90 Day Transform Challenge!

Join me this 2013 in getting the body and health you have always wanted!

Starting January 7th USANA is offering a contest for your New Year resolution of weightloss to come true! Check out the link for more details... www.resetdestination.com
Contact me if you have any questions or if you are ready! christinaenglish@usana.com

Homemade Decor for Christmas

So I know the quality of photos here are awful! But I am getting a camera for Christmas:) So no more camera phone for me... maybe!

I found these vine wreaths at the Dollar Tree and I had a lot of felt from some old hair clip I used to make:)

Here is our 25 day countdown to Christmas....I really wished I had done the 12 days of Christmas instead:( It has been fun! The mini stockings are from Big Lots... $6 for a box of 12. I put the red and white wreath above this wall display after I took the picture. I think instead I will do a Merry Christmas paper banner...any ideas???

Holiday Cards

With the overwhelming access that we now have to professional photo cards, the options are endless! I have started a card on 4 different websites.... Tiny Prints, Shutterfly, Minted and Pear Tree Greetings. Obviously card design is a huge factor, but all of the sites have 100s to choose from. Paper quality is important, the price is important (they are just going to be thrown away!), and quality pictures.

Price...that is what it is going to boil down to!

What photo site are you using this year?

Courtesy of Michael Stonis

Egali...what?

There is a term that is not new... which refers to the equality in a marriage! Egalitarian vs complementarian! I was doing a little Google searching on this topic and came across a plethora of sides (so to speak), on how we should interpret the scriptures to define our 'roles' as men and women. I never truly gave it much thought, until I started reading Rachel Held Evans book (see virtual book club). Dan and I are both pretty easy going and when a big decision has to be made, we usually talk it over...but due to this book, I am intrigued!

I found this seemingly unbiased article, over at Patheos. Adrian Warnock takes the broad spectrum of 'camps', so that we can make a more well rounded approach to this discussion. Check out his article, I am curious as to what category we think we fall into. Don't feel pressured to put your label out there, but would you be willing to discuss it with me?

Themed Inspiration!

source: http://mejuki.tumblr.com
I love this! Maybe an UP themed party or I don't know...using this picture as your inspiration what kind of themed party would you decorate like this for?

Book Club

Ok it's not an actual book club, more like a virtual book club!

I am beginning a book called A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband "Master" by Rachel Held Evans. You may have heard of her before. She is the author of a well written blog based on her "big questions about faith, doubt, culture, gender and the church"!

My husband is actually the one who came across her blog! He said that I needed to read one of her books and tell him about it. (He is a reader...but I think this one he was less anticipated to read, since it had "womanhood" in the title :) Well I love reading, but I especially love talking about books with others who have read it!

So of course, I enlisted one of my friends and soon a couple of others wanted to join (BAMA included). Now I invite you to take part in this discussion with us!

What does it mean to live by the scriptures? And how ultimately are we to be wives. mothers, etc.? Are we to be the negative "submissive" and always be below... meek, quiet...?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts:)

Halloween

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday! Although I wish it happened more often, when do you ever have everyone outside walking their neighborhoods...together? Dressing up, acting a part, candy...?!? Yes, I have a sweet tooth like the rest of woman-kind:)

Dressing up for our family, usually happens more often due to themed birthday parties! For Halloween we plan out our costumes well in advance, since I am the ambitious mother, who likes to make the costumes from scratch. Here are some not so great pictures of past costumes.

Joslyn- Bumblebee (bought) Mom- Garden Fairy

Joslyn- Dorothy (bought) Mom (not pictured)- Wicked Witch

Tinkerbell, Princess Tiger Lily, Lost Boy, Peter Pan

Holden- Lost Boy

Tinkerbell, Lost Boy

Alice and Mad Hatter with Bama!

Queen of Hearts, Alice, Mad Hatter, White Rabbit

Darth Maul and Lord Sidious

Poison Ivy

With Uncle Bugsy

Bat Girl (I hate sewing vinyl)

Sally and Jack Skellington

Holden decided yesterday that he is no longer going to dress up as Jack Skellington, rather he would like to be a cowboy! Well, since I am awful at tailoring (no patterns for me), I only made to his coat as you can see....so I was very willing to let him be a cowboy (we have the components for that costume)!

