The Pumpkin Patch

I'm out...

2011-02-04T09:05:00.000-05:00

We all got some type of Bronchitis type illness the week of Martin Luther King day. Before we were all better from that we got the stomach flu again. I have been taking care of caughing, fever-running, puking, whining, waking-up-several-times-a-night kids for weeks now. All the while I've been sick too. I just can't keep us healthy and I can't keep all of the balls in the air. My heart is acting up again too. Something has to give and if I'm not careful it's going to be me.

I have no other choice but to strip my life of all of the non-necessities and hopefully things will get better in the spring. So, once again I have to say goodbye to my blog friends. I will talk to you all again once it's warm and we aren't sick...if that day ever comes.

Reason #421 why I am AWESOME...

2011-01-31T12:12:00.001-05:00

Remember how we re-did our fireplace? If you missed it, you can see it here. The whole reason we decided to redo it was to be able to burn wood to help heat our house. The first winter here just about bankrupt us. Well, in order to burn wood, you have to have wood.

We just ordered some from a super cute little old guy last week. He dropped it off in the driveway and since we were all sick, it just sat there. Well, I looked at the weather today and saw that we are going to get at least 12 inches of snow by Wednesday night. Guess what that means? The wood can't stay in the driveway because I am certainly not digging it out from under 12 inches of snow!

So, I just spent 2 hours moving a huge pile of wood and stacking it neatly on our porch so I can get to it without having to dig for it. I'm going to pay dearly for moving it all myself, but at least while we are snowed in and I can't move I'll be warm and toasty! :) Sounds like the perfect time to get some crocheting done.

Oh, you want pictures? Oh, okay...here you go.

My article is being published!!!!!

2011-01-28T11:37:00.000-05:00

Several months ago I submitted an article to an online journal, The Power of Moms. I didn’t hear from them, so I just assumed my article wasn’t accepted. Just this week I got an email saying that it was accepted and would be published TODAY! I realize this is just a tiny little article, but I am very excited abut it. My life long dream is to write a book and I see this as the first of many steps. If you would like to read it, you can follow this link.

I'm sure many of you didn't know that becoming an author is a dream of mine because I never talk about it. I guess it means so much to me that I’ve been afraid to share it for fear of it not coming true. Now my confidence is boosted. I feel that with LOTS of hard work, maybe my dream can come true. So to all of you who love me and support me...THANK YOU!!!

Now go read my article and tell me what you think. :)

Devastation

2011-01-24T12:59:00.001-05:00

Some very good friends of ours went to get their little 20 month old boy from his bed Saturday morning to find that he had passed away in the night. I am so devastated for them and for their children.

We have been friends since before any of us were married and have continued to be friends all of these years. We were pregnant at the same time with my 4th and her 3rd...due within days of each other. We spent that summer throwing up and growing big together. She went on to have another little boy and he is the one who is now an angel. Seeing them go through this is heartbreaking! Yet at the same time, the faith and poise and strength that has always drawn me to them is ever present.

At this time I have 2 requests. Please keep their family in your prayers that they will find the peace and comfort that only the Lord can give. Please take a minute to tell the people you love that you love them...you never know when you won't get another chance.

If you would like to know more about their experience, you can read her blog here.

Feature Friday -- Smart Seat Chair Covers

2011-01-21T06:34:00.000-05:00

This past fall Becky from Smart Seat Chair Covers contacted me about a awesome new product on the market and asked me if I would be willing to review it on my blog. As soon as I saw what her product was I said "YES, please let me review it!" I got it in the mail 3 days later.

It is a seat cover that is stain resistant, waterproof, and washable. Did you catch all of that? It comes in 3 colors, navy blue, khaki, and black. Their website shows exactly how to use it on different types of chairs and their customer service is excellant. It is slightly narrower on one end and has velcro strips so that it can strap on under the seat of your chair. It is very simple to use and is quite versatile. I've had this since November and we have put it through the ringer. It still looks as good today as the day I got it.

This will be perfect for those of you who have real dining room chairs. We had lovely ones when we first got married, but 10 years later, they are no longer with us. They've been replaced with the plastic folding chairs from Costco which are so easy to clean, but not even a little bit attractive. This is how I used it on those chairs.

As you can see, it didn't fit perfectly on there, but it did cover the seat and kept it clean. What I really loved it for was putting it under our booster seat that straps on to the chair. We have used this booster seat for all 4 kids and nastiness always collected on the chair underneath it. I HATED taking it off to scrub the chair, but with this little beauty, I didn't have to. I just took the booster off, took the seat cover off and shook the hard stuff into the trash and then threw it into the washer. Perfection!

Just for kicks I also tried it on the back of the chair too.

I also tried it on a chair in my family room. My puppy likes to curl up on the chair and I didn't want it to get gross. Again, it didn't fit perfectly because the chair has T cushions, but it covered the important parts. The dog didn't like it for some reason and wouldn't sit on the chair with it on there. So I guess it served it's purpose, just in a different way than I was expecting. :)

I think you should give these a try. You can order just one to try out before you buy enough for all of your chairs and Becky and everyone else at Smart Seat Chair Covers is so great to work with. Want to know my favorite part? She is a stay at home mom who had a good idea and supportive friends. They ran with it and now they have a good business. I am much more likely to support "One of our own" than to run out to the nearest store and buy something similar...not that there is anything similar. I absolutely think this is a great product and worth looking into.

Whatcha Got Wednesday -- Kitchen update

2011-01-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for an update?

The lighting is done. Mr. Wonderful took out the flourescent lights and put in recessed lights. Can I just say how awesome it is to be able to SEE what I'm doing no matter where I am in the kitchen. Heavenly!

The backsplash is completely DONE and I did it all by myself. Mr. Wonderful was working on other stuff, so I jumped in and did it. I even cut the tile by myself. I'm feeling like Super Woman right about now!

Mr. Wonderful got the beadboard up an all of the ends/backs of cabinets and started framing everything in. I'll prime and paint that while he makes the cabinet doors. I also have to paint the ceiling so he can finish putting up the lights.

Now it's your turn. Show me Whatcha Got!

1. Link up the actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab my button and post it somewhere on your blog.

3. Check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love.

My baby isn't a baby anymore!

2011-01-10T21:48:00.000-05:00

He is 3 years old now!!! He was born on New Year's Eve...lucky guy will always have a rockin' party on his birthday. :)

He wanted a Superman cake this year. I had big plans. BIG ones. But when your kitchen looks like this, it's hard to bake a cake.

What did I do? I bought one of these (but it had blue flowers and sprinkles on it)...

And scrapped all of this off...

And turned it into this...

And he was so happy!

Happy Birthday little man. We love you and are so happy you are part of our family (and finally potty-trained...NO MORE DIAPERS!!!)

Whatcha Got Wednesday -- I have hair!

2011-01-05T03:00:00.000-05:00

Remember when I did this? Well guess what? It is growing back. I actually got a haircut on Christmas Eve and I LOVE it. I feel so cute and dare I say it...SEXY. It has been really interesting watching my hair grow back. I always parted it on my right side, but as it has grown back in, I've realized that it naturally parts on the left. I also found out that I have a little spot in the back that grows BLACK hair. So random!

