Time To Make Some Memories. . .

Ever...

2012-01-30T06:32:00.000-05:00

Ever had one of those days when things just seem dark?
When things from the past seem to be visiting again, without an invitation?
Ever felt like things were stuck in limbo?
When it feels like running in slow motion?

Yeah, me too.

Namaste.

New Recipe

2012-01-26T06:46:00.000-05:00

A recipe came across my blog feed the other day. . .

Breakfast Cookies

I decided to give it a try.

The verdict?

I'll be making them again.

Both MBB thought they were "interesting" and OB decided that they tasted like a "breakfast" food.

The best part? 55 calories for one.

Yes, I figured up the calories as they were baking. :)

Namaste.

Wordless Wednesday. . .

2012-01-25T22:23:00.004-05:00

Namaste.

Wordless Wednesday. . .

2012-01-18T23:44:00.000-05:00

Namaste.

Stuff

2012-01-05T21:15:00.002-05:00

Stuff has felt a little different lately. . .
Can't exactly put my thumb on it, but I have lots of thoughts running through my brain.
I guess this is the time when I crack open the scull and let stuff just fall out.

I am trying to get back to taking care of myself physically.
It's been awhile since I did that and believe me, my body is yelling at me for ignoring it for so long.
It does, sometimes, feel good to get back into a groove.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to do cardio the next few days since we are having the mudding / sanding done in the exercise room.
Yeah for having someone else do the mudding and sanding!
Boo to no cardio!
I did do butt springs tonight - not sure how good of a replacement that was though.

I have been trying to increase the information in my brain a bit.
I read.
I have always read.
I have always read extremely fast.
I am now reading the Steve Job biography which is NOT a fast read.
Very unusual for me.
I have the newest Jillian Michaels book.
Had to stop after the first chapter as there is "work" to do first and my brain said no.

I have been trying to eat a bit more healthy.
Lets not talk about what I ate for lunch today.
Seriously.

I have been struggling with my email address.
It is a spin-off of my old name, which I thought would be good even when it wasn't anymore.
It is now starting to bother me.
Every time I type it.
Which is A LOT.
Can you say email, google calenders, google reader, facebook, grocery iq (just to name a few)?
It just doesn't feel right anymore.
I know that some would be easy to change, but others. . .
Not so much.
I am really debating if it is worth all of the trouble.

I also find myself flustered a lot lately.
> Changes at work. . .
> Multiple changes at work. . .
> Drifting away from those I used to be close to. . .
> Headaches coming from the school district area. . .
> Unanswered emails. . .
> A cracked laptop screen. . .
> Letters that really need to be written, but I can't find the right words. . .
> Trying to live in the now and be grateful for what I have - easier said than done!
Yeah, just a little flustered.

Namaste.

Grateful...

2012-01-02T15:09:00.002-05:00

I'm feeling grateful today, which has not been the norm lately.
In fact, I probably haven't felt this since before Thanksgiving.
It feels good.

I have a clean house, equipment in the exercise room that I will be visiting today, a stove that made lunch for my family, a daughter who's "I Love You" lifted my heart, a son who offered to help me this morning with no prompting, a robot who cleans my floors everyday (and has at least two lives) and a husband who does so much for me around the house (love my new kitchen light).

Not too sure what 2012 has in store, but I am going to start it the way that I intend to continue it. Gonna put some knowledge in my brain (got a few books to read), exercise my muscles and love my family.

Namaste.

Thinking

2012-01-01T09:52:00.003-05:00

Happy 2012 to everyone in the blog world.
I hope that it finds you healthy, happy and safe.

As always, the new year tends to find a lot of goals, resolutions and reflections.
I am not one who usually does any of those.
I am not sure if I want to do them this year.
I am not sure if I don't want to do them this year.
I am in a state of flux.
So, I'll just type some thoughts from the gray matter in my head.

Goals
MBB and I have a 10 year plan financially that we worked out earlier in 2011.
We have the foundation for something we both want and I don't see a need to mess with it just because we passed GO, so to speak.
I would like to get back into the fitness arena a bit more in 2012.
Yeah I have a kinda sorta goal!
Yes, I know that it is specific enough, quantifiable, measurable, etc.
Baby steps people!