Out of the mouths of babes!

Today as I was dropping Holden off at school in workout clothes, he stopped me and said "mom, whay are you wearing pajamas?". Now, for background, I need to let you know that my husband does not really like or understand why people wear their pajamas outside of the house. And of course the kids know this, because all kids know what their parents' likes and dislikes are....no matter how aloof we are about them:)
So, I turned to my cute 4 year old and let him know that I was wearing what lookef like pajamas, because I was going to workout. I said "Holden, are you asking me that, because you are embarrassed of me?" Holden with concern on his face, says "well...I think people will laugh at you". Oh so sweet, he wanted to protect me from shame!
When is it that we stop caring what others think of us?

A Readjustment!

So awhile back I wrote a post about how Dan and I had a series of discussions dealing with me doing to much! Here is an update.

I love homeschooling Holden for preschool. I especially love that all of my pins on Pinterest were going to good use! However, after careful consideration and thought, I decided to put him back in the classroom. He was doing great with everything, he even looked forward to that "school" time each day, but my concern was the "socialization". Holden had progressed so well socially last year at preschool. I mean he was coming out of his shell, playing with new kids on the playground...he was comfortable (he still needs to be warmed up to a new place, but he eventually does).

It turns out I'm the kind of woman who gets something in her head, decides and does it that day! So on Tuesday, I decided to go to the preschool down the street from our house and see if anyone had dropped out of the program. Sure enough the lady said that there was a spot....so, I signed him up right there! His first day was yesterday, and he loved it! I told that I would be working in the classroom, but that it would not be for awhile...he said "that's ok mom, I like to be by myself there." Basically "mom, it turns out I really don't need you" :) I know that's not what he was saying, but for a momma's boy, I was happy that he enjoyed this preschool!

I did tell him that on the days that he did not have school, that we could do "homeschool":) It turns out I'm fun! His favorite are the science projects. Here is one of the bubble projects for B week.

So now you ask, "what will you do with your time, now that you have three days with no kids?" Are you kidding me? I have plenty to fill my time with :) I think first things first though, I need to organize my house!!!! So if you see me pinning a bunch of home organized pins, ask me if I'm actually using them!

Having Holden in preschool, has also made Dan a little more comfortable with the idea of me being a Brownie Troop leader...I think! My first training is this coming Tuesday night. I will keep you updated!

Sandlot

If you are reading this post, you must have seen the movie Sandlot! If you haven't rent it! It's about a bunch of neighborhood kids who get together everyday during the summer and play ball on a worn out field. One boy is new to the gang and knows next to nothing About baseball and gets laughed off the field. One of the other boys, who has the makings of a baseball legend, sticks his neck out and helps him out! It takes place in the all-American feel of the 1950's.

Anyway it's a great story, but it is what I hope for with my kids! Finding a love and passion for something, a camaraderie of friends, and being the one who goes against grain for others for someone who does not fit in! Dan and I talk about love for others all of the time, but who knows what they do when we are not around or when they grow up! Or they are in service to others for recognition.

Joslyn, two weeks ago, came home and told me that she received an award that is given out to students who are seen doing good! If you get ten of them, you get a prize from the principal! Well, being that Joss is the kind of kid who likes to follow all of the rules and win awards, she gets very proud when she is honored for something:) I asked her what she did to get the award. She said that there was a girl who was new to the school and so Joslyn decided to show her around and where everything was. I was impressed, not surprised though! I asked if the principal (the one who gave her the award) saw her giving the girl a tour....she said no she told her! I know it sounds like I'm hard on my kids, I'm not really...this is me just talking about it with you:) I told her that I was proud of her for finding the need and filling it!

I do hope that even though she loves helping others and receiving recognition, that the desire to help wins out over the latter:) What similar qualities are you trying to foster in your kids?

Picture Day!

