03-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

So you know all of those fun giveaways I post about? Well I won one!

How much fun is that I can't wait to pick out what I'm going to get from http://www.zazzle.com/, I won a $50.00 gift certificate and I just don't know how I'm going to decide. They have pre-designed and customizable everything, t-shirts, dog shirts, bags, shoes, mugs everything check them out. They even offer organic items. I have so many ideas in my head I just don't know what to do...

Oh and I have an amazing give away for all of you photo editing types out there. Check out this overlay giveaway from vol.25

Check out these examples of the use for overlays soo much fun!

Ok on to the raw update, I have good news I'm going to be adding another week to my challenge. hubby's business trip got extended to 3 weeks so, so is my challenge plus starting today I want to add another part. In the next 10 days I want to have at least 4 of them be completely raw not just 2 meals a day. I'm excited to try some new recipes!!

This also lets me take my time and not rush to finish the bathroom which is good because I was wearing myself out. I also am going to show my hubby via video phone and then post some pics for you next week so you don't' have to wait so long.

Cooper is getting so big so to end this week here are come pictures of the man in my life at the moment. Oh and someone asked he is a 42 lb 6 month old goldendoodle.

Google Reader!!!

2010-03-19T04:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a screenshot of my google reader, love it!

So here is how it breaks down. This not only pulls together blogs with RSS feeds and the blogs I 'follow' I can also just add the home page web address of any blog I like and it will include them In my list.

I think I follow about 40 blogs right now, I'm currently going through my list and weeding out the ones I don't really care about.

Some of the great things you can do with the reader is tag posts and star them as well. I have tags for sewing projects, crafts, inspiration, photography and Photo shop Elements. I love that I can tag a post and then find it easy later when I want to refer to that craft or hint that I liked.

It is also a great way to read posts on blogs that play music while I'm at work. Plus it just has everything all in one place. This is nice at work too since I can't bookmark anything on my computer here.

Well I better go now, I don't read blogs on the weekend and according to my reader I have 72 blog posts to catch up on.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-03-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

" Love from afar"

My hubby has been out of town for almost 2 weeks now and has one week to go. We dated long distance (4 hours away) and got used to the phone and e-mail thing. However that doesn't make it any easier.

Business trips are a reality of the day so how do we keep in touch with each other and that makes keeping up good communication and a solid relationship tough. Heck its hard when you are both in the same house. Hubby and I are making good use of the technology around us, cell phones, pictures sent via e-mail, skype, blogs, e-mail and the like. Pictures are huge especially if you have children (or a fast growing silly acting puppy like we do.) They are a good way to keep them in the loop. Hubby is also doing a great job of letting me know he is out there by commenting on my blog (thus letting me know he is reading it) it honestly make me feel special to know that he is out there and paying attention.

Also don't forget to keep them in the loop, there are always everyday decisions that you can make on your own but don't make the big decisions without them just because they aren't there. Make sure you still discuss things so that you are on the same page.

Lastly don't forget the use of 'snail' mail. What feels better than getting a care package or note in the mail from you loved one. Just ask their hotel how you can send it to them.

Amber

PS check out this artical on "What really makes a marriage happy"

Mini makeover

2010-03-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of you want to see my bathroom progress however I've decided that I want the hubby to be the first one to see it coming together. I will post Saturday afternoon after he gets home and sees it for himself.

So to tide you over I'm going to show you my mini makeover of the week. When we moved in to our house was in immaculate condition just not our style. One very obvious showing of that was the house numbers by our front door. I don't think I even need to explain just take a look:

So while I was looking at drawer hardware for the bathroom I spotted a new cost effective option for replacing it. I picked out the plaque and the numbers stuck them together and here you go:

It makes me smile every time I pull up to the house.

Just for fun here are the drawers out in the garage all primed and ready to be painted. I'm showing you this so you can see how beautiful it was outside this weekend and that all the snow is gone!

Shoe pic #4

2010-03-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

I took this one right before all the snow in our yard disappeared. I had to show MN winter somehow right?

Going raw week 1

2010-03-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Click here for day 1

Day 2~ Breakfast was a green smoothie, Lunch was a healthy frozen dinner and yogurt, and Supper was an amazing salad with mixed greens, carrots, red pepper, avocado, and my fake-tuna salad on top it was great!

Day 3~ Today was my first full raw day! Smoothie for breakfast, 'tuna' salad (wanted to use it up) in a 2/3 red pepper for lunch with cucumber slices and and orange for lunch and another good salad for supper.

Day 4~ I honestly can't remember anything but the smoothie...oops.

Day 5~ Breakfast was as aways a smoothie, Lunch was leftovers (not raw) and Dinner was an event. I was in a rush and had to be on the road so I decided to eat McDonald's. This was a bad choice not only heath wise but turned out to be bad because I ended up calling the police on a crazy drunk driver in the drive-thru. She was even yelling at the guy that she wanted curly fries...lol. So lesson learned stick to the min of 2 meals a day raw.

Day 6~ Smoothie, duh. Lunch was a green wrap, yummyness. Dinner was a burrito, chips and salsa. It was dinner out with a friend and it was nice to sit down with a friend and eat looking at a person not a dog or a TV like I've been doing for a while now.

Day 7~ Smoothie, Pad Thai, much healthier and tastier takeout. Dinner was a great big salad with spring greens, tomato, red pepper, carrots, sprouts, green onions and more that I cant even remember.

Observations~
I've noticed that I have a lot more energy, I've also noticed my face clear up quite a bit especially for a 'time of the month' when it would normally at its worst. I've also noticed the fun I have finding and making new recipes. I don't have a lot of extra time since I'm trying to get as much done on the bathroom before the hubby comes home on Saturday morning...I hope.

I like the freshness of my meals they make me happy. I've also noticed my cravings starting to change, today for a snack the first thing I thought of was fruit not crackers or candy. That is the main goal of this self challenge. I hope to keep incorporating raw into my weekly meals after this challenge is over.

A very confusing day.

2010-03-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know I was married once before. My first husband passed away from cancer in 2007. For more about that you can read my story.

