Do you set New Year's Resolutions? I usually don't. For some reason this year, I had pondered (as I often do, ponder that is...) perhaps setting some resolutions. Here is what I pondered...
#1 Losing the 90 lbs. I've gained since I got married 18 years ago. I pondered that for about a nano second and then quickly realized I had lost my mind...and thought I'd set a more realistic goal of not gaining any more weight... And maybe buying me one of those wii fits. We'll see...
#2 Only working one job over the summer and truly enjoying my kids. Reality promptly kicked in with that one...I just started one new job on the 22nd of December, and start my new full time job on January 26th. Therefore, the minimum number I would have is two...plus I really need to be working toward my LCSW which would require a 3rd job...and then to pay insurance I have to work at the Y. So...after a bit of pondering I have resolved to work 4 jobs over the summer and truly enjoy my kids.
#3 A part of me thought about resolving to have a cleaner house...but that immediately contradicts my motto of "We can't both look good, it's me or the house." So...you'll find no resolution here having anything even remotely to do with cleaning. If you're coming to see my house, please make an appointment...if you're coming to see me, come anytime!
#4 Money? Probably there should be a resolution wishing I could save more. Please see #2-- if saving more was an option, probably having 4 jobs wouldn't be on the same resolution list. After graduation I think I'll resolve to purchase and read the latest Suze Orman book. That's as close as I come to a money resolution.
#5 Do not, I repeat do not use the credit cards. This I can do...no big deal. They really must be paid off before the student loan payments kick in starting November.
Ok, so...that's it...now for the actual list.
Maybe buy a wii
work 4 jobs
read a Suze Orman book
Don't charge
Manageable, very manageable...
You know me, I'm just keeping it real...don't want to set myself up for failure you know!
OH and, I have resolved to completing the 365 project. Since this is such a transitional year for me, with graduation, the new job, 3 teenagers, my son going to high school, our trip to New York, Steph's first college visit, etc. etc. I thought this would be the year to document our lives through one picture a day. I'm also stalking Becky Higgins site to see when they will have more kits available since I missed out on opening day, along with perhaps half the nation. This does require me to have a crash course on photo shop, which I think my big girl can teach me.
So there you have it!
Oh, and perhaps my vacation pictures will finally upload to slide for those of you that have been waiting!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
HellOOOOO
Hi! Howdy! Hola! Hello! How the heck are you?!? It's good to be back to the blog! Whew, I have so much to say, so much to share, so many details and stories, you just won't believe it...
I have uploaded my 334 photos...I am currently uploading 100 and some onto slide to put on the blog...I think it says it should take 23 hours or so for that to be complete. As soon as it is...they'll be here for your viewing pleasure.
Now...a brief recap of the vacation, so that when you're looking at the photos, you'll have a clue of what you're looking at. For a helpful hint, you can position your mouse over the photo on slide and it will give you an image title to let you know what the photo is of. Cool!
Anyway....day 1 we drove from Illinois to just north of Atlanta
Day 2 we drove to Daytona Beach and stayed at an amazing Hilton right on the beach. The kids loved it. Hubby and I however realized that we are now way too old for Daytona, and although we love the beach there, we do not love the atmosphere. I believe Ocean City, MD is in our future as it is so much more family oriented than Daytona!
Day 3 we left Daytona and drove to Silver Springs, FL which is a nature theme park. We stayed there for the day and saw the park all donned in Christmas lights. It was very beautiful. That night we drove 4.5 hours to Sanibel and arrived at midnight.
Day 4 - sleep and lots of it...the kids swam, we explored the beach, hubby and grandma went to the grocery store. Took them two hours to go about 2 miles in the heavy heavy afternoon traffic. Ugh! Out to dinner at Cheeburger cheeburger, as recommended by Toot! We loved it!
Day 5 - Explored the island, shops, Ding Darling nature preserve, and Captiva Island. Relaxed, played games and watched movies at night. Ate at the Island Cow...not our favorite, but good :) I should mention here that my husband backed into someones car at the rental office. :( Didn't hurt our truck, but quite hurt her van...
Day 6 - Watched the sunrise at the lighthouse and went shelling. Found some beautiful shells and lovely birds, crabs, starfish, etc. Truly amazing! Cooked out on the grill--- yum.my Swam all day and played at the beach....this is the life! Tried to eat all the food we had purchased so we didn't have to haul it home. We were pretty successful.