Aside from being able to raise money for children's cancer research, I have had some really great experiences from doing this. My kids go to a Montessori school (which we love) and so they are all about community and helping others and teach amazing values like honesty, respect, integrity, service, etc. When their teachers heard what I was doing, each of them asked me to come and talk to their classes. I was able to go in before and talk about it and read them age appropriate stories about cancer and loosing your hair. Then I was able to go back in after and show them what I looked like with no hair and how it would be used to help someone who needed it more than me. It was such an amazing experience and I consider myself lucky to have been able to participate. Now whenever I am up at the school I have 50 little kids who want to come up and say hello and give me a high 5. It is awesome!

Before:

After:

p.s. We have been working our booties off at our house. We are re-doing our kitchen and it is looking soooooooo good. I can't wait to show you. Stay tuned!

Now it's your turn. Show me Whatcha Got!

1. Link up the actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab my button and post it somewhere on your blog.

3. Check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love.

Whatcha Got Wednesday--Christmas!!

2010-12-29T03:00:00.000-05:00

First I would like to say that today is VERY special day! It is my 10th anniversary. When we got married we decided that we would spend our 10th in Europe. Yeah, that's not happening. Instead we're getting a babysitter and spending a night out on the town. Someday we will take a big trip, but it won't be today. :)

Anyway, we had the BEST Christmas! Santa was good to us this year. It was full of the 3 F's...friends, food, and fun. Here are a few pics of the week.

Now it's your turn. Show me Whatcha Got!

1. Link up the actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab my button and post it somewhere on your blog.

3. Check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love.

Watcha Got Wednesday

2010-12-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up last week. I had no idea if anyone would link up at all and was very pleasantly surprised that 14 projects were linked up. You people make me smile so much!!!

I'm still sick and have done absolutely NOTHING for days, so I have nothing to show you. But I still want to see what you've been up too.

Now it's your turn. Show me Whatcha Got!

1. Link up the actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab my button and post it somewhere on your blog.

3. Check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love.

In case you were wondering...

2010-12-20T11:54:00.000-05:00

What my house looks like when I've been sick since Thanksgiving, I thought I'd let you know.

Whatcha Got Wednesday--kitchen

2010-12-15T03:00:00.001-05:00

When we bought our house it was with the understanding that we would be re-doing our kitchen. A few months after we moved in I got some quotes on refacing our cabinets and I just about wet myself. NO WAY could we afford it.

3.5 years later and we have decided to do it ourselves. Mr. Wonderful is a VERY handy guy, so I have absolutely no doubts that he can do it. He has 2 weeks off at Christmas, so we're going to hit it hard. We did the prep work over Thanksgiving and I am so excited I want to do the happy dance everytime I walk into my kitchen.

Before: Isn't that backsplash just beautiful? And those cabinets...don't they make your heart flutter?

After: I know this pic is from a different angle and my countertops are messy, but can you see that we took down the backsplash and an entire row of cabinets that were hanging over my countertop Look at the 2nd before pic standing in the kitchen looking out and now look at the after pic. Can you see it?

Anyway, more to come!!

Now it's your turn. Show me Whatcha Got!

1. Link up the actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab my button and post it somewhere on your blog.

3. Check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love.

Oh Christmas Tree!

2010-12-13T03:00:00.000-05:00

I thought I would show you my Christmas tree. It's a fake we've had since we first got married. It will be retired after this year, and it has served us well. Someday I will have a family tree in the family room that has all of our sentimental ornaments and a fancy tree in some other room that is just for me to look at. For now, this is it. Oh, and for the record, the ribbon was evenly spaced around the tree, but my kids won't stop messing with it. Gotta love it!

I tried to mix all of the family ornaments with the pretty ones and I like what I got. My kids keep pulling things down to play with, so it doesn't look like this anymore. :)

I got the ribbon and these balls on sale after Christmas. They are pretty and plastic, so they won't break when my kids mess with them.

This little guy has been hanging on my tree since I was a little one. It's from Germany (where I was born). My parents got him when my Dad was stationed there with the Army. My mom gave each of us a few when we moved out of the house.

This is also from Germany. It's from the year I was born...at least that's what I've told myself all of my life. :)

I don't know how old this is. My mom made it and I loved it so much that she let me keep it. I also have an ice skating girl that my girls saw and immediately took up to their room. They crack me up!

This is Mr. Wonderful's from his childhood. My almost 3 year old LOVES is and plays with it under the tree (which is where he is currently "resting".)

This is also Mr. Wonderful's. His mom gave him all of his ornaments when we got married. This is one of my favorites of what he brought with him.

Don't forget my new linky party "Whatcha Got Wednesday". It starts this Wednesday and I have a really fantastic project to share with you, so come back and show me Whatcha Got!

Stomach flu anyone?

2010-12-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

My plans have been put on hold until Monday. I had a cold earlier this week and ended up loosing my voice. Not fun, but not terrible. I think my kids kind of liked it. :) I was just starting to get my voice back and feel a little bit better when I came down with a NASTY stomach bug. I can't remember the last time I've been so violently ill. Anyway, I'll start up for real on Monday.

I was asked to review a VERY cool new product that I'm sure you will all love, so come back Monday for that review. I hope you all have a great weekend (and that all of the sickness leaves my body and our house.)

INTRODUCING...

2010-11-30T21:59:00.000-05:00

Me...I'm back and I'm ready to get this blog chugging again. I needed that break so much and I am really grateful for all of the kind words and warm wishes you all sent my way.

Aside from taking a break, I also thought long and hard about what I wanted to do with The Pumpkin Patch. I missed blogging and I especially missed seeing all of the awesomeness that seems to pour out of each of your fingers.

When I started this blog I intended it to be a place for women to come together and uplift and support one another. I hoped it would be a place to find inspiration and acceptance and friendship. Somewhere along the way I got more worried about followers and how many people visited each day than about my original goal--to help people. I never intended it to be a parade of just how many crafts/projects I could get done in one week, but that's what it eventually became. Don't get me wrong, I still love crafting and working on projects. I still want to see what you all have come up with and I still want to show you what I'm working on. I still want to share recipes and kid's crafts becuase I love to cook and I love to do fun things with my munchkins. However; I'm not going to try and squeeze more into my days that can reasonably fit around taking care of my family.

With that being said, here's the new game plan.

I plan to post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If I have more to say in a week, then I'll post more often. If I don't, then I won't. Wednesday will be dedicated to you lovely ladies. I'm starting a new linky part to replace the old ones. It's called "Whatcha Got Wednesdays" and is open to ANYTHING you want to show off (except nude body parts...and anything else that isn't family friendly). I'll have the linky up by 12:01 am every Wednesday and once I get people linking up again I'll feature 3 projects from the week before. I will start hosting Watcha Got Wednesdays next week (12/8/10).

Here's the button in case anyone wants it.

p.s. A special thanks to Sunny who sent me "thinking about you emails" at the exact moments I needed them. You didn't know it, but you were answering my prayers. Thank you.

Struggling

2010-10-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

I'm going to give it to you straight. I'm struggling! I think I've entered the joys of what is known as a "fibro flare-up". It started toward the end of last week and is hanging on for dear life. I am so extremely tired I'm afraid to drive anywhere because I'm afraid I will fall asleep at the wheel. When I wake up in the morning I feel like I haven't slept at all and that my body somehow went from being 33 to 95 overnight. My hands are so stiff and swollen when I wake up I can't use them for an hour or more. I have to fix the girls' hair before they go to bed at night because I just can't make my hands do it in the morning. All of my joints ache and my head hasn't stopped pounding for days. In short, I feel terrible.