Today would have been Mark's 27th birthday. That made it a very confusing day for me. Its hard when you have 2 men in your life and you miss them both. My husband is away in business and won't be back for a week and Mark is up in heaven healed. MAC (that is what I'm going to call my husband from now on) is great. He understands about Mark and even got to meet him once before he passed away, but still what do you say? I miss MAC and I miss Mark today too. I'm not sure what to even write its so confusing but for some reason I really wanted to share.

My dad called me today and said something pretty cool, he told me that he thinks the post-mark woman is a lot cooler than the never met Mark woman ever would have been. He is right, Mark taught me so much about being independent and strong. He taught me about my faith and how to truly love someone. He taught me how to work hard and take pride in what you do. Without all of these things I wouldn't me the woman MAC fell in love with.

So thanks Mark thanks for making me in to the woman I am today. Thanks for changing my life. I know this isn't the way we planned but I honestly wouldn't change a thing. How many people are blessed enough to marry their soul mate twice?

MAC thank you so much for understanding this confusing time, thank you for loving me even though its more complicated than 'normal.' Thank you for being here for me and for loving me just the way I am. Not alot of men could you are very special and I hope you know that.

Thank you for...

2010-03-12T04:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I did not want to get out of bed, so when I finally did I started saying thank you to God for all of the reasons I wanted to stay in bed, then that moved on to the things I was thankful for, for real. This little mantra really started my day off right so I thought I would share.

...a bed I didn't want to get out of.

...a job to get out of bed for.

...a cozy house that I didn't want to leave it was cold this morning.

...a whiny cuddly puppy.

...a husband who loves me.

...parents who help me.

What are you thankful for today?

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-03-11T04:36:00.000-08:00

"Don't give them leftovers"

Your spouse is the one you love, the one you chose to marry and spend your life with. They are the one you can't imagine your life without, and they always get the short end of the stick. We come home from work tired and crabby and since they are our family they can just deal with it....

Huh? Shouldn't this be the person we are trying our hardest for? Why do those we love get our leftovers?

I know this is hard and there are going to be those days, but we should be giving them as much as we can as often as we can. However, remember there is such a thing as giving to much and exhausting yourself, but I would guess that is not a problem for most Americans.

So lets try to be our best at home and not give our family our leftovers.

*I've got 2 weeks grace on this while my hubby is out of town for work, but you get busy :)*

Oh and here is my inspiration for this blog from Living, Learning and Loving Simply.

First raw day.

2010-03-10T05:01:00.000-08:00

My first full raw day had a tough start I forgot my smoothie in the fridge. I know its not the best way but I make mine the night before and then re-blend in the morning. Well yesterday morning I forgot (I may have overslept just a little.) But I had a raw bar in my bag ready for such an occasion.
Anyhow I drank it this morning and as always yumm! Bananas, spinach, blueberries, apple and water de-lish. I really started with my supper last night I had a great veggie salad last night at Potbelly, while listening to two of my Friends sing at the restaurant. The salad had artichoke hearts in it, that is one of those things I never would of thought of on my own but they were great I'm going to have to go get some.

For lunch I had this amazing 'tuna' salad that Leslie mentioned to me. I took it to lunch with a whole tomato and then cut it up and ate it together it was great! However mine was a little salty I used some kiem (Korean word for seaweed) instead of kelp flakes,we had in the house and forgot it was pre salted. Oops. But it was good with the tomato to help tone it down. I know this isn't the greatest picture but its all I've got.

Last night we had a big family dinner and Korean food does not mix with a raw diet but it is fairly healthy. Since my goal was 2 meals a day raw I succeeded!!

I'm looking forward to bringing a raw strawberry pie to work next week for others to help me eat. I'm still looking for recipes to try. Oh I found one for a sun dried tomato pesto lettuce wrap the other day on one of your blogs and I can't find it again. HELP!

On a side note I just got my Posie pins from Pleated Poppy and they are soooo stinking cute!

Tusday randomness. (giveaways and freebies)

2010-03-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

I'm out of it today I have a million things going through my head and none of them are related to the other so lets just get it all out on the page here.

First the fun stuff, here are some giveaways and freebies that I'm loving right now, this is also a good way to get a sneak peek at my reading list.

Here is a Sterling Silver hand hammered necklace giveaway. I want one of these so bad.

Here is one for a cute and eco friendly baby shower gift or prize for all you mommies out there.

Here is a link for a free photobook ( I haven't tried it yet I'm at work)

This is a large ‘8×11′ PhotoBook to all new customers {not the small 8×8’s or flip books}. To Get a free Classic photo book at Picaboo! Use code AFFLGB. New customers can choose a 20-page ‘Large Classic’, ‘Classic Leather’, or ‘Classic Custom’ high quality photo book (valued at $39.99).

Now on to my other ramblings. Today is taking forever. It is my Monday (I normally work Tuesday-Friday) without a hubby to go home to its dragging on. I'm just not excited. Normally I would be excited about the bathroom project but I worked on that for about 12 hrs a day for 3 days and I'm kinda over it. I need to get myself excited again or its never going to happen. My goal is to have it painted and all the wood re stained before my Hubby comes home in two weeks. Sounds easy enough but I'm going to be gone for the weekend so yeah.. I would really like to get some of the tile down but we will see.

I've also been reading a lot about people cleaning out their house and getting rid of all of the things they didn't need. This is something I've tried before but it seems like the clutter always comes back. I have a lot of projects I want to do around the house and this is a big one. But I have to finish that bathroom first...

I am excited to see my friends this weekend but that is going to make my 2 weeks of raw a little more hard. I'm going to take things to make my smoothies and for salads but since I only am going raw 2 meals a day I think I can make it. We will see...

Ok long rambling post I"ll be more focused tomorrow

Amber

Lessons from the bathroom.

2010-03-08T07:25:00.001-08:00

Yes you read that right.

My parents came up this weekend to help with the bathroom re-construction. But first we had to do more destruction. This is what I've learned in the bathroom this weekend.

Do it right the first time. There was absolutely nothing wrong with our bathroom structurally except the fact it was pink! But the previous owners (who built the house) did everything at the best it could be done in the early 60's and it has held up. But it did use a lot of water. However this did make it a pain to remove everything (there is 2" of cement locking in the tile and bathtub.) It was solid and if not for the color would not have needed anything done. Look at that foil lined insulation that was the best of the best back then. If you look on the floor to the left you can just see where I had to cut out 2" of concrete to get the tub out.

