Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tomorrow kicks off Celiac Awareness Month! Write that down on your calendars.
The month of May puts a spotlight on Celiac Disease, one of the most common genetic conditions in the world. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, 1 in every 100 people is living with Celiac Disease, 97% of whom will go undiagnosed! (YIKES! That's a lot!)
In case you are unfamiliar with Celiac Disease, it is in an autoimmune condition that causes the body to react to proteins in gluten - found in wheat, rye and barley, among other foods - as though they are a danger to the body, damaging the intestines and causing discomfort. Those living with Celiac Disease, or any type of gluten intolerance, must avoid eating foods with gluten as it triggers the disease. (I would die without gluten.)
Because of this wide-spread health concern, French Meadow Bakery (reviews can be found here and here) has continued to develop a delicious and nutritious line-up of baked goods and desserts that are gluten free. This May, they’re hoping to spread the word about Celiac Disease and help those living with gluten intolerances feel confident that living gluten free doesn’t have to mean flavor free.
If you or anyone you know has Celiac disease, or even if you're just living gluten free for health reasons, French Meadow Bakery makes some killer stuff that still tastes good. If you don't believe me, just try them out for yourselves. And hug someone that can't have gluten in May. Here are some recipes that are gluten free, if you'd like to try them out!
Croque Monsieur
2 slices French Meadow Bakery Gluten Free Multigrain Bread
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 slice thick-cut ham
1 slice swiss cheese
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
Combine egg, milk and mustard in shallow baking dish. Add bread and soak for a few minutes, flipping over after a minute. Place slice on hot pan sprayed with cooking spray. Layer on ham, swiss cheese and parmesan cheese. Top with other slice of bread and apply pressure to press sandwich together. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip over sandwich and cook for another minute or two, until golden brown.
Gluten Free Brownie Trifle (mmm... trifle *drool)
1 package French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies; thawed and crumbled
1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 containers (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In large bowl, combine pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth and well blended. Gently fold in 8 ounces of whipped topping. In a separate dish, combine remaining whipped topping and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Take half of crumbled brownies and layer on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top with half of the pudding mixture and then half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers once. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
In case you are unfamiliar with Celiac Disease, it is in an autoimmune condition that causes the body to react to proteins in gluten - found in wheat, rye and barley, among other foods - as though they are a danger to the body, damaging the intestines and causing discomfort. Those living with Celiac Disease, or any type of gluten intolerance, must avoid eating foods with gluten as it triggers the disease. (I would die without gluten.)
Because of this wide-spread health concern, French Meadow Bakery (reviews can be found here and here) has continued to develop a delicious and nutritious line-up of baked goods and desserts that are gluten free. This May, they’re hoping to spread the word about Celiac Disease and help those living with gluten intolerances feel confident that living gluten free doesn’t have to mean flavor free.
If you or anyone you know has Celiac disease, or even if you're just living gluten free for health reasons, French Meadow Bakery makes some killer stuff that still tastes good. If you don't believe me, just try them out for yourselves. And hug someone that can't have gluten in May. Here are some recipes that are gluten free, if you'd like to try them out!
Croque Monsieur
2 slices French Meadow Bakery Gluten Free Multigrain Bread
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 slice thick-cut ham
1 slice swiss cheese
2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
Combine egg, milk and mustard in shallow baking dish. Add bread and soak for a few minutes, flipping over after a minute. Place slice on hot pan sprayed with cooking spray. Layer on ham, swiss cheese and parmesan cheese. Top with other slice of bread and apply pressure to press sandwich together. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip over sandwich and cook for another minute or two, until golden brown.
Gluten Free Brownie Trifle (mmm... trifle *drool)
1 package French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies; thawed and crumbled
1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 containers (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In large bowl, combine pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth and well blended. Gently fold in 8 ounces of whipped topping. In a separate dish, combine remaining whipped topping and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Take half of crumbled brownies and layer on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top with half of the pudding mixture and then half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers once. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tired of the online bullies? Need a safe place you can hang out online?
Check out CiviliNation.
The mission of CiviliNation is to foster a safe and civil online culture where folks can fully engage and contribute without fear or threat of abuse. Basically, to stop online bullying.