Day 7 - Left Sanibel...sad to leave...stopped at Bowman Beach on our way out, drove to just south of Atlanta
Day 8 - Drove from Atlanta to Clarksville, TN...had dinner with my Mom's husband at a great pub in Clarksville. What a wonderful time!
Day 9 - Breakfast with Papa and then we're off to home...unpacked the car, started the washer, picked the dog's up from the kennel and here I sit.
Geez, it's cold here!
Did I mention every day we were in Florida it was sunny and 80? Not a drop of rain...it couldn't have been more lovely and we couldn't have been more pleased.
Those of you that know me well, know I'm seeking a beach home at least for a few months a year. Although I loved Sanibel, it is a very different lifestyle and VERY expensive...muy muy expensive. Whew! Did I mention it was expensive? So...although I believe we may vacation here again...it is not my future beach destination. Check one off the list...on with the search.
Tonight, I'm gonna play catch up with all of you. I was sad to not get a chance to see Sanibel Toot while I was there, since she was on vacation herself, but am glad to be home and able to catch up with all your lives! Happy New Year!
I have uploaded my 334 photos...I am currently uploading 100 and some onto slide to put on the blog...I think it says it should take 23 hours or so for that to be complete. As soon as it is...they'll be here for your viewing pleasure.
Now...a brief recap of the vacation, so that when you're looking at the photos, you'll have a clue of what you're looking at. For a helpful hint, you can position your mouse over the photo on slide and it will give you an image title to let you know what the photo is of. Cool!
Anyway....day 1 we drove from Illinois to just north of Atlanta
Day 2 we drove to Daytona Beach and stayed at an amazing Hilton right on the beach. The kids loved it. Hubby and I however realized that we are now way too old for Daytona, and although we love the beach there, we do not love the atmosphere. I believe Ocean City, MD is in our future as it is so much more family oriented than Daytona!
Day 3 we left Daytona and drove to Silver Springs, FL which is a nature theme park. We stayed there for the day and saw the park all donned in Christmas lights. It was very beautiful. That night we drove 4.5 hours to Sanibel and arrived at midnight.
Day 4 - sleep and lots of it...the kids swam, we explored the beach, hubby and grandma went to the grocery store. Took them two hours to go about 2 miles in the heavy heavy afternoon traffic. Ugh! Out to dinner at Cheeburger cheeburger, as recommended by Toot! We loved it!
Day 5 - Explored the island, shops, Ding Darling nature preserve, and Captiva Island. Relaxed, played games and watched movies at night. Ate at the Island Cow...not our favorite, but good :) I should mention here that my husband backed into someones car at the rental office. :( Didn't hurt our truck, but quite hurt her van...
Day 6 - Watched the sunrise at the lighthouse and went shelling. Found some beautiful shells and lovely birds, crabs, starfish, etc. Truly amazing! Cooked out on the grill--- yum.my Swam all day and played at the beach....this is the life! Tried to eat all the food we had purchased so we didn't have to haul it home. We were pretty successful.
Day 7 - Left Sanibel...sad to leave...stopped at Bowman Beach on our way out, drove to just south of Atlanta
Day 8 - Drove from Atlanta to Clarksville, TN...had dinner with my Mom's husband at a great pub in Clarksville. What a wonderful time!
Day 9 - Breakfast with Papa and then we're off to home...unpacked the car, started the washer, picked the dog's up from the kennel and here I sit.
Geez, it's cold here!
Did I mention every day we were in Florida it was sunny and 80? Not a drop of rain...it couldn't have been more lovely and we couldn't have been more pleased.
Those of you that know me well, know I'm seeking a beach home at least for a few months a year. Although I loved Sanibel, it is a very different lifestyle and VERY expensive...muy muy expensive. Whew! Did I mention it was expensive? So...although I believe we may vacation here again...it is not my future beach destination. Check one off the list...on with the search.
Tonight, I'm gonna play catch up with all of you. I was sad to not get a chance to see Sanibel Toot while I was there, since she was on vacation herself, but am glad to be home and able to catch up with all your lives! Happy New Year!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
On the road again!