Ask for help when you need it. Hubby and I are pretty smart and fairly handy but there is no way the two of us could have gotten this tub surround in without my Dad. We didn't have the tools or the knowledge. Thanks Dad. Not only was he helpful but Mom kept the house running, made meals did dishes, and folded/washed laundry. It was amazingly helpful. Oh did I mention she did several runs to home improvement stores....

The right tools make the job sooo much easier. I learned how to pre-fill nail holes for my dad and my first putty knife was bent up and made it impossible, once I got a new one I looked like a pro....maybe.

Teamwork makes everything easier. Enough said.

Take time to have some fun. I don't look great but this moment felt so good! Hubby left yesterday for a two week business trip and I think this pic/memory will help me make it through.
There you have it that is what I have learned. Now for some sleep.

I'm going raw! (briefly)

2010-03-05T04:14:00.000-08:00

While the hubby is away on business, I'm going raw in an effort to kick some bad habits. Specifically the never ending struggle with processed sugar. When my parents leave on Monday morning that is it. I'm going to eat raw breakfast and dinner and for lunch at work it will very depending on what is on hand and what I can do at work easily since I only have a 30 min break.

So this will be a 2-3 week experiment and I'm really excited to try new things. I'm planning on lots of salads with new toppings, fruits, veggies, raw nuts (not processed, buy in the bulk aisle at my grocery store) and lots of other things I've found on the web. As always one of my fav blog for inspiration is Happy Foody, one dessert I've made before and I'm excited to make again is the Raw Strawberry Pie.
I'm going to continue with my green smoothies in the morning (lately they have been more purple since I've been using blueberries recently.) But the rest of my day is going to change, I hope we will see how it goes.

If you have any good blogs/websites/recipes for me to check out let me know!

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-03-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

"Things I've learned"

I've been thinking about what I was going to write about today, about what I've said in the past and what I have to offer in the future with these thoughts on Thursdays.

I don't want to give cliche advice I want what I say to relevant not redundant and overly simple.

So today I'm going to share some observations from my marriage over the last few weeks.

I do better when I take time for myself. I like to do projects, crafts, scrapbook and that kind of thing. I've realized recently that I am happier and less irritable when I get something 'worthy' accomplished everyday. In the last few weeks that has included making cards, and tearing apart my bathroom. I've enjoyed my 1 on 1 time more with the hubby when I have the satisfaction of accomplishing something that day.

We have also learned a little more about communication, and we will be forever learning about it, its just one of those things. The recent talk went very well it was tense at first but we both did a good job of explaining ourselves and we seem to be putting it into action. That is the key, when your spouse communicates to you somethings he or she wants or needs we need to put it into action if at all possible. If we don't they have no reason to bring things up in the future. Plus it just leads to frustration and more problems.

There are just a few things I've noticed the past two weeks.

Always learning,

Amber

Giveaway hints,a freebie and project ideas.

2010-03-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

First of all there is a giveaway on Pixiepine for a great looking cookbook called "Rabbit Food." its a vegan cookbook. It sounds like a great way to get some healthy food ideas! Here is the link to the giveaway if you want to enter:

Pixiepine

Now here is the hint if you want to know about all of the giveaways I'm aware of follow me on twitter @amberterp. I post them as soon as I hear about them

I just found this free 8x10 photo canvas all you do is pay shipping! Just click to read all about it.

Here are some great projects that I've added to my to do list (which has to wait until the bathroom is done.)

U-Create is the blog I have most bookmarked for things I want to try here are just a few. Just click on the picture for the blog link.

Green @ Work

2010-03-02T05:19:00.000-08:00

Here are some simple, easy, healthy, and money saving ways to be green at work

Stairs-use them instead of the elevator, this is not only green but healthy and a great way to get your blood pumping in the morning.

Coffee Mug- use a coffee mug instead of a cup you can buy a cute homemade one, or just bring your own from home. Another option would be to buy the gas station mug and refill that. They normally give you a refill price when you use it and that will save you money too.

BYON (napkin) I'm amazed at how many paper towels we go through at work. There is this one co-worker who brings her napkin with her everyday. I love that, why don't I do that?

Water bottle- I love my siggs, but you can use whatever style you want. Just don't use the disposable kind. Recycling is better than throwing away but a permanent reusable bottle is better than both. Just make sure you clean it often.

Print on two sides of the paper- I think that explains itself.

E-mail don't print- For example directions to your next meeting? Don't print them off either use your GPS or e-mail them to your phone so you can just read them off of that.

Use technology- I will admit I like using a paper planner, there is just something about it. However these days its very easy to sync your desktop calendar to your pda and often much more convenient. (who wants to lug that planner around all the time.)

Again I understand somethings need to be done fact to face but use web conferencing or video conferencing as much as possible, instead of flying/driving somewhere.

Well there are just a few I'm sure there are a lot more out there.

Bathroom distruction!

2010-02-28T19:13:00.000-08:00

Day 1 and 2 you saw pictures of before it was mostly removing the accessories (soap dish, towel bars, TP holder and the like) it was ridiculous when I finally got them out some had 4-6 inches of plaster on the back of them...yikes.

Here are the pictures from Day 3 and 4 I got a lot done this weekend!

This is where the toilet used to be, my friend Kristin and I were doing such a good job of removing the base tile we decided to remove the toilet. I have to admit this is what I was most proud of that day. It's not hard to do but neither of us had done it before so we both felt kind cool when it was done.

You can also see that all of the tile and drywall behind and to the side is gone those were the first wall that lost the pink tile, another proud moment.

Kristin and I removed most of the tile (just one row left behind the sink) on day 3 and that was amazing.)My goal for day 4 was wall paper and the counter top/sink. Wall paper came down no problem.

The sink/counter was another story, I removed the tile behind the counter and cut the caulking around the sink and removed the water and drain pipes, no problem. Then I started chipping away at the tile, can you say over kill? 1 inch ply-wood metal mesh, concrete and then the mortar and tile...yikes. I was so discourage I stopped

Then at 9:20 at night when I was showing the hubby what I had gotten accomplished that day we decided to try and get the sink out. With my husband and a pry bar it came out no problem. So then we tackled the counter top it came out in one piece and we got both out in less than 20 min. What a great end to the night!