Want more information? Check out their news link to find out more. There is a whole lot of information on that site as to what they are trying to do and why. It's definitely a good thing, if you ask me. People are so mean! Especially online, where they can be rude or hurtful and never have to face the person they are making the comments to. Check CiviliNation out, and then spread the word if you feel so inclined. It's what I'm doing!
The mission of CiviliNation is to foster a safe and civil online culture where folks can fully engage and contribute without fear or threat of abuse. Basically, to stop online bullying.
Want more information? Check out their news link to find out more. There is a whole lot of information on that site as to what they are trying to do and why. It's definitely a good thing, if you ask me. People are so mean! Especially online, where they can be rude or hurtful and never have to face the person they are making the comments to. Check CiviliNation out, and then spread the word if you feel so inclined. It's what I'm doing!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
CSN Stores - a review
CSNstores.com really does have it all. Really; EVERYTHING. I was lucky enough to do a review with them and since we are starting an official business and all that junk, I chose to get a few office necessities to get us up and going. Here's what I got:
File folders
A cash box
My favoritest pens ever
They are all fantastic! The pens are perfect, the folders are spectacular, and the cash box is exactly what I expected. If you're looking for a cash box, this one is pretty good and also pretty cheap.
Not only were my purchases just fantastic, but they also got to me amazingly fast. They just opened a warehouse in Utah so literally, I got them in two days from the day I placed the order. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me.
And for the legalities - yes, I did get a gift code from them to do a review. But that didn't affect my opinions at all; I truly like the items I got. Yup.
They are all fantastic! The pens are perfect, the folders are spectacular, and the cash box is exactly what I expected. If you're looking for a cash box, this one is pretty good and also pretty cheap.
Not only were my purchases just fantastic, but they also got to me amazingly fast. They just opened a warehouse in Utah so literally, I got them in two days from the day I placed the order. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me.
And for the legalities - yes, I did get a gift code from them to do a review. But that didn't affect my opinions at all; I truly like the items I got. Yup.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wordless Wednesday, 04/27/2011 - Easter cuteness
Fluffer nutter frosting
5 TBSP butter, room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
2 tsp milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Blend the butter, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff together. Add vanilla and salt and blend. In turns, add the milk and the powdered sugar. If you want thicker frosting, use less milk or more powdered sugar, and vice versa.
Voila! Absolutely delicious fluffer nutter frosting. These cupcakes were a chocolate Nutella cake with fluffer nutter frosting and toasted coconut. Some had Cadbury eggs and some had Peep chicks. They got rave reviews!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Today is Tuesday, in case you didn't know. I didn't.
We had a long, ridiculously fun weekend and then I was sick all day yesterday so didn't really do anything. And now I am all jacked up as to what day it is. My phone says it's Tuesday, so I'm going with that.
The sand dunes was a freaking blast. I only turfed it on the pit bike once, and I've got a helluva bruise to show for it. But still, fun!
You know you watch too many scary movies when the people across the street from you are getting their trees trimmed and the first thought that comes to mind when the chainsaw starts is, which way should I run? No, not that way; there isn't an exit that way! Go the other way! Uh, der. No more chainsaw movies for me.
If you haven't tried Fluffer Nutter, go do it right now. Hurry. It's amazing and apparently not many people in Utah have heard of it. Marshmallow fluff + peanut butter = heaven in your mouth. Combine it with Nutella and the clouds open and angels sing. You think I'm kidding? I'm not.
After watching Extreme Couponing, I'm just pissed at those people and that show alltogether. They are rude and go about getting their coupons in unethical ways and they are going to ruin couponing for the rest of us that do it the right way. Who seriously needs 87 bottles of mustard? Really? Leave some for the rest of us. And 18 transactions? Are you freaking kidding me? I can save 97% and not clear any shelves and not buy too much and not take 6 hours to check out. There should be a new show called "Couponing Done RIGHT" and they should take that other show off the air. It makes me angry.
You ever get to the point where you are hungry but are too lazy to get something out to eat? It's just me? Alrighty then.
If I had all the money in the world, I would pay someone to wash my blankets for me every day. There is very little better than curling up at night with a warm, fresh out of the dryer, clean blanket. Or, as they are known in our house, blankies.
I hope you all had a wonderous Easter filled with whatever you wanted it to be filled with!
The sand dunes was a freaking blast. I only turfed it on the pit bike once, and I've got a helluva bruise to show for it. But still, fun!
