2012 Resolution- update

My resolution for 2012 was to get more sleep.  How did I do? Well, I succeeded. I now can say I get 6 hours of sleep/night... so I would say this lifestyle change was a success, but I still feel like I could use more (maybe that is a sign of getting older??). 

So, I will continue this resolution for 2013...

~Angela

Crafting with Corks

I have a thing for wine corks. I have collected them over the years from drinking wine (obviously!) and they have made great souvenirs from travels, like the trip to Napa Vally and Door County, WI. And I have friends that save them for me too. I save them in a giant wine glass I got from my brother as a "you're the best sister in the world" gift (I love that guy!), but it was overflowing, so I did what anyone would do and crafted with them!

The thing I love best about these projects is that they were very simple and I had everything already on hand to make them so they cost nothing. And it recycled the corks! Simple, cheap and cute craft projects = a happy me:)

A little hot glue and a wooden base~ viola! A Christmas tree!

I'd make a tutorial except this project is so easy a description will surely suffice: Hot glue corks together.
The reddish corks got the color from the red wine they helped keep in the bottle; the green corks I painted.

Another tree, all the corks match unlike the previous random tree.

A Christmas ornament

I made the with a friend- I love joint projects- 2 people creating something together!!

Wine cork memo board

~Angela

Homemade Nativity Set

 

Most of the supplies I already had (LOVE projects like that!)

 

 

Here is a supply list in case you don't have everything on hand:

 

I cut the wood from wooden scraps. The pieces measuring approx:

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 7 inches high (Mary- the red)

1.5 X 1.5 inches square and 8 inches high (Joseph)

1 X 3 inches (Baby Jesus)

 *I made a couple of these and the sizes varied depending on the size of wood scraps I had, so use your own crativity!

I purchased the wooden circles at a craft store

 

Small amount of wire (4 inches)

Small wooden star

Paint

Hot glue

Raffia or ribbon

 

I painted the pieces and sanded the edges for that rustic look. I also drilled a hole to attach the wire into for the star that is above their heads.

 

I used raffia that I had on hand to tie around the pieces of wood, but it is strictly for decorative purposes as I hot glued all the pieces together first.

~Angela

 

Observations of a Salvation Army Bell Ringer

My husband and I have always valued giving back to help others, but the Christmas after our little girl was born, we started bell ringing for the Salvation Army as a family. I also ring bells with a friend each year and we have a blast together. At 8 months old, she was the youngest bell ringer and it was the start of a tradition that we plan to continue for many years. Now rather than being bundled into a stocking like that first year, our little girl dances and helps put money in to the bucket. We worked on teaching her to say “Thank You” for those who donate and “Happy Holidays” to those who do not, although she sometimes got the two mixed up and said “Thank you” to everyone. My hope is that teaching her young will instill in her the desire to give back for years to come.  

Bell ringing for 2 hours raises $100 on average, which can serve 50-80 people a nutritious meal according to the Salvation Army.

It is interesting in the times that we’ve rang bells the interactions with people we’ve come across:

-People who look for the bucket and already have their money out well in advance

-People who are quick to wish us a “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” and thank us for being there

-People who avoid eye contact at all costs even when you have greeted them

-People who are looking very intently at their receipt (this seems to be the majority of people)

-People who are friendly but walk as far away from us as possible as if we are going to pickpocket them for money (we are not)

I wish I had a sign that said “We are enjoying our time as a family by ringing bells. We have no way of knowing who receives assistance from the Salvation Army or who just gave all the money they had at the last store they were at. It does not matter to us either way. It does not matter to us if you donate or not; we will still wish you a “Merry Christmas” and we will still ring our bells. Have a nice day.”

Ah, but there will be no sign, just bell ringers at stores throughout the country, continuing this Christmas tradition…so, if you come across the, please at least acknowledge them. A smile is a free gift.

One tired little bell ringer, towards the end of our shift

~Angela

Giving

“When someone does something nice for you, you never ever forget it” ~ me

I suppose it is a play off the quote “People will forget the things you say, but not how you made them feel” by someone much more famous than I (forgive me, I don’t know offhand who that person is).

