A year in review

                       I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great year this year. We took a different approach to Christmas this year and I think it worked out beautifully. Instead of buying a bunch of little gifts the kids were asked what "big/most important" gift they would like. We were tired of buying the little stuff that always gets broke, lost, or never used. So this year the kids  picked out a "big" gift and that was it! It was simple, the kids were over joyed!!! 


                     I'm proud of all of my accomplishments this year! I'm glad I had the support of family and friends. My biggest accomplishment this year was QUITTING SMOKING!!! July 17 was the last real cigarette I had. I had an electric cigarette for a bit, but I don't remember when I gave it up! During week 1 I listed all my goals for 2013. 

GOALS 2013....

1- quit smoking----DONE- I feel great since I quit smoking! Everything tastes better since I quit smoking!

2- Family Time- DONE- every Sunday is family day!  This is how we spent this last Sunday. Teaching the youngest to IMessage! She was so excited that she could text her daddy, sissy and mommy.... Oh and did I mention she has figured out how to video chat too? She can call her grandmother now! 

3- Get Organized- DONE- operation-kitchen-reorganization, Adysons Room I would like to organize my room and closet in 2014!

4- Eating Healthier- DONE- I no longer buy the boxed/frozen meals. I read labels of the products I buy. I'm cooking healthy! Buying healthier cuts of meats. Buying more veggies and fruits! 

5- Exercise- I have been a little sporadic with this. I plan on improving this in 2014. I have gone through Pinterest and found 100's of pins for exercise and pinned them to my board. 

6- Read More (52 book in 2013)- My last count was 13 pleasure books and 17 educational/informational... not too far off!! 

7- Brain games- I loved this challenge. I did use up all the crossword puzzles, Sudoku books I had. Now I have them on my phone and ereader! So I can play them all the time and be more Earth friendly! 

8- Blogging- Considering this is my 1st year of blogging I think I did alright. I have lots of ideas for next year to improve! If you have any suggestions let me know! 

9- Be More Positive- This was a tough one. Everyone has moments of frustrations, anger, its just a part of life. However I really tried to keep good spirits through it all this year! I am going to focus on only positive in 2014. 

10- Crafts- I may not have done 1 craft a month (which was the goal) I did more then I had done in 2012 (which was NONE) my favorite craft was the Halloween Village, Halloween Soaps, Laundry Soap, bath soaps, Christmas Ornaments. OK so I had fun doing them all!!!! 

11- Music- FAILED-  I am going to start over in 2014! 

12- No Chemicals- I tried lots of things this year. Most of them worked. I had a few fail. The biggest disappointment was dish soap I was really hoping to make my own stuff. After tons of research and several recipes everything failed. It failed because my water is too hard! So I found commercial stuff by 7th generation that is more natural and Earth friendly. 

13- Gardening- This went OK. Not as prosperous as I thought! But I am gaining experience and thats what matters! But I did have great luck with African Violets I'm very proud of that! I plan on starting more in February!  This is what they look like now almost 6 months later! I am so proud!! I am going to do many more in 2014

I had a wonderful year. I am blessed! I learned a lot about myself and my family in 2013. I can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for us! 

See you all in 2014!! 

Week 47 & 48

                I'm trying to get the last little bit of Christmas shopping done. I HATE shopping after thanksgiving. I go into a panic if I still have gifts to purchase. 24 days until Christmas! It's so exciting I'm totally feeling the spirit this year! 

The Girls decided they wanted a small tree in their room this year!!! 


Adyson is purple.                                                     Brittanys is Blue & Silver! 

             

I must admit I'm very proud of my self and all the goals I have accomplished this year! I had 13 of them. I have accomplished I think 10!  Which is more then I thought I would get done honestly, but when you write down everything you do and share it with the world it gives you that extra push you need! 

The family has been a little scattered this last week. We are helping Aunt  Nancy pack for her trips over the holidays!  Aunt Nancy had a few appointments to get through, Kids with dentist appointments, grocery shopping, etc! Hopefully now that Thanksgiving is over it will calm down. 

I know its still a few weeks off but has anyone started working on their 2014 goals? I have a few that might surprise you for next year! I'm getting excited for it! Gives me something to look forward to! 




FARM HAPPENINGS-  Very sad on the farm Tuesday morning. I went out to make sure everyone was OK because it was so cold Monday night. I found that my pigs had gone out in the middle of the field and made themselves a hay pile instead of going in their stall to stay warm. Many of you remember these cute little guys when we brought them over here in June. So Rest in Peace Hammy and Bacon. 