Last night I decided I was going to quit my blog. I used to love it, but the last couple of weeks have been hard. I am so behind on housework and helping the kiddos with homework and piano lessons it is ridiculous. I haven't cooked a real dinner in almost a week. I feel like my life is unraveling and there is not a thing I can do about it.

I'm sad becuase I have gotten to know so many amazing people and my linky parties are starting to take off and my followers are starting to climb pretty quickly. But I just can't do it...not right now. I don't know if I'm going to quit it for keeps or just for a little bit, but I have to give myself permission to stop for now. I'll see how I feel when my "flare-up" decides to "flare-down" and I get my real life under control again. I will still post things if I think they are awesome, but I'm not going to push myself to do it everyday.

Thanks for understanding.

Messy Monday -- DIY Watercolor Paint

2010-10-18T06:00:00.001-04:00

These are the BEST! My kids love to paint, but we used to go through watercolor paints like crazy. I decided there had to be a way to make my own. We love it so much, I just had to share with you!

Watercolor Paints

4 Tbsp Baking Soda
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Glycerin (available in any pharmacy)
food coloring
ice cube tray
tooth picks

Mix the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl until fizzing stops.
Add cornstarch and glycerin and mix thoroughly.
Spoon evenly into ice cube tray.
Add food coloring to each ice cube slot and mix thoroughly.
Mix and match colors until you have all of the colors you want.
Let dry overnight.
Use as regular watercolors.

This will crumble easier than store bought watercolors, but since it is in an ice cube tray it is much less likely to come out and make a mess everywhere.

Hint: I make 2 of each color so that the tray can sit on the table between 2 kids. Then they each have the same colors and don't fight about who is using what.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Whatever Wednesday -- Featured!

2010-10-13T09:57:00.001-04:00

Since so many awesome people are linking to my parties, I thought I would change Whatever Wednesday to WOW Wednesday and start featuring my favorites from the link ups the week before. If you were featured, grab a button and proudly display it on your blog!

These Halloween costumes are made from fun foam. How cool (and inexpensive) is that?! You can get all of the details over at Paisley Passions.

I don't know about you all, but I HATE having to get a new razor after only using it a few times. Check out this amazing tip on how to make them last much longer over at In The Loop.

Isn't this log bench beautiful?! My dream is to some day live in a log home and if this bench were mine, I don't think my bum would ever get off of it. :) Best part, it is HANDMADE. Go see how they did it at The Paisley Cupcake.

Check these treat bags out! Aren't they the coolest. My kids would love these, and not just at Halloween time. You can get all of the handy details (I know i'm so funny) over at Making Memories With Your Kids.

Isn't this wreath so cute?! It would take all of my self control not to eat the thing every time I walked by. I love Candy Corns! You can get the tutorial over at A Mommy's Adventures.

Well, there you have it! My favorites from last weeks linky parties. Keep the links coming people!

If you were featured, please grab a button and display it proudly on your blog.

Transform Tuesday -- Bald is Beautiful!!

2010-10-12T08:56:00.000-04:00

My friend Corinne and I teamed with St. Baldricks and shaved our heads to raise money for children's cancer research and we donated our hair to Beautiful Lengths so that it can be made into wsig for people who have lost their hair from chemotherapy.

Before:

After:

So how's that for a transformation?! There's still time to donate to children's cancer research. Even $5 will help. Click here.

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

What have you transformed? Link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

Messy Monday -- I'm home and I'm BALD!

2010-10-11T06:00:00.001-04:00

I did it. I shaved my head to raise money for children's cancer research. How's this for a mess?!

There is still time to donate if you want to. Even $5 will help. Click here.

Come back tomorrow for the Before and Afters...now that's a transformation you don't want to miss!
What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Transform Tuesday -- Goodwill Recycling!

2010-10-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Reminder: If you want to know why I'm shaving my head click here.

Daisy and J-Man go to a public Montessori school where they have to wear uniforms. Which is really great for the morning routine... no arguements because they already know what they need to wear. I have also been able to get most of their clothes from Goodwill, so I haven't had to spend a ton of money to get them.

When we signed them up, they told us that kindergarten and 2nd grade wouldn't have to wear gym uniforms. Last Friday they sent a note home to the parents saying that they needed gym uniforms afterall. I went back to Goodwill sure I'd be able to find what I needed. Guess what I found?! NOTHING! Not a single thing! So I went to Wal-Mart and got some cheap t-shirts that were the right color/style, but they didn't have any pants. I also looked at Kohl's, Target, and Meijer. NOTHING!

Oh shoot! Now what? In desperation I headed back to Goodwill. I looked in the women's section and found 2 pairs of athletic pants that were the right colors (Hunter Green and Maroon) for less than $5 each. Then I headed home and set to work with a pair of scissors and my serger. About an hour later I had a new pair of gym pants. :)

I really love it when what I see in my head and what I actually end up with are the same thing!

Before:

After:

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

What have you transformed? Link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

Messy Monday -- Follow your kid's lead

2010-10-04T06:00:00.001-04:00

Reminder: If you want to know why I'm shaving my head click here.

Have you ever asked your kiddos what they would like to do for Messy Monday? I did. I was expecting some huge project, so the answers I got really surprised me and made me realize that all they really want is for us to love them and spend time with them. Feel free to set some parameters...We're not going to go anywhere or spend any money...we have to use what we already have...no video games...etc.

Question: What would you like to do with me today?

Answers:

Daisy: I want to do a craft wtih you. Maybe we can paint some pictures and then turn them into something...like a special book or something. (give this girl a gluestick and some paper and she is in heaven.)

J-Man: I want to snuggle and read lots and lots of books with you. (melt my heart)

Princess: Let's bake something. And I can wear an apron and you can wear an apron and we can make it together and then we can eat it. And the other kids can eat it too!! (girl after my own heart) recipe here.

the Babe: CARS!!! I wanna play CARS!!! (give him some cars and he will play happily for an hour or more)

So, guess what we are going to do for Messy Monday? Yep! And I'm going to love every second of it.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

I'm shaving my head!!

2010-09-29T14:23:00.000-04:00

You heard it right! My dear friend, Corinne, and I are teaming with St. Baldricks and shaving our heads in an effort to raise as much money as possible for childhood cancer research by October 9th.

Did you know that every 3 1/2 minutes a child in the U.S. is diagnosed with cancer?

While I haven't personally known any children with cancer, my family has definitely been affected by it. My father-in-law had multiple meylomal cancer. He died a few months after my husband graduated from High School. I never had the chance to meet him. One of my uncle's also lost his life to cancer. I can think of at least a handful of others who have also struggled with cancer. Some of them have been able to beat it, and some of them haven't. I will be shaving my head in their honor.

Corinne and I talk regularly about wanting to be good people and wanting to help others. As more people we love are being diagnosed with cancer, we have wondered what we can do make an impact. We have chosen to do our part by teaming with an amazing organization called St. Baldricks. In short, St. Baldricks raises money to fund essential cancer research. By donating to St. Baldricks, your money is directly used to fund cancer research. In return, well, we're going bald...

In two weeks, after raising as much funds as we can, we will collectively hold our breath as we shave each other's heads. Yikes! The thought is a little terrifying and very overwhelming. But we are confident that our emotions are nothing compared to the fear and anxiety young cancer patients feel when they lose their hair. The difference- those children do not have a choice.