Resolutions
I despise New Year Resolutions.
To me, these are just things that become "How many days before you broke it?". . .
Just setting up everyone up for failure.
I tend to do changes in the summer when there is no pressure of day counting.
Nope, not going to do a resolution!

Reflection
I have to admit that 2011 was a very rough year for me - well a certain part of it anyway.
To be honest, there were days when I wasn't sure if the life I woke up with was the same as the one that I would finish up the day with. . .And I don't mean that in a good way.
I had "growth opportunities" both personal and professional that I was not confident that I could handle.

To be honest, I am so praying, wishing, hoping - whatever I have to do - that 2012 is better as this "certain part" was at the latter part of 2011 and I DO NOT want it seeping over into 2012.

Not to completely be one sided on 2011, I am breathing, walking, earning a paycheck and have MBB. And yes, those are big items in the positive side that tilts the balance very much to that side.

It would be nice, however, to be told that I am a big item on someone else's positive side every once in awhile. Should that be in my goal section?

Namaste.

Me

2011-12-29T17:16:00.002-05:00

I'm weird or unique or whatever you want to call me.

I have certain words that I use or am use to.
For example, if I hear "For crying out loud!", I'll run for cover...No exceptions.
If I want something to knibble on, I look for a snick snack.

Now MBB thinks I am crazy and that no one other than my family knows what a snick snack is.
So in looking for recipes to make for a New Year's Eve party, I googled snick snacks and found quite a few links of people who are just as unique as me. :)

Namaste.

Christmas

2011-12-28T22:25:00.002-05:00

I like the Christmas Season.
I tend to take a lot of time off of work.
I bake.
I wrap (and find ways to not put tags on some of the presents).
I search for kewl presents (or support lots of fundraisers).

And I dread taking down the tree.

Namaste.

Biking Time...

2011-12-26T21:46:00.003-05:00

Today, I got out of the kitchen and back into the exercise room.
Yep, got back on the back bike.

My knees are hurting, but I have faced reality and know that they hurt because I haven't been on the bike, not because I am back on it.

Gonna be a painful journey back to health.

Namaste.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T19:11:00.001-05:00

From my house and mine to you and yours. . .
Merry Christmas!

I hope that this day is full of love, happiness and peace.

Namaste.

Baking

2011-12-13T19:04:00.001-05:00

I've been a baking.

In the past, I did all of my Christmas baking in one day.
It wore me out!

This year, I decided to spread it out a bit.
I have done small spurts of baking here and there. . .
Freezing as I go.

In the end, I baked six days.
The menu was:
- Peanut Butter Cookies (I cheated - frozen cookie dough from a fundraiser)
- Peanut Butter Cookies (forgot about the first ones - these from a bag)
- White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies (yep, frozen cookie dough)
- Pink Cookies (frozen - for Breast Cancer research)
- Low-fat Chocolate Chip were ordered, but ended up being one huge cookie
- Toffee Cookies
- Cinnamon Chip Pudding Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (a new family fav)
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal (from a bag - and not very good)
- Spice Cake Cookies
- German Chocolate Cake Balls with White Chocolate Squiggles
- White Chocolate Wreaths
- Peanut Butter Wreaths
- White Chocolate Chip Cocoa Cookies (usually my fav, but not so good this year)

Not sure why my picture is side-ways.
I guess I baked so much that it even made my picture lop-sided. . .Oh yeah, I also made Raspberry White Cheesecake Bars, but those weren't for gifts, they were for our tree trimming night...

In the end, I think I baked more stuff because I baked more days.
The high note, I was done by 2:30 on the last day and had time to wrap presents. :)

I believe that I am now done baking for the season. . .
Yep, since I froze some of my baking for future, I am definitely done.

Namaste.

That Time of The Year...

2011-12-11T21:59:00.003-05:00

December usually means lots of busy-ness and lots of vacation.
This year is falling in line. . .

But, usually, the vacation is one big chunk and this year, it is here and there.
I am taking lots of Friday / Monday combinations.

This week is a Friday / Monday / Tuesday one.

That has allowed me to:
- Sleep
- Spend some quality time with MBB
- Christmas shop with the kids
- Bake (even tried some new recipe)
- Decorate the tree
- Rip a whole in a new-er pair of jeans
- A few things not planned that got thrown in there too

Lots of things done, but the To Do list is ever so bigger.
I have two more days to get on the ball.
It would be an understatement to say I am on a mission!

