I get by with a little help from my friends...

Today is my birthday. Happy 30th Birthday to ME.

As is customary on my birthday, I got some really crappy news. Stupid, STUPID people.

But I won't dwell on that, because this post is about getting by with a little help from my friends. I will pause for a little musical interlude...

Including a nice karaoke scroll in case you want to sing along!




Now that you are still humming along...I'd like to share with you a gift I received in the mail today. I was very LOW. I was very very LOW when I went to my mailbox and found a soft and squishy package from my friend Tracy. Intrigued I ran to my stamp room to grab scissors to open this package...and what did I find???

THE MOST AWESOME AND THOUGHTFUL GIFT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN TODAY.

But wait first let me remind you how much I love funky socks...See here I am as Velma with my teal, chocolate and orange argyle socks on. I wore these so much there was nothing left but threads...

Then there is my new find this year. Knee high chocolate and mustard socks. I wear these at least twice a week. Socks ROCK. I also have about 7 pairs of toe socks and a huge supply of other cool color combos...

The gift I opened contained these. 8 pairs of socks for an array of different holidays. There was St Patricks Day....White with green shamrocks...

Then we had 4th of July, complete with stars and stripes. I am totally diggin' this gift....

Then came Halloween. Check out witchy poo on the back. She is crackin' my ass up. By this point I'm thinking Bad News Schmad News...I love my friends!

and this cornucopia is kicking my ass. I had to get a close up. Sorry my hands aren't really steady but I think you get the idea.

and who could resist a cute pink bunny nose?

Or a fuzzy snowman?

Hearts for Valentines Day

or arguably one of my favorites...Bad Ass Mardi Gras socks...SA-Freakin' WEET!

40 kids? NO MORE CANDY!!!!

Bradan and Kenzie's classes are combining for one big holiday party tomorrow. That's 40 kids! 40 kids and 40 treat bags coming home. I know that most of them will just be loaded with candy and that's really the last thing we need around here! We're still loaded down wiSo I decided that my kids would just give out Snowman Soup this year.

I wanted it to be cute, but I didn't want to spend a TON of time because hello, we are talking about 2, 3 and 4 year olds here. They aren't going to be too interested in the packaging!

Here's what I came up with....the cups were 4 for $1 at Walmart. I used cocoa in the canisters and measured out a single serving into a cellophane bag, topped with mini marshmellows and tied it off with some sheer ribbon and a candy cane.

And a close up of the tag. I used my Just Rite Stampers to make these. I thought they were a cute touch ;)



FYI...I know they are blurry. I haven't been able to take a clear picture since we got this camera a year ago! I need a new one. I honestly think all the kid beatings that this thing has taken has affected its usability!

I should be doing one of a million things...

But instead I spent an hour and a half coloring this image! I've had this stamp forever and never taken the time to color it before. I used my copics although the background gave me a bit of trouble...I think it turned out really pretty!

I didn't want to do a whole lot with the card because I really feel like the image stands alone, but I did use some Basic Grey paper behind the image so it wasn't totally plain and I put some Shimmerz on her wings and skirt. I should have taken a close up but as I mentioned in the post title I have a bazillion things to do and really should get started!

A little something for Mo...

My cousin Moriah is 18. She is sweet and funny and extremely popular. She is on the swim team and the volleyball team and has a boyfriend whom she has dated for over a year now...maybe even two years. I should ask her. Anyway. My point is...she still makes time to bail me out when I am in dire straits and need a night out. Despite her hectic and busy schedule, she rarely tells me NO when I ask her to please, please, please sit for my heathens. When I am sure there are times when she could think of a million more interesting things to do! In fact, she rarely even lets me pay her...usually in fact, only when I can stuff money in her coat pocket on her way out the door...

I wanted to do something for her this Christmas to let her know how much we appreciate her. Bradan and Kenzie love her so much and she is great with them. So I set out to make her a journal (she loved the ones I did for bible study a few months back when I showed them to her for an opinion) and ended up doing a tin, a mini notebook and a set of monogrammed cards. She comes to my stamp club so I know she loves crafty things. I just hope they turned out "hip" enough for her ;)

She wouldn't tell me otherwise, but...still I hope I got it right! Here is a close up of the tin, you can't tell in this picture but there is shimmerz (angel wings...thanks Rach) on the soft sky circle. It gives it a nice subtle glitz. I am in love with that stuff!