Now that's where you come in. We each set a personal goal to raise $3,000 by October 9th. I still have a LONG way to go. Will you help us reach and even surpass this goal? Please, please consider donating to St. Baldricks. Whether you can contribute $20 or $200 or $2000, ANY size donation is appreciated!

To visit my web page and to make a tax deductible donation, click HERE.

We will also be donating all of the hair that is at least 8 inches long to Beautiful Lengths. It will then be used to a create free wigs for cancer patients. Beautiful Lengths is an organization that partners with the American Cancer Society.

Please spread the word by telling your friends, families, and coworkers about this goal and how they can help. Feel free to pass along this letter to anyone who might be interested. Our shave date of October 9th is coming quickly!!

Messy Monday -- link up troubles

2010-09-27T10:26:00.000-04:00

I have no Messy Monday activity today. When I went to create the link party the website was down. I went to create a new account with another site they have suspended their registrations for new people. So sorry!! If you still want to link up, just leave me a comment with the link to the post you want us all to see.

I've been very busy behind the scenes coming up with some new things for you all. I have a couple of big announcements coming very soon. Thanks for sticking with me. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Foodie Friday -- Pumpkin Oatmeal

2010-09-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last night my kids asked if they could choose what we had for dinner. I hesitatingly (is that a word?) said yes. I braced myself for their choice and do you know what it was? Pumpkin Oatmeal. I'm totally serious. And yeah...I totally scored in the I've-got-really-awesome-kids department.

So, about 20 minutes later my home smelled like I was walking through Heaven on a crisp Fall evening and my kids happily ~~inhaled~~ ate their oatmeal before going to bed.

Pumpkin Oatmeal (I got this idea from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook, but changed it up a lot)

4 cups oatmeal
8 cups water
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/2 to 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1.5 tsp cinnamon
.5 tsp cloves

Mix the water, sugar, and vanilla together and bring to a boil.
Add pumpkin, oats, and spices.
Return to boil and cook until thickened to your liking
Serve with milk and butter. YUM!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Thoughtful Thursday -- Depression

2010-09-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

I've been debating writing this post for several days. I know it can be a touchy subject and I don't want to be insensitive to those of you reading this who are struggling with depression in any of it's forms. Please know that I've given this a LOT of thought and feel like it is worth talking about. Please also know that my intentions are pure and I mean no ill-will.

We have all had times in our lives when we've struggled with being depressed about something. It can be caused by any number of reasons which may include a hormonal and/or chemical imbalance, post-partum depression, illness, trauma induced depression, etc. It can be mild or extremely severe and it definitely affects a lot of people.

One of the medications the Dr. is trying me on for my fibromyalgia is an anti-depressant. I have never been on one before and had a very hard time accepting that she thought I needed it. She prescribed it to me because it has been known to help regulate sleep cycles in people with fibromyalgia. After doing a ton of research I finally decided to give it a try. And you know what? It really has helped with regulating my sleep cycles (which have been severely messed up for years).

It has also helped with my mood. I never thought I had "depression". I've known for a long time that I'm struggling with being able to keep everything together. I've known that I am sad a lot and would much rather stay at home than go be with people...and there's more too. But in my mind, that wasn't depression. That was just being overwhelmed. It wasn't until I started taking an anti-depressant and noticed a big difference in how I feel emotionally that I realized/accepted that I really have been struggling with depression.. I never thought I would say this, but I am really glad I'm on it...at least for now.

I'm not saying everyone should run out and ask their Dr.s for depression drugs, all I'm saying is that there is no reason to be embarrassed or self-conscious about it. If anything, be proud of yourself for taking your well-being into your own hands and being pro-active in making your life better!

For those of you who have friends or family struggling with Depression, all I can say is be kind. Love them and support them the best you know how. Don't judge them or treat them like it's their fault. Just love them and know that they are doing the best they can!

"Depression isn't a sign of weakness, it is a sign of being strong for a little too long." I don't know who said it, but I heard it this week from my sister-in-law and really liked it.

Whatever Wednesday -- Becoming a "Room Mom"

2010-09-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

I somehow got talked into being the "Room Liaison" for Daisy's class. That's the Fancy way to say Room Mom. She is super excited. I'm trying to be. :)

I talked to the Teacher last Friday and asked what she needed long term and if there was anthing I could do short term until I can get everything organized with the other parents. She said she had some lamination to cut out. I said, "Oh sure...no problem." Then she showed me the lamination she needed cut. I almost wet myself. HOLY SMOKES!

This is what I started with.

This is after an hour and a half with my handy-dandy paper cutter (thank you Costco).

This is what I still have left. This will take me at least a few hours because each strip has 4-6 little squares and there are over 75. Yeah me!

Transform Tuesday -- Table Runner Tutorial

2010-09-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

I was looking through some of my older posts today and realized that I never posted the tutorial I made for my table runner. Well today is your lucky day, becauser here it is!

Before: We bought this table at a yard sale when we first got married. We've had it for almost 10 years and it is still going strong. The chairs have sadly not made it. Someday I will make beautiful slip covers for these awesome Costco chairs. :)

After:

If you want the tutorial, keep reading!

I decided I wanted to make a table runner with this fabric. It was on sale at JoAnn's, so I bought what was left. If you want to see what else I did with it, click here.

Supplies

2.5 yards of a pretty fabric of your choice (you will have enough left over to make some pillows or maybe a matching valance)
2.5 yards of a backing material. I usually use a white sheet.
scissors
sewing machine
straight pins
iron and ironing board

1. First, you have to measure your table and figure out what kind of table runner you want. My table is 36 in. by 66 in. So I decided I wanted my runner to be 16 in. by 76 in. Making sure to leave room for a seam allowance, I cut my fabric to 17in. by 77 in.

2. If there is a pattern to your fabric, you may need to cut it down the middle instead of just starting at one edge. I wanted the main swirly patter to go down the center, so I cut my fabric with that in mind. You will also need a backing material. I use sheets for these types of projects. They are big and cheap and work great. Cut your backing material the same size.

3. You also need to decide if you want a straight end or a pointed end. I decided on a straight end because our table has seen better days and I wanted to cover it up.

4. Next you will need to serge (or zig-zag) the edges of both pieces of fabric and pin them together. Remember to pin them with right sides facing each other.

5. After you have it pinned, sew it together. Make sure to leave an opening so you can flip it right side out.

6. Next you will want to clip your corners and iron the seam open. You can see that once you clip the corners the bulk is out of the way and it will flip right side out with no problems.

7. Flip it and iron it again. Pin right next to the edge to hold it down and then topstich right next to the edge. This will sew up the hole that you left to flip it through.

And there you have it! A beautiful table runner that was a cinch to make!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

What have you transformed? Link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

Messy Monday -- Paper Lanterns

2010-09-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

This is a super easy craft that kids will LOVE!

Paper Lanterns

colored paper
scissors
glue stick or tape

Off of the short side of your paper cut a strip about 1 in. wide.

Fold your paper in half.
Starting at the fold, cut strips 1/2 in. to 1 in. wide leaving 1/2 in. to 1 in. at the edge.

Open your paper and glue the last strip on one side.

Take the edges and place one on top of the other. This will turn it into a ring and glue it together.

Glue the stip you originally cut off to the top, making a hanger

Step back and enjoy your handywork.