Today Joslyn had picture day at school. She said she wanted her hair straight and wanted to wear a dress. She did not have a dress that was clean (don't worry, I'm doing laundry while typing), so we went with a cute grey shirt from Forever 21....did you know that they had a little girls section? She wore it with sparkly grey tights and a lace purple skirt...I know you can only see her shirt in the picture, but she looked cute! I also straightened her hair :)

While walking up to the classroom, I asked her how she was planning on smiling...she smiled her fake pose smile, and I said "looks great!" She said "remember how you said that I have a fake smile when I'm taking a picture? Well, is it that smile?" Ugh! Breaks my heart! I made her feel insecure, less than perfect...me! Her mom, the one who is supposed to assure her that she is beautiful and enough! So I told her, "you look beautiful, no matter how you smile! When I said that before, it was because when I see you smile naturally through joy or excitement, it makes my heart swell. It's infectious and it makes people want to be around you, so they can feel that joy too! This smile is just as beautiful...it's just that you are thinking about smiling, so it is missing that joy! Try thinking of something funny or something that makes you happy and then smile. If it comes out forced, I will still love it and show it to everyone!" With that she gave me one of her glorious smiles and said "Mom, I love you!"

"I don't know why she tries to do it all"

Last year I laughed my butt off, while watching the Sarah Jessica Parker movie "I Don't Know How She Does It"! Watching her run around trying to accomplish everything for her career, kids, husband and appear to have it all together...was exhausting. There were some things I could relate to: the laying in bed and can't sleep because you are thinking of all the things you need to get done, the idea of keeping with all of the other moms, the checking on your kids in the middle of the night...well, we can relate as moms!

I started thinking about this movie this last week, because I am trying to do everything and my husband thinks I'm crazy. It all started when I was getting ready to sign up Holden for preschool (last year's preschool wanted him to participate all day for 3 days a week, since it is a heavier load...too much money!), I was looking through our city's parks and recreation courses for the fall and found a ton of activities for preschoolers! Karate, science club, soccer, cooking, arts and crafts....well I got to thinking that I could enroll him in a bunch of classes and do the education part at home. 1 hour four days a week and he would have more one on one time learning. He would get his "socialization" through the city's classes and I would still save money!

So I presented the idea to Dan...it did not go over that well! His concern was that I was taking on too much, with coaching my daughter's soccer team, working our business, volunteering at the elementary school and not to mention I just applied to become a Brownie troop leader:) His main concern is that the house won't be clean (laundry, dishes, etc. not Better Homes and Gardens status). I joked that it doesn't get done anyway, so it won't make a difference :)!

I bugged him about it for quite awhile, until we (I) decided to do a trial run. Worst case scenario, it is not an ideal experience and I enroll him in preschool after Christmas. I think the issue will be more about not really have time to myself, but the truth is he starts kindergarten next year and I will have plenty of time for me! So Dan...the house will be clean next year:)

I realize that all of this is very ambitious, especially for a procrastinator, but today when someone asked if he liked his school....he said "I love my teacher"! Aww, melt my heart!

My question today is: How much is too much for us moms?

Super Moms can fall too!

I love blogging! It's like an unpersonal diary, that strangers can be influenced or impacted by my story. Unfortunately I have not always shared my complete story with you...dun, dun, dun! The way I function is, by not vocalizing my emotions until the situation is cleared up. I had every intention of introducing myself to you in a honest way...my favorite blogs are the ones where the author is genuine and raw! So here is a little piece of insight into what I have been experiencing the last year and a half. In fact, it might explain why I haven't been totally present on this blog.

 Two Mother's Days ago my mom and I had coffee and just hung out to talk...she seemed a little off, but I didn't think too much about it. Little did I know that she had much on her mind as she was going in for a core needle biopsy on a lump she had felt under her arm. The week prior to this, she and I went to the gym together and in some healthy competition, she overdid it a little. She thought that she might have pulled a muscle because it was pretty sore under her arm. The next day she noticed that her "pulled muscle" was quite swollen and starting to feel like a lump. She called her doctor about her scheduled mammogram and her lump. He suggested that she come in so he could just check it out. So the day after mother's day, she had a scheduled biopsy.

 My mom has breast cancer, what horrendous news for a woman who is so full of life and on the brink of turning (only) 50!

