miscellany monday

~ Hi Friends...how was your Easter?  I did my best to absorb the Truth of all that He did for me (and you!). Our pastor talked about the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of God...SEATED.  His work is already done...what a blessing!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2...emphasis mine)

~  The other weekend I got together with some ladies from my BSF group.  Now, those of you who know me well may or may not know that I do not have a thing for animals (gasp!).  I'm allergic to cats and just overall animals just don't do it for me.  BUT, my group member has this cutie patootie and I could have put her in my pocket and taken her home with me!

~ We are Kool-Aid drinkers.  When my aunt used to watch my kids she would make Kool-Aid and ever since then we've been hooked.  It takes me back to my childhood a little bit.  

The thing is...I like my Kool-Aid sweet!  So, if you are ever at my house and you're trying to avoid sugar or you have diabetes you might want to stay clear of the Kool-Aid :)

~ The kids had their first swim lesson this weekend and they did really well.  Caleb cried for the first two minutes, but the instructor was very patient with him and he calmed down pretty easily.  Jamison jumped right in and loved it...she even put her face in the water!
So proud of these two :)

We went to my in-laws, in-laws (are you following me?) yesterday for dinner and they had a little Easter egg hunt.  Here's my little man with his loot...why does he continue to grow?

Joining in with the wonderful Carissa today!

Is This Thing On?

1.  It has been WAY too long since my last blog post.  There's no good reason either...just wrapped up in life I guess.  But I miss blogging, so here I am to jump back into one of my joys in life :)

2.  My new iPhone arrived last week and so far I really like it.  I decided to check out Instagram and I can see why people are hooked!  It is a really fun way to take pictures & then share them with others.  I played around a bit with it this weekend...and even have a few followers.

Mr. Caleb eating his favorite pizza.  He was a little sad because his sister got to go to a sleepover on Friday so I took him to get an individual pizza to cheer him up.  I think it did the trick :)

I took Jamison to get her ends trimmed this weekend...my sweet girl has SO much hair!

3.  The weather around here has been CRAZY.  We had 80 degree weather last week...we even had to turn the air on for two days and had a slip & slide date with the neighbors.

Rondell got out yesterday for the first mow of the season:

But as you may see by his sweatshirt it has cooled off quite a bit from last week...there's even a frost warning for this week.  Crazy Ohio weather!

4.  FINAL FOUR baby!  The Buckeyes took down Syracuse over the weekend and are now headed to the Final Four.  It was a really good game (though I must confess that I missed the first part and didn't turn it on until my dad called me to remind me...bad alumni)

Joining sweet Carissa today to randomly update you on the happenings in our hood :)

miscellany monday

Hello Friends & Happy Monday!  I'm here again to join Carissa and share some random tidbits :)

*  I have decided that I need my weekends to be three days instead of two...one day to play, one day to be productive & one day of rest.  Anybody with me?

*  Over the weekend I tried to do Ten on Ten, but as the day went on I realized that I missed two hours.  I am a little bummed about it because I love doing it, but another Ten on Ten will come along or maybe I'll just do a day in the life post one day.

*  This picture does represent part of my day on the 10th...I am getting rid of my Android phone.  I have had serious problems with these phones and have had to replace it 4 different times with various versions.  I finally called Verizon customer service, explained my story and asked for an early upgrade.  The supervisor approved the request and my iPhone is one the way.  I know the iPhone is more reliable and it is probably what I should have gotten in the first place.  Lesson learned.

*  Once again our house was invaded by cookies (this is Jamison last year before sorting all of her orders).  This year we had even more cookies because I am the Cookie Mom for the troop and had to pick up everyone's orders and sort them.  Luckily Rondell, Jamison, and another GS mom & her daughter helped me sort all of the orders for the other girls...I couldn't have done it without them.

Now most of the cookies are gone and our house is somewhat back in order!

*  I went to a Pampered Chef party over the weekend and had a good time (we made a chocolate/raspberry cake with chocolate sauce & raspberries and it was SO good...and I'm not even a big chocolate fan).  One of my neighbors was the hostess.  

We have had two new couples move onto our street recently and it has been fun getting to know them better.  They both have kids who are about Caleb's age so we've had a few play dates recently...along with my immediate neighbor who has kids the exact same age as my kids.

One funny thing that makes me giggle is the fact that all 4 of us moms are all left-handed...crazy :)

*  The temps are supposed to be unseasonably warm this week and I plan to get out there and enjoy!

What are you up to this week?

miscellany monday - camera shots

I was going through the pictures on my phone and thought I would share them with you since they are random.  

**I do have to say that there must be an easier way to download pictures from my phone to my computer.  I ended up emailing them to myself and then saving them to my computer.  Sigh, just when I think I'm hip when it comes to electronics.

Anyways...(or is it anyway?)

I'm not a huge coffee drinker but I do like a cup every now and then.  I am a cream and sugar girl and sometimes I pick up a flavored creamer (if it's not flavored is has to be Coffee-mate...something about regular Coffee-mate).  Rondell picked this one up for me and it is was oh-so yummy:

 This is my new favorite go-to lunch...ham & Swiss on a croissant with lettuce, mayo and Dijon mustard.  Move over Panera!