You can also use colorful scrapbook paper or pages from a magazine. If you decide to use magazine, it works best to glue it to a sheet of regular paper and let it dry completely before doing the other steps.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Whatever Wednesday -- Just Love Them

2010-09-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Some days it is sooooo easy to love my kids. You know the days...when everyone is happy and kind and loving so there are no temper tantrums or fighting. I don't see those days as often as I would like, but when when I do, it is like a little slice of Heaven just for me and I just love them.

Some days it is a bit harder. :) You know those days too...when everyone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and they are whining and complaining and fighting with each other non-stop. I see these days a little more than I would like, but when I do, I remind myself to be patient and I just love them.

And then one day I find these. First I panic because it looks like paint...but it isn't. So I start looking for more clues to what it could be. (I had a cold at the time, so I couldn't smell a thing)

Then I find these. At this point I have two guesses...diaper rash cream or mashed potatoes.

Finally I find the culprit...FROSTING! (bad pic...sorry)

I really wanted to be mad, but I wasn't. Not even a little. The whole thing made me smile and I realized that no matter what, I just love them!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Transform Tuesday -- Kid's Toys Reorg.

2010-09-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

I did this post about a year ago, but I'm reposting it because I need to go through our toys again and I'm hoping this will give me the motivation to do it. :)

If you have kids, then you have toys. If you are anything like us, you have more toys than your kids could possibly play with in a day. When we moved here 2ish years ago, we were one of the younger families at church. We moved from a town home into a single family home and all of our stuff could fill about 1/3 of our house. Several of the families at church took pity on us :) and gave us tons of clothes, toys, furniture, dishes, etc. Before long our house actually had stuff in each of the rooms. We also had more toys than we knew what to do with!

My husband and I both grew up in large families...8 children in his and 7 children in mine. Both families were middle class, but fell closer to "lower income" than "upper income". We were given hand-me-downs all the time. I remember it being like Christmas whenever someone gave us something they didn't need anymore. I also remember hating to throw perfectly good stuff away.

It has taken a good bit of effort to be okay with getting rid of things we don't need or use. I know that sounds silly, but I'm sure some of you out there know what I mean. So, what does this have to do with organizing your toy room? Well, I had to sit down and go through everything. I had several tubs and some bins to sort things into as well as some trash bags and boxes. First I pulled out everything that was ratty and/or broken and put it in the trash. Then I went through and pulled out all of the toys that I didn't really think we needed and they either went in the trash or in a box for Goodwill. At this point there were still a LOT of toys left so I went through all of them again and only pulled out the things that my kids have played with more than once in the last month. Everything else, no matter what it was went into a box for Goodwill.

As I went through them the final time, I sorted them into tubs and bins and labeled them all. I think I cut our toys in half, but I know that everything in there are things that are in good shape and that my kids like to play with. Now it will be much easier to clean up each time because the containers are labeled and because there aren't as many toys to clean up. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it.

**One word of caution: This job is much easier to do when your kids are not home or are in bed. If they are around, they will want to "help" you by pulling out toys and moving them into different containers. Also, don't load up what is going to the garbage or Goodwill with them right there. It will most likely cause crying and temper tantrums.**

By the way, this picture is just to show you how many toys there are left and how they are organized into tubs. We don't keep them stacked up like this in the play room.

What have you transformed? Link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

Messy Monday -- Popcorn Popping!

2010-09-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

My kiddos think the BEST snack is popcorn...total bonus that it is pretty healthy, low in calories and fat. We have a hot air popper (remember those?) that we use most of the time and my kids like to watch the popcorn "jump" out of the popper and into the bowl. Sometimes, for a special treat, we have microwave popcorn.

You can still buy hot air poppers, but ours was given to us from some friends who didn't use theirs anymore. It is probably 15 year old and still works like a charm.

When we use the hot air popper, we put all kinds of stuff in the popcorn. Here's a quick list...just use your imagination!

Butter
Powdered Sugar
Cheese powder (like from a box of mac and cheese)
Cinnamon Sugar

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Transform Tuesday -- First day of school

2010-09-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of school and so I am taking the day off. Here is a picture of Daisy and J-Man (that's what he wants his blog name to be) on their first day of school. Daisy is in 2nd grade and J-Man is in Kindergarten. Man, I am one lucky mom.

I would still love to see what you have transformed, so please link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

Messy Monday -- Cookies!!

2010-09-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

Sometimes my favorite thing to do with my kids is to make cookies! With 4 little helpers it almost alwasy turns out Messy, so it is the perfect activity to share with you today. Could my helpers be any cuter?!

Doodle Cookies (a.k.a. snickerdoodles) recipe from here.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Foodie Friday -- Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2010-09-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine wanted Carrot Cake for her birthday. She is also a pretty healthy eater, so I knew I couldn't just make any old Carrot Cake it had to be at least a little bit healthy. Here's what I came up with and it was DELICIOUS! (I was running low on time so I baked them as cupcakes instead of as a cake.)

Carrot Cake

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups applesauce
1 to 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups grated carrots (grated on the large grater hole side)
1 cup chopped peacons
8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour cake pans (or use papers for cupcakes)
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, applesause, brown sugar and vanilla.
Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Stir in carrots and pineapple.
Fold in pecans.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean. bake a 9 x 13 for 40-50 minutes. bake 2 round pans for 25-35 minutes. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

And when your kids dont know how good they have it, they get these for dessert instead. :)

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out.

Thoughtful Thursday -- He looks just like Jesus!

2010-09-02T06:00:00.002-04:00

Last night as my kids and I were walking out of our church building a group of people were coming in. The last man in the group saw us coming so he held the door for us. He was dressed nicely in a white shirt and dark pants. He had shoulder length brown hair and a full beard. My son saw him and his face filled with amazement as we got closer to the door. Then J leaned closer to me and said, "Mom is that Jesus?!" I smiled at him and said no, it was just a nice man who looked alot like Jesus. J then said, "He sure does look like Jesus and he is being so nice to us...just like Jesus would be." I agreed with him and we walked through the door. J continued to stare at this nice man as we walked by and I whispered to him as I passed that my son thought he looked like Jesus. The man flashed a huge smile and said, "Why thank you!". J was quiet as we got into the car and then finally said, "Mom I love Jesus and that man looked so much like him. I always try hard to be just like Jesus wants me to be."

Melt my heart!!! Do you ever wonder if the things you try and teach your kids ever actually sink in? Well friends, it does! And you will hear the most amazing things from your kids if you take the time to listen.

Whatever Wednesday -- Cute Little Bag

2010-09-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

I recently had a conversation with E that made me giggle. I thought I would share it with you. But first I have to let you all know that E doesn't like that I call her E on my blog and she asked me if I would call her Daisy instead. So forevermore she will be referred to as Daisy. Anyway, here is how our conversation went.

Daisy: Mom, can you make me a little bag...sort of like your purse, but waaaay smaller?

Me: Sure. What do you want it to look like?

Daisy: I want it pink and green with two handles.

Me: Okay. Do you want fabric or yarn?

Daisy: Yarn, of course! (a girl after my own heart.)

Me: Yarn sounds good to me. Do you want anything else?

Daisy: Yes, I want it to be cute.

Me: Okay. Anything else?

Daisy: One more thing. Can you make sure is has plenty of fashion?

Me: Of course! (trying very hard not to laugh before she was out of earshot.)

Seriously. Could my little 7 year old be any cuter? What am I going to do when she's a teenager?!

And here it is. What do you think?

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out.

Transform Tuesday -- Baskets make all the difference!