Hello homies (translates to faithful blog readers) :) I am rested and a little relaxed and on my way home...from 81 to 43 degrees in one day BRRRRR!!! We are just outside of Atlanta tonight. Tomorrow we are going to stop in Tennessee and have dinner with my kid's papa and soon we'll be home sweet home. I have so many beautiful pictures to share. What a wonderful time we have had. I can't wait to catch up on all your blogs...I've missed you. Chat soon!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Up, up, and away
We're off! Well, kinda. We made special arrangements to drop our dogs at the kennel at 6:30 this morning. Well no body was there. So, here I sit at 8:21 waiting for the kennel to open so we can be on our way *sigh* I trust we'll be off soon.
1 day to Florida!
Have a happy New Year...
1 day to Florida!
Have a happy New Year...
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Oh how I love a good cranberry cookie!
I must start out by saying...gee I wonder if we'll have a white Christmas?!? 
Here in Illinois we are on the verge of breaking a record for the most snowfall in one month. The current record goes back to 1800 something when they first started recording snowfall amounts. I do love a white Christmas but snow everyday is a little much. AND even though I love a white Christmas I don't love the constant shoveling that goes with it! Oh wait, I haven't shoveled at all, I just traipse through it in my backless shoes and then complain that my feet are cold and wet....yup! That's me! Since we have company coming today, I believe shoveling will be in order...I better get those kids up and now!
Here in Illinois we are on the verge of breaking a record for the most snowfall in one month. The current record goes back to 1800 something when they first started recording snowfall amounts. I do love a white Christmas but snow everyday is a little much. AND even though I love a white Christmas I don't love the constant shoveling that goes with it! Oh wait, I haven't shoveled at all, I just traipse through it in my backless shoes and then complain that my feet are cold and wet....yup! That's me! Since we have company coming today, I believe shoveling will be in order...I better get those kids up and now!My brother's cat Woody sits and stares out the window at the snow...and just watches it come down. What do you think he's thinking?
It's Christmas eve...the day my babies have been waiting for...and I finally feel the need to make a list. There are a few things I don't want to forget, you know important things, like wash the entry way rug, clean out the fridge, etc. etc...all the really important stuff is done. So, I thought I'd take a moment to share some Holiday images with you...
Of course, my baby Aubrey... during her first cookie lesson with Auntie :) Make a note here how clean the table is...
And then there's Blue...my constant cookie companion. Ever hopeful that a crumb may fall to the floor....or better yet be nudged to the floor...
He is a real cookie stalker...Compare previous clean table photo to this one...this is the aftermath of 150 dozen cookies!
Of course, my baby Aubrey... during her first cookie lesson with Auntie :) Make a note here how clean the table is...
And then there's Blue...my constant cookie companion. Ever hopeful that a crumb may fall to the floor....or better yet be nudged to the floor...
He is a real cookie stalker...Compare previous clean table photo to this one...this is the aftermath of 150 dozen cookies!After all is said and done...the final product is well worth it, don't you think? 
And now...let me share with you my favorite recipe...on the very bottom of that tray...under the cornflake holly, please take note of the most delectable Cranberry walnut cookies of all time. I don't remember where I found this recipe...but if you love cranberries like I do...then this cookie is a must have...
Cranberry Cookies
Yield: about 72 depending how many you eat while they're still warm!
1/2 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons orange juice or 1/2 teaspoon orange extract plus 1-1/2 tablespoon water
1 large egg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
2-1/2 cups coarsely chopped frozen or fresh cranberries, or dried cranberries (I use Craisins)
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease baking sheets. (I always use airbake sheets) Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Stir in milk, orange juice and egg. Mix in dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and cranberries.
Drop dough by tablespoons about 2" apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10 - 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
Here's my little known secret to soft chewy cookies...since I love all my readers so much, I'm willing to share it with you! After you bake your cookies and they are cooled, place them in a ziplock bag for safe keeping. Add a slice of bread to the bag (no kidding it really works) and your cookies will stay soft and chewy!
Once completely cooled, or even while still warm...you'll want to enjoy a tasty bite!
Happy baking and Merry Christmas!
2 days til Florida
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
You ready?