Namaste.

Rough

2011-12-05T22:05:00.004-05:00

I really didn't plan on taking a break from blogging so soon.

Really, I didn't.

Then this thing called work happened.

I clocked 52 hours in four days.

Plus drive time.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. . .That means that I was gone for work purposes about 58 hours.

Talk about rough.

Not physically. . .Though it was.

Talking about mentally.

No, not because of the constant work time. . .Though it was.

Talking about realizing that I'm not young anymore.

I used to work hours like that ALL THE TIME.

I haven't worked more than 40 in quite awhile.
Correction, I haven't worked more than 40 in the office in quite awhile.

I think I forgot that it is easier to work those hours when:

- You are young.

- You are single.

- You don't need as much sleep.

Can't take the rough. . .

I am going back to 40 this week.

Correction, I am going back to 8 hour days. . .

With some vacation days thrown included!

Namaste.

NaBloPoMo

2011-11-30T06:44:00.000-05:00

Ha...
I did it...

I made it through NaBloPoMo.

How in the world I came up with 30 blog posts and remembered to post them...
Well, that is pretty darn amazing.

I don't now that anything that I typed was worth reading, but hey - I posted!

I am now going into baking, present searching and wrapping modes.
I am going to try to keep posting regularly, but I am not committing to another NaBloPoMo. . .
Yet.

Namaste.

Back To Work...

2011-11-29T19:35:00.001-05:00

I took five, much needed days off. . .
Granted two were for Thanksgiving, two were the weekend and I took one more day.
They were needed and I think that my head may be on a little bit straighter.

I had planned on writing this post during lunch. . .
Then I got to work and the piles needing attention were quite big. . .
And the minutes ticked by pretty quickly. . .
And I had 10 minutes for lunch to read Monday Morning Quarterback.

It ended up being a long, productive day.
It is nice to know that I am needed, though working an eight hour day is much nicer than today. :)

Namaste.

Five Minutes of Rambling Thoughts

2011-11-28T20:35:00.002-05:00

Wood Glue stinks. . .
Pillows and my neck do not get along. . .
Freezer cooking is worthwhile in the long run, but stinks in the beginning. . .
I really dislike the man who started building this house. . .
I really love my husband who is very crafty and good at fixing stuff (see previous note). . .
Why is it when I have five minutes of thoughts to type, I can't think of anything. . .
I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. . .
I am trying to figure out how to rearrange the house to include Christmas decorations. . .
We have four trees - how many will get decorated. . .
I found neat looking fall mantel decorations, now I just need to find some for other seasons. . .

Namaste.

Stuff

2011-11-27T20:50:00.005-05:00

I haven't been at work in four days. . .
About to make it five.
I can't lie, it has been kinda nice.

We have gotten quite a bit done around the house and have a bit more to do.
A trip to Home Depot today added to the "To Do" list.
Two of my kitchen cabinets are about to get an over haul and I am pretty excited about it.
Still debating how I am feeling about making some of my pots room decor.

I don't think that our remodeling will EVER be done!

And MaBell thinks the Serial Killer snuck rubber bands into her room.
I can't make this stuff up.

Namaste.

Almost an Oops. . .

2011-11-26T23:34:00.000-05:00

I almost messed up.

I had a full day of cooking (breakfast and supper).
I worked a lot in the garage with MBB.
I pedaled three miles on the bike.
I got caught up on my Biggest Loser episodes.
I headed upstairs to fold clothes and go to bed. . .

Then, I realized what I hadn't done. . .
I didn't blog.

I almost messed up my NaBloMoPo.
Never fear, I headed back downstairs and am going to squeak in a post. :)

To not completely wimp out, I will share a crafty project. . .
Yep, I made these to hang in our entry way. "Dance" "Graceful" "Dignified"
Uniquely ours.

Namaste.

My Black Friday. . .

2011-11-25T20:57:00.002-05:00

The last two years, MBB and I have ventured out on Black Friday.

We usually avoid the opening times - you know, we didn't want to be pepper sprayed or anything.

This year, we happened to be driving home late and saw some "lines" from the highway. . .

It was a pretty scary site.

I decided to sleep until. . .Well, until I didn't anymore.
I woke up at 9:30 and realized that I missed all of the door busters.

I'm not too upset by this.