 The doctors said that her tumors were fast growing and that they were close to her collar bone. Within two weeks she had started her chemo treatments to shrink the tumors away from her bone, what an awful toll it took on her body. Nurses saw her as doing too much, but also told her that if she has energy than to use it. They were constantly surprised by her energy levels. I am surprised too, but in a different way! My mom has always fought and pushed through anything that has gotten in her way. As a single mother working long hours most of my life...she had to push through, which is something I have always admired in her! This cancer though, has reminded me that even she could be taken back by something so vicious...why did I need to learn (even at 31!), that my mom is not Super Woman! The woman who would stop at nothing to make dinner, work hard, be a Girl Scout leader, climb trees and play in the mud with my kids!

 My mom found out about an organization that helps patients with breast and ovarian cancer, through resources and financial needs. As someone who has seen many people battle and lose to cancer in her life: Brother Lymphoma, Father Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Friend/co worker Pancreatic Cancer and two other co workers; she jumped at the chance to support such a cause and take part in a 10k walk as a future survivor and representative of those she knew. The walk took place in Long Beach and right in front of the salon we work at. When the owner of the salon caught wind of this event, she decided to form a team in support of my mom and the three stylists who have passed from cancer at our salon. Our whole salon has supported and took part in this walk. Since the owners' involvement, my mom has done a couple of interviews for the walk and for some newspapers, one of which is under a caption "Local Heroes" (not a coincidence to me)!

 The walk was a great milestone in her journey. She was turning 50 five days after the event and two weeks before that was her last chemo treatment! We walked proud, knowing that she was fighting a battle and winning:) My Super Mom shortly after that walk, had a double mastectomy, radiation treatments, and then found out that she tested positive for the BRCA-1 gene! She had a hysterectomy as a preventative measure for the gene a few months ago and is now seeing a great oncologist, who like us believes in the power of alternative medicine! Her odds are great of never getting a recurrence of cancer again, but as most of us know that doesn't mean she won't! We are hopeful and grateful for every moment with the best BAMA in the world! Please ask any questions... I will try to post up moments from this last year as they come to me, since I know that there are a lot of holes:)

Dr. Seuss Birthday Party

My Joslyn turned 7 on the 24th! We spent the day at Disneyland with her brother too! We were able to experience some new adventures there, and coming from people who have had passes for the past 5 years that's quite a big deal. We finally went on the canoes that you paddle around the Pirate's Lair (formerly known as Tom Sawyers Island). Joslyn did great, Holden tried for awhile but kept splashing his sister (he didn't really understand that you only paddle one way) and the lady in front of me was out of sync and her paddle ended up on top of mine, for the majority of the ride! 

Sunday the 26th we celebrated in a Dr. Suess fashion with friends and family. At a beautiful park in Huntington Beach...Huntington Beach Central Park. We played Sneetch Tag (like regular tag, except everyone who gets tagged gets a star sticker on their belly, and then attaches themselves to a chain of " it" people. The last one to get tagged gets a prize!), we went on a hike to look for the Lorax (my husband went ahead of us to hide him), we took the Lorax back to the party and played pin the mustache on the Lorax, and then we had a Cat and the Hat piñata.

I made the piñata myself with cardboard and crepe paper. We went through about 15 kids and the darn thing would not break.....so my husband beat it to a pulp and candy flew:)

Has it really been 2 months?

I have been wringing out every last.drop of summer! The fair, the beach, the pool, frozen yogurt, eating out (a lot), birthday parties, swim lessons, camping, business convention,  berry picking....oh my goodness that is not even all of it! I have a draft list of partial posts up the wazoo, plus a running log of future posts in my brain!
My goal is to do 2 posts a week, more will end up going up this month so we can play catch up!
Since I am a one track mind kind of gal, I am super focused on my daughter's 7th birthday party. We are starting off the weekend with Disneyland on Friday (her actual birthday), and on Sunday we will celebrate with friends and family! Can you guess are theme?

So anyway, what have you been up to this summer?

Another great book!

Ever wondered what it would be like to live your life in whimsy! I'll be giving my "unprofessional" review next week! Read with me!

Birthday Blues???