 HOMEMADE-   Well I have come to the conclusion after MANY DAYS of research and blog searches that my water is VERY HARD.  After a few weeks of using homemade dishwasher powder my dishes had a film that would not come off. I used vinegar as my rinse aid. I also can not make a dish soap for washing dishes in the sink that is tough enough because of my hard water. So I have gone back and researched some more natural dish soaps/detergents and found Ecos at SAMS Club  and this is my new dish soap, for a really good price! I bought some generic tabs to try until I find some natural/better ones. 




READING-   I know I promised to have Angels & Demons read but I'm about 40 pages in, and just can't stay interested. Sorry guys! Makes me mad that its looking like I won't make my goal of a book a week!! But I found a wonderful E-book box set titled Six Times a Charm and from the set I'm reading Haunted on Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase from Barnes and Noble. I have busted out my my long lost friend Nook Simple Touch from www.bn.com. My wonderful husband bought this for me while we were on vacation over the summer so I could read on the beach! I love this better than anything else. I can read in direct light/sunlight with no problems. Best of all Adyson doesn't want to play with it because its black and white. So its all MINE!!! 


EATING HEALTHY-  Well all the Halloween candy is just about gone.  I have been using my little crockpot (1.5 qt) like crazy for breakfast lately. Its just so nice to wake up and your house smells wonderful from breakfast that is already cooked! I am loving my Breakfast board on Pinterest. I have made a few different oatmeals and breakfast casseroles. They were all great!!!  I'm going to post more meals as I make them! 

I think I told you guys about Chickens in the Road she has a fabulous website about the "noodles and sauce" pouches you buy & how to turn them into homemade. So far everyone I have tried has been great! She gives me lots of inspiration! Thank you very much Suzanne! 

 FAMILY TIME-  It was great this passed week with Thanksgiving and going to the in-laws and spending time with extended family! We all had a great a time! Then Daddy and Adyson decided to play TMNT. Daddy was a Foot Soldier, Adyson was Donnatello

Can't wait to post pictures of the house decorated on my next post! Until next week see ya later!!! 

Week 36 Can't wait for Fall!

                    It has been an interesting week for sure. Brittany had an off week for football and trying to get back on a regular schedule was almost impossible. I LOVE long weekends but the short "work" week messes me up, big time. I can not wait for the weather to start changing. I can't wait to use my crockpot more. I need to get in a better habit of using my crockpot. I did get an AWESOME craft project done this week. That was my biggest accomplishment this week. 

Oh by the way guess what guys? There are only 108 days until Christmas!!! Can you believe it? Santa is doing it LAST MINUTE THIS YEAR! 


 NO CHEMICALS-  I still have 2 bottles of Lysol bathroom cleaner left then I will be making my own. I can't wait. I have found a wonderful book I shared with you earlier this year Pinterest. I love this book. I can't wait to start trying some recipes. 

HEALTHY EATING-  Brittany is doing great with cooking dinner 2 times a week. I think she is actually starting to enjoy it. Although on Friday we forgot to pull anything out of the freezer for dinner so she cooked Tuna Helper. Not the healthiest but she did good following the directions. 
I think this year I am going to make homemade cocoa for the kids instead of buying that junk stuff from a box. I have been looking for some good homemade recipes, if anyone has any let me know! I have a drinks board on Pinterest

I'm still trying to find some more smoothie recipes, you can see mine on Pinterest

READING-  I still haven't a read book. I'm falling behind. Since They haven FINALLY decided to turn 50 Shade of Grey into a movie and have chosen the cast maybe I will read that. 

My Exercising- I did get up and exercise two times this week, even though it was a short week. The other days I was up and at it in the cow stalls, mucking.... Well someone has to do it. I fell off the ab work out too. So starting Monday I will start back on day 12 of my ab workout. 

 FARMING-  I was comparing pictures of the Girls (Hamburgerella & Steaktesssa) from when we got them in January until now and how much they have grown. The girls can't be more different, its funny. Rella LOVES bananas peelings and all, but Tessa will only eat the banana. The girls wouldn't leave me alone when I went out to muck stalls. I had to block the way of the stall with the muck cart.

Hamburgerella back in January.

Steaktessa & Hamburgerella in January

Hamburgerella in July... She has gotten so big.

CRAFTING-  So you guys have heard me mention the birthday present that I wanted to make for my grandmother. Well over the last week I completed a Halloween Village for Grandma! I am so proud of it. I had so much fun doing this. It was much easier then I ever thought it would be. I bought Christmas houses last year on sale (after Christmas) I spray painted all the people and houses black. Used a touch of chrome spray paint on the tops of the houses to give it a mystical feel. NO ONE BETTER TELL MY GRANDMOTHER!!! I'm mailing it this coming week, so she has plenty of time to get it set up and plenty of time to have it displayed!