You know you watch too many scary movies when the people across the street from you are getting their trees trimmed and the first thought that comes to mind when the chainsaw starts is, which way should I run? No, not that way; there isn't an exit that way! Go the other way! Uh, der. No more chainsaw movies for me.
If you haven't tried Fluffer Nutter, go do it right now. Hurry. It's amazing and apparently not many people in Utah have heard of it. Marshmallow fluff + peanut butter = heaven in your mouth. Combine it with Nutella and the clouds open and angels sing. You think I'm kidding? I'm not.
After watching Extreme Couponing, I'm just pissed at those people and that show alltogether. They are rude and go about getting their coupons in unethical ways and they are going to ruin couponing for the rest of us that do it the right way. Who seriously needs 87 bottles of mustard? Really? Leave some for the rest of us. And 18 transactions? Are you freaking kidding me? I can save 97% and not clear any shelves and not buy too much and not take 6 hours to check out. There should be a new show called "Couponing Done RIGHT" and they should take that other show off the air. It makes me angry.
You ever get to the point where you are hungry but are too lazy to get something out to eat? It's just me? Alrighty then.
If I had all the money in the world, I would pay someone to wash my blankets for me every day. There is very little better than curling up at night with a warm, fresh out of the dryer, clean blanket. Or, as they are known in our house, blankies.
I hope you all had a wonderous Easter filled with whatever you wanted it to be filled with!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Get to know me Monday, a.k.a. I stole some questions - A to Z about me.
I stoled these questions with my own two hands from Brandy, my crafty cousin who stole it from someone else, who stole it from someone else, who stole it from someone else... you get the picture, ja?
A. Age: 26
B. Bed size: queen
C. Chore you dislike: I don't like dusting or folding laundry.
D. Dogs: no doggie.
E. Essential start to your day: I have a routine I go through - shower, clean my ears out, brush my teeth, blow-dry my hair, wash my face, put make-up on, then do my hair.
F. Favorite color: Hot pink, or turquoise-y blue, depending on the day.
G. Gold or silver: silver; I'm too white for gold
H. Height: 5'11"
I. Instruments you play(ed): clarinet, sax-a-ma-phone
J. Job title: Self-employed, entrepreneur, owner, rockstar
K. Kids: 1 actual child and 1 man-child
L. Live: Springville, UT
M. Mom's name: Jodi
N. Nicknames: Booboo, Kendi, Panduh, Mommy, Barbie
O. Overnight hospital stays: Most recently, the motorcycle accident almost six years ago. Just one night.
P. Pet peeves: misuse of their/there/they're and apostrophes in plural words, fingernail chewing, selfish parents, and liars.
Q. Quote from a movie: I'm all jacked up on Mountain Dew!
R. Righty or Lefty: Righty mainly, but also pretty ambidextrous.
S. Siblings: 2 sisters and a brother
T. Time you wake up: Nowadays, between 7:30 and 8:30
U. Underwear: Yup. Not really sure where you want me to go with this... today they are white with pink, orange and yellow plaint splatters if that's what you're asking.
V. Vegetables you don't like: brussel sprouts and any vegetable over-cooked or covered in Velveeta. Blech.
W. What makes you run late: The husband. Not even kidding. I'm always waiting on him.
X. X-rays you've had: Ohhh, let's see - like 18 of my mouth, my wrist, my knee, my ankle, my hip, my head, and a whole crapload of my spine (damn scoliosis).
Y. Yummy food you make: Cupcakes, frosting, enchiladas, stroganoff, butter cake (recipe to be posted soon), and funeral potatoes. Those seem to be the favorites.
Z. Zoo animal favorites:
Penguins!!! Duh. I wish my zoo had panda bears though.
A. Age: 26
B. Bed size: queen
C. Chore you dislike: I don't like dusting or folding laundry.
D. Dogs: no doggie.
E. Essential start to your day: I have a routine I go through - shower, clean my ears out, brush my teeth, blow-dry my hair, wash my face, put make-up on, then do my hair.
F. Favorite color: Hot pink, or turquoise-y blue, depending on the day.
G. Gold or silver: silver; I'm too white for gold
H. Height: 5'11"
I. Instruments you play(ed): clarinet, sax-a-ma-phone
J. Job title: Self-employed, entrepreneur, owner, rockstar
K. Kids: 1 actual child and 1 man-child
L. Live: Springville, UT
M. Mom's name: Jodi
N. Nicknames: Booboo, Kendi, Panduh, Mommy, Barbie
O. Overnight hospital stays: Most recently, the motorcycle accident almost six years ago. Just one night.
P. Pet peeves: misuse of their/there/they're and apostrophes in plural words, fingernail chewing, selfish parents, and liars.