So this is what it locks like now I have a few scraps of wall paper to get down some sanding and cleaning up of edges. The last big project is removing the floor if its anything like the counter top its going to be a bear.

So this is where we are at. Just ignore the hole it will be covered by the new shower wall. I think I will be ready when my dad comes on friday!

Pictures 2 and 3 and one just for fun.

2010-02-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

These were inspired by the demolition of my bathroom. I wanted to work on my lighting /flash use. I brought in a lamp from my living room and at one point had my hubby tilting it over the tub. It was a fun shoot. Here is some more information about my 100 possibilities project.

Oh and here is Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

One just for fun
(That is what happens when the heat comes on)

What the bathroom looks like now
(notice the lamp in the mirror)
I'm removing tiles around all of the edges so that I can easily cut out the drywall. Wallpaper is coming down tomorrow between help from Jackie and my hubby. Who BTW still doesn't know when he is leaving for NC.

Thoughts on Thursdays

2010-02-25T05:36:00.000-08:00

"Don't take life to seriously"

Take time for fun and relaxation. If your always wound to tight and go, go, go its going to affect your marriage, friendship, kids and work. Try to take time everyday to wind down even if its 5 min before bed.

There you have it short and sweet!

The wonder of craigslist and other things...

2010-02-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

So I think by know you all now my favorite color is not pink, and that is the main reason I don't like my bathroom. However you never know who out in the crazy world is in love with pink. So just in case I posted my tile, tub, toilet, sink and such on craigslist last night before bed. Low and behold I had 5 e-mails about it when I woke up this morning! The tub, sink, and accessories have all been claimed! I'm just left (so far) with a toilet and tile! Plus the guy who is going to help me get the tub out is a metal recycler! And the Chick who wants the accessories is using them to re-finish her bathroom retro style. I'll ask her if I can post pics. Its pretty cute and much better than my all pink bathroom! I'm loving that these things will get reused or recycled instead of put in the land field.

So on to the 'other things' I was referring to. About two weeks ago I went to a great BBQ place with some friends and broke out the bamboo travel silverware for the first time in 'public.' The response was funny, a lot of people just asked why, a few thought it was cool and I was proud. It was funny. So far none of my friends thought I was 'crazy' green (I'm not but I'm working on it) but now they are starting to wonder, and I like it.

Random thought number 2, I have an interesting mind. I'm one of those people that if I have a plan in mind and it has to change (specifically regarding schedule) it really throws me off. So the other day my hubby found out he had to go on a last min business trip that will last between 2-4 weeks. Once I got over the initial shock I was cool with it and thought he was going to be leaving today. Not so now it may not be till this Friday or next Friday. You would think this would be good news but I'm kinda twisted up about it. I was ready for him to leave so that I could be ready for him to come back now its just putting off the inevitable. Grr.

Ok last random thought, I forgot my water bottle. I didn't want to go buy a plastic one but then a friend at work had a good idea. Go buy one and then keep it in the office empty for when I forget my bottle the next time I can just use it again. Thanks Hil! I know using the plastic ones over and over isn't advised but it won't be often and probably just in till I get a cheaper back up here. I don't want to leave one of my $20.00 Sigg bottles in the office.

Ohh and check out my SIL's blog http://www.theiheartblog.com/

My clothes are getting tight....

2010-02-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

I've been sitting in this:

far too much. With this new 'desk' job and far to much sugar (how long will that be a problem for me haven't I cut it out of my diet like 24 times?) I currently weigh the most I ever have. This is only a problem because

1) I haven't grown an inch in the last 5 years and, 2) I don't want to buy all new clothes.

I've noticed that since getting married my eating habits have not improved as much as I expected them too (when I stopped traveling so much.) We are slowly both craving healthier foods but it has taken a while. The big problem for me is portion control on snacks, I eat MANY small handfuls of trail mix or peanut butter filled pretzels at work. Decently healthy options if you eat them in moderation, I don't. I also like McDonalds, alot which honestly goes aginst everything I believe in as far as health and greeness. So that needs to change.

So its time to make some changes. We just got a new bow flex off of craigslist (cheap and green) and also have a stair stepper and a elliptical so here we go! Wish me luck.

A few other insperations have been my friend Kristin (who was never overweight she just haden't lost that final baby weight) who looks amazing and has two kids ands is VERY active in the Church with her kids and other mom groups. If she can do it why cant I? The other insperation was this post buy Sara: http://happyfoody.com/2010/02/20/confessions-of-a-happy-foody/ Sara has two great blogs and they are what inspired me to start my change over to a better lifestyle back in the day.

Happy Words

2010-02-21T17:07:00.001-08:00

This is based off of another fun posting from the Pleated Poppy Check out her beautiful Family Rule board here:

Mine isn't 'polished' yet and I might change the bottom paper but I was so excited I wanted to show you guys. Here is my words to live by board:

Here is what I learned I learned while doing this, re-read the directions. I just sat down and started building it from memory. I like how my turned out but I wish I would have cut my strips a little shorter than the 9x12 inch canvas I bought. I painted underneath yellow and orange and I wish you could have seen that around the edge. Also it would have made it easier to adhere the paper. I like the embellishments I chose to do they look cool and I love the bold colors and different textures.

I also made this much more wallet friendly by using papers I already had on hand and bought a cheap canvas with a 40% off coupon from a local craft supply store. The quality of the canvas dosn't matter so much since you will be covering it and the coupon is especially important for larger versions of this canvas can get expensive, even the lower quality ones.

Blogs I'm loving right now

2010-02-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some posts from blogs I read frequently these are the ones that have either touched me or inspired me this week:

"Good Grief"

This one really touched me it was talking about realizing that grief could be a good thing. That is exactly the stage I'm at right now.

"The sound of the Wilderness"

For lent this insightful woman has giving up multi tasking (not sure I could but I should.) This post includes some of her observations of things she has noticed by giving up multi-tasking. The things she talks about reminds me alot about why I started 'needing' noise at all times after Mark passed away.

Last but not least

"The boys quilt"

After I made my first quilt with ALOT of help from my sister in-law Becky and her mom I thought I was done but I like this quilt so much I think I might try to make one more. Ry (the hubby) likes the quilt I made so I might make this 'boys quilt' for him!

PS here is a picture of the quilt Becky helped me make and her blog as well she just started so give her some love!

