Week 4 {365} Busy Nothing and a Birthday

Today I have been the "big bad, mean, cruel, mommy" according to my kiddos. It's always rough when Haldan is on night shifts. I told myself that we would go somewhere this morning, but unfortunately chores took like half the day. (Note to self: rethink that rule on days Haldan sleeps.) Anyway, Pokey could not... I repeat... could NOT use her quiet voice today. She was in a time out several times. After one of them she brought me this note she made in her room. It totally melted my heart and made me feel extra bad. (Overlook her nails as you look at the photo.) I know she was just being a kid and she was blessed with a that deep, Rasmussen raspy voice.

I was actually supposed to paint her nails today, but she made her way to the time out first. So, that's why her nails are looking extra haggardly. Yes, we are still struggling with the nail biting addiction... any suggestions besides all the usual? (Because we have tried it all!!)

Temps weren't even that bad today. I think it got up to 20ish. Should have sent them outside. (In retrospect things always seem so much clearer. But what's done is done.)

This week we had more snow... and winds. High winds Tues and part of Wed. I just have to make this one small complaint to mother nature. I don't really mind the snow all that much, but I guess I'm ready for a break for a while.

The east coast had a blizzard with 2 feet of snow recently. I saw pics and it was really impressive amounts. However, unlike Iowa- where the snow never seems to leave... 6 days later they had rains and temps in the 50s and that 2 feet of snow all went away. All of it! I saw pics with nothing but grass.

I know life isn't always fair and this is Iowa, but please?

Every morning I check my phone to prepare myself for the day. On my b-day I woke and read, "0 degrees"... makes it hard to want to get up. Upon closer inspection I saw a sun which totally cheered me right up. I think it was the first day of sunshine in weeks. It was a present all in itself. Unfortunately it never made the "high of 11 degrees". I think it made it to 6 and it said it felt like -5. (And it did too.)

My birthday was a really good day. If you don't follow my blog you can read more about it here. As you get older birthdays aren't quite as fun. They are merely a reminder that you are another year older. I guess all you really want is to be remembered. Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes. I couldn't have felt more loved. My husband gave me an extra special day making all sorts of sweet sacrifices for me. That is definitely his strength... his thoughtfulness. Breakfast in bed and my angel food cake with white fluffy icing made it extra special. I hope Betty Crocker never stops making that icing. It's divine. I have sent cases to several family members now because they can't find it, so it always worries me. I stockpile it in my basement. If you've never had it you have to try it. It comes in a box and I've only seen it at Hy-Vee here. "Betty Crocker white fluffy icing."

To my parents and in-laws: Thanks so much for the money. Can't wait to go shopping. There's amazing deals right now. It's really the best gift this time of year. I got a sweater for a penny the other day. (Bought a sweater dress for $12.99 and the second item was a penny.) I also got a pair of boots 75% off for $10. Love those deals!

To my sweet, thoughtful sisters: You sure know how to make a girl feel special. I loved all your gifts. Tonya, wasn't expecting anything more from you because I'd already got the P90X dvds. Shag, your gift made it in time and it was a very fun, color coordinated package. Love it all- too much though. Rena, the magazine subscription is perfect and there's always extra surprises with you. You all were way too generous, as always. Love you!

To all my friends and family who gave gifts or sent wishes in some capacity: thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

We went to Des Moines and went tubing this week. It was a BLAST!! Last time we went in UT I stayed on the sidelines and snapped photos. This was my first time tubing. The first time down I thought I was going to die and the employee who gave me the push at the top couldn't believe I was actually afraid- as I went screaming down the hill. I guess he had a whole conversation with my husband about it. After about five times down my stomach stopped churning and I relaxed. We started going down in pairs and it made the spinning last longer and way more fun. The 2 hours went too fast. I'm hoping we can do it again soon.

Correction: I just remembered I have been tubing before in Idaho at the dunes (while at college). I think I only made it down one time because I crashed. I landed on my neck and I couldn't move for like 5 minutes. I thought I was paralyzed. Finally a guy friend of mine came over and picked me up and put me in his truck. It took a little while, but obviously it all turned out ok. It's strange that you can forget things like that. Perhaps that could be the reason for my fear? Our minds are an amazing mystery, at least mine.

Little Man came home from school with a giant hole in his blue shirt... the same day he was the anchorman for 5 Live News. I was mortified, but he said you couldn't see it. Then his story changed and he said he wore a sweatshirt over it. I'm waiting to see footage of the show. (Maybe next week I can post a video of his anchorman job. His name is "Hammy" as in the crazy squirrel in "Over The Hedge"... hmmm?)

Anyway, Haldan told him to take his shirt off and put it in the garbage. I was thinking it would have made a perfect fishing shirt or something, but Little Man ripped it to shreds... literally. Within minutes there were only remnants left and somehow the kids transformed themselves into crazy ninja fighters. All I could do was laugh and grab the camera- if only I had half the imagination.