Q. Quote from a movie: I'm all jacked up on Mountain Dew!
R. Righty or Lefty: Righty mainly, but also pretty ambidextrous.
S. Siblings: 2 sisters and a brother
T. Time you wake up: Nowadays, between 7:30 and 8:30
U. Underwear: Yup. Not really sure where you want me to go with this... today they are white with pink, orange and yellow plaint splatters if that's what you're asking.
V. Vegetables you don't like: brussel sprouts and any vegetable over-cooked or covered in Velveeta. Blech.
W. What makes you run late: The husband. Not even kidding. I'm always waiting on him.
X. X-rays you've had: Ohhh, let's see - like 18 of my mouth, my wrist, my knee, my ankle, my hip, my head, and a whole crapload of my spine (damn scoliosis).
Y. Yummy food you make: Cupcakes, frosting, enchiladas, stroganoff, butter cake (recipe to be posted soon), and funeral potatoes. Those seem to be the favorites.
Z. Zoo animal favorites:
Penguins!!! Duh. I wish my zoo had panda bears though.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I have just one question.
Why in the hell would a person need 300 plastic Easter eggs when they only have one child and only have that one child part-time?
That person being, of course, me. Seriously, what was I thinking? I got the eggs out today to start filling. I poured them out and figured we don't want to hide anymore than 60 so I'll count that out... get to 60 and have a bajillion left so I decided to count them and there are over 300. !!!
We have ONE CHILD. Why do I have so many Easter eggs?!??!
That person being, of course, me. Seriously, what was I thinking? I got the eggs out today to start filling. I poured them out and figured we don't want to hide anymore than 60 so I'll count that out... get to 60 and have a bajillion left so I decided to count them and there are over 300. !!!
We have ONE CHILD. Why do I have so many Easter eggs?!??!
Day 28. Going to the sand dunes tomorrow! Couldn't get anymore restless.
day 28- a picture of you from last year and now, how have you changed since then?
THEN
NOW
I'm pretty much exactly the same. Let's not talk about it. Since I was about 14, something changed pretty drastically with me like once a year. I went through hair colors and styles and piercings and the works. Now, I'm the same. The same as I was five years ago. And I'm craving change.
Desperately.
I like my hair most days, so I don't think I want to change that. And I've done the piercings thing; over it.
I need a new tattoo. A big, crazy, fits-me tattoo. Before I run for the hills and come back with pink hair. Again.
See days 1 through 27 here.
I'm pretty much exactly the same. Let's not talk about it. Since I was about 14, something changed pretty drastically with me like once a year. I went through hair colors and styles and piercings and the works. Now, I'm the same. The same as I was five years ago. And I'm craving change.
Desperately.
I like my hair most days, so I don't think I want to change that. And I've done the piercings thing; over it.
I need a new tattoo. A big, crazy, fits-me tattoo. Before I run for the hills and come back with pink hair. Again.
See days 1 through 27 here.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Day 27. Never thought it would take this long to finish! I'm a slacker.
day 27- why are you doing this 30 day challenge
Let's be honest; I have no idea. It sounded like fun. I should have reviewed the questions first, because some of them are weird. I was hoping to maybe have some readers that would join in *cough, cough* but nada.
Want more? Click here.
Let's be honest; I have no idea. It sounded like fun. I should have reviewed the questions first, because some of them are weird. I was hoping to maybe have some readers that would join in *cough, cough* but nada.
Want more? Click here.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Ah, Sunday, The day before Monday. Or, the day after Saturday. Whichever you prefer.
I had to ask the Husband what day of the week it was last week. His response? Wouldn't it be nice to not know what day it is. Hrm.
Took Punk to go see Rio yesterday. It's pretty freaking cute. In fact, she told me she thinks it might be her new favorite. There are a few parts in there where the humor is definitely of the adult nature, and it's hilarious! Go see it. You'll love it.