I think I'm pretty ready. I'm surely more ready than I can remember being in a long time! We got so much accomplished today! We finished the final batch of cookies....twice. We got up early and made the batch of corn flake holly. They were all pristinely placed on wax paper on the table. I left to take Brennan to the dentist (no cavities), Stephanie was sleeping, and Kristina was in the shower. When I got home, half the corn flake holly was gone and there was a pile of red hots by the patio door. Evidently dogs don't like red hots, but they do like corn flake holly! I remade the batch and packed up all my cookies to deliver. We made our deliveries, stopped at the mall for one last present which was $29.99 and I got it for 2.14!!!! You can't go wrong with a deal like that, it's nearly free! Finally we stopped at Walmart and bought the Christmas dinner for tomorrow. The house is actually pretty picked up. We'll just need to do flat surface cleaning tomorrow, clean the bathrooms, and scrub the floors. Throughout the day I'll be doing laundry and getting ready to pack. My honey has to work til noon and then I'll get the kids to clean out the truck so we can start packing.
My brother and his daughter, son-n-law and granddaughter will all be here about 5 or 6 to eat, open presents, and have yummy desserts. The snow is supposed to stop at noon, so hopefully the roads will be clear for my brother to get here from Kenosha. We'll head to church at 10:30 for our peaceful candlelight service...the highlight of Christmas for me.
I have a few presents to wrap and a light dinner to cook tomorrow. I'm thinking there may be a nap in store for me tomorrow! Now that, is a perfect Christmas Eve. Hope you and yours are happy, healthy, and safe this holiday season.
My brother and his daughter, son-n-law and granddaughter will all be here about 5 or 6 to eat, open presents, and have yummy desserts. The snow is supposed to stop at noon, so hopefully the roads will be clear for my brother to get here from Kenosha. We'll head to church at 10:30 for our peaceful candlelight service...the highlight of Christmas for me.
I have a few presents to wrap and a light dinner to cook tomorrow. I'm thinking there may be a nap in store for me tomorrow! Now that, is a perfect Christmas Eve. Hope you and yours are happy, healthy, and safe this holiday season.
Monday, December 22, 2008
I was pretty sure Christmas is a holiday...
It seems that our Christmas plans get less and less as time goes on. My mom is in Arizona since this weather just doesn't agree with her health at all. My Poppy passed away this year, my grandma Bee and Aunt Ruth last year. I usually end up with my brother's here. This year one is staying home out of state, one is in the hospital and the other has to work. That leaves my nieces: one is staying in Nebraska and the other has to work, so she'll be arriving in time for dinner. It makes me wonder what has happened to the holiday?
On my husband's side, his family seems to overflow with dysfunction during the holidays so this year we committed to travel at Christmas instead of stay home to wallow in dysfunction junction. We planned to leave the day after Christmas, since my children always want to be home for Christmas. [long pause for reflection] but then I wonder what kind of Christmas and merriment there will be with just us, my niece, her husband and baby? It'll be a small gathering, which oddly doesn't require any less planning on my part.
I am grateful I have all my shopping done. I have a very short list this year, so I got it done in two outings. The cookies are baked except for the final ones which used to be cornflake wreaths but have now turned into 'holly' to avoid covering my hands in butter to make wreaths :) EEEWWWWW how I hate sticky! I was laughing today that I think if we weighed all the cookies they would at least weigh 10 lbs! Tomorrow, I get to deliver...a big bunch to my friend Sandi...whom I'm so grateful is not in the hospital this year, a bunch to my friends at work, and then a bunch to ship off to my mama who is recovering from surgery. I'll have a bunch for my brother if he makes it for Christmas, a bunch for my niece and her husband, a bunch complete with special requests for my mother n law, and a bunch for hubby's sister. The rest will ride in zip lock bags to Florida with us :)
My precious one is just finishing up the last batch of dishes-- when it's 'cookie weekend' it seems like we do dishes non stop! The baking of cookie weekend included:
Two new types of peanut blossoms...guess what, we liked last year's better
The wonderful cranberry walnut cookies...returning from last year...our new favorite
Cut out cookies
Pressed sugar cookies (my son's new favorite-more on that later)
pecan sandies
toffee (new this year...still in the testing phase)
raspberry poinsettias (new this year and quite tasty and pretty)
Macadamia nut from a mix - fair at best
chocolate chunk from a mix - if flour was added to it would have been great
chocolate mint - yum.my (my big girl's boyfriends favorite)
strawberry sandwich cookies (returning from last year and a big hit due to their beauty)
corn flake holly (stole the holly idea from a recipe blog and love it!)