In other news: Haldan had a boring work dinner this week to celebrate the end of his SRO program. I guess it's official now. Sorry if any Duane Arnold employees read this, but is it really necessary to talk about all the mistakes at other plants around the nation? An awards dinner needs to be a celebration. They've definitely earned it.

That sums up our week here. We've survived January. What I don't quite get is how the days seem to be both dragging and flying by. It's a bizarre phenomenon.

more questions.

Warning: This is a long one... intended only for scrapbookers and bloggers out there.

This blog post is mostly for Amy, but also for all the others who have asked questions and those who haven't but are wondering.

I do not profess to be any sort of expert. Infact, I thought everyone already knew what I know.

The most recent question comes from Amy in Ohio. She writes, "I recently started my own blog about my family and two little ones (2 years and 6 months) and am looking for ways to "jazz it up." I really liked what you have done with your images (collages, adding fonts, etc.) and am assuming you did that using digital scrapbooking software. If you don't mind, would you share with me the name of the software you use? I'd love to give it a try!"

I use Adobe Photoshop Elements. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I still use the photoshop elements 2.0 most of the time. It only works through XP and when this computer kicks the bucket I'm in trouble. I also have photoshop elements 7.0, but am slowly trying to figure it out. It's a lot different than 2. They also have 8 available now. It's about $80 at Wal-Mart and has way more than you need to do cute things to your blog. No need to spend $800 on the photoshop suite unless you are planning to go into graphic design or something.

The cute scrapbooking elements I add to my photos are an accumulation of freebies and online purchases I download. I used to get freebies from http://ikeagoddess.blogspot.com/. Unfortunately she stopped posting them about 5 weeks ago now. You can go to her blog and find her list of hundreds upon hundreds of scrapbooking sites she went to (that she had on her google reader). It's a little daunting, but you could go through the list and decide which ones you really like.

Another great freebie site is http://digifree.craftcrave.com/. They have recently reformatted their blog so you have to click on the "digifree" tab at the top. They have updates every couple weeks. It's a really great variety. Another great site is http://digiscrapaddicts.com/. You have to log in and then they have freebies, tutorials, and more.

http://www.taylormade-designs.net/ is good, offering great inspiration and tutorials. http://digitalscrapbooking101.ning.com/video offers amazing photoshop tutorials. You have to register.

My favorite website that I purchase scrapbooking products from is http://www.designerdigitals.com/. They have 2 - $ .25 items on Sunday and Monday. They also have Thrifty Thursdays where over 250 items from various designers are 30% off for that day only. You can sign up and they send you an email reminder. They offer designs form Ali Edwards who is a favorite of mine. They also offer freebies, tutorials, and challenges. It's one to bookmark for sure. Two Peas in a Bucket is also a favorite.

There are literally hundreds+ of blogs out there from very talented people. There are too many to name. You have to find what you really like.

I have an older computer with not much space left, so I download all my supplies directly to my external hard drive. I have a "scrapbooking" category. I also have subcategories to make the items easy to locate on my drive. Some of my current files are: borders/frames, calendars, cards, embellishments, journaling/lettering, kits, paper, templates, and tutorials- to name some. I also have files for special holidays such as Valentines and Christmas. You'll have to figure out what best works for you so that they are easily accessible. (That would make for a great Organizing Tips tutorial.)

Once you have your photoshop elements and scrapbooking supplies you are ready to make cute headers and enhance your photos.

Elements allows you to be able to open a blank page and add "layers". You can start with whatever size you like and then add photos, elements, borders, and more. It also has filters and special effects for your photos. It's fun to play around with, but I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface of what it is capable of.

{Collages}

When you want to make a collage you just open a page the size you want (file, new, then choose size and color), open the photos you will be using, and plug them in. There are many different ways to go about doing this. There are some templates out there that you can literally just plug them in. For some reason I like to have more control over my projects, so I don't normally opt for that route. I actually resize my photos and manually add them to my blank page. This way you are not limited by the number of photos or sizes of your photos. I love collages and have done too many to count, but here's a sampling of a few.

This was a 12 x12 scrapbook page. It would also make a cute print to frame.

Some of you may remember this one from my project 365 last year. It went into my album as the POTD in a 6x4 size.

I made this 12x12 collage (pics thru the years) as a Father's Day gift for my Dad last year I actually enlarged another photo as well to a 12x12 size and put a cute quote on it. I framed both and they are hanging in his home.

This is another POTD from my son's Valentine's party at his school last year; just to show you that collages can be done with any number of photos.

This will be in my next post. We went tubing this week and I had so many fun photos. I couldn't pick just one. I wanted to have them all in my album, so I opted for a collage. I did it in a 12x8 size, but will print it in a 6x4 for my album. That way I have the option to print it in the 12x8 size too.