Rise Against was amazing. Though, I tried to talk Husband into heading on into the depths of the mosh pit and he wasn't having it. LAME. The concert was at Saltair and that's the first time I've ever even seen the Great Salt Lake. How sad is that? I've lived in Utah my entire life and hadn't seen the Great Salt Lake until the ripe age of 26. I want to go up this summer and float in it.
The business is getting up and going, and it's pretty exciting. The prospect of being able to work for ourselves is incredibly enticing. I hope it all comes together how I envision it in my head.
I've been playing with Adobe Illustrator lately and having a lot of fun with it. I am thinking I may try to redo the blog all by myself. (yikes) So if you stop by sometime in the next week or three and everything's totally out of whack, no worries. I'll make sure to back it up just in case I screw it all up.
Easter is next Sunday. I'm sure we will be at the sand dunes; we always are. Very VERY excited to get the pit bike out and play in the sand. And probably hurt myself.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows. (If you can name that song, I'll be impressed. It's one of my favorite quotes.)
Took Punk to go see Rio yesterday. It's pretty freaking cute. In fact, she told me she thinks it might be her new favorite. There are a few parts in there where the humor is definitely of the adult nature, and it's hilarious! Go see it. You'll love it.
Rise Against was amazing. Though, I tried to talk Husband into heading on into the depths of the mosh pit and he wasn't having it. LAME. The concert was at Saltair and that's the first time I've ever even seen the Great Salt Lake. How sad is that? I've lived in Utah my entire life and hadn't seen the Great Salt Lake until the ripe age of 26. I want to go up this summer and float in it.
The business is getting up and going, and it's pretty exciting. The prospect of being able to work for ourselves is incredibly enticing. I hope it all comes together how I envision it in my head.
I've been playing with Adobe Illustrator lately and having a lot of fun with it. I am thinking I may try to redo the blog all by myself. (yikes) So if you stop by sometime in the next week or three and everything's totally out of whack, no worries. I'll make sure to back it up just in case I screw it all up.
Easter is next Sunday. I'm sure we will be at the sand dunes; we always are. Very VERY excited to get the pit bike out and play in the sand. And probably hurt myself.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrows. (If you can name that song, I'll be impressed. It's one of my favorite quotes.)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Handmade Mondays - feather earrings
I can't get these earrings out of my head today, so I figured they would be the perfect Handmade Monday feature! These are made by my darling and uber-talented cousin Brandy and they are seriously gorgeous.
Aren't they amazing?! Head on over to her blog to see how they're made, or if you are more the not-so-crafty-I'd-rather-buy-them-thanks type, you can hit up her Etsy shop for more of her wonderful creations.
Aren't they amazing?! Head on over to her blog to see how they're made, or if you are more the not-so-crafty-I'd-rather-buy-them-thanks type, you can hit up her Etsy shop for more of her wonderful creations.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Home Ec 101: A book review.
Have you ever visited Home-Ec101.com? It's a really cute blog where Heather Solos shares everything related to the home, whether it's cleaning advice, recipes, helpful hints on how to get stains out, or your most essential tips on the household. All in all, it's pretty awesome.
She just released a book (see that up there? That's it) called, ingeniously, Home Ec 101. Thanks to One2One, I got the opportunity to review a digital copy of the book. It starts out with the basics that everyone needs to know; about cleaning, washing, fixing and cooking. Then, it jumps into deeper waters; like explaining what chemicals shouldn't mix, how to get the gross black stuff out of your jets, and how to wash specific fabrics.
This book is perfect for anyone - whether you are just moving out of Mom and Dad's or you're 62 and experiencing empty-nest syndrome. I would classify myself as a bit of a clean freak and this book definitely taught me some things I didn't know before (using bleach in your toilet can interact with the ammonia in pee, did you know that?) and I'm going to be implementing a lot of her tricks and tips, for sure.
Get yourself a copy. You won't be let down. You can buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
She just released a book (see that up there? That's it) called, ingeniously, Home Ec 101. Thanks to One2One, I got the opportunity to review a digital copy of the book. It starts out with the basics that everyone needs to know; about cleaning, washing, fixing and cooking. Then, it jumps into deeper waters; like explaining what chemicals shouldn't mix, how to get the gross black stuff out of your jets, and how to wash specific fabrics.