Greening my Make-up

2010-02-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm currently researching cost effective natural make-up. My hope is that after I find natural make-up I want to transition to natural facial cleansers. I have some acne problems and I think the transition will help (I will let you know.) So the first thing I'm trying Everyday Minerals you can get a Free Sample of their colors and coverage styles all you have to pay is the shipping! I'm excited to try it out, they even have a matte oil absorbing formula which may eliminate the need for me to use a 2nd powder!! I'll let you know what you think. (They just came last night I'm going to try this this weekend when I have time to play!)

If you were perchance wondering what prompted this though pattern here it is, this is my wonderful, soft, bamboo towel. This is what it looks like after coming into contact with my harsh acne soap:

Since this is a bamboo and organic towel they don't use the harsh dyes that other towels do (one of the reasons I bought it) and in normal conditions they hold up just like any other quality towel. But when exposed to harsh chemicals it messes with the color :( Oh well it works just fine it just won't be hanging as a display towel anymore.

This isn't going to be a fast transition first I have to use up the stuff I have and then switch over. But I will keep you updated as I go along.

In the mean time let me know what natural products you have tried and love.

Thoughts on Thursdays

2010-02-18T09:12:00.000-08:00

'The 'game' of life."

Recent postings and revelations have lead me to find that one of my love languages is "words of affirmation" and even though I shouldn't need them to feel good about myself they still are a way of showing love. But there is no way my spouse knows that this is something I want unless I tell him.

Just for a funny example, we have been playing a lot of Mario Wii its a team play game and often times right before we die one of us does something dumb to the other one. The next thing one of us says is "why did you do that?" We do best if before we start we tell the other person our plan. Same in life huh? It would just be easier if we would tell each other our game plan. Let each other know what we need to succeed. We can't expect it if they don't know what we need.

I actually have not read the book "5 love languages yet" let me know if you think I should! I do believe in the whole concept though I think people do show and receive love in different ways.

Valintine Smiles

2010-02-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Card for my Honey, that I made:

Sorry the picture is cropped bad Ry has it on his wall under a shelf so it was hard to photograph.

Email from my Grandparents:

Roses are red and violets are blue we sure do love you two.
Will you be our Valentines???
Hope you had a loving day!!!
Grandpa and Grandma

My contradicting opinions on self worth.

2010-02-17T06:40:00.000-08:00

So yes I'm still going through the book "The Search for significance" slowly but surly. Anyway I'm now working my way through he work book part and one question asked me this:

"Is it difficult to view yourself in terms other than your performance or others opinions of you? If so why?"

I found my answer pretty interesting, if I do say so myself. It went something like this: At work I have no problem with my self-worth I know I'm a good interpreter and I do my job well. However at home or with friends and family my works are only 'good' if they approve.

Humm interesting, looking this over and thinking about it, it may have something to do with opinions none the less. At work I often hear good job, nice stats, its good to have you here. I know I'm appreciated. But outside of work we don't do that (not just my family and friends all people) we don't take the time to appreciate people for what they do and for the support they give us. I guess this is really two fold, what am I expecting from people and what am I giving people?

Here is the definition of self-worth from the book pg 163 " Self-worth, often called self-esteem or personal significance, is characterized by a quite sense of self-respect and a feeling of satisfaction with who we are. true self -worth, unlike pride, is not based on an evaluation of our performance."

I guess you could say one of my love languages was words of affirmation, but my self-worth should not depend on them.

I'm taking this as a challenge how can I encourage those around me?

What would you like to see?

2010-02-16T06:32:00.000-08:00

So I'm trying to get a direction for this blog but its though to centralize on just one them. I know some people follow just to keep up on my life, others for the greenie stuff, and still others for my wonderful amazing (wink wink) insights. So I'm looking for opinions. Are you ok with where my blog is or are you looking for something specifically.?

That point in your life.

2010-02-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone will come to a point in their life when they realize that they are not in control. I've hit this point a few times and each time I just can't seem to give it up, even when its so obvious that I'm not in control. Why do I feel the need? Why can't I simply just trust God, he is the one who is ultimately in control anyway. It's one of those things I know in my head but I just can't seem to put in to action.

You would think that when Mark got sick I would have given that control up, and I did sorta. I knew that I couldn't control whether or not he was healed in heaven or on earth, however I still tried to control his pain, comfort, and our lives as much as possible. I became strong because I had to I didn't want to let him down. I helped with shots, O2, draining his lungs, pain meds and as much as I could physically do around the house so he didn't have to. I was still trying to control my life.

Even after Mark passed away I tired to remain in control, in a time where I really shouldn't of have to. People are allowed to loose it a little after the death of a loved one. Heck they are allowed to loose it alot!

After meeting Ryan I started to realize how stressed out this was making me. But that didn't stop me till one day last May, I broke, I had some good friends go through a really hard time in the marriage and for some reason, that was all it took. I had the comfort of Ry and I knew that he was able to support me and so to be honest I lost it. I could barley keep myself together. The house was a wreck, I was a wreck and I couldn't get through a day without crying. But still in the midst of it all I found myself trying desperately to regain control, it only made it harder when I failed. I didn't want to disappoint Ry. No matter how many times he told me I couldn't.

Why is this so hard? I'm trying, I'm learning but I just can't give up the reigns. Its a slow process but I think I'm on my way. Life seems better now, easier. I'm learning about my people pleasing ways and my controlling tendencies. Right now I'm in the awareness stage, not quite to the correcting stage. I hope I get there soon...oops there I go again, it will happen in time, when I'm ready (deep breath.)

semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei (always reforming according to the word of God, stolen from my friend Matt)
Amber

Freebies, Giveaways and more!

2010-02-12T06:09:00.001-08:00

Walgreens is giving away free 8x10 collages today only (Friday 2/12/10.)

Use the promo code VDAY when you check out. Walgreens Photo Center

They are also giving you 25 free prints when you buy 25 thru tomorrow (Friday 2/13/10)

Use the promo code LOVE10

Tea Rose Home is also having a giveaway. Its for a cute little reversible purse fabric kit!

She has the instructions on her website too if you want to make your own.

iheartfaces is having their fix it friday with lots of good tips and tricks for photo editing check it out!