There you have it...the top 12 picks for this year. Will they all be returning next year? We'll let the reviews determine that! My precious one and I have sat at the kitchen table baking for two days. My precious one is looking over the list and asking why some were eliminated and some were added. We are especially glad the creme de menth balls that we threw out last year were not relived this year. Gosh they were awful!! Today... we took Lacey to the groomer, so she's all pretty for Christmas and to get some pesky hairballs removed and I completed a 4 hour training class for one of my new part time jobs as a professional development advisor. I do love sitting at home baking cookies, listening to a webinar and getting paid. I'm pretty sure that's as good as it gets!
Tomorrow, oh...I lied...I have one little present to pick up for my mama...then I have to send off her box, my boy has the dentist, Cookie deliveries, my precious one needs a swim suit...and thank God they sell them here in Illinois in the dead of winter, cuz we sure learned the hard way that they don't sell them in the south in December, but that's a blog post for another day. Laundry and packing is on the list, and shopping for Christmas dinner. Did I mention snow? Don't forget the snow 3 - 5" predicted for tomorrow and 4 - 6" predicted for Christmas Eve. I have a few presents to wrap, and then I plan to clean and nap.
You know that old saying if you build it they will come? Perhaps if I plan for Christmas they will come? After all, I was pretty sure Christmas is a holiday...
4 days til Florida
On my husband's side, his family seems to overflow with dysfunction during the holidays so this year we committed to travel at Christmas instead of stay home to wallow in dysfunction junction. We planned to leave the day after Christmas, since my children always want to be home for Christmas. [long pause for reflection] but then I wonder what kind of Christmas and merriment there will be with just us, my niece, her husband and baby? It'll be a small gathering, which oddly doesn't require any less planning on my part.
I am grateful I have all my shopping done. I have a very short list this year, so I got it done in two outings. The cookies are baked except for the final ones which used to be cornflake wreaths but have now turned into 'holly' to avoid covering my hands in butter to make wreaths :) EEEWWWWW how I hate sticky! I was laughing today that I think if we weighed all the cookies they would at least weigh 10 lbs! Tomorrow, I get to deliver...a big bunch to my friend Sandi...whom I'm so grateful is not in the hospital this year, a bunch to my friends at work, and then a bunch to ship off to my mama who is recovering from surgery. I'll have a bunch for my brother if he makes it for Christmas, a bunch for my niece and her husband, a bunch complete with special requests for my mother n law, and a bunch for hubby's sister. The rest will ride in zip lock bags to Florida with us :)
My precious one is just finishing up the last batch of dishes-- when it's 'cookie weekend' it seems like we do dishes non stop! The baking of cookie weekend included:
Two new types of peanut blossoms...guess what, we liked last year's better
The wonderful cranberry walnut cookies...returning from last year...our new favorite
Cut out cookies
Pressed sugar cookies (my son's new favorite-more on that later)
pecan sandies
toffee (new this year...still in the testing phase)
raspberry poinsettias (new this year and quite tasty and pretty)
Macadamia nut from a mix - fair at best
chocolate chunk from a mix - if flour was added to it would have been great
chocolate mint - yum.my (my big girl's boyfriends favorite)
strawberry sandwich cookies (returning from last year and a big hit due to their beauty)
corn flake holly (stole the holly idea from a recipe blog and love it!)
There you have it...the top 12 picks for this year. Will they all be returning next year? We'll let the reviews determine that! My precious one and I have sat at the kitchen table baking for two days. My precious one is looking over the list and asking why some were eliminated and some were added. We are especially glad the creme de menth balls that we threw out last year were not relived this year. Gosh they were awful!! Today... we took Lacey to the groomer, so she's all pretty for Christmas and to get some pesky hairballs removed and I completed a 4 hour training class for one of my new part time jobs as a professional development advisor. I do love sitting at home baking cookies, listening to a webinar and getting paid. I'm pretty sure that's as good as it gets!
Tomorrow, oh...I lied...I have one little present to pick up for my mama...then I have to send off her box, my boy has the dentist, Cookie deliveries, my precious one needs a swim suit...and thank God they sell them here in Illinois in the dead of winter, cuz we sure learned the hard way that they don't sell them in the south in December, but that's a blog post for another day. Laundry and packing is on the list, and shopping for Christmas dinner. Did I mention snow? Don't forget the snow 3 - 5" predicted for tomorrow and 4 - 6" predicted for Christmas Eve. I have a few presents to wrap, and then I plan to clean and nap.
You know that old saying if you build it they will come? Perhaps if I plan for Christmas they will come? After all, I was pretty sure Christmas is a holiday...
4 days til Florida
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