This book is perfect for anyone - whether you are just moving out of Mom and Dad's or you're 62 and experiencing empty-nest syndrome. I would classify myself as a bit of a clean freak and this book definitely taught me some things I didn't know before (using bleach in your toilet can interact with the ammonia in pee, did you know that?) and I'm going to be implementing a lot of her tricks and tips, for sure.
Get yourself a copy. You won't be let down. You can buy it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Ten. It doesn't seem like much but it sure is a whole lot.
I've been worrying a lot lately, about Punk. About the young lady she is becoming, about her future, about her life, about her goals... I don't know why but she's been on my mind a whole lot lately. I think it's because she is going to be ten in a couple of months.
Ten.
Wow. Double digits.
Yikes. She's well on her way to becoming a teenager, and if she is anything like me... we are so screwed.
I worry about the fact that she isn't making her own decisions yet. Here are a couple of examples - first, I take her clothes shopping. We walk into Justice and I tell her she has $100 to spend on whatever she wants. I'm not going to choose, I'm not going to say no, I'm just there to make sure it fits. And we stood there for nearly an hour with her wandering around the store, not deciding anything. She'd pick something up and look at me, as if waiting for me to say, "that's cute!" or "uh, not so great" but I didn't want to influence her; I wanted her to make the decision on her own. It took an hour for her to pick out two shirts, that were identical except one was pink and one was blue. Second scenario: ice cream night. We went to the mart of walls and stood in the ice cream aisle - me, Husband and Punk - and said everyone got to pick one thing. She wandered the aisle for 20 minutes. 20 minutes!?!?!! If at nine anyone had given me that opportunity, I would have had ice cream picked out, paid for, and eaten in 20 minutes. It was like she was waiting for us to make the decision for her.
That scares me. What happens when she is in junior high or high school and drugs are presented? Is she going to look around and wait for someone to make the decision for her? That's scary. Or when it comes to sex? Even scarier.
I don't know how to change it. I don't know if we aren't making her feel like her opinion is worth sharing or what, but I'm worried! I don't ever want her to feel like her thoughts and feelings and opinions don't mean anything. We went into a store not too long ago and she actually pointed out a shirt she thought was cute. I bought the shirt. Not necessarily because I needed or wanted it (we were in a 'big people' store, not a children's store) but because I wanted her to feel like her opinion was a good one. It is a cute shirt, and I wear it; especially when she is around.
How do you make a child feel like they are worth something? Like their opinion matters in your grown-up world? How do I make sure she grows into her own person and not a person that's molded into whatever shape she feels she needs to be? I know a lot of people who are whoever they need to be to fit in; I never want her to be like that. I want her to be sure of herself and who she is, always.
Can someone find me a genie? I just need one wish.
Ten.
Wow. Double digits.
Yikes. She's well on her way to becoming a teenager, and if she is anything like me... we are so screwed.
I worry about the fact that she isn't making her own decisions yet. Here are a couple of examples - first, I take her clothes shopping. We walk into Justice and I tell her she has $100 to spend on whatever she wants. I'm not going to choose, I'm not going to say no, I'm just there to make sure it fits. And we stood there for nearly an hour with her wandering around the store, not deciding anything. She'd pick something up and look at me, as if waiting for me to say, "that's cute!" or "uh, not so great" but I didn't want to influence her; I wanted her to make the decision on her own. It took an hour for her to pick out two shirts, that were identical except one was pink and one was blue. Second scenario: ice cream night. We went to the mart of walls and stood in the ice cream aisle - me, Husband and Punk - and said everyone got to pick one thing. She wandered the aisle for 20 minutes. 20 minutes!?!?!! If at nine anyone had given me that opportunity, I would have had ice cream picked out, paid for, and eaten in 20 minutes. It was like she was waiting for us to make the decision for her.
That scares me. What happens when she is in junior high or high school and drugs are presented? Is she going to look around and wait for someone to make the decision for her? That's scary. Or when it comes to sex? Even scarier.
I don't know how to change it. I don't know if we aren't making her feel like her opinion is worth sharing or what, but I'm worried! I don't ever want her to feel like her thoughts and feelings and opinions don't mean anything. We went into a store not too long ago and she actually pointed out a shirt she thought was cute. I bought the shirt. Not necessarily because I needed or wanted it (we were in a 'big people' store, not a children's store) but because I wanted her to feel like her opinion was a good one. It is a cute shirt, and I wear it; especially when she is around.