This was a 12x12 scrapbook page for my Little Man's b-day a couple years ago. Sometimes it's fun to have a randomized collage.

And another random one. I miss those days when she would not only let me take lots of photos and didn't care, but she was so dang cute!

Yet another 12x12 scrapbook page. What else do you do with all those photos of crazy critters? It is actually framed in a bubble frame in Little Man's room.

The possibilities are endless. (And it's a great way to get lots of photos documented quick.)

My sister in law also informed me recently that there are many collage makers available for download- for free! When I googled it I was shocked to find so many. That would be another route if you don't have the funds for the photoshop elements right now.

Another idea that I've recommended to a few friends is photoscape. It is a program available for free download and although it doesn't offer nearly as much as photoshop, it's a great place to start. It was recommended to me by a friend a while back. I use it sometimes. These are some examples.

{Fonts}

Fonts work much the same way as the photos. They are just an additional layer you can add to your project. There are many cute quotes and phrases available for download. There is one site that specifically comes to mind, http://elegantwordart2.blogspot.com/. She does nothing but word art and they are all free downloads. You can add those to your work space in elements.

I actually really like Ali Edward's handwriting, so I have bought some of her different themed text kits. I bought her days and months one, which has been very useful with my p365. They are available at http://www.designerdigitals.com/. Every now and again she offers something free from her blog, http://aliedwards.typepad.com/. It's a very inspirational blog to follow plus she always has giveaways. Not that I've ever won anything.

I did a post last year when I was working on my daughter's scrapbook and shared some of my favorite fonts. You can find the examples at http://weloveiowa.blogspot.com/2009/09/only-8-years-behind.html.

It said, "FYI: "What fonts do you use?" is my most commonly asked question. My favorites are: CK Becky, CK Ali's Hand, 1942 report, 3 theHard way RMX, Depressionist Three. All are available for free download. You can get the CK Becky font here. (All of these scrapbook pages are with the CK Becky, as in Becky Higgins from Creating Keepsakes.) If you've never added fonts to your computer let me know and I can add a tutorial."

Fonts really make a difference with a scrapbook page or picture. There are so many great ones out there. Some of my latest additions include: rusted plastic, sidewalk, and trashed- all very grungy-like. It is a very easy way to enhance photos.

My current header was created in photoshop. I just made my background black and my text white. I saved it as a JPG and added it to my blog just as you would a photo. Very simple.

You should google fonts and see what you can find. I'd love to know what your favorites are.

{Printing}

I just had another question today. Sarah asks, "Wanted to ask you if you have printed up your blog? I want to do that but need a recommendation who to go through."

Blog Printing, from QOOP, Inc., takes your blog from Movable Type, Wordpress, or Typepad and offers the options of black and white, or colour printing, in three different sizes. Printing from Blogger is unavailable at this time. Black and white books cost $7.50 for the first 28 pages, plus 4 cents per page for additional pages. Color books cost $12.00 for the first 28 pages, plus 30 cents per page for additional pages. If you set up an account to resell your blog, you can specify either a percentage or a flat royalty. Any royalties are added to the base cost of the book.

Other options for blogger include Lulu.com, Print My Blog.com and Blurb.

I actually started a blurb.com book, but have yet to complete it. (Getting close though.) I need to do the update and perhaps it will be a quicker process. Maybe it's just my computer though. The nice thing about blurb is you can literally download your blog. It does have to be tweaked and manipulated to work though.

I have, however, done digital books the last couple years- a "year in review" type thing. There are all sorts of websites that offer this... snapfish, shutterfly, etc. Most photo developers offer this option as well now.

I also print directly from my blog periodically as a type of journal and just keep it in a binder. I have kept a journal on the computer for at least the last decade or so, so blogging isn't much different.

I actually own three different printers. Yes, three. It takes up a chunk in my office, but I can't part with any of them. I have 2 Epson photo printers. The smaller one allows me to print on my cds/dvds and the larger one prints up to 13 inches wide. I buy 13x19 paper and print most of my own 12x12 projects. My other printer is a very old HP, but still kickin'. It has a fax and scanner. I actually have a different HP scanner as well for photos, but am ready to upgrade. Don't tell my husband yet.

I actually printed most of my P365 last year at Wal-Mart believe it or not. I was printing so many I decided it might be cost advantageous to take it elsewhere. Ink is pricey, especially Epson.

I don't know if this has answered all of your questions, but I'm always willing to share the little I know. Feel free to email me at lish@mchsi.com.

There are amazing tutorials out there, but I know it can all seem very overwhelming when you don't know where to start. I hope this has given you some direction.

Thirty-seven.

(Photos by Flash! Digital Portraits)

As I sit to write tonight I'm feeling completely conflicted.