I have very distinct memories of all sorts of really great things people have done for me over the years (I distinctly remember the bad too, but try not to focus on those), and I still feel the love I felt at that moment when I think back on those really great things. I remember the Christmas tree my mom’s coworker gave us years ago because we would not have had one otherwise. I remember the people who were there when I needed support after the loss of a friend, the illness of a family member, the struggle to understand why life happens the way does. I remember the car rides when I was stranded along the side of the road, the unexpected gift of chips and salsa after running a marathon, those who helped me scrape paint, then repaint and replace windows, and roof my house as a young homeowner. I remember the people who stayed with me when I was scared- their presence a huge gift to me. I remember those who paid for a meal when I was down to my last $5, and helped after my daughter was born, cooked for me, let me nap, gave advice. The letters and cards that come at just the right time in the mail, provide encouragement, “a hug in an envelope”, so to speak. I remember those moments and savor those moments; they’re gifts- those memories. When I think of those people who gave those gifts, the really great things they’ve done often define them- a moment of generosity that gives a glimpse to who they are.

Giving is a very personal thing and when we decide to give, we cannot judge. We give because we want to give and we hope we are making a positive difference in someone else’s life. My hope is that the gesture we make or the assistance we provide gives the recipient the help they need and it is appreciated, and that someday they will pay it forward, but that is not always the case. And that has nothing to do with it. When you decide to give, you give because you want to. What happens after that is not up to the giver.

I stopped to pick up a list for our local Adopt A Family Program and left in tears. This was intended to be a rather quick errand: run in, get list, run out. And I am still trying to grasp what exactly happened in there except I was overcome with so much emotion. It wasn’t the nondescript office building where the temporary office is housed, nor did I come in contact with any other people than the two volunteers that were there. It just got me thinking…about those people that have helped me over the years. And about the people I have been able to help. And then I couldn’t stop crying…a mixture of happiness for those who have helped me when I needed it the most, and a happiness for being at a place in my life where I can give back, yet an overwhelming sense of sadness for those who need, not just this time of year, but always. And realizing that although people tend to be generous around the holidays, there are individuals and families that struggle all the time. A humbling emotion for the fact that we are all just one catastrophe away from struggling ourselves, be it a lost job, a terrible accident, natural disaster, a health concern, or any number of things that can turn our lives upside down in a minute. A hurtful emotion of those who judge others. I’ve felt the brunt of judgement my whole life and because of that, I try really hard not to judge others. We can all have opinions, but to make judgements based on our opinions is just plain wrong.

 I am just one person of many, trying to make the world a better place because I can. Because people have done that for me when I’ve struggled. And I will never forget that. I am willing to give my time to help others. I am willing to forgo that meal out to instead pay for someone else’s. I make a conscious choice to limit the number of gifts we buy for our daughter at Christmas to instead buy for those who would otherwise have no gifts at all. It is important to me to raise a daughter who values the needs of others, appreciates what she has and who realizes how lucky she is to have a loving family, a warm home, food and clothing. As parents we want to give our kids everything we can, but I think it is important to put perspective into their world as well. Because I struggled as much as I did as a young college student and homeowner, I have the perspective I do. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.

~Angela

Super SIMPLE Recipe: Thai Chicken Pizza

This was delicious and easy.

 

Ingredients

1. Premade pizza crust

2. Peant sauce (I used 1/3 jar from Trader Joes)

3. Chicken- cooked and cut into pieces

4. Mozzarella cheese

5. Cilantro (fresh or dried)

 

Directions:

spread peanut sauce on crust, add chicken, cheese and top with cilantro. Bake according to instructions on pizza crust and desired crust doneness -yes, that is a word:)

Then, enjoy!

~Angela

 

How we are Simplifying the Holidays

We have taken several steps to simplify our holidays the last couple of years:

DECORATING: We decorate early in the season for two reasons: We can enjoy the decorations longer & it tends to be warmer out which makes outside decorating much more pleasant. Plus it is a tradition to decorate around our wedding anniversary.

GIFT GIVING: This year I also decided NOT to make homemade gifts for everyone on our list, like last year. My intentions last year were good, but it was time consuming and stressful. This year, I still made a few gifts, but we bought most of them and I tried to buy local when at all possible. We have also given the gift of time/memories with concert tickets and activities to do together, because face it: we all have too much stuff already.

And rather than worry about spending the exact same amount of money on each person, we just buy what they would like. I have spent too much time at stores looking for something that costs $6 or to make it all fair. Then you end up with a impersonal $6 gift that is likely to be returned anyway. And although the time we put into making gifts is priceless, time is worth something too. We put a lot of thought into each gift and that makes up for the slight inequality. And since we have only one child, we can swing it.