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-02-10T10:34:00.000-08:00

"Celebrate your love."

I don't care if you do it on Valentines day, your anniversary, the anniversary of your first date whatever, just celebrate your love. Take some time (even if only an hour) to focus on you as a couple what you've been through, why you feel in love in the first place, and why you love each other now.

Personally, I don't want flowers on Valentines Day it feels to forced, I would take a gift that took some thought but flowers on a day your 'supposed' to get flowers is silly to me. (I realize not everyone may agree with this thought.) I would rather get a nice e-mail, from my husband or some quality face time, talking about us.

What would you like to do to celebrate your love?

Picture #1

2010-02-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

I found the USB cord and I've been playing with my new version of Photoshop Elements and here you go picture number 1:

Randomness

2010-02-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

This is what is going through my head right now:

~ Silly puppy whining all night with that cone around his head, I couldn't sleep a wink. (He was neutered yesterday)

~Sweet husband telling me to go sleep in the guest room and he would take the Cooper shift so I could sleep. (Hubby comes to bed much later than I do when he doesn't have to work the next day.)

~I'm sick of feeling sick, I wish I could just kick this once and for all.

~I really hope the reason my camera couldn't focus last night was because the battery was almost dead, I don't know what I would do if that thing was broken :(

~I hope I make it through work today I see a few short power naps coming on.

~Do I really want to stop by the store just for q-tips? My ears have been so full of gunk as a part of this cold...TMI sorry.

~I'm happy I had the day off yesterday and didn't have to deal with the snow and traffic.

~I'm happy my hubby has today off so he can look after the poor puppy.

Well that is about how my ADHD brain works enjoy!

Hockey Makes me Happy!

2010-02-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

We have been to two live games this year (won 1 lost 1) with great seats and that was a lot of fun. But more than that I enjoy watching at home with the Hubby and learning more about the game. I'm starting to understand all of the rules and the roles of defense vs offence (I knew the main point but not how it played out on the ice.) I like snuggling in with my hubby on the couch and fast forwarding through the commercials (gotta love DVR.) Its great when Ry gets mad and yells and startles the puppy, Cooper jumps and then gives him the "what did I do?" look.

I also enjoy watching my hubby play hockey on Saturday nights, even if it is 'no-check' league ;)

Hockey just makes me happy.

Food Fail

2010-02-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

Ok so I had a bad sugar day and I've decided that on those days of bad food choices I will report to you. Mabe that emarassment will help prevent too many of the bad food days.

So today I had a whole strawberry laffy taffy before 10 am!!

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-02-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

"Make decisions together."
Marriage is a team effort I don't think anyone would deny that. However many couple have divided up the areas that we are in charge of. She takes care of the house, he takes care of the bills and so on. Personally I want my husband involved, I want him to have an opinion. When I ask him something I want to hear his answer. That doesn't mean I will agree all of the time. But I value his opinion.
Money matters are the #1 reason for conflict in a relationship (marriage or dating.) Make sure that you are on the same page with how much you want to save/spend each month. Is paying of your mortgage or other loans early a priority? What about eating out do you need to limit how often your buying dinner? This is the start of the new year and a great time to get on the same page.
We don't have children but what about making sure you are in like mind about the way you discipline them as well as your expectations of them.
Never forget to say I love you, and mean it!
Amber

Shopping Smart Home Edition

2010-02-03T06:28:00.000-08:00

Oh my so much to say, we have been doing a lot of renovations around the house and I'm happy to say that I think the only thing I haven't bought on sale is paint. The biggest hint I can give is plan ahead. About a month ago we decided to redo the bathroom in March. We started watching sales and buying things when they were cheap. We have saved a lot of money this way. Keep measurements in your purse/wallet so that when you see a good deal you can take advantage of it. This is a great and easy way to save some money as long as you have somewhere to store the items till you use them.

Also don't forget that many of the 'big box' stores and some of the smaller stores as well will honor their competitors coupons. So if Home Depot has the exact item you want but you have a 10% lowes coupon take it to the customer service desk and use it! Along with that keep ahold of your receipts and watch the ads if something you just bought goes on sale you can often take in your receipt for a price adjustment. I've done this a few times to and although it feels a little funny I've saved a few hundred dollars this way.

Another good way to save some money and be green is to buy used. Think thrift stores, cragislist, ebay, garage sales, that kind of thing. My Friend Abbey is trying to declutter her life and has a great sale with some super cute stuff going on right now in the Twin Cities area, here is a link to her sale: Abbey's Sale.

As for greenie ways here are some ideas for you, bamboo, bamboo, bamboo. Bamboo still has to be manufactured like cotton and wood however its regrowth time is only around 5 years!!! This is a product with some sustainability. Not to mention it looks and feels fantastic. Have you ever felt a bamboo towel? They are amazing, they stay so soft wash after wash. Buy as many recycled items as you can and reuse as much as you can. There are lots of products out there to keep your house as natural as possible. Low VCO paint, natural cleaners such as Method and Shaklee, and many others. Find the one that works for you. Another great way is to borrow things. If you having a baby you could use your friends old bassinet and toys that their child has out grown. Try to use glass over plastic whenever possible.

Can you think of anything I'm missing I'm sure there are lots of ideas out there.

100 Possibilities Project

2010-02-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

I'm excited and nervous for this one. I'm starting a photography challenge! I read about it on the i heart faces blog, and loved the demo pics. I can only dream that mine will look like that. But after a few days of consideration I finally picked my object that I will be, my wedding shoes!!!

This btw is not one of mine it is one of the wedding photographers, but I will be posting mine shortly (hopefully.) I'm excited I hope I learn a lot about my camera and the real way to use it!!

Shop Smart Food Edition

2010-02-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

I would like to reitterate that some of these things are very basic but everyone has to start somewhere right?

Get a deep freezer on sale, on craigslist, or better yet free from a family member (thats what I did) and stock up on sales!!! One of my favorite (and somewhat heathy) ways to eat fish is to buy the " No Name Steak" brand, however it is expensive around $16.00, but if you pay attention it will go on sale for $9.99!! When this happens I buy as many as they allow and then go back the next day and buy more. Don't forget you can do this with just about everything including bread, just make sure that the bread is fully frozen before it has something on top of it and only stack other light things on top of it.