I remember not so very long ago thinking people in their 30s were soooo old! Here I am, getting closer to that 40 number with each passing year. I look in the mirror and wonder where the years went.

I remember reading something by a bigwig in the scrapbooking industry several years ago now about celerating your life and documenting it in some capacity. As moms we tend to be so focused on our kids that at times we neglect ourselves. I have really wanted to do some sort of book or even just a page "about me" for some time. I thought 30 or 35 would be perfect, but unfortunately it never happened. I'm not getting any younger, so I decided not to wait for another big even milestone. 37 it is. So, I booked a photoshoot- a first. I realize now that I've spent a lifetime dwelling on my imperfections.

We are all a composite of specific genetic variables and really have little say in the outcome. We are who we are. Sure, certain life choices may play some part. I think it's time to embrace who I am and to accept myself, flaws and all.

So, in my first attempt to define and embrace me I've compiled two lists- quirks and loves. This is mostly for me. It's something I've been mentally working on for a couple weeks now. You can feel free to skip this section.

37 Alicia Quirks
1. Am a list maker.
2. Can only be in a jet tub for 15 min max before hyperventilating.
3. Cannot make decisions, especially under pressure.
4. Hoard photos digitally- have 3 external hard drives.
5. Forget to eat when engrossed in a project, but can eat like a pig otherwise.
6. Constantly pick at hangnails. 2 fingers are permanently damaged.
7. Can’t function in chaos or disorganization; am an avid organizer.
8. Cursed with super strong sense of smell.
9. Always cold. Go to bed with more clothes than I wake up with.
10. Pool water on bathroom counter. Still a mystery.
11. Earphones don’t stay in ears.
12. Sluggish digestive issues.
13. Horrible time management skills.
14. Perfectionist mentality with all tasks.
15. Can get easily overwhelmed.
16. Require 8 hours of sleep. Hate mornings.
17. Very oily skin, will hopefully be a blessing and not a curse one day.
18. Phobias: heights, tight spaces, bridges, and forks.
19. Mind never stops; very scattered thoughts.
20. Prone to TMJ. The mere thought of eating a fat sandwich can set it off.
21. Prefer baking over cooking.
22. I write using my thumb, index, and middle fingers and have indentations accordingly.
23. Am hardly ever thirsty, making it hard to consume the recommended amt of water.
24. Suffer from S.A.D. annually.
25. Very detailed dreams.
26. Love stability, but long for more spontaneity.
27. Talk/laugh when nervous or uncomfortable; shy until I know someone well.
28. Love being one with nature, but will only tent camp 2 days max w/o running water.
29. Have a soft spot for animals, but hate having pets in my home.
30. Apply (and advocate) sunscreen liberally ever since I had to have 2 moles removed.
31. Would die if couldn’t have carbs any more (always have weird carb cravings)
32. Shopping in home office stores makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
33. Bad restaurant experiences can scar me for life, or at least a very long time.
34. Require sunshine and exercise.
35. Have a poor memory; have forgotten half my childhood.
36. Can choke on air.
37. Allergies to mold, which lead to regular sinus infections.

37 Things I Love
1. acnefree system
2. hummus
3. long tube socks
4. movie nights
5. zeno
6. oil absorbing sheets
7. rockaholic dirty secret dry shampoo
8. spiral curling iron
9. clorox wipes
10. panera rye bread
11. photoshop elements
12. magic eraser
13. angel food cake with white fluffy icing
14. canon cameras
15. sunglasses from gordmans
16. buckle jeans
17. target sales
18. sunny days
19. tulips
20. salt and vinegar chips
21. american idol
22. lifetime movies
23. chi iron
24. watermelon cube gum
25. arm and hammer toothpaste
26. the smell of pickles
27. fingerless gloves
28. fresh snow
29. iphone
30. boggle/word games
31. beautiful sunsets
32. panera baked potato soup
33. good old fashioned scary movies
34. the beach
35. taking photos
36. dvr
37. music of all genres, mostly alternative lately

I follow several blogs on a regular basis that inspire me. There are two that have truly touched me recently and made me stop and reevaluate my priorities. One of them is http://mandydouglass.blogspot.com/. She was the 2009 creating keepsake scrapbooker of the year. She was recently diagnosed with a rare disease called NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), also known as Devics Disease after she lost sight in one eye. She doesn't know what the future holds for her. She writes, "So just for today ... I take a few short moments, (and challenge you to do the same) to look at my kids and burn their image into my mind. Just for today I embrace the moment I see the man of my dreams, walk through the door and give me that beautiful smile. Just for today I am enjoying every moment, every second, and every minute ... because tomorrow I might not be able to."

The other blog that puts me in my place is http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/. Stephanie and Christian Nielson are truly an inspiration. They survived a small plane crash where they were both severely burned and somehow survived. Stephanie suffered burns over 80% of her body and was put in a medically induced coma. That's when I started following their story. It makes it hard to complain after reading about the challenges she faces on a regular daily basis.