The top, you can see the shimmerz on the paper here and on the flowers also...

A close up of the nicely shimmery flowers. Did I mention I love that stuff? Wow it is so easy to use (just a regular paintbrush works fine) and TADA. A great addition to any project.

the A2 box I made using a tutorial found on Splitcoaststampers. I used Fancy Pants KEWL papers for this entire project. I had a ton of them left over from last year's purchase and I thought they would be great colors for a college bound chick. You thinks??? I doubt you can find KEWL leftover anywhere but the About a Boy line rocks. Check it out at Jacksonbelle Embellishments

Monogrammed cards. Very simply done. I didn't want them to be costing her a fortune to send from college and we all know how the post office is in LOVE with us card makers. It's getting ridiculous what they will try to charge to send a card! I used my Just Rite Stampers for the borders and the letters. They work great with Nestabilities!

The journal. This is just a $1 composition book from the "everything's a $1" store. The insides are covered with kiwi kiss SU! paper and there is also a ribbon that can be used as a page marker and a separate ribbon at the back for the matching pen. Yes, I know the "M" is too close to the edge. I used the SU Sticky Cut letters and the darn thing touched the page when I was trying to line it up. OOOPS! I had to make do...but AH....here is the matching pen as well...

I am occasionally a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE friend...

About 3 weeks ago now, we had a LOSTie Secret Sister round reveal. If you don't know what a LOSTie is, or you've never heard of a Secret Sister round...well bear with me or skip this post MMMKAY?

My Big Sister was Stacy. She is incredibly generous when it comes to LSS. And me, I'm a horrible little sister and I keep forgetting to post all the WONDERFUL goodies that she sent to me. But NOT anymore! HA! I'm putting them all right here for you people to OOGLE at and get JEALOUS because I GOT THEM and YOU DIDN'T!

NANA NANA BOO BOO!

Everything...

Scentsy

Continue working with the History Brush and Patch tools...

• Pick up the nearest book of at least 123 pages.
• Don't pick the coolest or most impressive one, just the NEAREST one.
• Open the book to page 123. Find the fifth sentence and post it! *
  
• Spread this tag to 5 people

A HUGE GIVEAWAY! Enter to win...or don't because then I totally won't win...whatev

Did you know that HP is giving away 50 prizes through bloggers like YOU and ME? Each prize pack is valued around $6000 and is filled with TONS and TONS of awesome HP products. Casey at Moosh In Indy is one of the LUCKY bloggers who is giving away a package and she’s giving ME and YOU a chance to win.

First let me say, don’t enter ;) because if you enter…I won’t win. I never win. (WAH, right Casey?) But, you certainly can’t win if you don’t try and I always TRY at least. That makes me less of a sore loser no?

Casey wants to know WHO I might share my prize package with. What would little ol’ me do with $6000 worth of HP products including 4 computers? Well Casey, I’d keep one for myself. Most definitely because while the gift of giving is great, keeping a little something for yourself is also FABULOUS! My hubby would just drool over the media server so we’d have to keep that for ourselves too. But I’d be giving it to him for Christmas so it counts…right? ;)

My Brother in Law is in the Army, he has been spending a LOT of time deployed overseas (twice this year and the ENTIRE year my sister was pregnant and the first few months of my nieces life) and my sister would LOVE to be able to communicate with him via email so I would definitely be hooking her up with one as well. They’ve got a two year old little girl who definitely needs to see and hear from her daddy as much as possible!

My church is a new church that began just a few years ago. We’re in the process of designing a building and actually BUILDING our own place. Along with that comes a lot of other things that we need to acquire and I think that they would LOVE a new computer for their offices.

For the last computer I would totally do something random like run a contest locally for soon-to-be-college students and give it away to someone who would otherwise be without a laptop heading into those perilous years where sharing a computer with complete strangers to get work done could totally SUCK.

I would keep the Blu-ray Kung Fu Panda for my kiddo’s. I would donate the other two copies to the giving tree, toys for tots or some other Christmas charity gathering things for children who are less fortunate.

The printer and photo package would be a great shower gift for my friend who is getting ready to have a baby and will have TONS of reasons to be printing pictures really soon!

Phew. That’s a LOT of stuff, HP is wonderful for doing this and they’d be a whole lot MORE wonderful if I WON!