 Jamison went to her first overnight camp-in at our local science center with her Girl Scout troop and she was a tad tired the next day :)

 My new favorite snack (not all gummy worms are created equal, so when I find a good one I'm hooked)!  My mom found them in a little store that's in her building at work and I recently discovered they are also sold in the little store that is in my building at work.  Score!  

 Someone has rediscovered her MP3 player and has been jammin ever since.  We tried to see if she wanted an iPod touch but she declined.  Caleb, however, chimed in that he would like one...total opposites those kids.

 We battled sickness last week and into the weekend...first I got a nasty cold and stayed home from work on Thursday.  Then Jamison woke up Friday with pink eye:

 Because of those two things I was using a lot of these:

 But somehow my little man still got sick and ended up here:

His breathing was extremely labored late Saturday night and Rondell had to take him to the ER for a higher does of steroids and breathing treatments.  All of his tests came back clear...his cold kicked his asthma into high gear...quickly.  They were able to get his breathing to slow down and he was able to come home.

He has spent much of the weekend behind this and trying to relax as only Caleb knows how.

How's that for random?  Happy Monday Friends.

Hop over to Carissa's to share the randoms of your life!  You'll be glad you did (and so will I).

miscellany monday

Happy Monday Friends!  How was your weekend?  We had a pretty busy weekend...all fun stuff, but I kind of feel like I could use one extra day to recover.

The highlight of my weekend was getting to have a date with my hubby.  The kids were with my in-laws at a birthday party so we took advantage of the free time and went to The Cheesecake Factory.  It was so nice to sit, laugh, & chat (uninterrupted!).

So you remember my post when I was talking about Spring...well, snow made its appearance over the weekend.  It did not stick very much & I am not complaining.  I had to take pics in the backyard because pretty much all of the snow is gone in the front.  It was really cold all weekend long but it's supposed to warm up to the 40's this week.

This little guy is a Cars 2 racing maniac.  I truly believe that he could play this game non-stop all day long if we let him.  Apparently he reached another level this weekend because he was running all around the house telling us all about it.  I love to watch him concentration when he plays (the screaming...not so much).

  

My Top 5 is really working for me (and Amy!).  Now I'm not saying that I get everyone done everyday...as you can see 'Caleb's Valentines' is written twice.  I try to move any missed item to the next day if possible and that seems to be working so far.  Sometimes I start a Top 5 a few days out because there are times when I think of something, but it doesn't fit in that day's T5 so I just put it on another day.  Oh, and I have come to the conclusion not the have a Top 5 on Sundays.

Join Carissa and write random :)

miscellany monday

Good morning Friends & Happy Christmas Week!!!  I'm stopping by with a few randoms:

1.  This is what my table looked like the entire weekend...I was a card making machine.  I was SO behind in my card making this year that I had to take almost the entire weekend to get them all done.  It almost crossed my mind not to make any, but I just love making them so much that it is worth all of the "work."

I am going to have to remember this scene so that I do not wait this late ever again :)

2.  Speaking of cards...I am in love with this one that I came up with.  I used a sketch for the idea and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  I love all of the layers and I was excited to get to use my markers to make a two-tone sentiment.

3.  A new addition.  I have wanted a clock for one of the walls in our entry for a long time and I now finally have one.  Rondell actually picked it up while he was out shopping.  It fits so well in the space & now when we are in the living/dining area we can tell the time (there is no other clock...not even on the cable box).

This is a great start in an attempt to decorate our naked walls :)

4.  I would say that two certain little someones are absolutely ready for Christmas.  This year Caleb is really into Christmas and getting ready for all of the gifts.  Rondell was out over the weekend getting a few more things for our munchkins.  We were grateful that Toys R Us was open until 1:00 am this weekend because we almost forgot about a sale that was going on for one of the items that Jamison has on her list...we remembered at 10:30 Saturday night!

Linking up with the beautiful Carissa :)

miscellany monday

Happy Monday Friends!  How was your weekend?  I have a couple of random things to share with you today.

1.  Big Guy.  I don't know if you know this or not, but I am married to a tall man.  Rondell is 6'5"!  When I first met him one of my reactions was "wow, he's tall!"  I love that he's easy to find in a crowd :)  I have gotten used to his height over the years, but there are times when I am reminded that he is tall. 

One thing that has us tickled lately is a little girl who attends the same daycare as Caleb.  Whenever Rondell walks in she says "Big Guy!"  

I finally got to see her this weekend at Caleb's Christmas performance and heard her say "Big Guy..it's Big Guy!" with such excitement.  It was adorable :)

My "Big Guy"

2a.  Cookies...cookies!  

Yesterday I went to my friend Lyndsey's 5th Annual Cookie Exchange.  I forgot my camera (again), but you can go here to see where I posted about the 2nd year & the picture above is from the 3rd year (I made snickerdoodles that year).  This year she and her mom asked me to sell a few cards and I was happy to do just that.