Another good use for the freezer are the warehouse stores, always double check the price and make sure it is something you will use often but this is a great way to save money (and packaging even for the greenie.)

Double your discounts, if your a coupon clipper ( I try but they don't often have the kind of food I buy) watch for double days. Around here Rainbow foods has double days on Wednesdays and for a limited time also on Saturdays.

When available shop at the farmers market, this is not only green (especially if you bring your own bags) it can be cheaper. Make sure you are buying whatever is in season and compare the different vendors chances are there is a better deal out there, also don't be afraid to barter.

Now I know I'm a 'greenie' but I'm not completely on the organic band wagon just yet. I do however believe there is some validity to the movement. So if you would like to buy organic but save a little money here is what I would suggest as far as fruits and vegetables go. If they have a thick skin that you don't eat (bananas, avocados, oranges that kind of thing) buy normal. If they have a skin that you do eat (apples, tomatoes and so on) buy organic.

Shopping Smart Pet Edition

2010-02-01T05:30:00.000-08:00

(Yikes I didn't know I had so much to say on the subject so I split it up in to subjects)

I've been doing a lot of bargain hunting and savvy shopping lately and while some of these these things seem pretty normal to me they may not be for everybody. So here are some of the ways I shop smart:

Pet Food~ Here is an expense I think people take for granted and just pay the full price no matter what. However there are some easy ways to save some money. First of all have your dog or cat on a rotation of foods, so they don't get board, and so that you can feed them what ever is on sale that week/month. Our puppy is on 2 different brands and since right now he is in that puppy growth stage we are trying to keep him on high quality food without going broke. I have found that PetSmart has great sales on their food (3-7 dollars off a bag) each week it rotates. Just pay attention and when your kind is on sale buy it! Check the expiration dates and buy as many as you think you can use before that date. Also sign up for the brands clubs. I just got a free bag (after rebate) from Royal Canine and a $5.00 off coupon from BillJac!!! Plus there will be more deals heading our way

As for Greenie ways to feed your pet, yikes that's a tricky one, look for dog foods that have all whole ingredients and as little fillers and chemicals as possible I personally like the BillJac brand for that. Also buy the big bags (less paper waste.) Also you could prepare food at home (expensive but then you are in full control of what goes in.) Buying local is another way to be green (less transport fees) if your in Minnesota some local companies for dog food is Dog Fuel and Nutri Source. Its also a good idea to get your gear (at least the big stuff like a kennel) on Craigslist or free cycle, that saves money too! Many thrift stores also have gear from time to time. Also I know its not the nicest way, but have your dog do his/her business in your yard and then pick it up every few days not each and every time and use bio-degradable bags. This will save a lot of plastic!

Here is my cute hubby and puppy!

The current struggle in my life.

2010-01-30T05:54:00.000-08:00

I want to let you all know first that this is a very honest confession, one that is hard to put out there but by doing so I think it will help me thing through everything. I like "seeing things in print" and I value your opinions.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Church....I love my Church I love what it represents that it is reaching out to others and inviting them in. I love the people in it, they are my local family. But because of the outreach mission of my Church 70% of the time the sermons are very well... basic. Again there is nothing wrong with this but I'm finally in a place where I want to learn, I want to know the history and the background not just the stories. I've got the basics down. Don't get me wrong I have no plans to leave my Church that would honestly hurt to much. These people were with me during the hardest parts of my life and are now celebrating the good times with me. I have no desire to leave I just have a desire to learn. We do have small groups and the point of those are to feed the 'non-beginners' so to speak. However the series we are doing isn't what I thought it would be. It is more a discussion about common "rules" of Christianity and challenging their merit. There isn't a lot of study to it like I thought there would be. I've been doing some studying on my own and Ry and I are going to start soon (he has a much more in depth background than I do.) so that is exciting to me.

I wish there could be a happy medium. but those Churches just don't make it in this world. You have to the either or.

So here is the contemplative part. The question I guess. My Church does a good job of clearly stating that Church is for the seekers and Bible study is where we get the meat. Why don't other seeker Churches do this??? Have we become so complacent that these basic sermons are enough? Do we just go to Church because we are supposed to and really aren't paying attention? I'm glad that there are Churches out there for the new Christians but if we the 'long time' Christians are going to them without any other supplement (devotions, Bible study, etc.) how are we learning anything?

Thoughts on Thursdays

2010-01-28T05:42:00.001-08:00

"Recognize each others priorities"

Pictures are of great importance to me, the hubby recognizes that and even encourages it! Not only my shutterbug habits but also my scrapbooking. He likes paintball and hockey and since he has a desk job if the opportunity comes up for him to play either (and we have the time) I encourage him to go. Those two things are easy and obvious but what about the less obvious things?

Hubby hates dirty dishes in the sink, I don't like them either but after cooking I'm not really in the mood to do them right away. This drives him crazy. Really what would it hurt for me to spend an extra 5-20 min doing them no instead of later? Then when he gets home he wouldn't have to see that mess first thing as he walks into the house. This would make his nights so much more relaxing.

Hubby knows I cherish time with him especially when I'm sick, yesterday I was SICK. He was so good about sticking with me, checking in on me when I was sleeping. I don't think he has any idea how much that meant to me he just knew it was the right thing to do.

Just making sure that we are aware of each others priorities and then making them a priority ourselves I think we could eliminate a lot of the 'everyday' frustration in marriage.

New Main Room!

2010-01-27T12:10:00.000-08:00

So Out living room was WHITE I mean ALL WHITE with old brown carpet. A month or so ago we painted the 3 living room walls red, 4.5 coats of paint later I was sick of painting and decided to put off the other walls for a while.

After 5 hours of taping Friday night Ryan and I had the main room ready for my friend Sarah and I to paint the next day. The room looked crazy with its white walls and blue tape. One of our friends even commented saying " I think I liked it better the old way" then his wife informed him that it was tape, lol.

*Hint for a crisp line wile painting use a putty knife to push down the tape.*

Then Saturday my friend Sarah came over and we painted for 3 1/2 hours and pretty much got the main room done. Then we had fun at a friends house making some meals for our freezer, and finally we went to a bar and played bingo (Don't knock it till you try it it was great!)

Sunday I spend from 12-6 taping and painting the hallway and entry as well as touching up the rest of the living/dinning room !