Ok I do not have the birthday blues...I am actually wondering what year that will hit me! I don't know about you, but I am 32 and I still do not feel like an adult. I sometimes feel that I'm pretending and someone is going to find me out!!!

I look at my kids and think....you can't possibly be mine, I'm just a kid! I do hope this feeling of youth lasts as long as I live. My Grandmother once told me "No one said that I had to act my age, so why should I start trying?" So true! I guess I can be a kid as long as I want to be.....plus my children love it when I'm silly, singing and dancing in the car, skipping around, making goofy faces at people, laughing 'til I'm crying or coloring with them on the floor! God forbid the day that I can't play on the floor!!!

My daughter's favorite thing to do with people is listen to their stories (memories). Almost everyday she says "mom tell me a story". I usually need a trigger for a memory, so Miss Imaginative will start rattling off topics until I remember some kind of memory! Her favorite are the ones that remind me of how much she is like me!

Anyway...my birthday! Last year I forgot to celebrate my birthday, because I was so wrapped up in my son's birthday party (his is the day before mine June 10th)....I do go a little crazy with the details, but I love doing it! (Pictures to come soon) But for the better half of last year, I thought I was still 30!!! My husband, of course, corrected me of this....so I was adamant that I had to celebrate my birthday this year! Why is it so hard for mom's to be selfish? So tonight I went to P.F. Chang's in Long Beach with my family and this weekend I'm going dancing with friends, Woot! Woot! Party on the dance floor!!

I am 32! I can't forget this year!

No T.V. Week Part Two!

I realize that I was quite negative about this early on! One of my main thoughts for accepting this challenge, was to figure out a routine to update my blog more consistently! Well...how many days has it been?

It has been 4 days! Out of those 4 we have, played 5 board/card games, went on 3 walks, read a little bit each day, had every meal WITHOUT the TV on (it's a big deal for our family), talked, asked questions and connected. I can't speak for the whole experience, since it is not over yet, but I feel the purpose becoming more clear. We should abstain from technology or anything that keeps us from truly connecting as a family, on a regular basis. I think I might present the challenge to my family, to do once a quarter and then eventually once a month... EEK!

The benefits have already been tremendous. I do still feel the need to look for the remote when I sit on the couch after putting the kids down and also when I wake up to get the kids ready for the day. But I am aware and hopefully will refrain from reaching for that clicker every time I'm ready to relax or entertain my children!

Has your family ever given up anything together? If so what was it and what was the result from doing so?

Pinterest Inspired!

I finally made a pinterest inspired craft! I used an old frame added some paper and stickers....and a lot of ideas! I wrote on the glass with a dry erase marker and wa-la....summer fun!
My favorite idea is Holden's "lay in the grass and watch the clouds"! So precious...

No T.V. Week!!!

This last Saturday my beloved husband came home with a wonderful idea....a fast from television. What a great thought....we have abstained from the tube for a day or two before, but have not committed to a whole week! So you can imagine my excitement at the mention of the opportunity to BLOG about something new, besides my failed cooking:)

He talked about a week, a few weeks...a MONTH! Whoa, hold on there...let's just start with a week! I started making a "mind" list, we can do some pinterest crafts, we can go for walks, we can swim, go to the beach, cook together, read...the list was getting so long!

On Sunday, I was home alone while the kids were hanging out with their Dad. I was continuing my Dawson's Creek marathon on Netflix, when my family walked in the door shouting "ooh, NO T.V., Mom!" What?!? Now mind you, I was not cheating, because I was unaware of our start date. So imagine your husband turning off the T.V., just about the moment when Joey was going to kiss Dawson for the first time!!! I was floored and totally agitated!

I really loved the idea of no T.V., but I HATE when someone tells me what to do! There is something in me that just boils and turns rebellious at the thought of being told what to do. So I did the obvious and reasonable thing....I ignored him for the night!

I Tried....

Today I tried to make salted caramels! Yum! I found this great recipe on America's Test Kitchen. The picture looked like just what I was looking for....I wanted to do a homemade gift for Joslyn's teacher to wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week.

It looks like it will be an epic fail!!!