I surfed the net for a bit to see if there were any deals that interest me.
I found something. . .I bought it.

Alas, it wasn't on sale.

I did use ebates, at least.

Then, the kids realized that we left the bag of frozen meat in the car...

The raw, frozen meat was on the verge of being thawed and now had to be cooked before refreezing.
Yep, that meant a job for me.

I cooked. . .

and cooked. . .

and then decided that I might as well bake too.

I baked. . .

and baked. . .

and now I have breakfast sandwiches, cookies and a cut up roast in the freezer. . .

And an overflowing cookie jar and refrigerated meat prepped for a casserole.

It was a LONG, productive day in the kitchen.

Guess what makes it even better?
Someone else has clean-up duty!

Namaste.

Thankful

2011-11-24T05:36:00.002-05:00

I know of many people who are posting something / one that they are thankful for every day in November. Since I have already committed to trying to blog everyday, I decided that another commitment wasn't a good recipe for success.

Instead, I am going to have a blog post that I am going to update throughout the month (no, not everyday) and post on Thanksgiving Day. . .You know, that day when I am going to be in taste bud overload. . . :)

SassyMarie is thankful for (in no particular order):

1. MBB

Yeah, I know that I said this list was in no particular order, but #1 is. I also know that it is cheesy to put my husband as my #1, but he is. I refused to settle all those years and waited a long time for him. He is my Handsome Husband (yes, that was him that you just saw cringe) and my Prince Charming. . .I'm doing just fine with that.

2. My Kids

They may not have been born in my body, but they were born in my heart. I would give my life for MaBell and OB, and in some ways have - My life has evolved into homework, hugs, sporting events, writing lots of checks, school meetings, etc.
I believe that being a parent is the hardest job that ever exist. I believe that it is even harder because I am a step. . .You know, not Mom.
Yes, I do have a furry kid too. . .Who is trying to lay on the keyboard as I type to make sure that he is the center of my world right now (yep, Dad isn't here at the moment).

3. My Health

I have to admit that this area isn't as good as it has been in the past, but I am very thankful that I can walk, see, talk, etc. I am realizing that I am so thankful for this area that I am going to try to focus more time on it in the near future.

4. My Wealth

I am not rich, though some people think I am. I am just frugal in where I choose to spend my money. I tend to use my elbow grease a lot more than others, so things look nice and I have that money to spend elsewhere. I am blessed that my bills are paid and I don't have to worry about how I am going to do that.

5. My Home

Yes, it is a money pit. Yes, it is definitely not my dream house, but it is our home. It shelters us and protects us and it, after four years, is becoming "ours".

6. My Family

I am very blessed to have family in my life - some family by blood, some family by choice. I am blessed that some have left and that some have stayed. I can truly say that this blessing is one that I cherish deeply.

7. My Friends

I am reminded of a piece that was written when I was in college and yes, it made it into the yearbook. . . I have posted it about it previously - in my own vague way.

8. I'm Employed

I have had such a rough few months in this area that I cannot truthfully say that I am thankful for my employer, but I am very thankful in this economy that I have a job and am earning a paycheck. That's right - I am thankful that I work for a living and am not "freeloading" off of everyone else.

9. Music

I reconnected with a very talented woman recently who reminded me in her own way that music is very important and some songs hold messages that I need to be reminded of, sometimes daily.

10. My Past

Everything that happened in my past has shaped who I have become. I may not like some of the individual experiences, but the impact on my life needs to be acknowledged. There are some important people who love who I am today, I must be thankful for those experiences that made me this way.

I could probably come up with more, but this list feels right just the way it is.

Namaste.

That Rocks. . .

2011-11-23T19:51:00.001-05:00

I started to title this post "Quick Thoughts", but it evolved more into a list of things that rock. . .

I don't really think that this a "Thankful" post and not really a "Things that Make Me Happy" post. . .

It occurs to me that these may even be a way of finding the good. . .

1. MBB rocks.

He just does. It doesn't hurt that he was my night in shining armor last night when I had a flat tire. It also doesn't hurt that he took what he thought would be a 4.5 day project and turned it into more of a 2 day project.

2. My Manager rocks.

I don't normally talk about work in detail on my blog - really don't want to follow in Dooce's footsteps on that issue, but with all of the issues I have been having at work lately - he is definitely not one of them. He is a good boss and a good friend.