Army Strong

Uncle Andy is in town. He just got home from being deployed to Afghanistan. This morning, Bradan wanted him to see how STRONG he is. So he showed him how many push ups he can do. Uncle Andy told him if he brings that form to the Army he can revolutionize PT as he knows it!

I told Bradan he can do more pushups than daddy :)

Kids say the darndest things part 2163

I gotta tell ya. This kid...he kills me.



Even when he doesn't try he's funny. Apparently however, I need to work with him. I need to explain a few things about our religion a little more clearly.

You see this is our pastor.


Pastor Aaron. He's a great pastor. He makes me want to learn more about our religion. It has come to my attention that Bradan reveres him a little more than I do though.

Yesterday, I was looking at our church website trying to find some dates for our Christmas program to tell my MIL. As I'm scrolling, Bradan is sitting on my lap and when he sees this picture of Aaron he shouts.

MOM!!!!

LOOK!!!!!!






It's GOD!

Thanksgiving is a time for MESSES

Especially in MY kitchen. Let's take an informal poll...are you a "clean" cook? Or are you a messy one? For instance when you're making something does your kitchen resemble this???





I started my Thanksgiving cooking yesterday. I made pie crusts which are currently chillin' in the fridge (pun intended), I also for the fun of it made THESE cinnamon rolls. And I crushed 3/4 of a lb of ginger snaps so I could make a crust for my cheesecake that I'll be making tomorrow. Note to Santa, I'd love a food processor. A GOOD one. I've been good. But, I know I know I got that nice TV already. Maybe next year ok?


Today, I got up and made a second batch of the cinnamon rolls using my own icing instead of the one listed in that recipe. I just used powdered sugar 4oz of cream cheese, a few splashes of milk and some vanilla. Brian loved the rolls but doesn't dig coffee much so I ended up with 3 pans of maple icing and 3 of cream cheese. Then I had just a TEENY bit of dough left and I didnt' want to put it in a pan of cinnamon rolls all by itself so I made up a few dinner rolls. Which miraculously use the same recipe. How neat is that???


FYI: These babies are GOOOOOOOOD. Oh my are they good. I ate TWO with my lunch straight out of the oven. WOW-EEE-WOW-WOW! This is a great recipe for yeast rolls. I had a different one I used to use but I'm switching. Light, fluffy, oh so good!

So, then next on my list is my noodles. Homemade egg noodles. I fix them with some turkey and cook them in the turkey broth with a few spices. Nice. One of my favorites at Thanksgiving. They are super easy to make, the only real pain is you have to make them ahead of time so they can dry. I usually let them dry overnight. They don't have to be SUPER DRY (read: they dont' have to be brittle) but you want them to dry out quite a bit before cooking them. Also, it doesn't take long to cook them when they are fresh like that. Boiling broth, max of 10 minutes. Just keep checking them.

Mix together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour and a "pinch" of salt. (I use about 2 tsp roughly) Add 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup of milk and a tbsp of butter and knead dough until it's smooth. (About 5 minutes) Let rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes.

Place dough on a floured surface


Roll the dough out flat. (This is a preference thing as to HOW flat. I like my noodles to be like the Raeme's Frozen noodles so that's the thickness I go for)


Now for this part there are TWO ways that work. I recently got a pastry cutter so I've got pictures of this way. However, if you don't have a pastry cutter in years passed I have rolled the dough towards me so that you end up with a log and then just cut off strips, unrolled to let dry. Here's how I did it this year. Cut the flattened dough into strips one at a time.


Then cut those strips into pieces.


until you have the entire pile cut up. Oh another thing I do is divide my dough into two balls before I start so that there is less to work with at once...


As you can see, it doesn't really matter if your size is consistent. Your thickness will be and that's what really matters. I use to try and be perfect in everything I did but my therapist told me that isn't really very healthy. OK, so I don't HAVE a therapist, but I probably need one and IF I had one she'd tell me that my attempts at perfection are futile and I should get a life. Sometimes I hear her talking in my head...

What? Don't you have a therapist in your head too???

I don't even need a reason for this post...

It's just too cute for words. We've got a Wii Fit. Every night (usually after dinner) we spend a little time "working out" together. It's nice family time and good for us too. Here's a little video of Kenzie doing the hula hoop.


Sorry if it's shaky, I couldn't quit laughing!!!

Christ Is Born!

