Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Giving Thanks!

Our Turkey started out at Giant Eagle....

then home to the freezer....


Decided we needed some pie....
 Since 47 lbs of turkey takes a LONG time to thaw...



and some defrosting...





And then all hell broke loose. I wish I had taken pictures. Cooking for 28 people turned out to be the most challenging/rewarding thing I have done (not counting our wedding) in a loooooooong time. But the results were fantastic, and everyone had a great time. And left with full bellies :)

And for that we give thanks :)
Thanks for my husband
Thanks for our house
Thanks for the ability to host such a large dinner
Thanks for my parents
Thanks for my sister
Thanks for  my big wonderful family
Thanks for being able to spend time with everyone I love.
Thanks be to God for gracing me with such a wonderful life <3

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

New View

So I'm trying doing better in the blogging world...welcome to the new blog design! I like love the new layout, but its going to take some time adjusting. Please be patient while all of my headers run where they shouldnt and my words end up in weird places....its a learning curve!

Tonight I wil leave you with something i wish i had right now....

6 ft The Original
Seriously....how awesome would this be to cuddle in every night? Buy one here.

Bathroom ReDo!

The before picture is kind of blury, but we have made several small changes that made a BIG impact:
  1. Replaced the toilet (I think every toilet should be replaced in a new home, its just sanitary!)
  2. Replaced all hardware including new water efficient shower head, curtain rod, and cabinet handles
  3. Painted the entire room gray ( this room has huge cathedral ceilings)
  4. Skylight removed, waterproofed and replaced
  5. Fancy shower curtain and bath mats
  6. New shelving and all those "aesthetic" accents
Left to Do:
  1. Paint all the trim white
  2. Replace light fixture
  3. Fix the sink or replace it (the previous owners drilled a hole in the basin--how sweet of them!)
  4. Paint the mirror & vanity --What do you guys think black, or white?
  5. Some sort of towel storage perhaps something like this: Ikea Shelving



Close up of the longest shelf.


I just love how this turned out!



This is part of what I was busy with this weekend, instead of cleaning which I probably should have been doing! Thanksgiving for us is this coming sunday, and I still feel like I have SO much to do. But I'm sure I will get it all done, I work best under pressure. What is your favorite room in your house to decorate or re-decorate?

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Sunday Share--Something that inspired you this week.

I stumbled up on this article on Pinterest, and I thought I would share...

linky here

1. Don’t try to read other people’s mind

2. Get up 30 minutes earlier so that you don’t rush/get a ticket while driving too fast/have to explain why you’re late/get fired

3. Get 8 hours of sleep per night, so that you think more clearly

4. Stick to your budget
5. Start saving and investing every week, no matter how little you can spare
6. Balance your checkbook
7. Don’t try to be friends with everyone. Cultivate closer relationships with fewer people.
8. Don’t try to do business with everyone. Identify your target client and take very good care of them.
9. Before getting angry, ask yourself if it will really matter in 20 years
10. Focus on being a good person, not on pleasing others
11. Stay home this Saturday and finish off that nagging chore
12. Kiss and make up
13. Make a weekly menu, and shop for only those items at the market
14. Ask your grandparents the best way to uncomplicate life, and try it for a month
15. Fill up your gas tank when it’s half full
16. Don’t drink alcohol when you’re tired, sad, or mad
17. Pay your bills on time
18. Get an annual physical examination
19. Say “I love you” to your significant other and to your children. Studies show that more marriages last, and fewer kids use drugs, when these words are spoken every day.
20. For just one day, imagine everyone’s intentions are good because most people’s are
21. Give away clothes that haven’t been worn in two years
22. Throw out clothes that are in disrepair and that can’t be mended
23. When you have a conflict with someone, talk it out. Don’t let it turn into more than it is.
24. Know what your priorities are in life, and act as if they are your priorities
25. Tell the truth
26. Don’t cheat
27. Don’t steal
28. If you’re holding on to a ridiculous grudge, let it go
29. Clean your house weekly, so that it doesn’t become too large a chore
30. Do your best at work, or at school
31. Don’t eat when you aren’t hungry
32. Eat when you are hungry
33. Be yourself
34. Say no unapologetically
35. Cook simple meals
36. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses
37. Pay off your car before buying a new one
38. Organise your desk at the office
39. Change your smoke alarm batteries when the clocks spring forward, and again when they fall back
40. Organise your important paperwork
41. Take only half the clothes that you planned to take with you on holiday
42. Help your children with their homework every night, and have an open dialogue with their teachers
43. Have white sheets and white towels in children’s rooms/bathrooms, because they’re easily bleached
44. Spend your time with nice people
45. Avoid drama
46. Don’t text or talk on the phone while driving
47. Turn off the television/video games/computer; they’re time consumers
48. Don’t engage in office politics
49. Refuse to gossip, or talk behind other people’s backs
50. Do the dishes right after dinner
51. Never go to sleep angry
52. Ask nicely for what you need and want
53. Walk 10,000 steps per day to help your heart
54. Do 20 push-ups before speaking in anger
55. Leave work at work
56. Don’t befriend anyone that isn’t trustworthy
57. Don’t envy others
58. Have your oil changed
59. Take vitamin C BEFORE you catch a cold
60. Don’t work more than 8 hours per day
61. Weed your garden weekly
62. Wash your car weekly
63. Have a spring cleaning month every year, and do one room at a time
64. You don’t need to be best friends with work colleagues, but build respectful partnerships
65. Don’t drink and drive
66. Don’t look for reasons to be angry or sad, look for reasons to be happy. You’ll always be able to find plenty of each.
67. Be friendly with your neighbours
68. Return emails and phone messages promptly
69. Schedule in free time
70. Don’t procrastinate
71. Do what you say you’ll do, when you say you’ll do it
72. Be more flexible when you’re able to be
73. Forgive and forget. End of story.
74. Break the consumerism habit…put a three month moratorium in place on buying anything not deemed a necessity
75. Start your diet on September 1, rather than January 1, so that you won’t also have holiday pounds to lose
76. Take care of any health issues or concerns
77. Have your tires rotated
78. Have your brakes checked
79. Have your eyes checked
80. Don’t let your imagination run away with you
81. Let go of perfection in others
82. Let go of perfection in yourself
83. Don’t try to help those that refuse to help themselves
84. Find a way to reduce your commute to work
85. Have an alloted amount of worry time per day/week, that you strictly abide by
86. Drink more water
87. Eat more salmon
88. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill
89. Wear your hair in a classic, easy to care for style
90. Finish what you start
91. Wear classic clothes and shoes that never go out of style
92. Create a daily routine
93. Have a 1, 5, 10 and 20 year plan for your financial and life goals
94. Slow down
95. Eat out less often
96. When you ask your husband which outfit looks best, thank him for his answer and wear the one he liked rather than focusing on why he didn’t like the other one
97. Allow your children to grow up
98. Clean out your garage, and donate anything that hasn’t been used in the past year
99. Stretch every day
100. If a relationship is over, let it go