My kitchen table for the last week covered in crafting things.

 

The start of  the cemetery & headless horse man!

The town sign, it says "Happy Halloween"

 

 

The village completed. 

Well until next week, enjoy your time with your loved ones. Time goes by so quickly and you forget what is really important in life. We come and go so quickly no one gets to know anyone anymore. Stop and smell the roses. Don't let life pass you by. 

REST IN PEACE KATHERINE APPLEBY

Week 35 Its September

                        I can't believe its already September!!! I hope everyone had a great week and long weekend! Its been a really long week for me this week. We got a phone call a week ago that my husbands grandmother died. REST IN PEACE KATHERINE APPLEBY. So My husband has been home all week. I LOVE having him home, just wish it was under different circumstances. We have also had Brittany's Powder Puff game my husband got to see it too! She did so much better this week!!! We also bought a new vehicle this week. So I have been a busy girl!

FAMILY TIME-   We had a blast watching Brittany at her game. She is getting the hang of the powder puff football! We had so much fun cheering her on!!! I posted the links below to watch some of the video clips! 

Youtube

Then Adyson and daddy decided they wanted to play make up! They had a great time. 

 

Then we also had movie night of course. Remember I am VERY behind in my movie watching. We watched... Adyson decided she needed a hide out to watch her movies!

The Rise of the Gaurdians- which was awesome!

The Dark Night Rises- Yes another Batman movie, it was OK. 

 



















 I'M STILL SMOKE FREE!!!!!!!  Almost 1.5months!!! 

EXERCISE-  I only got up 2 days this week and worked out, and I'm feeling it. I've been so out of sorts this week. I haven't done my ab workouts either. I will get back on the wagon Tuesday, and I'll hit it hard. 

 EATING HEALTHY- We were doing great until this weekend. I still made hummus! When I announced that it was RELAX weekend everything went out the window. You gotta give me some credit I've been eating healthy and doing great since JULY... So give me a break will ya?

Hummus-

1 can pinto beans -drained & rinsed
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste, found in the "international food isle in grocery stores)
1-2 TBS of ranch seasoning
pinch of black pepper

Put everything in the food processor and blend until creamy! Hummus in general has become my favorite snack! You can add it to sandwiches instead of mayo, add it to your breakfast sandwiches too! 

Follow my Pinterest snack board for more recipes! 

Brittany has done an awesome job cooking dinner! I think by now she can cook chicken, hopefully next week I can talk her into something else, HAHA! She made REAL mashed potatoes and backed chicken!

 NOW FOR MY NEW  VEHICLE---  We have been looking and shopping for about 6 months for a bigger vehicle. I wanted something with 3rd row seating so we can COMFORTABLY drive on road trips to Florida and other family vacations. It gets cramped in a Mazda 3...for 10hrs... So we now have a BEAST to ride in thanks to my wonderful husband.

YES  I got an ARMADA!!!!! I've wanted one for a while now. I finally got my wish! We bought it used which is fine with me. Its a Nissan Armada.... I even got in SEAHAWK BLUE!!!! I wanted the Armada for the room, Nissans run for forever, me to it looks better then a Ford, I love the way the 2nd row seats fold, need I go on? Did I mention its MINE so my opinion is all that matters! 

 READING-  I didn't even pick up a book this week, with everything going on I was lucky to read the owners manual of the Armada. So wait a minute, I did read a book. It was an awesome book HAHA! I am still trying to decide what to read. 

CRAFTS-  At some point this week I am going to the craft store and buying paint and brushes to start my Halloween project of making a Halloween Village. I will also be on the look out for more village pieces. 

Oh My guess what I found out in the back yard this week? A funnel Spider. You know I couldn't help myself I had to feed her!  I fed her a small grasshopper! She is about the size of a HALF DOLLAR!  I've heard they are good for the garden and help control bugs so since she serves a purpose she can stay. 

 

Well until next week, hope everyone has a great week! 

Week 32

First with all the flooding in the mid states, my thoughts and prayers go to all those involved. My family was not affected in any of the flooding in Tennessee. Well this is the first full week of school, so I'm getting better about the routine of a bedtime and the alarm going off at 5:15am.

It's been fun playing catch up this last week. I'm caught up! How exciting! Does anyone else feel like this when they return from vacation? The yard to mow, stalls to muck, water buckets to clean, animal pools to clean, laundry, cleaning the house, reading mail, etc. But we got it done.