Christmas time is upon us boys and girls. In case you didn't realize you have only 38 days until the Big Day. My goal this year is to have all of my Christmas cards done by December 1. That's 13 days from today ;) unbelievable? I know!

Awhile back I ordered some of these Fabriano note cards which I knew I loved but had I no idea what I wanted to do with them. (My friend Rach used to sell them but I have no idea where to tell you to get them now...if you know, tell me please) Enter Saturday night when I had a brainstorm...one layer Christmas cards. Time saving...but I needed them to still look elegant and faboo. Cuz, hey that's just my style.

OK so it's not normally my style but I was trying to break out of my box here. (Speaking of boxes, Charlie Pace is NOT dead, he's in a box in my stamp room dying to be let out...soon!)

Here's what I came up with. 19 cards, made, signed, enveloped and addressed. Only like, 40 to go. ;)



Christ is Born (SU!)
Fabriano note cards
Ruby Red and So Saffron SU! Markers
Versamark/Gold EP

Tammy Fae has NOTHING on her...

A picture is worth a thousand words...so I'll just leave it at this:

A trip to the museum and kids say the darndest things....

Today we met my sister in law and niece in the next county to the north and went to their tiny version of a children's museum. It was only $6 per person to get in and we spent 3 hours going through all the exhibits. It was quiet, clean and a lot of fun.

Here the kids are playing with the trains

And the girls dressed up in kimonos in Japan. It was quite the cultural area. With the tatami rooms separated by the rice paper walls.



Bradan in the GIANT toilet. They had this exhibit that was a house that you could climb through the walls and stuff. This toilet led down into the "sewer" system of the house and ended up with a slide. It was a lot of fun. Even mom got flushed! :)


They also had a magnetic table with gears that you could put together and make work. Giant checkers, a garden, finger paints, dance dance revolution, virtual biking and speed cups.


And this face, it's a good thing I love this face...after the museum we went to McDonalds for lunch. Here is the conversation that took place between Bradan and I.



Bradan: I'm done.
Me: Eat your chicken nuggets.
Bradan: But mommy I'm full.
Me: Eat your chicken nuggets.
Bradan: But mommy if I keep eating my belly will get really big...(wait for it....wait for it...)
LIKE YOURS.

My sister in law Sam nearly shot coke out her nose. I was of course mortified. By the truth. But still, mortified. I need to remember this to help me with my diet....

My undying love to the Pioneer Woman, very belated cards, and things Kenzie does that I'm not supposed to know about...

I am in love with the Pioneer Woman. Please do not fret, my husband knows of this latest infatuation and I think he may hold a special place in his heart for her as well.

She has a plethora of things on her site for all different kinds of people and their interests, photography, cooking, homeschooling, home and garden stuff. Me, I read it all...because I love her.

She introduced me to these potatoes and not only are they easy. They are so flippin good that I don't know what to do with myself when I start eating them. I don't know how to stop! Easy and Yummy could explain why I need to lose 20 lbs....but I digress. I don't totally blame Ree for my waistline, as previously mentioned Chelle has some blame there as well! :)

Hot Crash Potatoes

Boil in salted water as many washed new potatoes as you'd like to serve. Once they are soft remove from water and place on a sheet that has been drizzled with EVOO. I use a fork to split the potatoes and "smash" them. Ree uses a potato masher, I say use whatever the heck you have that looks like it might work.

Then drizzle your potatoes with EVOO, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and whatever herb floats your boat. I am partial to parsley. Really, I don't think there is a wrong answer.

Bake at 425* for about 20-25 minutes or until they get a little crispy around the edges. Trust me, you want them brown and crispy. It makes all the difference in the world.

I dare you to eat just one.

Go on, try. I dare you.



Also, I participated in a Halloween swap with my fellow Losties, we each sent an image, card stock, and patterned paper enough for each person participating and then all created a card from the same elements. I think there were 15 in all. I sent some of mine out without taking pictures. DUH. But here are a few pictures of the ones I remembered to snap from.

Maggie's Kit

Justine's Kit

Debbie's Kit


Tammi's Kit (the sword is silver ep and the hat is flocked)


Kim's Kit

Amanda's Kit (I couldn't get a good picture without glare on the acetate)

Jeannie's Kit (the belly is stickled and popped up on dimensionals)

Liz's Kit

Lastly, Kenz got ahold of my camera last night and here are what her pictures look like...

what is this anyway???


and HOW does she manage to take pictures of herself???