Thursday, November 10, 2011

*Happy Monthaversary*

Its hard to believe that 2 months ago I married my best friend. The day went by so fast, and I still feel like its yesterday. I not only married my prince charming, but we had a beautiful fairytale wedding. I have been dating my husband for the better part of 8 years, and we've been through so much. I can say that he is my best friend, and when something happens, he is the first person I run to. He is the first thing I think about when I wake up, and the last thing before bed. I love who I am when I'm with him, and I love that he pushes me to do better. I could never have asked to be blessed with a more wonderful soul mate, and cannot wait to see what life brings us.

And to celebrate our two months, I finally finished my thank you cards. Yay us!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Out of Sorts....

Daylight Savings Times + Exhausting Weekend + New Shift is equating to a very confused brain!

I'm starting a new shift at work this week, and it is not my favorite shift by far, so its going to take some adjusting. I hate change, I'm a Type A personality, so every three months my employer flipping my schedule is somewhat nerve wracking. But I do my job for a reason, to help people. So, I will stay up later, sleep in later, change my eating habits, and probably be cranky toward my poor husband for the next 2 weeks. (sorry hunny) But hopefully I will get to spend a little bit more time with my husband, and who can complain about that! :)

So there are five mini goals I gave myself for this week:
  1. Go to the gym 3 days this week, and workout 5 days (1/3)
  2. Don't drink empty calories (3/7)
  3. Keep my skin moisturized (3/7)
  4. Say no to junk food 7 times this week (2/7)
  5. Do one nice thing for my husband he isn't expecting (still thinking....)
Here's to adjusting as quickly as possible, just time time to change shifts again.....ho hum :\

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Planning my first holiday....

So now that we have a house, we're married, and we are entering our very first holiday season as husband and wife. GULP. My dad's side of the family will be coming to our house to celebrate thanksgiving the Sunday before actual thanksgiving, all 27 of us. GULP. I'm cooking thanksgiving dinner for 27 people? Can i serve macaroni and cheese? I've watched and helped my mom prepare thanksgiving dinner for the better part of 20+ years, so why does it freak me out so much to cook by myself? Being a type A personality I want everything to be perfect, that's what I'm chalking it up too. So I got out my notepad  blog, and I started to make a menu:
  • Turkey- This will be relatively simple, as soon as i find another oven to cook a turkey in, with 27 people, I'm definitely going to need 2 turkeys!
  •            
  • Stuffing- I think I'm going to use my mom's recipe for the inside of the turkey and then make this recipe as the side...seriously how good does this look:
  • Mom's Turkey Stuffing
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Corn Souffle- Recipe from the Jiffy box
  • See full size image
  • Corn- Vegetable
  • Green Beans
  • Cinnamon Apples- Grandma's specialty!
  • Cranberries, Olives & Pickles
  • Rolls
  • Desserts
Now onto all of the cleaning, and decorating, and preparing for my first holiday. As scared as I am, I have to admit this is something I have looked forward to my entire life. Most people now days are worried about their careers and money and status, but all I have ever wanted to be, was a house wife and a mom.