I have discovered Trader Joe's and Whole Foods this week. My impressions Whole Foods, mine is as big as a regular grocery store lots of choices. Pricey! The same brands from Kroger to Whole Foods, and the item at Whole Foods was $0.50-$1.00 more. The positive about Whole Foods I LOVE the bulk section of the store, nuts, granola, herbs, seasonings, oats, rice, etc The prices for this were cheaper then any other store! So I will probably shop Whole Foods for the bulk bins and that will be about it!
Trader Joe's had awesome prices on organic produce and some boxed items. Their deli meat  and cheese was the cheapest of all stores. I loved the lay out of the entire store and how they promote bringing reusable bags into the store. They didn't have bulk bins at my Trader Joes.
So in a nut shell the 2 stores are 1/2 a block from each other. I would have no problems shopping between the 2 stores for all my needs. I wish they were closer, as it stands I guess I will make a once a month trip for things since the stores are 40 min from me.


EXERCISING-I've been doing great! I have worked out everyday this week! I found my work outs from the magazines I subscribe to. I get SHAPE, Fitness and Women's Health. I got an awesome deal after Christmas last year from www.discountmags.com if you bought 3 magazines for 3 years it was only $18. Thats right 3 magazines for 3 years!!! I cut the workouts from the magazine and glued them into a spiral notebook. So everyday I have a different workout to do. I'm building up my balance, muscles and endurance just from the simple workouts. I wake up a little sore everyday which lets me know I did the workout right the day before. I have pinned TONS of exercise stuff to my Pinterest so go check it out!

Adyson was trying to do this exercise. I think she did a great job at it!!! 

EAT HEALTHY- I have discovered the love of smoothies!!! I have started a Pinterest board of smoothies. I only have a few pins but very excited to try them. I have realized over the last week you can't mess up a smoothie. Its really a handful of this and that and blend it together. I have found that peanut butter has a strong taste in smoothies. To me if I add peanut butter to my smoothie that is all I can taste so I choose not to add peanut butter.
 So far my favorite has a little of everything in it.
fruits- big bag of  mixed frozen fruit from Sam's Club, measure out 1 cup portions & put in individual bags
Oats- I bought a 10 lbs box from Sams Club
Milk
Protein Powder- Picutred below, I buy at the grocery store. I like this powder I bought vanilla so I can add                                       it to anything. I will try another protein powder when I have finished this.
Spinach
carrots
banana
nuts- almonds, chia, etc (Chia seeds are a great source of fiber (6g)  and Omega 3 (2.9g) in just a tablespoon!!! You remember these little seeds....Cha Cha Chia Pets? Those little black seeds that grew green "hair" for our Chia Pet?) I found mine at Trader Joes!!

                       

I mix everything up depending on my mood that morning. I do take a multi-vitamin every other day. If you eat healthy, ( I have not had "processed food" in almost 1 month) there is no reason to take a vitamin everyday.

SMOKE FREE FOR 3 WEEKS!! 😀🎉 I feel so much better. between eating healthy and quitting smoking its amazing the amounts of energy I have. I haven't felt like this in years!!!!

READING- I forgot to add my review of "Perfect Fling" by Carly Phillips on last weeks blog, so here it is!

 It was funny & romantic(a few exotic parts), I loved it!!! Great plot, and characters were life like!

I have started The Percy Jackson Series. I know I'm a little old for it but I love those kinds of stories. I loved Harry Potter too! The first book in the series is The Lightening Thief. Yes I know its already a movie. You must remember I am ALWAYS behind when it comes to book/movie stuff like this. Yes I know the 2nd book was turned into a movie that starts soon. I'm getting there!!! 

MIND GAMES- I know I'm 32 years old, but I can't help myself when it comes to Disney's game Where's My Water. I downloaded it for Adyson, she loves it too, and yells at me when she catches me playing it. I think its addicting!!! You must help Swampy the crocodile get water to take a shower. So you have to route the water around obstacles. LOVE IT!!!!

Update on my LIFEPROOF case...so I bought mine from Walmart. The case works wonderful. I got online to register my new case (yes you have to register the case, it has 2 serial numbers) I was having problems registering my case. So I called customer service at LIFEPROOF (which I waited in line 35 minutes before I got to speak to a person) where it was explained to me because I bought it from Walmart it does NOT have the same "water warranty". You only get the water warranty if you by the case from LIFEPROOF directly or from Verizon. So when you get online to look up prices you will notice that the cases are $10 more BUT WORTH IT for the warranty I think! So I took my case back to Walmart , got my money back. Then ordered it from LIFEPROOF.

Moral of the story- ALWAYS buy direct from the company whenever possible!



Hope you all had a good week and have a great weekend! Leave me your questions in the comments below. Let me know if there is anything you would like to know! 

Adyson was getting frustrated with me at the store!!! haha