2010-08-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

This week's transformation is simple. I'll let the pictures do all of the talking.

Before: Random stuff that I didn't want my kids to get to.

After: Get a really cute basket from Michaels for 40% off ($9.98 after discount) and put all of your stuff in it...much better!

What have you transformed? Link it up!!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Messy Monday -- A is for Apple

2010-08-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

A is for apple...and aren't these apples the cutest? They are super simple too.

Materials

Red yarn
Green yarn
Yellow yarn
Brown yarn
Scissors
Cardboard
Pipe Cleaners (optional)

Wrap your red yarn around your cardboard 100 to 150 times.

Fold your cardboard so that it pushes the yarn up and you can get your fingers underneath it.
Slide a piece of brown yarn (about 7-8 inches long) under the yarn.

Tie the brown yarn as tight as you can around the other yarn. (this is where pipe cleaners could be used instead)
Slide your finger under the knot you just tied and hold onto the yarn while you remove the cardboard.

Tie another knot across from the first one you tied and your yarn will turn into a cute little circle.
For the underside of the apple, tie the brown knot 3-4 more times and then cut it close to the knot.

For the top side of the apple, tie the brown yarn 10-15 times one right on top of the other. This will make the stem.

If you want leaves on your apple, there are 2 ways to do it. Slide 2 pieces of green yard under the knot you tied with your brown yarn. Then them into a little bow making sure that the ends are short.

Or you can add 2 pieces of green yard to the red yarn before you tied it with the brown yarn. Then tie a little bow making sure the ends are short.

If you want green apples or yellow apples, do the same thing with different colors of yarn.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Thoughtful Thursday -- What lies in you?

2010-08-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

After my first 3 babies were born it took me between 6 and 9 months to really feel good again. You know, semi-rested and energized and organized...able to handle it all. My pregnancy with my last child was really tough and my delivery was terrible and he had acid reflux REALLY bad (for a whole year). I wasn't very surprised when 9 months passed and I didn't feel good yet. But after a year and then a year and a half passed and I still didn't feel good I started to worry. I went to the Dr. with all of my complaints and she started running tests. I will spare you the details, but just know that I was tested for every possible disease/illness known to man and all of them came back negative. I have been to multiple Dr.s too and all of them have come up with nothing. Well friends, after almost 2 years of searching, the Dr.s have finally decided what is "wrong" with me.

Fibromyalgia.

I hate that word. I hoped that once they figured out what was wrong we would be able to do something about it. This diagnosis wasn't what I wanted to hear. Part of the reason is because I have always sort of thought that Fibromyalgia was a fake disease. One for hypochondriacs or one that Dr.s made up because they were tired of not knowing what the heck was going on. Not only do I feel ill most of the time, I have eaten about 10 slices of humble pie over the last few weeks. I know that what I'm feeling isn't some fake illness that I've made up to get attention. And I know that all of my Dr.s have worked extremely hard to figure out what is wrong with me. We're trying a few different things as far as treatment goes, but the whole process is sort of hit or miss. I guess I just haven't wrapped my head around it yet.

As I was searching for an inspirational quote for today's post this one struck me with so much force it almost knocked me out of my chair. I am strong enough to deal with this and make my life good again. I am strong enough because what lies in me is from God and He gives us the very best.

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transform Tuesday -- Mini Skirt Makeover

2010-08-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

My 4 year old is a little princess. She always wants to wear dresses or skirts. I don't think she has worn pants since last winter when I made her wear them to play outside. Seriously. I'm not even joking. She is also VERY tall...as in 90% for a 5 year old. Which means all of her skirts are so short I feel like I'm sending her out with her bootie showing.

Well, I decided to finally do something about it. It only took a few minutes and turned out super cute. Don't be surprised if you see little girls the world over with Mini Skirt Makeovers!

Before:

After:

What have you transformed? Link it up!!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Messy Monday -- Crayon Rubbings

2010-08-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

This is a super simple idea that my kids love.

Crayon Rubbings

crayons (or chalk)
paper
items to rub (they need to be somewhat flat)

collect different items to rub
place your paper on top of the item
using the side of your crayon or chalk, rub it over the item

Here are some leaves that we did this past fall. You can also do money, wood grain, concrete, vinyl letters or shapes, etc. Just use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Feature Friday --Table Runner Tutorial

2010-08-20T08:24:00.000-04:00

I know, I switched it up on you today. Instead of posting a recipe, i'm guest posting over at

I'm showing you how to make one of these, so go check it out!! (My post will be up at noon on her blog.)

Thoughtful Thursday -- Siblings

2010-08-19T06:00:00.001-04:00

I just got home from visiting my brother and it was such a great trip. He is making steady progress and I'm so grateful to God and the Dr.s and my amazing sister-in-law and nephew for that. I'm also amazed at what a strong person my brother is. I don't know if I could handle what he (and his wife and son) has gone through and is going through. Sometimes we have no choice but to do the hard things and they are doing it...every day. I'm impressed and inspired and humbled to have the blessing and priviledge of calling them family.

To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. ~ Clara Ortega

Whatever Wednesday -- Table Runner

2010-08-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Remember this fabric?

And how I used it to cover these lamps?

Look what else I made with it! Oh, you want one for yourself? Well, okay. The tutorial is coming soon!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design

• We Did it Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado

• Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage

• Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things

• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Transform Tuesday -- New Chandelier

2010-08-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

I got this chandelier off of freecycle and knew I could do something with it.

Before:

Add some primer and a little spray paint...

After: Not too shabby even if I do say so myself (and I do thank you very much!)

What have you transformed? Link it up!!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

• Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design

• We Did it Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado

• Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage

• Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things

• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Messy Monday -- Muffin Tin Meal

2010-08-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

This is one of my kid's favorite meals. It is super easy and so delicious!!

Muffin Tin Meal

12 slices of turkey bacon
12 eggs

Spray the muffin tin with non-stick spray.
Line the tins with 1 piece of turkey bacon
Crack an egg into each tin.
Bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes or until centers are set.

We eat these with muffins or pancakes and they are so good. If you just want to make a couple then you can fill the rest of the muffin tin with muffin batter or with water and they will still cook just fine.

So, what have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

• Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
• We Did it Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado
• Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
• Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things
• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Foodie Friday -- Healthy-ish Pumpkin Muffins

2010-08-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

These muffins are so delicious! They are also sort of healthy, so don't feel guilty eating one...or two. :)

Healthy-ish Pumpkin Muffins

1 15 oz. can pumpkin
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cloves
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F
Grease or line 24 muffin cups
Mix all ingredients but the white chocolate chips until well combined.
Add white chocolate chips and stir in.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!!

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things
• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
• Foodie Friday @ Cheffie Jo
• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Thoughtful Thursday -- Oh Brother!!

2010-08-12T06:00:00.001-04:00

I get to go see my brother this weekend and I'm so excited! There are 7 kids in my family. I am #2 and he is #3. We share a birthday...exactly 2 years apart. We were buddies growing up. We are still buddies. I love him and I know he feels the same for me. I can't wait to see him and hug him and be with my buddy again.

This is a picture of us at teenagers...acting like we always did...like total goof balls.

This is a picture of us this past Christmas.

I will miss Mr. Wonderful and the munchkins like crazy. I have never been away from them for this long, but I can't wait to get there and hang out with my bro.

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I am only 10 posts away from my 200th post. I have BIG plans for it. Stay tuned...