Here are some pictures from my process:

This is the vanilla bean that I massacred to get the wonderfully rich scented vanilla "caviar"! Needless to say I did not get a picture of the process...the seeds were flying everywhere.

This is the creamy foam, just before I took it off the heat.

Here is the beginning of the boiling sugar, water, corn syrup mixture.

This the part where I was supposed to watch and not look away. The part that every recipe cautions you to not do anything else. Instead I was taking pictures....and trying to remember what "amber colored" actually would look like!

This color happened almost immediately and of course, as I was letting it sit to pour the cream mixture...this was smelling a bit like I had burned it!

I scraped out the mixture into my vintage casserole dish. My mantra at this point was "It's supposed to look like this....it's supposed to smell like this, Right?!?

Well after letting my ugly caramels (that smelled like smoke) cool for 2 hours...it was gooey to the touch and tasted just as bad as it smelled.







The moral of the story is; don't take pictures while cooking sugar, be sure to have a candy thermometer and not one that registers only to 225 degrees and failures lead to successes...Right?

Here is a great article!

A Journey Through Your Intestines

I am ready for summer!

Here is a new collection I created on Etsy of some neat sellers!

Children's Books

I guess it is children's book week! I think I need to go to the library each day this week...is that too ambitious?

Let's try getting books we would never think to get for our kids and see if we find some new favorites!

First what was your favorite book as a kid?

This week in Google Search!

So I have fallen a bit behind this week! But I did make two french loaves of bread, a gluten free loaf, start preparation for our upcoming boutique and prepare for camping.

Unfortunately, I have nothing to show for it....except my Google Search!

Camping Recipes
Smores
About.com
Camping Cooking Supplies (we are borrowing one from my dad)
Stoves
Camping Checklist

Bleach Alternative

Alright...I was on Pinterest the other day and found a bunch non-toxic cleaning solutions, like I always do and I was inspired to try some! I already use vinegar and baking soda to clean, and I have also tried using a half of a lemon dipped in salt to scrub the sink. But let's be real, I don't always keep lemons around the house. So one did stick out to me the most, here is the link to the formula. There is also some information on the reasons why we should not use bleach! Chloroform being one of them!!!

I cleaned my bathroom counter, floor and toilet. Then I cleaned the kitchen counter, floor and trash can! It smells great, when I touched the solution it did not leave white burn marks, and it's super cheap...I found everything at a Dollar Tree!

What other solutions have you found helpful?

Marriage books...don't run and hide!

This is what I am reading right now! Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge.I took a break from all of the fiction I was reading, when my husband presented the idea to me that we should read some marriage books together! We have quite a lot of young married couples around us...that maybe we could have a more broadened understanding of marriage along with our experience to give advice and mentor!

My husband and I have a firm perspective that we will never have it all together...so even if the only thing we get out of these books benefits us, then I think that will be ok! So this is the first of many to come.

Have you read this book and what do you think?

OMG

Yes I did just say that! I washed my car today at my mom's house, so I could do something productive:) When I finished making it sparkly and shiny, I put my phone on top of my car. Because obviously that is the most practical place to put a phone...right? It wasn't until I drove to my house, then drove to get and then drove to pick up Joslyn that I realized my phone was left up there. My mind starts to flood with scenarios of my phone's destination. The gutter, someone's windshield, the middle of the street...ugh now I have to buy a new phone. Which is so not in my budget right now!

But maybe, just maybe it is still on my car....I walk over with utter doubt...and what do I see, MY PHONE!  Oh my goodness, what are the odds? Have you ever done something so stupid and turned out that you were ok?

Forget Soaring Over California!

I am living it!!!

Ok Soaring Over California IS one of my favorites rides at California Adventure...but I get to live it! Driving through California!!

I was driving through Moreno Valley and I could smell a hint of citrus...now silly me I look around my car, thinking I must have brought an orange with my apple (which sounded pretty good at the time). But no orange in my car... actually I was surrounded by oranges...I was driving through an orange grove :)

Then I was driving up to the wedding site that I'm attending today, in Cherry Valley...and it was beautiful and sunny! But in the background are mountains laced with SNOW!