3. Yeager-bomb rocks.

Yep - love my kitty, even when he tries to lay on my hands as I am typing this post.

4. Robo rocks.

One of our splurges - he sweeps for us everyday and was well worth the money, even when he keeps beeping at me to empty him. It also appears that he has nine lives and Yeager-bomb is starting to tolerate him.

5. My lease program rocks.

Flat tire yesterday = no hassle fix today.

6. GFS's jalapeno cream cheese filled pretzels rock.

Yes, I'm munching on them as I blog.

7. Our bed rocks.

Even though we could use a new mattress, it is hard to think about spending a night away from home and sleeping anywhere other than our bed.

8. The quiet rocks.

Yes, I love music. Yes, my family loves TV.

But it is nice to sit here in the quiet with my thoughts.

Namaste.

Movies

2011-11-22T06:54:00.000-05:00

I am not a big movie person.
I have a problem sitting in front of the TV / Movie Screen for that long. . .
Occasionally, okay.
All the time, yeah, no.

Problem is - I married into a movie / TV loving family.

There are a few movies that I do enjoy seeing.
Some have become tradition.

Yes, I'm talking about the Twilight Series.
I saw the first and the second with MaBell.
So, I had to take her to see the third.

MBB and OB like this tradition too. . .
No, they have not seen ANY of the Twilight movies.
But, when we are watching one, they get to go see another movie - usually, one that I will not watch (think Horror).

The third movie is by far the best of the series.
I don't even know if the fourth could beat it - not because the acting won't be better or the budget either (I'm sure they will be), but the subject matter will not have near the dramatic, computer affects that this one did (yes, I have read all of the books).

Never fear, when the fourth is released - I'll be there with MaBell. . .
Even if I have to drive all night to get to her college to take her.

Namaste.

Anyone else overwhelmed?

2011-11-21T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ugh.

Overwhelmed.

Yes People.

I am feeling overwhelmed.
Holidays are overwhelming.
Remodeling is overwhelming.
Raising children is overwhelming.
My job is overwhelming.

I fear that no amount of organization is going to help.
Heck, I'm not even in charge of cooking anything.

WOW

2011-11-20T21:33:00.003-05:00

When it rains, it pours. . .

Just when I think things can't get any harder. . .

Even when I expect it, it still hits like a surprise. . .

Yeah, life has decided that I have more "experiences" that I need to learned.

Being thankful this week may be another experience.

Heaven help me.

First Heart Attack

2011-11-19T08:09:00.002-05:00

I may have experienced my first heart attack this past September.
Getting that phone call when I was standing in the middle of a store. . .

Yeah, well. . .
I admit. . .
That was me that just left the cart sitting in the middle of the aisle.
Hey, at least there wasn't anything perishable in it!

Why?
You may ask. . .

Every parents' nightmare!

Luckily, she was okay. . .
Just a scratch and a bruise.
No hospital visits. . .
Well, except for the car.

Namaste.

Organized?

2011-11-18T12:59:00.000-05:00

Someone told me a few months ago that they wanted to be just like me.
They thought that I had my stuff together and was super organized.
They thought that I "was all that".

Wow.
I've got them snowed.

I try to be organized.
I try to keep my stuff together.
I fail most days.

I have lists.
I have small bursts of energy.
I have calenders.
I have lots of tears.

Most days, I leave the house right around 6am and if I come straight home from work, I may return about 4:45ish. That's about 11 hours a day to work that 40 hour week.
If I have any errands or have to visit the DREADED grocery store, it easily becomes a 12-13 hour day.

Then, there's dinner (when I am not pulling out my hair).
And homework.
And remodeling.
And yes, I am trying to get back into exercising.

Organized?
Who has the time?

Namaste.

I Read Just A Few. . .

2011-11-17T12:31:00.001-05:00

I read blogs more than I write blogs.
Lots of them.
So much that I use a blog reader to keep them organized.
Some blogs are in the Fun Folder, some in the Frugal Folder.
Then I have the Crafty Folder and the Kitchen Folder, you get the idea.

Typically on Mondays, I am in the Frugal Folder looking through the sales and coupon match-ups.
Some days, I am caught up, have everything read and am waiting on more.
Most days, I just got to a few folders and let the rest go (love "Marked Read anything older than a day").
Other days, I have over 500 posts because I haven't read in awhile.