There are so many amazing people out there that go through trials I will never experience or even begin to understand. But they lift me and inspire me to celebrate the life I have and not take anything for granted.

37 was actually not too painful. It was nice to be able to spend the day with my husband. He has got to be one of the most thoughtful people I know. He actually got up after I was asleep last night to make my cake since he is working tonight. Then he got up early to get breakfast. We went shopping and to a movie I know he didn't want to see. It was a day of pampering all the way around. I had sweet, thoughtful gifts and b-day wishes from family and friends all day. Thanks for remembering me. It was a great birthday!

Hummus

This is not much to look at, but this is delish!! Two thumbs up from me. Way better than what I've been buying in the stores. The funny thing is that it's actually roasted red bell pepper hummus, but I failed to get the red peppers, so it was absent and still really tasty. I think the sriracha really helped. The roasted peppers are also available in jars and I will probably try that next time.

Thanks Haldan and Mike for helping. Our hand processor recently died, so we had to rely on our blender. It was a little tricky, but Mike had the patience it required. So, it is possible to make if you don't have a food processor, just may take a little longer.

The ingredients were a little hard to find. After trying several stores we finally went to Jo Jo's Oriental Market in the Town and Country shopping plaza. If you've never been it's worth a stop. I thought it might help to have a picture of what you're looking for. I actually googled it at Target when I first started looking. I admit, these are new ingredients for my pantry.

This is one of the 3 foods I've been craving for several weeks now, so we went ahead and bought several cans of chick peas. Now I'm set. If you haven't yet tried red pepper hummus you're totally missing out!

This recipe actually comes from "pinch my salt". Go here to check it out. They have food, recipes, and photography and it's one of my new favorites.

Organizing: Questions & Answers

I've had several questions regarding my "Organizing Tips: Girl's Room" post. See here.

Question: Where'd you get C's white cubed shelf unit? (Sarah)
Answer: The white cube shelf actually comes from IKEA. They have different colors and sizes also available. They have some similar at Target, but are generally online purchases only. You can find Pokey's shelving unit here. The only bummer about IKEA is that you generally have to purchase items in the stores, otherwise shipping is outrageous (generally a flat rate regardless of what you purchase). Plus all items are not available online. You can check for store locations here.

Question: Where did you get the organizers for the socks and unmentionables? (Shawna)
Answer: Again, the drawer dividers were found at IKEA. I bought acouple packages (with a variety of sizes) and divided them up throughout all of her drawers. They come in a set of 6 and cost $9.99. You can find them here or check out photo here.

Question: How do you store christmas cards you send out? (Anna)
Answer: There is no one perfect answer. I actually make scrapbook pages and put them in the end of my books since I do them by years chronologically. I also think a small scrapbook dedicated specifically to nothing but "christmas cards through the years" would be great way to store and enjoy them. You could display the book at christmas time each year. Keep it simple and make the card the focus.

Question: What do you do with all the school papers? (Kathryn)
Answer: Pokey and Little Man both have boxes in their room. Every night when they bring home papers we sort through them and toss anything not important. If they want to keep papers, they put them in their box. At the end of the school year we spend an afternoon and sort through the box together. Waiting until the end makes it much easier to compare and prioritize things by order of importance. I let them decide things that they really want to keep. We have long underbed storage totes that seem to be the perfect size for over sized art projects. We also have a filing box for K-5 and 6-12. I have a large pocket filing folder for each grade. All of the items have to fit in that folder. If not, they have to go through the purging process again. I figure a few things from each grade is more than sufficent and it is also teaching them to not be hoarders. I also keep a filing box in the office for report cars, school pictures, and special awards K-5 and 6-12. I'll have to take some photos and do a post about it sometime.

I do love IKEA from an organizing aspect. They have reasonably priced items in a variety of sizes and colors. Great organizing solutions. Most of the large items in Pokey's room come from IKEA: bed, dresser, desk, shelving unit, stuffed animal holder, and drawer organizers/white bins. The nearest IKEAs are located 4-5 hours away and consequently it is not always the most ideal.

The shoe dividers, purple jewelry organizer, and cute baskets come from Target. They actually do offer some great organizing solutions at Target and also have amazing clearance deals. You have to keep your eyes pealed.

They have killer deals on Toys, Sporting Goods, and clothing right now. You better hurry!!Unfortunately it would appear that the Global Bizarre is not happening this year, which is a total bummer. That is where I get much of my home goods once they hit 50-75% markdowns. I'm still hoping though.

My sister and I were talking about the Container Store and Bed Bath & Beyond as other stores offering organizing supplies. I have purchased some items at both, but if you are on a budget they generally are a little pricier and don't offer good sales like Target.