BAKING: I don’t enjoy baking all that much, especially alone. And when I have a little helper, the finished product is not always one that is pleasing to the eyeJ Therefore I do not bring plates of treats to my coworkers, friends or neighbors. Last year I hosted a soup luncheon instead and I loved it so much more. It meant I was able to visit with my coworkers, friends and neighbors in my own home over a warm meal instead of trying to track them down to deliver treats that I really didn’t enjoy making to begin with.

TRAVEL: Since our families are so spread out, we used to try to see each of them for all holidays, travelling to two or three places for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We called it the “Tour de Minnesota” and although we tried to make it fun, staying up late and driving only to get up early and do more driving made us tired and crabby. We never felt like we settled in; rather, we were counting down the hours until we had to leave for the next place again. And packing and unpacking the car at each stop was a nightmare- because of the cold weather where and the risk of gifts/toiletries/snacks freezing, we would have to bring in everything at every place we stopped. Factor in poor weather conditions and what should be a fun adventure, is instead stressful, exhausting and miserable. Not exactly putting us in the jolly Christmas spirit. Since both my husband and I have families that we want to spend time with, -we are lucky in that regard! Although I jokingly say it would be easier if one of us had a family we didn’t want to spend time with, I would never wish for that. I doubt we would ever have gotten married if that were the case. We both put high value on family- we decided to alternate the holidays we spend with our families. One year with my family; the next with my husband’s. This is the right decision for us as it save us about 8-10 hours in the car which means more time with our families! It is still hard for me when I am not with the family I grew up celebrating with, creating traditions with, knowing those traditions are still going on without me, no matter how welcoming my husband’s family is. And although more than anything I want my daughter to wake up on Christmas morning in her own home, this works for us.

The small steps we’ve taken have allowed us more time to be at home, reading holiday books and watching holiday movies, playing with the nativity set, ringing bells, and being together. In my mind, that is exactly what the holidays should be about anyway.

~Angela

Magnets from Instagram Photos

This is not a sponsored post. I blog for me and am not being paid to write this. I just share things that I love and this is one of those things!

I take a fair share of photos with my iPhone and edit them with Instagram, but if you get the pics developed, they are stretched since Instagram takes square photos and most photo studios develop 4X6 prints.

I found Stickygram which prints your Instagram photos on 9 magnets to a sheet (2 inches x 2 inches) and mails them to you. It is super easy to order and is all done from your phone. 

 This sheet was $14.99 (shipping included) although they have discount codes for your first order.

Nothing magnetic sticks to our fridge so our metal door is our place to display projects:)
~Angela

 

Thankful

With Thanksgiving upon us, it is the perfect time to mention just a few of the things I am thankful for againn this year. I reviewed my list from last year and there are striking similarities:

1. My family. I adore them. I would do anything for them. I know that they would do anything for me in return. We have fun together, make time to be together and I appreciate them. I cannot imagine my life without my family. They are a constant presence in my life. This includes my husband, daughter, mom, brother, grandma, cousins, aunts, incles, and inlaws. I am proud to raise my daughter in a family with so much love.

2. My health. After a couple stress fractures earlier this year that kept me couch bound for several weeks and then an injured finger (I am extremely klutzy), I appreciate more than ever the ability I have to exercise. I try to remind myself of this on days I struggle to peel myself out of bed to meet my running partner or come up with a bazillion other excuses not to work out.

3. My friends. I feel blessed to have the lifelong friends I have. After going through a hurtful honesty session (me being told we were never friends to begin with) with people I cared deeply for, I appreciate those friends that were there to pick me up, let me cry, stopped by my house just for a hug, and remind me what I always preach- focus on the good; not the bad because there is a lot more good than bad.

4. My job. I realize how blessed I am to have a job in an economy that is harder than ever to find one. It's a bonus that I like it most days. It provides me with the sense of providing for my family that I so desperately feel is important. And although my job as a Mom doesn't pay much in monetary ways, it is the most challenging and rewarding job I'll ever have. And I am thankful for my role as a Mom too. My little girl continues to amaze me and make my heart swell with love. Nothing prepared me for how much I would love my child. She blesses my life in so many ways. I am thankful she is a happy, healthy and loving child.