Sometimes, I remember I need to go through the stars.
AUGH.
I tend to star things that intrigue me, but I don't have time to look at it now.
It usually takes me an hour to get through my stars. . .
I tend to star a lot.
If it is a recipe that still looks good, I print it (and get rid of the star).
If it is a tip that still intrigues me, I may keep it starred for next time.
If the thought "Why did that get starred?" leaps into my head. . . Bye bye star.

And another thought just popped into my head. . .
The blog roll on this site probably doesn't match the list on the blog.
Hmmm. . .
I might need to work on that one.

Namaste.

Saving pennies. . .

2011-11-16T06:52:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am a couponer.
No, I am not an extreme couponer.

I have a certain teenager who is starting to eat me out of house and home, so I have to pinch pennies where I can to get more food in this house without spending more.

Do I stockpile?
Yep.
Do I stockpile obscene amounts?
Absolutely not. I try to get just enough of an item to get us through to the next sale. Sometimes that is one month and sometimes it is six months.
Yes, I do have more than one pantry.
OK, I may be extreme in that my MBB tore out an old coat closet that we didn't use as a coat closet and built a stock-pile pantry for me, but we also live in the country. I have to put most of our food in totes or sealed containers to keep the critters out and that played a big part in it too. :)

Do I shop at multiple stores?
Yep.
Do I go crazy chasing down every deal?
Nope. In fact, I probably miss more than I get.

Do I have a coupon binder?
Yep. MBB bought it for me for Christmas.
Does it save me time?
Yep.
Is it crammed full?
Nope.

Do I spend 40 hours a week trying to get 100 free toothbrushes?
Are you nuts?

Namaste.

Sightseeing

2011-11-15T16:35:00.006-05:00

Way back when, a few months ago. . .Okay, quite a few. . .We were in Indy for MaBell's volleyball.
I took a few hours to walk around with my camera.

One thing about Indy - there are some gorgeous views / buildings for picture taking.
Not sure what the buildings are and don't remember the names of the monuments, but I think they are pretty anyway.

Namaste.

I Wrote What?

2011-11-14T08:06:00.000-05:00

I never thought when I started this blog back on June 22, 2006 that it would actually be read.
Especially.
By.
Me.

Sometimes, I start looking back through old posts to refer to it.
Then, I start flipping through just reading here and there.

Sometimes, it feels like I am reading someone else's blog. . .
Sometimes, it makes me laugh. . .
Sometimes, it makes me go Hmm. . .
Sometimes, it scares me to peek back into the brain of my past. . .

Namaste.

Go Orange and Black!

2011-11-13T06:55:00.001-05:00

Stole this from a friend who posted it somewhere else... :)

Four football fans go rock climbing one afternoon, a Bengals fan, a Browns fan, a Steelers fan, and a Ravens fan. They had been arguing all the way up the mountain about who among them was the most “die-hard” fan.

Upon reaching the top of the mountain, the Ravens fan proclaimed to the other four… “This is for the Baltimore Ravens!” and promptly threw himself off the mountain as a sacrifice.

Not to be outdone by a Ravens fan, the Browns fan jumped up and said…”This is for the Cleveland Browns!” and then threw himself off the mountain as a sacrifice.

Refusing to be outdone by the Ravens and Browns fans, the Bengals fan rose to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs “This is for the Cincinnati Bengals!” and shoved the Pittsburgh Steelers fan off the mountain.

Let's hope this happens today. :)

Namaste.

The Best-laid Plans. . .

2011-11-12T19:24:00.003-05:00

I had lots of plans for today. . .
Was going to get lots done - even woke up before the alarm, so man was the To Do list gonna gets some major over hauling today!

Then, I got to the basement to get my elliptical workout done before heading out for OB's dentist appointment. . .
And heard a sound that no one ever likes to hear in the basement. . .
Water.

Suddenly, there is an emergency run to Home Depot. . .
And the line at the bank was too long. . .
And a Craigslist lead turned into reality. . .
But I did get the good deals at Kroger before the Mega Sale was done!

Namaste.

Really?

2011-11-11T12:31:00.002-05:00

Ever had one of those ~~months~~ days. . .

You know, when everyone can talk to you like you are dirt, but you can't respond because for some weird reason...the Bosses don't seem to care how one group of individuals treats others, but they care how others treat that group?

