April Reflection

Can you believe it's already May?!

That's so awesome!

Anyways, it's that time again to see how I did on my to-do list.

1. Fix the playhouse.

I at least wanted to get new windows and a doorknob on, but I exceeded that! The walls and most of the trim is put on!

2. Get all the lawn furniture out.

Kinda done. I still have my metal chairs in storage from my old patio table. I'm thinking about putting them around the fire pit...

3. Find plans for a circular bench to fit around my tree.

I found an awesome one!

4. Have a nice, small birthday for my daughter, Hailey.

We went to McDonalds! Haha! I like doing that with really young kids.

5. Do something special for my husband and I's anniversary!

Well, I couldn't book couples massages, but I did build that awesome new patio table on my anniversary, so I'm going to check this one as "done!"

6. Finish trimming the inside of the kitchen cabinets.

Ummm....I did 1 1/2 more.... I still have 2 1/2 to go, plus the painting. I'll eventually get there...

7. Begin my island transformation!

My lord, I've wanted to start this for the past two months! The only progress I've made is purchasing the tools that I need to complete it. That's still progress, right?

Overall, it's been a pretty productive month!

This next month is probably going to be the busiest month of all!

I have a couple major projects coming up, and tomorrow you will find out what they are!

April To-Do

I can't believe it's already April!

With warm weather here (well, above 50 most days anyways), I can finally start getting projects done again!

My April Goals:

1. Fix the playhouse.

I want to install new windows, lay down new carpet, paint the interior, put in a table and chairs, install a doorknob, add window flower boxes, and eventually build a white picket fence and a gate around it. Wouldn't that be adorable?

Actually, I just got done installing a doorknocker with a peephole in it today. I made some minor structural repairs, too.

Okay, I know I won't get all that stuff done, but I'm hoping for new windows and a doorknob this month.

2. Get all the lawn furniture out.

3. Find plans to make a circular bench to fit around a tree in the backyard.

4. Have a nice, small birthday party for my daughter, Hailey =)

5. Do something special for my husband and I's anniversary.

6. Finish trimming out the inside of my kitchen cabinets. I have 2 done, only 4 more to go!

7. Begin my island transformation!

March Reflection

March was a busy month for my family!

Let's see how I did on my list:

1. Get laundry completely done for at least one day! Fell short on this one again this month. I've gotten close though!

2. Have the sweetest time ever in Madison with my hubs. We had more fun than I imagined! It was definitely memorable!

3. Give my hubs and awesome an awesome bday! Considering we were in Madison for his birthday, I would have to say that his birthday was awesome!

4. Have a relaxing birthday for myself. I wouldn't say it was relaxing, considering that I was working on projects, but I did have a great day!

5. Throw a killer birthday for my son, John. Well, it would have been better if he had given out his invitations at school like I asked him to, but we still had an amazing time!

6. Get at least a B in my accelerated class. I did even better with an A =D

7. Drop 5 pounds or more. Blah. I only dropped 2. Oh well, it's still progress!

8. Decorate for St. Patty's Day for the first time ever! Done

9. Find sunblock that doesn't stink. Nope, still searching.

10. Begin my island transformation. Grrr...no. The weather hasn't been cooperating. It's finally nice out, but I'm just waiting on my taxes to get back for a little bit of "play" money.

 

Tomorrow I will work on my to-do's for April!

March To-Do

I didn't complete all my list for February.

Click here to check out last month's list.

I didn't get all my laundry done. It doesn't surprise me ;)

On to March's list:

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1. Get laundry completely done for at least one day! (lol)

Photo Cred

2. Have the sweetest time ever in Madison with my hubs.

Photo Cred

3. Give my hubs an awesome b-day.

4. Have an relaxing b-day for myself.

5. Throw a killer birthday for my son, John.

6. Get at least a B in my accelerated class that ends March 9th.

7. Drop 5 more pounds....or more....hehe

Photo Cred

8. Decorate for St. Patty's Day for the first time ever.

Photo Cred

9. Find a sunblock that doesn't smell like sunblock for a special reader =D

Photo Cred

10. Begin my island transformation.

Photo Cred

Perennials

I'm lazy.