How do you make a child feel like they are worth something? Like their opinion matters in your grown-up world? How do I make sure she grows into her own person and not a person that's molded into whatever shape she feels she needs to be? I know a lot of people who are whoever they need to be to fit in; I never want her to be like that. I want her to be sure of herself and who she is, always.
Can someone find me a genie? I just need one wish.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Wordless Wednesday, 04/06/11 - At least it's not dead animals!
My demonic cat likes to leave presents for me in my shoes. Hey, at least it's not a dead animal.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The craft room. Not the crap room. C-R-A-F-T.
I know I posted pictures of the "after" of my craft room. That was silly, because that was just a transitionary part in the room's life. It's now come full-circle into a darling little room that I rather like. Wanna see?
First off, my name is right there, above the door. (Does it have your name on it?) Yes, it's my room and yes, it does have my name on it, thankyouverymuch!
I loved the cute damask design but hated it on my wall, so down it came. I added a ton of organization to that area, and see that cute little pink bookshelf? Shibby got it for me for my birthday and painted it pink and everything, and you can't really see it because there is so much stuff but the back of it is covered in darling polka dots. Yah, pretty much the coolest sister ever.
This is my "office". You love it? I love it.
If you look real close, under the cork board are some really adorable sparkly robots. I ♥ them lots and lots.
And this. This proves my addiction to ribbon. Please don't try to go all Intervention on me because I quite like the ribbon, mmmkay? But really, I've got all of that plus a moving box full of rolls that wouldn't fit in the holders. Oh also, if you ever wondered what a demon looks like, that's one there at the bottom of the shot.
This closet is full of more crafty stuff; the box of ribbon I mentioned, plus all of my tulle, my lightbox, my bows, and all of the stuff I'm selling because I've got too much stuff because I think I am addicted to buying craft stuff. Deal with it. You should check all that out though, I'm selling it for pretty cheap in my Etsy shop and here in the next few days I should even be adding some Tattered Angels glimmer mist, which is pretty cool.
Anyone want a room in their house redone? Because this was a whole lot of fun, seriously. I would organize for a living if there was a demand for it.
Anyone want a room in their house redone? Because this was a whole lot of fun, seriously. I would organize for a living if there was a demand for it.
Office Depot gift card winner!
And the winner of the $25 Office Depot gift card is...
Anash!!
Congrats to you! I've e-mailed you, and you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new lucky winner. Thanks to everyone for entering!
Anash!!
Congrats to you! I've e-mailed you, and you have 48 hours to respond before I pick a new lucky winner. Thanks to everyone for entering!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Handmade Mondays
I've decided something. I feel alone on the 'getting to know you' posts, and alone makes me feel awkward. I still may do them, just not all the time. K?
But I was thinking it would be fun to do a handmade Monday. Today I'm going to share something I made that I freaking love, but next week I may feature someone else! Want to be that someone? E-mail me or even just leave me a comment, and I'll contact you. I'll even link to your blog or Etsy shop or whatever. Anyway, we'll see if I can remember to do this. Ready for today's cute feature?
This is a Jack Skellington bow holder. How cute is he?! One of my bestest friends Dorothee is a hugemongous Nightmare Before Christmas fan. Like, I love the show and have the soundtrack and random objects from the collection, but she is a die-hard. Because she's a good friend, she buys hair clips from me all the time. She kept bugging me to make her a bow holder, and finally, I made this gorgeous guy. I freaking love it.
Want to make one? Pretty easy, just time consuming. From the back up, it's:
thick chipboard in the shape of the head
black cardstock in the shape of the head
four ribbons, 1" wide and 3' long - three out the bottom and one folded in half out the top to hang on the wall with
thick chipboard with the eyes and mouth cut out
white cardstock with the eyes and mouth cut out
Each layer is glued to the next with E-6000 and then the entire thing is finished with a thick layer of matte Mod Podge.
I found a picture of Jack Skellington online and converted it into a cut file for my Cricut. I used the deep-cut blade and a multi-cut but the chipboard was too thick, so I ended up cutting the face and mouth out by hand.
Voila! Like I said, simple but time consuming. Not including dry time, I would say it took me 3-4 hours. Most of that was in cutting the mouth out. If you want to be featured, e-mail me (use the 'contact' button up at the top) or leave me a comment and I'll get a hold of you.