Yep, I absolutely LOVE my job.
Yeah. . .I don't believe it either.

But I do love my paycheck, so I guess I'm back to faking it until I make it.
I don't think I'll be too successful, but hopefully, I'm wrong.

Namaste.

What was that again?

2011-11-10T12:27:00.002-05:00

My apologies - I have been trying to come up with good blog topics, but that isn't so easy with a foggy head.
I know that a few ideas popped into my head earlier today and the one lesson that is constantly being reminded to me over the last few days:

I must write everything down!

I like to think that I have a good memory and to a degree, I may be right.
I have a good memory for the past, not for tracking today.
I live with To Do Lists and reminders and post it notes...If it doesn't get written down - forget it!
My iPhone has started to replace the Franklin Planner, but I am still attached to both for different things.

I think my big hang-up is that I am scared I will lose the phone (okay MommyMarie - let's not talk about the time I left the Franklin at your place...).
Or, as many of us have experienced, will the phone have a melt down of electronic proportions?
I guess that is why I am primarily using apps that are also linked to the intranet - Google Reader, Grocery IQ, etc.
Without those, my organization would go to pot, but my data plan would look much smaller.
Heck, I admit it - my organization isn't that great most of the time (despite what some people think), but it would definitely be scary on its own!

Any other good intranet-based, get my world in order, type apps I need to know about?

Namaste.

Stress?

2011-11-09T20:31:00.000-05:00

There are various levels of stress. . .
So I've been told.
I know that I have murmured those words myself a time or two.

And I think I feel stressed a lot.

Then, my body reminds me that it does know what stress is. . .
And reminds me that I should have remembered that on my own without any help.
And if I don't listen to that reminder, I get kicked in the rear and get to buy medicine.

Namaste.

Ickies...

2011-11-08T12:31:00.000-05:00

Ever felt bad?
Not flu bad or cancer bad or labor bad. . .

But the can't think cause I feel like I have the sickies or ickies or whatever they are called today. . .
And I'm going through a lot of hot tea and Kleenex and Day Quil. . .

And all I wanna do is sleep?
Yep, that's me today.

Namaste.

Productive

2011-11-07T20:37:00.002-05:00

I felt like I was pretty productive this weekend (yes, today is still part of my weekend).
Then, I went to update my To Do list and realized that most of the things that I got done, well, they weren't on the list.

Frustrating.

But, all of those things, well, they needed to be done and would have made it on the list eventually.

Maybe I should add them just so that I can cross them off. :)

Namaste.

Music

2011-11-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

(NOTE: Anyone else having issues Blogger not posting things composed in IE correctly? I have to switch to Firefox for it to publish correctly!)

I believe that I posted awhile back about how big of a role that music played in my life (Yep - HERE).

Since then, becoming a parent to teens has taken a larger role and the music doesn't play as often as it used to. I am more focused on having conversations, dealing with day to day things that come with raising kids and spending time with them. It also doesn't help that all four of us have different tastes in music, so we usually listen to country when we are together.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with country, but I have been blessed over the years to meet quite a few people who are amazing musicians. . .And none of them are classified as country (but some are also song writers and have been recorded by country artists).

I have also been having a rough time the last few months. No, it hasn't been because music is less of a role in my life. But today I realized that music used to help me deal with those rough times, or at least make them a bit easier to navigate through.

I was blessed a few years ago to spend a week with two musicians who lead a retreat that I attended in Missouri. I was blessed today to spend time with one of those musicians today: Karen Taylor-Good is an amazing song-writer / singer who focuses on life issues and yes, can even moonlight as a Wonderful Water Woman any day! She is real, she is talented, she touched me today again.

One song in particular was co-written with Karen Drucker called "I Am A Gift":

I am a gift
No matter what age
No matter how I look
No matter what I weigh
I am a gift
And I promise every day
When I look in the mirror I'll say
I am a gift

I am a gift
I've loved really well
And every year I've lived, has a different tale to tell
I've made some mistakes, have some regrets
But I promise I'll never forget
I am a gift

There may be times
When I forget the truth about me
When it seems time and youth are just marching on without me
That's when I might need you to find me
And ever so gently remind me

I am a gift

I'm God's precious child
I was put here on this earth, but only for awhile
So I make this vow and I say it with love
I am perfect and whole and enough
I am gift

I am perfect and whole and enough
I am a gift
I am a gift
I am a gift
I am a gift

Namaste.