Whatever Wednesday -- Sweet Fireflies

2010-08-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

I made this cake for a friend's birthday. All she wanted was "something cute with fireflies". I made the cake from scratch, used homemade buttercream frosting and the little fireflies are made from store bought gum paste. It was pretty easy. Too bad I had a little person who kept poking it so the finish isn't totally smooth.

What do you think?

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Transform Tuesday -- Food Storage Organization

2010-08-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

Food storage? Yes. I have a mini grocery store in my basement. Tons of canned goods and my very own bulk section. I do this for several reasons. Mostly because I had 4 kids in 4.5 years and taking all of them to the store with me isn't always fun. I also really like knowing that if something crazy happens and Mr. Wonderful looses his job we at least have food to eat.

I have had food storage for years, but when we moved here I finally had room to put it all in one location. Unfortunately that location has also been the catch-all for everything else. Last week I organized it. Let me tell you. That was a job and a half. I feel like I should get an award or something. When I got done I was covered in sweat and my back was killing me. But looking at my before and after pictures makes every little bit worth it!

Before: I'm a little embarassed to show you this...

After: So neat and clean and orderly. I know just where everything is AND can get to it easily. hmmm...I like it...

If you want to see how I organize my pantry, click here.

UPDATE: I've had so many questions about this post I thought I would answer them here. If you have more questions, please feel free to email me. pumpkinpatchdesigns@hotmail.com

Where do you buy your bulk items? I buy all of my bulk items from my church's Family Home Storage Center. You do not need to be a member of my church to purchase items from these centers. Anyone and everyone is welcome. If you want to know more about it why I do it, click here. If you want to know where to find one, click here. If you want to see what is available and how much it costs, click here.

What items do you buy in bulk? I buy flour, sugar, wheat, rice, powdered milk (for baking...not drinking), oats, and beans in 25 lb. bags. You can can it (put it in cans so that it will keep for years) at the Home Storage Center, but I don't. I find that we go through it so fast that it feels like a waste of cans.

What do you put in the buckets? Everything that I buy in a 25 lb. bag goes into a bucket. I buy food-grade bags from here. They are super nice and mail them to me. I take a bucket, put a food-safe bag inside it and then dump my bulk items into it.

Does it go bad? Nope. I have been doing my food this way for years and have never had any problems. The food is in sealed buckets. There isn't much chance for anything bad to happen to it. I also rotate it regularly, so I am always putting the newest stuff in the back and using the oldest stuff first. (make sense?)

What's in the big cans? I also get these from my church's Home Storage Center. I get dried onions, dried apple slices, hot chocolate, fruit drink mix, and refried beans in the cans. We don't go through these as fast as the other things, so I don't need to store as much and therefore don't need to put it in a bucket. (All of the items that I get in bulk can also be bought in cans if you are interested as well as a ton of other things. If you want to see what is available and how much it costs, click here.)

Where do you get your canned goods? I mostly get them from Aldi. If you want to see how I organize my pantry, click here. The only thing I don't get from Aldi is my canned fruit. I buy that at Wal-Mart because Aldi doesn't carry the kind that is only packed in fruit juice. I don't want my kids to get the extra sugar from the syrup.

Where do you get your cleaning supplies, etc.? I get these at Costco. Can't beat the prices...especially if they have a coupon for it.

So there you have it. Any other questions, feel free to email me at pumpkinpatchdesigns@hotmail.com. Thanks!!

What have you transformed? Link it up!!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

• Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design

• We Did it Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado

• Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage

• Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things

• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Messy Monday -- I hate gum!

2010-08-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

On Saturday E went to a birthday party. She had a great time and came home with a goodie bag. It was filled with all different types of sugar, and no gum. I was pretty happy about that. Gum and my kids are a bad combination!

They just won't keep it in their mouths, and it ends up in their hair, on their bodies, in their belly buttons (don't ask), on their clothes, on my furniture. You get the picture. When E told me that there wasn't any gum in her bag I took a quick peek and didn't see any, so I gave her the all clear. Then today I found gum on the band of my sons underwear. How in the heck?! No idea. Then I started poking around and found gum in the carpet and on my daughter's face. What the heck?! Where is it coming from??? Did you know that some crazy company makes mini versions of blow-pops? They look like innocent little lolli-pops, but in reality there are harboring a 3 letter word.

So, in case anyone is interested in how to get gum off of stuff, you can read this post. I explain it in detail.

I guess if you want to put gum in your hair these hair clips might be the way to go. :)

So, what have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

Foodie Friday -- Sunshine S'mores

2010-08-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm sure when most of us think of S'mores, we think of camping. Cooking marshmallows over an open fire until they catch on fire and then smashing them between layers of chocolate and graham crackers. Here is a little kid-friendly twist to an old favorite.

Sunshine S'mores

graham cracker squares
large marshmallows
chocolate chips

In a glass baking dish with a lid arrange graham cracker squares in one layer.
Use scissors dipped in water to cut marshmallows in half horizontally.
Place one marshmallow half, cut side up, on each graham cracker square and top with chocolate chips.
Put the lid on the baking dish and place the dish outdoors in direct sunlight.
Check periodically. When marshmallows and chocolate chips are melted eat and enjoy.

* This recipe works best when it is 85 F or hotter outside.

** If you have already told your kids what you are going to do and they think you are the coolest mom in the world, and then you pull everything out and suddenly realize that you have every kind of chip but chocolate, say a little prayer. Then your friend will bring you brownies that you can crumble up and use instead of the chocolate chips and your kids will think you are cool again. :)

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!!

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things
• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
• Foodie Friday @ Cheffie Jo
• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Whatever Wednesday -- Cutest Little Bows

2010-08-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Aren't these the cutest little things you have ever seen? I love them. I first saw jumbo ones made out of paper at Christy's Creative Chaos. I loved them so much I decided to try and make them out of ribbon. I showed you how to do that here.

I love how easy they are and how quickly they go together. My only problem with them is how heavy they are when you use a hot glue gun to put them together. I was thinking about it while I was falling asleep the other day and when I woke up I knew just how to do it with a needle and thread. I tried it today and I love it! I made some mini ones using 1/2 inch ribbon, but you could yse the same technique to make bigger ones.

Mini Bow Tutorial

1 yard 1/2 in. ribbon
scissors
ruler
matching needle and thread

Cut your ribbon in the following increments.

4 - 6 in. pieces
2 - 5 in. pieces
1 - 2 in. piece

Starting with your long pieces, make a loop in each end and have it meet in the middle. Follow the pictures to see what it is supposed to look like.

Holding the loops with one hand, stick your needle up through the middle of your ribbon.

Continue making loops and stick them on your needle. You will want each set of 2 ribbons to make an X and then offset the X's so that it fans out like a bow.

After you are done with all of the long pieces, use the medium pieces and do the same thing.

With your last piece make a single loop.

This could be a little tricky, Holding the loop, push the needle up through it and then feed the needle back down through all of the ribbon. Then tie it off on the underside of your bow.

There you have it! If you want to make bigger bows, just use 1 in. ribbon and double the length of each piece.

You could use these to wrap packages, embelish scrapbook pages, on hair clips or headbands. I think I'm going to glue some alligator clips to the back of these for my girls. What do you think?

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

Transform Tuesday -- Laundry Room Reveal!!

2010-08-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

My laundry room is finished!! Thanks to the help of my good friend Maryle for all of her ideas and hard work and Mr. Wonderful who proved just how wonderful he truly is last night...more on that later.