Okay, maybe not with renovating and crafting, but I'm the laziest gardner you will find. I don't do annuals. Well, I do hanging baskets, but I never plant annuals.

I want an easy-maintenance perennial garden. All you have to do is spread mulch and de-weed every spring.

That's it.

I know, you're thinking "Yeah, and pay the $1000's for it!"

So this year I'm growing my own perennials. Seed packets are cheaper than mature plants.

That's what I decided those ugly herb planters would be used for.

(Originally they were going to hold office supplies for my craft room, but that reno can't be started until Summer)

Here's my army of perennials:

Hopefully this thrifty tactic will work =P

Goals for this year's garden:
1. Build a proper arbor for the swing my grandfather build.
2. Split my rhubarb. They are getting overgrown.
3. Plant a rasperry bush. Or two or three =D
4. Transplant another lilac bush.
5. Mulch mulch mulch. I never end up mulching. It will be done this year!
6. Finish the concrete patio.
7. Contain the epidemic of bearded irises that have taken over my backyard. Those things multiply like rabbits!

It would be an accomplishment if I even do two things on that list, haha!

Twine Heart Wreath

I promised myself I would decorate for Valentine's Day.

I never get into "the spirit" because my step-son's birthday is on that day...and well...I have more important things to worry about!

That being said...I never decorate for St. Patty's Day either. That's also my birthday...

But once I saw this picture over at Someday Crafts, I knew it was time!

A twine wreath? My favorite!

So I purchased these heart forms at Hobby Lobby:

And wrapped my twine around, and wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped, and wrapped...

hot-gluing as I went.

Then I hot-glued some red ribbon on the back:

And hung it on my kitchcen cabinets!

Lovely :)

So I checked one thing off my February To-Do List!


On a side note...when is Blogger going to put spell-check on the new posting??? I'm soooo sorry if my spelling has been terrible lately. I've realized that it's just a pain to have to switch to the old style just to spell check.
Thanks for letting me vent!

February To-Do List

A brand new month, hurray! I saw this post at Craig, Blair, and Turbo Skousen, and it made me want to jot down what I want to accomplish this month. At the end of the month, maybe I'll recap!

1. Finish the bathroom closet. I am going to LOVE having my things back in order.

This is what it started out to be. Stick around, I'm almost done demo-ing and creating!

2. Throw a killer birthday party for my step-son. The big 1-0 this year!!

This is from last year:

3. For one day, be completely caught up on laundry, clean sheets and all!

Photo Cred

4. Decorate for Valentine's Day for the first time ever!

Yes, I'm jumping on the heart wreath band-wagon! Stick around for that one, too!

5. Take a decent/profession-looking/awesome self-portrait for my blog.

What do you want done this month?

Plans

Always go in with a plan. Okay, okay, usually I wing it, but this time I have a plan.

So remember how I want to redo the walls going up the staircase. Here's my sketches of what I would like to see go up there.

It's a rough sketch, but it gives me a lot of ideas on how to play with the space. Hopefully I will get it done in the next few days, and you'll get the chance to see that.


Here's a look at my next BIG REVEAL:

Oooo, what pretty fabric!

Gotta love the West End

So I FINALLY made my silverware windchime, and it's already broken! I didn't even get to take pictures.
APPARENTLY my neighbor doesn't like windchimes. I hung two of them yesterday, and it happened to be a very windy day. My neighbor started staring me down.
I can tell the string was cut. And she's the only person who knew I hung it. I'm just doing the math.
But I will prevail. I just need to go to the thrift store and pick up another saucer. The teacup survived the damage

Anyways, ya know what really scares me? The fact that this woman is a sex offender....and she was IN MY YARD! I think I would have just cause to take a baseball bat to her spine or knees if I EVER caught her in my yard.