I love California...why would I ever thinking of moving out of here?

What do you love about your state?

Pink's

After walking to the Hollywood sign, we went to the famous Pink's hot dog stand in West Hollywood! This the Rosie O'Donnell with mustard, sauerkraut, chili and onions. The Martha Stewart with mustard, sauerkraut, tomatoes, onions and sour cream.



It was interesting...but truth be told after eating my half of the Martha Stewart, I couldn't stomache anymore! But I did have one bite of the Rosie O'Donnell. Not my favorite combinations but interesting nonetheless:)

Monday-Spring Break

Today we went to Mother's Bay in Long Beach! I love this place, it is perfect for smaller children and relatively clean for a beach!

I was able to relax and lay out for 2 hours and the kids were completely entertained by the sand and water!

They played so well together, that when we heard the ice cream truck pull in to the parking lot, I decided to reward them with a Spongebob Ice Cream. Which stained there skin for two days, yuck red dye # whatever can't be good for you!

Spring Break!!!

This week is Spring Break for my kids! I love surprising them with one fun activity each day. Since we are in Southern California, it's not that hard to come up with interesting things to do!

Monday - Beach Day and buy new swimsuits at Old Navy
Tuesday - Discovery Science Center (we bought membership and have only used them once in 5 months!)
Wednesday - LA Zoo (this place makes me mad and depressed, but the kids love it)
Thursday - Hollywood Sign :)
Friday - Centennial Farms and maybe Tanaka Farms
Saturday - Tide pools (if the weather is nice)
Sunday - Hang out with Bama (mom and dad are going to a wedding)

What were/are your spring break plans?

Decorating Easter Eggs!

We finally dyed our medium boiled eggs...bleh! I thought that I would use one of the links for a new way to decorate the eggs, but I got lazy...plain and simple!

So we used the good old fashion way of food coloring and water with a little vinegar! We did add a little pizazz, by coloring them with crayons first.





















After they were good and dunked (Holden dunked each egg in probably every color, why not?) we opened one to try, just case it was a fluke for that one before. Holden said it was jiggly and Joslyn ate all of it except the yolk. I hate wasting food, but I don't know what to do with 10 medium boiled eggs when no one likes them!!! HELP...Google I need you!

Well.....

Well so much for hard boiled.....I made medium boiled eggs. They don't taste that bad, but it crumbled as I peeled it. Joslyn likes it....so it has been approved:)

Egg-tastic!

Today I made an upcycled easter dress for Joslyn, out of an skirt and dress that were mine. I started on Holden's button up shirt (which I have never made one before) And now I'm boiling eggs at 7:45...yes it is late, I am a last minute kind of mom who now has explain to her very excited daughter why she is unable to decorate her eggs tonight since it's bedtime:(

Tomorrow! We will decorate eggs, fill plastic eggs and I have to go to the store and buy the kids' basket stuff... each year they get new bathing suits and sandals. It's a strange tradition that I kept from my mom. I always loved seeing what my mom would pick out for us!

What are some of your Easter traditions?

4/1-4/6 Google Search

Decorating Easter Eggs:


melted crayon eggs
9 Easter Egg Decorating Ideas
Embossed Eggs
Creative Egg Decorating

Easter Crafts


Egg Shell Votives
Funny Bunny Plush Doll
Confetti Eggs

Easter Cooking


Homemade Peeps
Chocolate Eggs
Boiling Eggs
Hot Cross Buns

M.I.A. Last Week!

Yes, I was M.I.A. last week! So here are some posts to catch up.... First off, I subscribed to a website called HARO. What a great website, you should definitely check it out! My favorite feature is an email they send out, about once a week with giftbag queries. People from all over the place can submit a request for your product to fill their gift bags or auction! Then you scroll through the list of requests and submit or pitch your product to them:) Of course it is a donation, but you get your name out there (sometimes with free press!)

Well, I decided that after getting this email for a couple of weeks that I was going to try to pitch my product. I submitted 3 different products to 5 different requests. Within 5 minutes I received a reply from 3 of them!!! Oh my goodness what did I get myself into...each event wanted 100-150 items! I am at the very start of my business, I don't even have 100 items, nor the materials! But being as optimistic as I am (translation--oblivious), I decided to go for it.