Before: So ugly! There was this fake marble wallpaper that was peeling off of the wall, linoleum foors, plastic pull blinds, country blue cabinets, and our super old washer and dryer. I had absolutely no desire to be in there or to keep it clean because it looked like a mess even when it was clean. When my washer and dryer stopped working I saw my opportunity and I seized it!

After: It's amazing what a new washer and dryer, new accessories, and new paint can do for a room!

What do you think? I painted the walls a beautiful yellow color. Hung a shelf and added some "stuff" to it. Made new curtains, painted the cabinets, and got a new washer and dryer.

I took the cabinet doors down and spray painted them. Then I came in and taped everything off and spray painted the actual cabinet. If it was any bigger I would not have done this because it was a LOT of spray paint fumes in a small room. I had the window open and a fan going and I made the kiddos go outside. I really love how it turned out.

The shelf and the little can I got at the Salvation Army. Then I just painted the shelf to match the cabinets. Mr. Wonderful hung the shelf and the curtain rod for me. It would have taken about 5 minutes to do both of those things except for one small detail. I loaned his drill to someone and haven't gotten it back yet. So, he had to hang them by hand...using a screw driver...and his muscles. To hang the shelf he used a drill bit and "drilled" holes in the wood by turning it with his hands. Then he was able to get the screws in and screw it to the wall. Can you believe how amazing he is?! Now you know why I call him Mr. Wonderful!

This is vinyl lettering. I saw it somewhere and I loved it, so I searched on etsy until I found someone who sold it and bought it. You can find them at http://www.customvinylart.etsy.com/

My friend Maryle helped me make these little blocks. Aren't they so cute? I think I love them.

You saw this little cutie last week. After I posted about it here. Maryle had the idea to add these cute little flowers. As usual, she was right!

I got this little guy at Salvation Army. Cute right?

I think these two things are my very favorite part of the room. I got this table cloth and napkins as a wedding gift. I love them, but they have been very difficult for me to decorate with for some reason. As I was trying to figure out how to make curtains without spending any money I thought of these. We took 3 of the napkins and layed them out and sewed them together. Then I just folded the table cloth and layed the napkin on top to hang under the shelf. I really love how the look with the yellow and the black.

And of course you can't forget the new washer and dryer. They are huge and I love them. I can fit a ton of dirty clothes in them and they always come out clean. The washer doesn't shake the whole house when it is running, and the dryer takes the same amount of time as the washer so I'm not sitting there waiting for the dryer to finish. I LOVE them! Probably the best Mother's Day gift I have ever gotten!

We got this at Costco a couple of years ago. It is super handy for keeping dirty clothes off of the floor and when a bag gets full it is just enough for one load in the washer.

So, there you have it. What do you think?

What have you transformed? Link it up!

Here are the rules:

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your general blog address.

2. Grab a button and post it on your blog somewhere.

3. Check out what everyone has done and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

• Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Design

• We Did it Wednesday @ Sew Much Ado

• Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage

• Strut your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things

• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest

• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Messy Monday -- DIY Sidewalk Paint

2010-08-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Monday!! I need your help. I am looking for some Messy Monday friendly link parties to link up to each week. Do any of you know any? I would love some suggestions, so please leave me a comment and let me know.

Now let's get MESSY! Today I thought I would show you how to make homemade sidewalk paint. It is super easy and super cheap. And it uses my very favorite messy ingredient...yes, you guessed it...cornstarch. This stuff is seriously my favorite.

Homemade Sidewalk Paint

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
6-8 drops food coloring

Measure cornstarch into as many bowls as you want colors.
Add water and stir. It will be hard to stir at first, but keep stirring and it will become smooth and look like milk.

Add food coloring. My kids thought it was cool that the food coloring just sat there until we stirred it up.

Grab some old paint brushes and have some fun!

You'll have to keep stirring as you paint. The cornstarch starts to settle on the bottom of your bowl if you don't. It dries like sidewalk chalk and washes away with water. The color is also much darker while it is wet. It lightens up as it dries. If you want dark, vibrant colors once it dries, you will have to use more food coloring. We only used 6 drops of each color.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for my Laundry Room Reveal!! I promise you will love it!

What have you done for Messy Monday? Link it up!

1. Use the link to your actual blog post, not your blog address.

2. Grab a Messy Monday button and put it in your blog post or somewhere on your blog.

3. Go check out what everyone else is up to and leave them some comment love!

I'm linking to these sites. Go check them out!

• Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

• Market yourself Monday @ Sumo’s Sweet Stuff

• Making the World Cuter Monday @ Making the World Cuter

• Anti-Procrastination Tuesday@ New Nostalgia

• Take a look Tuesday @ Sugar Bee Craft Edition

Foodie Friday -- The Best Sugar Cookies in the WORLD

2010-07-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not joking. Seriously. These are so good.

Sugar Cookies

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter @ room temp
2 eggs

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In large bowl, beat butter with mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs, one at a time and mix until completely blended in.
Add flour mixture and continue mixing until smooth dough forms (2-3 min).

Wrap in plastic wrap and refridgerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.
Remove dough from fridge and roll on lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2 in. thickness and cut to desired shapes.
Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes or until edges just barely start turning golden brown.
Once they are completely cooled, decorate however you like.

Now, go make some. I bet you can't eat just one. I promise these are lightly crispy on the edges and so soft on the inside. Not mushy. Not crunchy. Just right.

I'm linking these beauties up to these sites. Go check them out.

• Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things
• Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
• Foodie Friday @ Cheffie Jo
• Home and Family Friday @ Home is Where my Story Begins

Thoughtful Thursday -- Adoption

2010-07-29T11:09:00.001-04:00

While I was pregnant with J there was a friend of mine who was pregnant with triplets. She had a tough pregnancy and complicated delivery and when all was said and done, the Dr.s told her she would never be able to have any more children. She was 21 at the time. They had dreamed of a large family, and immediately knew that they would turn to adoption when they were ready to have more children.

In 2007 they adopted 2 of the cutest little boys you have ever seen. One from Ukraine and one from Uzbekistan. Each of them have special needs and have absolutely flourished in their new environment. After they brought the boys home, everyone thought that they were done and their family was complete, except them. Heavenly Father had more in mind for them and for their family.

They are in Bulgaria right now picking up 2 beautiful little girls to bring home and join their family. They are also visiting a third little girl who will join their family later this year. As I have watched them go through this process I have been so impressed with their ability to see beauty and potential in sad/lonely/helpless little children 1/2 a world away. I can't even imagine the love and peace and possibilities that these special children experience every day in the arms of their amazing parents.

If you want to laugh, cry, and be inspired, you can read all about it here.

Whatever Wednesday -- Chalkboard Makeover

2010-07-28T06:00:00.000-04:00

First off, thanks to everyone who links up to my Messy Monday and Transform Tuesday parties. I have so much fun reading your posts and always come away with several great ideas.

Today I'm going to show you a super quick project that takes little time, little supplies, but has a huge impact.

Super Cute Chalkboard

chalkboard
scrapbook paper
scissors
Mod Podge

Cut strips of paper to fit over the edges of your chalkboard.
Glue them onto your chalkboard with Mod Podge.
Cover the paper with Mod Podge to seal it.

Done! I know just where I'm going to put this little cutie. I won't show you just yet. I promise you'll see it soon though.

Hope you have a super great day!

I'm linking this up to these sites. Go check them out!