the challenge

the challenge starts tomorrow...

*no i will not be sharing my actual weight...but i will be accountable to all who read. (hi mom, and Becky. And Lisa...that probably about covers you all) = )

excited!

I am absolutely doing this! And I am really rather excited about it!

If anyone actually reads us...you should join the challenge!

what pictures???

The rejects from

my attempt at Christmas card pictures....

joy

a picture of happiness!

i fell off the blogging wagon

please forgive me.

I have been childless for 2 nights. and let me tell you, you think of all the things you will get done when you have a minute to yourself and various other dreams, but when that minute to yourself comes...you don't know what to do. at least I don't. not for 2 nights. One night a week is good, get my bearings, miss 'em a bit, be ready to roll when they get back. 2 nights and I feel like my hands have been cut off. (that might be a bit dramatic....maybe)

I'm ready for their return now. I've even planned what we'll have for supper tomorrow night. (sad huh?)

Good Lord help all of you if I'm still blogging when college comes.

day three

here I am am again. This really is a record people!

Made it to work on time again today. The girls were great this AM, I find that helps alot! AND after wok we ran errands (including grocery store) and had supper ready, eaten and dishes done by 6pm! That is huge. (in all honesty i have to admit I was off work at 2pm...but c'mon. still impressive right???)

I just signed up for my first coupon shop thingy. Holle--I know you are proud of me. (she is capable of making store actually pay her just for the pleasure of having her shop there) I signed up for 'The grocery game" now, all you readers (hi you 5) if you go and sign up, give props where they are due...right to me. you can get a free subscription if you refer 3 people. I'll keep you posted on the money I make from spending! (you ladies understand the logic I speak of)

Tomorrow and friday no school. YIPEE! (wouldn't it be sweet to be a kid again??) I'm observing that I apparently really like to use parenthesis. I've just learned this about myself. See, something good has already come from this everyday posting thing.

I'm still waiting for the deep thoughts to come spilling out like they do for all the "everyday bloggers" that I read. nothing yet. I can't talk too much about the divorce because the kids know this blog address. and that's not really my style, but that has kinda knocked the wind from my sails for a bit, so bear with me and i promise i will find less frivolous things to post about than my money saving schemes, but for now that's the best I got!

until tomorrow....

day two

I'm on a roll people.



now, a newcomer to the group (what group you ask?! well, if you are reading this consider yourself part of the group) my friend Lisa has started a blog she needs some comments to "feel the love". Heck i need some comments for that reason too.



Big news. i got to work ontime today. even had time to drop off a utility payment and drive thru the credit union. good start to the day. I'll have to wait a few more days to officially declare it the new norm, but we are getting closer. Lord willing.



i'm gonna go watch the results come in.



~until tomorrow.

what i should do...

I should make a promise to post every.single.day. for at least 2 weeks. I seem to think i need some good pictures or something very movingly philosophical to say.(which I rarely have). But I don't really need that. I just need to get my lazy butt off of other peoples blogs and put some effort into my own! can I get an AMEN????

So, Here ya have it! 2 weeks of posting everyday! remember. you asked for it!

There are some major changes afoot here in the 'used to be yellow house'. The girls and I are trying to find our new normal and a morning routine that gets me to work on time. (mental note: NOT checking blogspot in the AM would help with that goal!)

Then today the evil big dog chewed up the new home-phone-cell-phone. jerk. I'm not sure what the phone did to cause such a rumpus, but apparently something horrific judging from the results.

Ok, better not blow all of my news in one day.

until tomorrow. I promise.

a few August pictures pictures (2 months late)

The girls in Colorado.

Alayna lovin' the view

Westin making a squirrel friend.

This is maybe my favorite picture in a long time. it was the first day of school. and I love it.

still alive

I am still around....not to fear updates will be coming.

All-American summer!

Getting ready:

Assembling snack mix:

And Finally....

The Lemonade Stand!

**Let me tell all you mom's of small-ish children (Holle!). You need to have a lemonade stand. It will renew your faith in man-kind! You would be surprised at all of the people who stop just because it's kids with a lemonade stand. It's pretty neat! **


And

an early morning push-up for good measure. (hey! It's summer!)

The haircut...

Well, Moms' hair started falling out alot, so as any self respecting woman would do she cut it off. I'm pretty sure Josh and I are some of just a few people who can say they watched their MOM give herself ....

A MOWHAWK.

(we know! she's cool!)

my runner.

On 4th of July morning Westin ran in the Jaycee's kids fun run. She got third, and even passed a boy! (not that it's all about winning, put passing someone sure feels nice!)

my gardens

actually not just mine. mine & grandma connie's:

the sun garden....

the shade garden...

Josh's idea so people don't kill the grass by stepping on it when they come in the gate...

perhaps my favorite blog yet....

There far too many good ideas on this one blog for me to even comprehend!

I love it!

Look at what the nice boys did.

A BIG thank you to My Dad, My Grandpa Willie, My brother Josh, and Mike for putting up the fence! I really, really appreciate it!

Now, I'm going to paint it, I just need to decide on a color....suggestions anyone?

Spring is here.

the view in front of our house....

that white tree...while beautiful for about 72 hours....everything is now coated in white petals.

YAHOO!!!YIPPEE!!!!WHOOPWHOOP!!!!

you have to go here to see what i'm talking about!!!!!!!!


www.cfhusband.blogspot.com

spring pictures!!!

outfits are compliments of g.ma Connie...thank you g.ma connie!

random newness

We have daffodils! (in the stores...not out of the ground .yet.)

I found an area rug. Some may know the hunt that went into this find. I am so excited! (so excited, that YES! I took pictures of my rug!)

Happy March!

fun, fun, fun!

it hit the 20's here yesterday!

HEATWAVE!!!!

so, what do true blooded Iowan's do when the mercury rises above the teens??? WE GO SLEDDING!

So, we trekked down to Vinton to my granparents house, and had a blast! Grandpa Willie and I did alot of pushing, Grandma Susie did alot of cheering. The girls did alot of slipping and sledding.

We all did alot of laughing!

It was a great day! (finished it off with some Jolly Roger's Pizza, could it get ANY better?)

for becky...(and anyone interested)

s'more cupcakes

this is what they are REALLY supposed to look like. (I didn't have the graham crackers)

I used just a good 'ol box of chocolate cake mix for the cupcakes. the REAL goodness is the frosting which is:

1/2-3/4 lb. (2 or 3 sticks) butter, room temperature,1 lb. (2 cups) confectioner's sugar,1/2 tsp. vanilla,16 oz. tub of marshmallow cream (I recommend Fluff)

Cream the butter (I love my Kitchenaid!) on high until it's light and fluffy. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until fluffy each time. Beat in the vanilla until incorporated. Then dump in the Fluff and mix it up 'til it's all creamy. Transfer to pastry bag (if desired) and pipe onto cupcakes! (You can also cut the corner off a Ziploc bag and use that instead.)

Then sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. and top with a square (rectangle actually, I guess) of a Hershey's chocolate bar.

when trapped inside....

I love the snow, i love snow storms. I DO NOT love felling trapped inside! Sooo I bake. This is what i did today. (they even got rave reviews from Josh)