Back to organizing...
Spring Cleaning is a familiar term and when most people tend to do much of their organizing, but for some reason Jan and Feb are always the months I organize the most. Not only does it keep me busy, but something about it relaxes me and helps keep me sane through those gloomy months. I also think that watching "Hoarders" has kicked me into high gear. Do any of you watch that show? I think it's on A&E. I am addicted. I DVR it and watch it when I can. Something about it makes me keep going back for more. I feel so sad for these people and totally can't relate on any level (I've never had problems purging)... yet I find myself so intrigued and I just can't stop. If you haven't seen it yet, you should totally check it out. It might be just the incentive you need to get your life in order.

I'm going to be working on my office and bedroom closet in the coming weeks. If there is something you have questions about, please feel free to leave me a comment or email me at lish@mchsi.com.

Week 3 {365} "Finding Fun in the Funk"

Weather conditions continue to be nasty here in the heartland of America, ranging from thick fog to ice storms to dark, dreary, very wet days. It's anything but lovely, but it sure can produce amazing images.

Take a close look at these trees. This is the result of fog... freezing! What a magnificent phenomenon. Aren't those silver branches beautiful? Wish I could have had more time to get out and really capture it well. These are trees that line the street by the kid's school.

After weeks on end of crappy weather and no sun- it's bound to get to you. I finally realized that I was tired of it and I wasn't going to let it get me down anymore, as hard as it may try. I know we can't hop on a plane and hit a tropical island everytime the weather gets bad, so I've decided to embrace it. This week the kids had 1 and 1/2 days off school for an ice storm, so we braved the roads and went bowling. We found one open after our second try and we had the place all to ourselves. We bowled 2 games and although none of us are that great, we had lots of fun. I think Little Man beat me both times.

We also went ice skating. We were hoping to find it empty, but it turned out to be an elementary school/scout night... tons of people. Before we left Haldan and I were attempting to race and my skate hit a divot in the ice and I took an amazing nose dive. I'm not sure I've ever fallen that hard on ice before. I remember skating on ponds as a kid and I'm sure I must have fallen, but nothing I can recollect quite like that. Luckily I thought to protect my face and my knee ended up taking the brunt of it. Not the most padded part of my body. And yes, still feelin' it today. But boy was it worth it.

On Friday Haldan and I drove up to Dubuque for the day and hit Sundown. I can count how many times I've skied on one hand. We actually skied White Pass and accidentally ended up on a hard slope first. We managed. I know it's been a while, but I figured Sundown would be a breeze. After the bunny slopes I was thinking a refresher lesson might have been a good idea, but we decided to take the plunge on the intermediate slope anyway. I fell so many times I lost count. The second time through was only one fall, but by then we were both exhausted and decided to call it a day. It was already time to leave to head home anyway. It was quite the workout and I'm sure I'll be feeling it for some days to come. It was also drizzling the entire time, but I'm so glad we did it. I would really like to take the kids soon and get them some lessons. I think they would love it. Who knew that Iowa had those kinds of hills? We've been to the slopes in Decorah before, but nothing like Sundown. Maybe we can even invest in some ski clothes.

We also hit a hockey game, had a date night, and watched tons of movies. It's been a really good week. The first good week I can remember in some time, maybe since our trip to NM- which has really got me thinking.

I can't change the weather, but I can embrace the circumstances given me. I think it's time to let go of fears and inhibitions and just simply LIVE. I think 20 years from now I'll be more disappointed by what I didn't do than what I did.

I wonder what life might have been like if I was told in the very beginning that I was going to die. Morbid, I know. Would I have been less cautious? Would I have lived a less rigid, fear driven, structured, by the book life?

I heard Tim McGraw's song recently as I was driving and although it's a song I've heard many times over, it really spoke to me. It has such a great message.

I went sky divin'
I went rocky mountain climbin'
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fumanchu
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I've been denying
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin'

We never know when our time will be up, so we might as well live each day to the fullest and live as if we were dyin'. Abraham Lincoln said, "In the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

What wise words to live by. I would really like to live more in the moment and enjoy each day.

I'm sure there will be hiccups and heartaches along the way, maybe even a few bruises... but that's to be expected. It shouldn't make us afraid to live.

I want to be happy and I guess I had my "ah-ha" moment the other night when it finally dawned on me that I am the only person that can truly make me happy. I want to make sure that I'm making choices because I want to (and no other reasons, especially not for obligations or fears). I don't want to sit on the sidelines and watch life pass me by. I want to be out there having an amazing ride, enjoying every moment.

My appetite is back, the temps have been warming (20s-30s), and I'm excited to wake up tomorrow for the first time in as long as I can remember. It's hard to believe one week ago that I would feel this good today, but I'm so glad to be here.