5. That my house does not have mice.  Honestly, this time of year was brutal when we lived in the country as we had a mice problem. I had nightmares for months, even after we moved. I love my house because it is comfortable, but I also love that it does not have mice.

6. My daughter. As I mentioned above, she is my world and I am grateful for her being in my life. She came to us at just the right time and was blessing right from the start.

7. My husband. He is truly a good person and sometimes I feel I don't deserve him. He puts up with my crazy ideas and lets me be me. I should have put him higher on the list, but it is in NO particular order. He is the best father I could have chosen and our life together is fun, adventurous and we enjoy being together. I look forward to coming home to him each day.

8. My education. I love to learn and read and grow. I am thankful for my education and after encouraging a young woman not to give up on her goals of a college degree as I believe education is the one thing no one can ever take from you, I appreciate now more than ever my own education. I love to see my little girl learn and grow as well and hope to be a role model for her.

9. I am thankful for each day. Each day is a gift and there have been far too many reminders lately that you never know what each day brings so we must make the most of them. And I do. I know what is important and take time each day to thank God for the blessings He has provided. Even in the darkest of days, I have been able to find something to be thankful for.  My heart aches for those that are so unhappy they are missing out on the daily blessings they have.

~Angela

Homemade Laundry Soap

This is easy and so inexpensive. All of the ingredients cost less than $6 and I have enough to do 200+ loads of laundry. It smells so good too!!

Ingredients can all be found at Walmart or Target. Our local Hardware store even carries all the ingredients:

2 C finely grated Fels Naptha soap
1 C Washing Soda
1 C Borax

Mix well. Use 2 tbsp per full load of laundry.

I store my laundry soap in this trash can, sitting out near my washing machine.

 

 

*I have a High Efficiency Washing Machine and this works great.

~Angela

 

"Things May Not Go As Planned, but Always End Up As They Should"

 

Our wedding anniversary happened to fall on Veteran’s Day which meant I had the day off from work yesterday. I had planned on sleeping in and wrapping Christmas gifts, sending my little girl to school for part of the day,  before picking her up for some Mommy/Daughter adventures. She wasn't feeling well so we laid low at home instead. It worked out that I had the day off. The morning was so stressful I wished I was at work (we were both overtired from being up a lot the night before and she was sick), but I really enjoyed cuddling in the afternoon with my bundle by the Christmas treeJ 

At night, my husband and I attempted to partake in our usual anniversary traditions: I put on my wedding dress to dance to our wedding song, watch our wedding video, and enjoy some quite time at home. As it happens sometimes, life had other plans- in addition to a sick little girl, my husband spent the night trying to fix our dishwasher and hand washing dishes. Then we had a very curious toddler who kept coming out of her bed to see what we were up to (I knew sooner or later she would figure out she could get out of big girl bed on her own!)

 

My little girl, on her multiple trips out of her room :

“Mom, I like your dress. It is very white.” (referring to my wedding dress) 

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just getting socks.”

“I am turning my tree off.”  (referring to the Christmas tree in her room)

“Hi.”

“I think we should wash my blanket.”  (not needed; I just washed it before bed)

“Cover me up.”

“I want to rock a bye.”

“I need my fan on.”

“I love you, Momma.”

“Hi Daddy.”

She cracks me up…and tests my patience, often at the same time! But I love her to pieces, my independent little one. And I love being her mom. And I love my husband for assisting in this dream of being a mom.

The whole day did not go as planned, but it was fun in its own right. J We laughed about it and appreciated the humor of it, and the fact that although things do not always go as planned, that is life and we still appreciate each other, our family and our little girl. Our family and our life is so different than the day we were married, seven years ago, but I would not change a thing.

 

We are truly living our happily ever after...

 

~Angela

Sunset

A favorite time of day for me, second only to the sunrise, (which I am much less likely to see since I am not a morning person), is sunset. I love to soak in the beauty as the day draws to a close, reflect on the day and enjoy the solitude as I watch the sky change colors and fade to black. My husband and daughter have the same appreciation for this time of day and we try to enjoy sunsets when we can.

We spent the weekend along the shore of my favorite lake and took in a breathtaking sunset.

 We stayed beyond the lightness of the day and appreciated the lake at night as well. The peacefulness creeps in as people move towards the indoors and gravitate towards warmer, cozier places.

rock hunting by the light of the moon

~Angela

Tree of Thanks (No sewing required!)