We almost have all the tape down and by this weekend the room should be back together with all of our pictures hung!

Going off grid for the weekends.

2010-01-26T06:09:00.000-08:00

So I just realized that it might seem a little weird that I post for 2 or 3 days in a row and then disappear for a while....well that is exactly what I do.

During the weekends I try very hard not to become addicted to my computer or I would get nothing done. I barley even check my e-mail. It gets delivered to my phone but if its not an emergency I wait and deal with it during the work week. I'm one of those people that once I connect to the Internet I find every reason to stay connected.

Recently I've learned that I can post date my blog entries to be published on later days as well as just trying to spread out the ideas I have. I hope to have more consistent postings in the future.

Meanwhile I will continue to go 'off grid' for the weekends for my and my houses sanity.

The risk of self-worth.

2010-01-22T05:40:00.000-08:00

I've finished the book, The Search for Significance, and now I'm going through the workbook section. Its been an interesting ride, I've learned a lot I just wish I could implement some of the strategies faster. Of course it takes a long time to overide 26 years of doing the opposite.

Anyway that is not my point, through this journey I've been doing a lot of observing of other people trying to figure out how they tick, and this morning as I was driving to work I had an interesting thought.

"If we focus to much on what we think of ourselves and not what others think, that we get stuck. We don't realize the parts of us that still need improvement or the parts of us that are still hurting." (I hope that makes sense this is hard to explain)

This is why its so vital to keep God in the mix as well as solid Christian friends. We need people around us to encourage us and point out things that we are doing wrong. I know the word conviction isn't a popular one but just think of where the world would be without Godly conviction let alone legal conviction....yikes.

I guess I was under the impression that if I could just stop living life for other peoples opinions I would be good. I never thought about that fact that since I'm an all or nothing type of girl this could fall drastically the other way. Instead of worrying about what others think there are some that don't care at all what others think, they are always right and are living for themselves. There needs to be a balance between depending on others opinions to make you happy and not caring at all.

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-01-21T07:18:00.000-08:00

"Don't get stuck in a rut"

Its so easy to do, you come home clean the pick up the house cook dinner clean the kitchen and then sit down and watch TV with your honey. Then then next night you do the same thing, Its so easy to get stuck in the same ol' same ol' every night. In my experience this leads to complacency. Complacency is a marriage killer. We need to always be striving to improve our marriage even if we think its perfect.

Recycling Rules

2010-01-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

I just got our city magazine and saw a great list of things we can recycle in our curbside pick up. These are pretty standard items but check with your town to make sure what they accept and what they do not.

Accepted

PAPER- Magazines, Mail, Newspaper, Newspaper inserts, Office papers, Phone Books, School papers, Shredded paper In a closed paper bag.

PAPER BOXES- Cake Mix Boxes, Cardboard boxes, Cereal Boxes, Electronics boxes, Gift Boxes, Medication boxes, Toiletry Boxes, Shoe boxes, Toothpaste boxes. (General rule if the product is in the cupboard then its recyclable if its in the fridge, freezer or microwave you can not.)

GLASS- good and beverage bottles and jars

METAL- Aluminum food and beverage cans, Steel food and beverage cans

PLASTIC- Dish washing bottles and detergent jugs, Ketchup and salad dressing bottles, Milk and juice jugs, Shampoo, soap and lotion bottles, water, soda and juice bottles.

*Hints* Remove all caps lids and pumps, give it a quick rinse, leave the labels on, do not place in plastic bags.

Don't Recycle

PAPER- Boxes soiled with food, Boxes from the refrigerated or frozen foods, Cups, Egg cartons, Gift wrap, Juice boxes, Milk cartons, Napkins, Paper towels, Pizza boxes, Plates

GLASS- Containers that held hazardous products, Drinking glasses, Window and mirror glass.

METAL- Aerosol cans, Containers that held hazardous products such as paint thinner, Paint cans.

PLASTIC- Lawn edging and hoses, Tubs and cups (ie cottage cheese and yogurt) produce containers, plastic wrap.

Fun photography blogs and such

2010-01-15T06:41:00.000-08:00

These are all recent disoveries that I thought I would share with you.

Photo Challanges, Tutorials and Tips

Open Scrapbook

More Tutorials Tips/Tricks a blog and a forum

Thoughts on Thursday

2010-01-14T05:40:00.001-08:00

"Speak Clearly"

No one would every call me a quite person I'm a talker there is no doubt about it but do people understand what I'm saying. There seems to be some un-written rule between the hubby and I that we can read each others minds...ummm no. Why is it that we assume that our spouse will automatically understand what we are saying and then get mad/frustrated when they don't.

I don't know when you need me to move left unless you tell me to and you don't know that I'm talking about Iowa not MN unless I clarify that. It seems simple enough, why don't we just communicate more clearly?? Humm that is something I need to work on.

10 ways to be a little more green.

2010-01-10T04:53:00.000-08:00

1. When taking a drive together try to take the car that gets better mileage (unless you really need the truck)

2. Make a plan and try to do all of your errands on one day in one trip.

3. Cook at home and from scratch as much as possible.

4. Go paperless, bills, IRA statements, coupons even (only print the ones you will use)

5. Use cloth napkins even at work.

6. Drink loose tea and use a mug to make it not a paper bag.

7. Don't blow dry your hair wash it the night before towel dry and then sleep on it.

8. Turn off the lights when you leave a room and use the new light bulbs.

9. Use your digital camera (rechargeable batteries,) review your pictures edit and only print the pics you need.

10. If you don't need it don't print it if you may need it someday back it up on an external hard drive.

Plans for the house (and the green things I hope to do)

2010-01-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

So here are some of the upcoming plans for the house:

We want a rug for the TV room so the couch doesn't slide around anymore. I'm hoping to craigslist it and would love to find a sports themed one (without being too corny) since that is the theme we are going for (Wild, Twins, Vikes and Gophers.)

I'm going to redo the bar, instead of starting from scratch we are going to rip off the carpet and recover it and then we are going to cover the top of the bar with sports memorabilia. Speaking of which if you have any you would like to give me let me know!

The pink bathroom is going away!!! We are hoping to redo the cabinets instead of replace but all the tile will have to go. We are hoping to get the 'new' tile from the Re Store. Those are the immediate plans more to come.