Next time you have days that look like this outside, try to think of something amazing you could be doing in spite of the weather. Maybe take up ice fishing or curl up on the couch with a funny movie and your favorite treats. Life is too short to let the weather win.

Egg Salad

Here's a new twist on an old favorite. I found it in the Martha Stewart Everyday Food Book. I got the subscription for Christmas. I actually got 2, so should be well fed for 2 years. This time of year I generally like to go light, but for some reason the last 2 or 3 weeks I haven't had much of an appetite. I've actually been eating lots of hummus (mostly because it's one of 3 things I've been craving). I just got all the ingredients to make my own. I'll have to let you know how that goes. The egg salad recipe sounded good, so I had to act on it.

I actually kept the egg yolks as well, but by leaving them out it would make it a healthier sandwich. I chose pumpernickel bread over wholegrain. You could also opt for light sour cream if desired. The Dijon is not for everyone. Tweak it to your liking.

Organizing Tips: Girl's Room

So, it would appear that my poor, sweet Pokey didn't inherit the neat gene and it is evident in her room. Do you have one of those kids? Every so often I have to go in and work my magic to make it more inhabitable. I think it's a talent all in itself that she can exist among such utter choas, but maybe that's just me. I know that it has been especially challenging for her since we moved most of her toys up there. When our basement flooded last year we lost our play room and we had to redistribute the toys. We donated many, but the ones the children wanted to keep had to find new homes. Pokey's bedroom is not that large and consequently we have to be extra diligent with the organization. Personally I don't think children should have toys in their bedrooms. It makes it a more difficult task of keeping it clean, but sometimes we are limited by space and have to improvise. Due to our current circumstances this is what we have found that helps Pokey... not a perfect room, but one that she can manage.

Tip 1: Delve in. It is a good idea to try to do a good deep clean at least quarterly. Don't be afraid to really get in there and pull everything out. You could be surprised what you find.

Tip 2: Purge. Whenever you clean it is always important to reevaluate whether or not items are necessary. It is also a good idea to get rid of broken or unused toys following holidays or birthdays to make room for the new. Make sure to have desigated bins: donate, sell, and trash. It makes the process go quicker.

Tip 3: Clearly define spaces. I remember once hearing that just like we have addresses for our homes, every item in your home needs to have it's very own address; a place that is designated just for it. Make a special home for school papers, jewelry, books, stuffed animals, different pieces of clothing, shoes, laundry, treasures, DS games, toys, cds, craft supplies, backpacks, etc.

Tip 4: Include your child in the process. It will give them more ownership of their space, teach them how to part with items, and hopefully help them to keep a tidier room.

Oops.

Turns out I misunderstood what Becky Higgin's Digital books were going to be like. I assumed the digital stuff would be like the downloads that were available last year (and maybe they will still have that too?) But great news for those of you who haven't yet got the paper kit or think it sounds like too much work. She will have a digital template available online that you can literally just plug in your text and photos (like shutterfly or snapfish, etc) The photo is an example of what it will look like should you choose to make one. It looks very similar to the design of the regular kit. Wish I'd known about this earlier!


To learn more, stay tuned to beckyhiggins.com or go here. She says, "Everyone will be able to build a book online and play around with it for FREE. No obligation. Should you choose to print a book, then you can pay for that. But if you get in there and play around and decide it's not for you, there's nothing to lose. You just don't follow-through with printing. And you pay nothing at all."

Don't know prices yet, but definitely worth a looksy.

Week 2 {365} "Eew and Ugh"

I have been much more introspective than normal lately. Definitely doesn't help to be on the brink of yet another birthday or to be in the throws of winter. But the place I am at in my life is new territory for me. At this age I would have hoped to have a better handle on my sense of identity. I now realize that much of the choices that I have made in my life have been choices out of obligations and fear. As a LDS, "free agency" is a term heard frequently, yet ironically it is not a principle that I have ever felt I could practice freely as a member of the mormon faith. Now with these painful realizations, I am trying to put my broken self back together and figure out who I am.

No, this is not a sandy beach. Just one of the many streets in our city this week, which believe it or not is actually harder to drive on than snow sometimes. Sand has taken over. The city has become one big, giant sandbox. We drive over it, track it into our garages, then right into our homes. Makes me wish even more that I had a large mud room.

This week has hit the peak of disgusting in my book (even though I know this is but the first of many similar weeks to come) and if dictionaries had photos this would be the image next to "disgusting." As I drive around the only word that comes to mind is, "eew."

As temps warm and streets get cleared my spirits improve. It is hard to not let it get to you. Not to worry though, Jack Frost is still making his rounds here. I woke and thought it had snowed when I saw this tree. Upon closer inspection I realized that it was just frost. It was really interesting to view up close (kinda reminded me of freezer burn). If I hadn't have been in my slippers I might have gotten a better image, but this will have to suffice.