But I was thinking it would be fun to do a handmade Monday. Today I'm going to share something I made that I freaking love, but next week I may feature someone else! Want to be that someone? E-mail me or even just leave me a comment, and I'll contact you. I'll even link to your blog or Etsy shop or whatever. Anyway, we'll see if I can remember to do this. Ready for today's cute feature?
This is a Jack Skellington bow holder. How cute is he?! One of my bestest friends Dorothee is a hugemongous Nightmare Before Christmas fan. Like, I love the show and have the soundtrack and random objects from the collection, but she is a die-hard. Because she's a good friend, she buys hair clips from me all the time. She kept bugging me to make her a bow holder, and finally, I made this gorgeous guy. I freaking love it.
Want to make one? Pretty easy, just time consuming. From the back up, it's:
thick chipboard in the shape of the head
black cardstock in the shape of the head
four ribbons, 1" wide and 3' long - three out the bottom and one folded in half out the top to hang on the wall with
thick chipboard with the eyes and mouth cut out
white cardstock with the eyes and mouth cut out
Each layer is glued to the next with E-6000 and then the entire thing is finished with a thick layer of matte Mod Podge.
I found a picture of Jack Skellington online and converted it into a cut file for my Cricut. I used the deep-cut blade and a multi-cut but the chipboard was too thick, so I ended up cutting the face and mouth out by hand.
Voila! Like I said, simple but time consuming. Not including dry time, I would say it took me 3-4 hours. Most of that was in cutting the mouth out. If you want to be featured, e-mail me (use the 'contact' button up at the top) or leave me a comment and I'll get a hold of you.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Happy April Fools' Day! Go out and prank someone, hurry!
I love the thought of April Fools' Day, but I haven't pranked anyone in awhile. I used to have a ton of fun with it but haven't been inspired for years. You know what's a good one? Put confetti in someone's car's vents. That way, when they turn on the heater or A/C, depending on where you are, they get a face full of confetti. That's funny.
I decided that Fridays would be my day off from cleaning and all that super exciting stuff, and usually I would leave the house to pick Punk up from school at 1:15 but today she has a birthday party so I don't have to go get her until 6 and I don't know what I'm going to do with all my time.
Download apps on the new phone? Okay! Anyone have any good apps I need to get? I already have Angry Birds, don't fret.
Butter cake is consuming my thoughts. I imagine this is what it would be like to have withdrawals from drugs, only minus the physical effects because I'm not that bad. Yet.
You know that smell when you turn your heater on for the first time that year? Did you know that if you put a toaster in the cupboard and don't use it for four years or more, the first few days of using it again, it smells like the first time using the heater but times, like, three hundred? Also, there is very little in this world that is worse than an over-toasted Pop Tart.
Hospitals are ridiculous in the amount they charge people. What do they think they are doing, saving a life? Oh, maybe. Good point.
We are doing our taxes tomorrow. Talk about procrastination. When you owe money nearly every year, taxes are something you want to put off as long as possible. Here's hoping we can at least even things out this year. Maybe get enough back to buy me some butter cake.
Have a great weekend everyone! And if you pull any good pranks today, let me know about it. I'll live vicariously through you. How's that?
I decided that Fridays would be my day off from cleaning and all that super exciting stuff, and usually I would leave the house to pick Punk up from school at 1:15 but today she has a birthday party so I don't have to go get her until 6 and I don't know what I'm going to do with all my time.
Download apps on the new phone? Okay! Anyone have any good apps I need to get? I already have Angry Birds, don't fret.
Butter cake is consuming my thoughts. I imagine this is what it would be like to have withdrawals from drugs, only minus the physical effects because I'm not that bad. Yet.
You know that smell when you turn your heater on for the first time that year? Did you know that if you put a toaster in the cupboard and don't use it for four years or more, the first few days of using it again, it smells like the first time using the heater but times, like, three hundred? Also, there is very little in this world that is worse than an over-toasted Pop Tart.
Hospitals are ridiculous in the amount they charge people. What do they think they are doing, saving a life? Oh, maybe. Good point.
We are doing our taxes tomorrow. Talk about procrastination. When you owe money nearly every year, taxes are something you want to put off as long as possible. Here's hoping we can at least even things out this year. Maybe get enough back to buy me some butter cake.
Have a great weekend everyone! And if you pull any good pranks today, let me know about it. I'll live vicariously through you. How's that?
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