I saw this in the Pottery Barn catalog and although I loved it, I did not love the $69 price. After I found a coupon code and decided to order it, it was out of stock!  So I decided that I could make it myself. I started this project before Thanksgiving last year but it was slow going! It was not finished in time for Thanksgiving last year so this is the first year we will use it (the beginning of a new tradition!!!!)

 

All said and done, the time involved and the money I have into the material, it would have been well worth the money to buy it from Pottery Barn, but I LOVE that it is homemade! And my mom cut out all of the leaves and numbers out for me, which was a huge help! I appreciate her help and I love the fact that this was a joint family project.

 

If you want to make your own, I did not make a tutorial, but it is all made of felt. I printed off shapes for leaves, numbers and letters online for a pattern and drew by hand the tree, then cut everything out (with much help from my dear mom, of course!) and glued it all together with felt glue. There was no sewing involved.  I did have to iron on a firming fabric (that is not the technical term, but the Sales Associate a JoAnn Fabrics, knew what I was talking about) to the back so it would support itself when pinned to the wall in only two spots and no fold over.

I printed off a sheet of paper that says "I am Thankful For:"

and cut them out
 



Then we wrote down what we are thankful for.

 

As you can see, my little girl is thankful for kangaroos.



Here is a close up of the kangaroo

Then tuck the thankful cards into each number that represents the day of the month.

 

Then enjoy looking at this beautiful fall tree, being reminded of all we have to be thankful for:)

~Angela

Small Town Living

source

It was an adjustment moving to a small town when we first got here. First, there were the comments "Oh, you're not from here? You won't stay." That attitude is not condusive to making friends, let me tell you. Then there are the ways people give directions- landmarks are homes of people or places where there used to be a home but it burned down 15 years ago, neither of which is helpful when you have no idea who those people are. 

When we decided to move here, childless at the time, but planning to raise a family, make memories here, make this community our home for the long term, it was a decision that was not taken lightly. And it was the right decision for us. 

We've been here six years and it feels like home. I like it here. We have the conveniences we need and the outdoor activities we enjoy both available to us. I appreciate the simplicity of small town living. We don't spend time stuck in traffic. We dont have to pay to park. I know my way around. I can stop at home on my lunch break (oh, how I love my hour at home alone). The crime rate is low. We are not far from the grocery store, our jobs, or schools. We can walk to get a gallon of milk or walk to a restaurant for date night (oh, how I love that too). I can walk, run or bike to most of my friend's homes, the grocery store, the library and my daughter's school. We can spend time giving back and there is community support for the organizations that are here. I know my neighbors. It is peaceful. I run into people I know often. I feel safe.

It has been fun to explore the restaurants and shops to find our favorites, making memories in our own corners of our community. I'm not talking about our home or offices. There is the restaurant we ate at on our first date here, and the new roads we found while on our exploratory runs together, the same spot on the country road my husband hit a deer and I slid into the ditch one winter, the church that we joined together, the hospital I gave birth to our daughter at, the first park we took our little girl to.

We joke that when we go for runs, we don't always get the workout we intended because we run into our neighbors/friends along the way. But we don't mind. That is another part of the charm of small town living.

Today was just another reminder of just how nice it is to live in a small town. While trick or treating with my little girl, unbeknownst to me, I lost my phone. The person who found it searched through my contacts and recognized the names of my family members and friends and called my husband to let me know she had it. How lucky is that?!

~Angela

pumpkins!

Since my daughter no longer fits in a pumpkin like she did a couple years ago, this year we visited the pumpkin patch and picked out our own pumpkins instead of put her in one.

I love that my little girl picked out her "perfect" pumpkin...the one that has lumps all over it and no one else wanted. It does not have to be perfect, to be beautiful.

Daddy with his little girl and the giant pumpkins

 

A hayride together at the pumpkin patch

 

Tonight, we decorated pumpkins as a family that we will bring to a nursing home in our community. What a fun way to spend the evening, each of us working on our own pumpkin, yet working together.

oops...we got a little messy

A little helper was giving me advice on my decorating

My husband concentrating on his carving

My huband's pumpkin



My pumpkin (left) & my little girl's pumpki (right)

 

 It is a good thing we are not dropping the pumpkins off for a few days as my little girl put so much paint on hers, it will take days to dry- literally.

 

~Angela