My first product I started is for a wedding planner event. 150 fluffy hair clips....except on the day that I was ready to send them, I decided to double check my deadlines with a hunch that this might not be the product that was due on April 1st. Was it? NO! 100 pinwheel hair clips due April 1st, at this point it is March 28th and I have 2 of them:) So I stayed up late (4:00 in the morning, I guess is early not late!), and finished all of them in one night and a day. I shipped them off drowsy and proud!

This week I ship off the wedding hair clips-deadline April 7th and then mini pocket notebooks-deadline April 13th!

Sundays!

This is a fun bike ride with my daughter before the meltdown:)

How to treat a lady!

My son is three and already knows what it takes to win over a girl's heart. He picked a flower for me and his sister!

Pinterest Cooking!

My week of Pinterest cooking went...okay. I had fun making new things, but the kids were not that impressed! I realize that the link I used did not work, so here are the individual links to the recipes I used:
Chicken Rollatini , Fajitas, Mac and Cheese and Gluten Free Crepes (I didn't get to these)

Fajitas were tasty! Joss ate the steak and I cut up some fruit, Holden was being a punk and asserting his "authority" by refusing to eat (actually all week)! I made him eat a couple bites of steak and he ate some raw bell pepper slices.

The Chicken Rollatini was scrumptious! My husband and I were wowed with the flavor. Joss loved it and when I told the green stuff was shredded zucchini, she said 'I didn't even know I liked zucchini!' (10 points for mom) Holden had refused again and I had to make him eat it:( He cried, he screamed, he sat in time out....I told him that he could not do anything until he ate all of his chicken. I did allow him to scrap off the cheesy zucchini stuffing! Still a fight...it wasn't until he saw Joslyn and I playing heads or tails with a coin that he finished his dinner, so he could join us. Who knew?!?

Macaroni and cheese was supposed to be a real hit....due to the time change I got a late start on it! We ended up eating at 8PM (eek!) and I think I was not patient enough for all of the cheese to melt. It took what seemed like an eternity since I was so hungry. I thought it the taste was great, but the texture was strange. I see a redemption night in the near future!

Pizza night was yummy! I did actually post pictures for that night....come on don't be hard on me, I'm still new at this thing!

Instead of eating out at our thai restaurant, we went to the brand new In 'n Out that opened up down the street from our house:) Dangerously close!

Instead of crepes on Saturday, we had corned beef and cabbage sliders at my cousin's engagement party!

Sunday was supposed to be the mystery night and we actually had ESPN Zone with my family!

It's always fun to mix things up...although this week we went back to our staples! Check it out next week when I go on a mission to use foodie blogs for my recipes. I wonder if the average mom can pull them off and have their kids like it too!

400!!!

I know this may seem insignificant....but today my blog has had 400 views:)  Seeing those numbers shows me that I am still a newbie, but it is worth the brain squeezing to stay on top of moments to keep this blog running:)

Thank you to all who have taken a glance at my posts!

Yummy Pizza

We so enjoyed that pizza! Baking it in the skillet was a last minute decision and it was a good one! The crust was nice and crispy on the outside and warm soft on the inside:)

Everyone thought it was delicious, except Holden...but I think he is going through a picky food phase. I know all the moms out there know what I am talking about! Joslyn had 2 1/2 slices, I had 3 and Dan had a whole one!

I have used other gluten free pizza mixes before, but this one was a definite must have for in the future:)

No mixer

Oh the luxury of a mixer....my arm wishes I had one and my wallet says "sorry"!

Tonight for pizza night, one I know the kids will love, I am topping one cheese only and the other with mushrooms, bell peppers and cheese:)

Oh I can't wait! But for now I must finish cleaning while I wait for the dough to rise!

Finished Craft Room Pictures

Here are the pictures from my Craft Room organization....

 I still have a lot to do!

 And actually, because of my two boutiques and wedding that I am doing pieces for, it is almost back to it's original "hoarders" state:(

But at least now I have a better system in place:)

What are ways that you manage your "in process" projects?