Other weekly highlights include: photoshoot for the Samek family and Little Man's speech on Ponce De Leon (last minute notice for music and costume, but I managed). You know it's a lame week when the Barnes toes make the cut for the POTD slot.

The gist of my week in a nutshell would be "eew and ugh"... but I'm forging forward and keeping one foot in front of the other.

{out with the old, in with the new}

I have a confession: I just opened my project life kit today even though I got it in the mail a week ago now. It sat in the box staring at me. I just couldn't bring myself to take on a new project before the old one was done. I stayed up late last night and caught up with all my journaling for the last 3 weeks. I'm only 2 weeks behind now for 2010, but I actually didn't even have all of my supplies for my project 365 until February last year. At least that's what I'm telling myself.



The journaling was by far the hardest part for me. I do keep a journal, but it's on my computer- and a bit sporadic. Writing it by hand is much more of a challenge, but I rose to the occasion and it is offically done! One day I may even be grateful to have my words in my own handwriting. "May" being the operative word.



The 2010 kit is called Project Life and even the box is beautiful. If you haven't got one yet you are in luck. They are going to be available on amazon.com starting Jan 22nd if rumors are correct. Unlike last year there will be plenty available.



I'm already loving this kit. It has fun colors and the best part is that it is all there. For $39.95 you get the binder, divided pages, the journaling cards, monthly cards, and much, much more. I don't even want to think about what I actually spent last year to do my own kit. Becky Higgin's Project 365 kits were sold out the first week of January last year and I was too late. I used an album I already had and found some divided pages at Hobby Lobby and made it work. I was excited when she offered some of the kit digitally, but it meant I had to print out everything before I could even start journaling. It was a challenge to keep up with, but I somehow managed. The ink alone to print that many cards was well more than the kit would have been. I'm grateful that I have it this year. Not sure how I'm going to approach the journaling though since I've decided to do it by weeks rather than days. Gonna play that one by ear.

I've heard that she will have some or all of the kit available digitally, but I highly recommend you pay the $39.95 and just get the paper kit. Not only will it save money, but loads of time and energy. Just think of all the cutting you won't have to do. Well worth it!

If you want to learn more about Project Life there is a very informative video you can watch. Click here. To keep up with all of the latest info on Project Life, go to http://www.beckyhiggins.com/.

Good luck. I'd love to hear how it's going.

2009 Photo of the Year

There are actually 2 photos of the year because I couldn't bring myself to choose between the categories.

People/Other Category 1st Place Photo

Coming in a close second was the July photo of Pokey at the St Louis Arch.

Nature/Scenery Category 1st Place Photo

Coming in another close second for nature was the January photo of the snow covered trees.

Thanks to all who voted and participated on this journey. It's been a rewarding experience and hopefully a tradition I can carry on in some way every year. Stay tuned for my weekly Project 365 updates in 2010.

Are you prepared?

I'm not the most prepared person in the world, but when it comes to this I feel very passionate about it. I actually put the kit together a couple years ago. It was pre-snow tire days and I had many instances when I would get stuck or not be able to get up my hill. You've all heard about the ocassional story when the weather will get so bad they shut down highways. Well, if you live in Iowa or anywhere that there are negative temps in the winter months, this is something you should at least consider. It gives me peace of mind to know I can keep my kids safe.

I did a display at a Preparedness Fair a while back, so I put together a list of everything in the tote. Yes, I keep it in the back of my car at all times from November-March.

Emergency Winter Car Kit

-chains or traction mats
-kitty litter or sand for traction on snow or ice
-fix a flat inflater and sealer spray
-tow rope may help get you out of a winter weather bind or you might be able to help a fellow motorist
-road flares provide 10 minutes of high visibility
-tool kit
-collapsible snow shovel to scrape snow away from tires
-jumper cables to restart engine
-ice scraper/ snow brush to clear windshield
-fuel line or door lock de-icer
-first aid kit also pack medications incase you are stuck on the road (bad weather may delay emergency workers)
-towel to protect floors or dry off
-duct tape can temporarily fix a broken windshield wiper, hold glass together, mend a hose, serve as a temporary gas cover, etc.
-flashlight check batteries often; batteries lose power quicker in cold (also consider light sticks or hand crank/ shake no battery flashlight)
-pocket knife
-AM/FM radio to listen to traffic reports or emergency messages
-blanket/ foot or body warmers great if you get stalled in cold weather
-warm clothes scarves, gloves, hats, boots, and heavy jacket or coat
-umbrella/ rain ponchos
-activities for children include games, books, pen, paper, and/or scriptures
-diapers or change of clothes for children
-wet wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet tissue
-food pack items containing protein such as nuts or energy bars or canned food with can opener
-bottled water bring enough for each person in your car and any pets
-fully charged cell phone/ charger
-gas in car keep at least ½ tank at all times
-money ($5 cash/ change) for emergencies