So...today:
-Bring Will to dr. appt in a few minutes to get his meds HE NEEDS THEM! (done)
-Pick up his meds, then drop him off at school. (done)
-Pick up neccesities for our trip this weekend to Milwaukee. (done)
-Fix the windchime
-Give Will a haircut
-Give Hailey a bath.
-Start packing for the trip
-Go shopping with my mother-in-law for my nephew's birthday
-Wrap the present
-Find someone to come and let the dog out this weekend
-Go to Will's baseball game
-Watch a movie with the fam

May 19 to-do

Ugh, I still haven't begun making my own garden toadstools yet. I got called into work last night, twice, so get the place looking good for the big haunchos coming in today.

Today's To-Do
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Go grocery shopping (half done)
Start making toadstools (done)
Give boys a haircut (half done)
Give all kids a bath (2/3 done)
Laundry (done)
Dishes (done)
Will's baseball game (done)
Clean, clean, clean
Rent Indiana Jones for family to watch tonight (done)
Shovel more dirt for the patio
Make cookies


No, I won't get that all done. It's almost noon and I haven't done any, so I know damn well I'll only get a few done.

Spinach Spread, To-Do

Nothing's quite like sipping cocoa to relax you on a stressful day. Especially when it's got giant marshmallows floating around and you're sharing the moment with one of your kids. Ahhh...bliss.
Anyways, do you want to read WHY I am so stressed?
1. Got up early to go get my van fixed by my favorite mechanic (my step dad). He should open up his own shop. Pure car genius.
2. Signed up for classes for my nusing degree. Then realizing that I will be commuting an hour and back for 4 days out of the week. blah....
3. Had to wait for nearly 3 hours as the piano guy reassembled our piano. Now it sounds lovely and is perfect working order! Yay!
4. Sat down for an hour long piano lesson. I'm coming along quite well. Too bad my hands cramp so badly....
5. Sat and sifted through old taxes to figure out my financial aid form until I was nearly in tears.
6. Varnished the windchime my son painted for me. Pics soon!
7. Made a few more luminaries to stick around the porch and deck. HOW-TO to be posted!
8. Made a yummy spinach and artichoke spread, realizing I made too much, so posted a "anyone want?" ad on Facebook.

Still to do---finish the luminaries (which consists of me heading to Walmart again), hang John's windchime, make supper, make cute paper mache fridge magnets---HOW-TO to be posted soon.

Sound like fun? Anyways, here's the recipe for the spread:

Spinach & Artichoke Spread
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This is a warm spread. I also made a cold dip, but maybe I'll post that some other day. Anyways, this can be made with a crock pot or oven. Use the crock if you're doing this for a party. It won't go cold on your guests. But I will be showing you the oven version.
1 can artichoke hearts, and drain in VERY well!
1 can spinach, also drained very well. You can also used frozen bagged stuff, just thaw it out.
2 large garlic cloves (I just used a bunch of garlic powder b/c all my garlic has gone bad)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo (I use Miracle Whip b/c I want it tangy)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 375
2. Shove the artichokes, spinach, and garlic into a food processor. Thick or thin is up to you.
3. Dump the mixture into an oven safe cassarole dish. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add a bit more parmesan cheese if you want it cheesier. I do =)
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If it's not thick enough, you could leave it in a bit longer, just make sure you stir it so you don't have burned spinach on your dish
5. Spread it over a specialty bread, or dip bagels/crackers in it. Yummy!
****This yields A LOT of spread, so you should can it or ask anyone if they would like any****

Crab Ragoons, Palm Sunday Kids Project

Good supper last night. Chinese night. I made almost everything from a box. Pre-made eggrolls, general tso's chicken, stir fry (put it over white rice), but I DID make the crab ragoons. They taste 1,000 times better than box crap, and they are super-easy to make!