2b.  My cookies.  I try to make a different cookie each year & this year I made a lemon cookie.  You can find the recipe here.  I saw it first on Paige's blog a few months ago and knew right away that I wanted to make them because I love lemon.  I did not ice them though...but they were still good.  Here they are in all their glory:

2c.  The greatest discovery EVER!  So, see what my cookies are sitting on...that, my friends, is parchment paper.  This recipe called for using parchment paper, which I have never used before.  It is now my new best friend and I do not know where is has been all my life.  The cookies came off so easily and I didn't have to wash pans between each batch.  I.am.in.love :)

3.  I think that's all I've got!  Join in on the fun over at Carissa's blog.

miscellany monday

1.  I love the Christmas Season...like could listen to Christmas music all year long kind of love.  I just love the warmth and the family togetherness that the season brings.  It, of course, is so much more than that, but that's a post for another day.  I do try and save our festivities until after Thanksgiving, but the other night we decided to pull out How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  Jamison has the book so she decided to read along.

2.  So...who's into Twilight?  I saw Breaking Dawn Part I on Saturday and it was really good.  I tried to finish the book before seeing the movie, but I was not successful.  Luckily this was only Part I so I am not too far behind.  Did you see it?

3.  This is totally random...why is it that I can only use McDonald's ketchup when I eat McDonald's fries?

4.  I talked last week about the things I need to do for Thanksgiving.  I got a few things done over the weekend, like cleaning out the fridge, making the detailed shopping list & organizing my containers.  Tomorrow I'll go over my list and revise it...I love a good list you know :)

5.  My brother Evan was in town for a party and yesterday he stopped by to see us.  My kids love him and he loves them just the same.  He also got to meet a few of my friends and I am always impressed by how personable he is.  I just love this guy :)

Stop by Carissa's and share your random!

miscellany monday

Hello Friends & Happy Monday!

1.  Did you all have a good weekend?  I did, but forgot my camera for each event...sigh.  Jamison ice skated for the first time this weekend at a birthday party.  Initially she was scared and actually got off the ice and took off the skates.  But minutes later she decided she was going to try again...I was SO proud of her.  She made it all the way around the rink (holding on for dear life) and she was really excited.  She was an inspiration to me to get back out there and try...even if it's hard.

2.  Are any of you Blogger bloggers using the new interface?  I have tried to use it a few times and can't quite figure it out.  I usually read blogs from my dashboard and for some reason I can't seem to figure out how to scroll down to see all of the blogs that I follow like I can on the current dashboard.  If you have any tips feel free to pass them along.

3.  I love a full moon...it is so captivating.  I was able to capture last week's full moon with my camera.

4.  This is on my Christmas list this year...I have always wanted it and can't believe I do not have it.

5.  Look what I got to play with over the weekend:

 My new Erin Condren planner arrived last week and I could not be happier.  I was actually able to get it for only $20 because Plum District was having a special where you bought a $50 voucher for only $25...and because it was my first purchase I got an additional $5 off...SCORE!

I got a chance to transfer a lot of my plans from the old planner into the new planner.  I was in my happy place. 

I like the new tabs so far (even though I have heard that they are not as sturdy as people would like).

I also like this new feature of a notes page at the beginning of each month.  I have started planning my Thanksgiving dinner on November's page.

This back page is something that I'm really excited about.  The one thing missing for me from this planner was an extended calendar view...and now it's included!

Well I am off to work on my To Do list :)

Join sweet Carissa & tell us your randoms.

miscellany monday

 Happy Monday Friends...how was your weekend?  Did you remember to fall back or did you get to your destinations early?

I am here on another Monday with a little of this & a little of that.

1.  So, you know how I have been in a bit of a rut?  Well last week I was praying for guidance on what I needed to do to get out of this and God continued to bring me to various Scripture about habits...like 1 John 3, which deals with the hard Truths about how I need to conduct myself.  The "theme" of habits has also been popping up in my devotional, Jesus Calling.

I have to rethink habits like always reading blogs before reading His Word, ordering out in a pinch instead of getting creative in the kitchen, taking naps instead of being productive (sometimes I nap just out of habit, not that I am even that tired).  So, I'm going to continue to pray about this issue and hopefully get back to my old self :)

2.  This weekend I cracked into my card making stash and it rekindled the romance :)  I hope to be able to pull out these containers so more this week.  I so enjoy sitting down and creating something special for someone.

3.  Speaking of cards...soon my table will look like this:

Oh yeah...it is time for Christmas card making.  My new stamp just came in and I would like to get started this weekend.  I am still debating about whether or not to do multiple styles or stick with just one

4.  Happy birthday to me...a little early.  This is my birthday week (it's tomorrow...and don't worry, you still have time to send me a card or a gift...wink, wink).  My mom ordered me a pair of tennis shoes and they arrived last week.  I love a new pair of tennis shoes...some people are boot people, some like heels, but I am a sneaker kind of girl :) 

Come on and join us...here :)