Crab Ragoons
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1. Get out your deepfryer and set that bad-boy to 400 degrees. I'm not a patient person, so the highest setting is my setting. Don't have a deepfryer?? Head to your local Younkers (hehe) and buy our new CoolTouch models. Great for around curious little ones. They also come with a lid that you can HAVE ON while the food is cooking. Good for when the oil starts bubbling.
2. Put out 12 wonton wrappers (or pot sticker wraps) which can be found in the produce aisle at your grocer.
3. Soften 4oz. (usually half a package) of cream cheese. I just zap it in the microwave for 30 sec.
4. Add in 1/4 cup of light mayo. Make sure you use mayo and not miracle whip. Miracle Whip will give it an obnoxious tangy taste.
5. Finely chop 1/4 cup of green onions. Try just to chop the green parts. Toss it in.
6. Put a can of crab meat in it.*** Try to get it to the same size as a tuna can. I once bought crab meat in a double sized can. Fishy.....blah. Anyways, mix all that crap up in your bowl.
7. Put a dab into the centers of each of the wrappers. If you have wonton wrappers, take the four SIDES and squersh them into the center. If you have pot stickers, they are circular, to just pick 4 points opposite each other and squersh to the center. Pinch the centers to seal the opening.
8. Throw some of those babies into the deepfryer facing up, and fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until crispy and browning. Drain and eat!
***not all my family likes seafood, so this recipe is just as good without the crab. I rarely add it


On a different note, it's crappy out. I went to Menards to buy some 1x4 lumber so I can start making my cottage-style shutters. Even if in 5-10 years, they could stand a new staining, I actually think it will add to the charm. Eventually, when I get my house nearly done remodeling inside and out, I want people to believe that they are actually out in the country when they visit my home. With a fence, arbors, trellises, trees, pergolas, etc. I am hoping to almost completely block out the view of my neighbors.
So here's today's To-Do
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1. Start making cottage-style shutters (how-to's will follow after I'm done)
2. Hang John's Palm Sunday picture. (Awesome project. HOW-TO BELOW)
3. Spray paint the milk canister in a hammered copper finish.
4. Talk to a student advisor at school about my RN program.
5. Go to Will's tournament at 6:30. Bring camcorder to finish my awesome wrestling video for Will.
6. Prime my new picture frames (apparently no one carries white frames anymore) so I can finally mount my modern-style paintings (done by me, of course) in the mudroom. Possibly spray paint them tonight. We'll see.



HOW-TO: Palm Sunday scrapbook picture.
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So my kids go to Sunday school every week, and this past Sunday my son brought me two cute paper palm leaves he made in class. So I decided to further the project:
1. Pick out two pieces of green construction paper. Fold each in half the long way. Draw half a palm leaf on one side. (Ya know, ovalish body, stem) Once your child has that cut out (or you can cut it!) cut slats along the edge at a diagonal. When you open up the paper, it should look like a palm leaf.
2. Buy a picture frame that will fit both. I bought a long frame. Not sure of the dimentions right now. Anyways, ya know that picture that they put in the frames? Turn it around, and use the white back side, or find a piece of paper large enough to make a backdrop.
3. Have your kid smear stick-glue all over 1 side of each leaf. Mount those bad-boys in any fashion that your kid chooses.
4. Take out your trusty bible, and find the chapters (Mathew, John, etc. have different versions) about Jesus entering Jerusalem. I picked John 12:13. Which happens to also be my son's name. Make sure you put the chapter and verse and whatnot. John wouldn't be happy if you violated the copyright laws =).
5. Go on MS Word, or an equivalent. Type it up, play with the font, colors, size, etc. and print it up.
6. I have a bucket of scrapbooking scissors. ($10 at Walmart for a starter kit of scissors) Let your kid pick out one. Cut out your verse.
7. Have your kid stick-glue it on a piece of natural-looking scrapbooking paper. Cut that out with you decorative scissors. Glue is somewhere by your leaves.
8. You can embellish it with nature stickers or such. Check Walmart. They have tons. My son chose a cool jungle butterfly with wire antennaes.
9. Put it back in the frame and hang!

Easter '09

Mmmm...mmmm....good looking day! Just got done dying eggs with the kids. They turned out wonderfully!

Adjenda:
1. Make a trip to the dumps (done)
2. Go out for a jog (done)
3. Bring the kids to their grandma's house (done)
4. Start my new piano lesson book (done)
5. Buy Easter stuff (done)
6. Iron all the kids' clothes for Easter (done)
7. Play Easter Bunny
8. Watch Marley & Me
9. Take dog on a walk
10. Dishes, laundry, overall cleaning (done)
11. Buy a killer stop watch for my interval training (done)

Busy busy day. I'm hoping that by next summer, I will be ready to start running with my aunts, mom, cousins. So I'm starting my yearlong training. Should training really take that long? No, but when you haven't ran in the past 10 years, then yes! Cuz there is noooooooooo way I can compete in the shape I'm in.

On a lighter note, pictures of the kids and their eggs!

Will and his eggs-----

John and his eggs-----

Hailey and her eggs------

Catch with Will

Lazy morning, busy day.
We are missing church today. Mainly b/c McCrabby pants is sick, and Jr. McCrabby pants insisted on sleeping in my bed. So I'm too tired to force everyone there. So once McCrabby pants wakes up, I promised the boys they can watch a movie we rented last night. 3D!

But today's going to be busy, of course.
1. Bring the piano from the garage to the living room. This means that we need to call Mike an bribe him with beer. (Check-check)(Mike was working. I had to move it. Now I can't move....)
2. Clean the house spotless. Piano repair guy is coming tomorrow (hence getting the piano in) and Hailey's 1st B-day party is Tuesday, and it's fixing to be a doozy!
3. Go to Younkers to buy Hailey's Easter dress. (Check-a-roo)
4. Go to Walmart to buy the boys' suits for Easter. Then shop for Hailey's presents. (Check)
5. Go grocery shopping for Hailey's b-day party.

But tomorrow's going to be the really crazy day. With the piano guy coming, and decorating the house, pre-preparing (does that make sense?) the food, and Will's wrestling practice. It's going to be crazy. Tomorrow I'll give a list of food that I'm serving, and maybe even a few recipes!! Except my veggie bar recipe. So far everyone says I make the best they have had, and I know of a *few* people who would just LOVE to know my recipe!

Mm....almost forgot! Yesterday was bunches of fun. Here's a few pictures for you to enjoy!

Joe and Will playing catch in the backyard-----









Hailey watching me take pictures of the guys-----------

My 23rd Birthday!

Hay hay! It's my birthday!

And I'm probably the only one not going out for St. Patty's Day, lol. I've decided that I'm going to have the "perfect day" at home. I'm not talking to anyone that bothers me, and I want to do things that I enjoy. I actually want to work on my house today. I really enjoy doing home-improvment projects. So my adjenda:

1. Sleep in (done...stayed in til 9 am)
2. Rake debris outta the yard and get the gardens ready for spring.
3. Install Will's storm window
4. Do a MAJOR grocery shopping spree
5. Buy a new bistro set for the front porch (I'm sooo tired of chasing the flimsy "wicker" stuff off the porch)
6. And if our money comes in today.....go TRUCK shopping!!! Joe's car is biting the dust, and when you have as many kids/animals as we do, there's no point to having a car. A van/suv and a truck is all you need.
7. Eating at Scoops with my mom. Wanted something low-key this year so I don't have to worry about kids being crazy. Plus I think business has been slow for him lately, and a little piece of me will die if his business tanks.
8. Watch a movie/have a floor picnic with my husband