Drowning in Paperwork

2011-11-05T21:18:00.004-04:00

I used to keep every scrap of paper that came into my home for seven years.
It easier - I had to keep the taxes for seven, why not everything else?

I have gotten better about throwing things away quicker, but papers do get layed around the house until I get everything into Quicken. If you know how hard it has been for me to find time to post on this blog this past year, you can imagine how much time I found to take care of filing and all of that paperwork!

I finally had enough of all of the piles around the house. . .

I spent about five hours of h e ! ! today filling up a trash bag full of shredded papers and organizing files and. . .
I still have a few more hours to go.

My goal is to find those hours over the next few days to get caught up for the first time in four years!

Namaste.

The Tube. . .

2011-11-04T12:31:00.003-04:00

I have never been a big TV watcher. . .
Well MommyMarie may dispute that statement (especially when Sixteen Candles was on).
Since I have owned my own home, I have rarely watched a lot of TV.

I would rather work on crafts, spend time with loved ones or work on the house.
When I lived in the condo, I would only have the TV on when I was working on something else.

Now, I have a family that loves TV. . .Sitcoms, Movies. . .
OB can probably recite dialogue.
I see a lot more TV now, but there are just a few shows that I really like and now that MBB has them set to record, I get to watched regularly.

Biggest Loser (the Aussie version is great too - but they have now restricted it from USA)
The Voice (though one of the judges may lessen my desire to watch this one)
The X Factor (this one surprised me a bit)
Switched at Birth (watching this one on the Internet)
Big Bang Theory

Any other shows that you think are must sees?

Speaking of X Factor, I must say that I was really impressed with Josh and Drew this week. Excellent versions of those songs!!!

Namaste.

I miss. . .

2011-11-03T12:31:00.000-04:00

I miss being creative.
I miss making things.
I miss going into my space, blaring music and working away a few hours.

Some people use movies to "get-away from life" for awhile.
I admit that I do that with books. . .
But my main "get-away" was always working on stuff.

My craft supplies have been boxed up for awhile due to our remodeling.
I am beginning to wonder if some of the 2011 funk has been because of my creativity being stifled.

Things that make you go "Hmmmm". . .

Namaste.

Hobby?

2011-11-02T12:31:00.000-04:00

As some of you may know, and some of you may not, I am a remodel-er.
It is so bad that I had to start listing it one of my hobbies.

No, it did not begin when I moved into my current house.
This bug hit me about 15 years ago when I bought my first piece of property. . .

I was single. . .
I was poor. . .
I had expensive tastes. . .
I was uncomfortable living in what felt like someone else's home. . .

So, I put the call out and many people in my family started teaching me how to do things.
Good thing I am a fast learner as some of those things have had to be done multiple times (I'm pretty darn good at changing door knobs!).
I also learned when to pinch pennies and outsource - hurt the wallet, but the bathrooms looked good!

Care to take a guess at when I got the Condo done?
The week after I moved out.
Yep, my renter is now enjoying all of the remodeling that I did.

But it was time to not be single anymore and I had something new to focus my attention on.
Yes, I moved out of that beautifully remodeled condo into another fixer-upper.

I am no longer single, which is nice to have someone co-sharing your hobby...
I am no longer poor, but I am pretty darn frugal...
I still had expensive tastes, but now there is something called compromise that gets involved...
I still didn't want to feel like I am living in someone else's home...

And the fun continues. . .

Namaste.

Trying to be back!

2011-11-01T23:59:00.002-04:00

I took some time off from the blog. More than I usually do…
Does seem to be a trend around here though.

It wasn’t something that I consciously did…
It just happened.

I could blame it on MaBell’s Volleyball.
I could blame it on OB’s Football.
I could blame it on our remodeling.
I could blame it on changes at work.
I could blame it on the crowds at the grocery store.

But in the end, it simply was that something had to slip through the cracks and I didn’t want that something to be my sanity.

At any rate, I am going to make an attempt to get back into blogging (and not just picture posting). Sometimes putting words out there, even vague ones, seems to help keep things straight in my mind.

I heard a few people were participating in a “NaBloPoMo” (National Blog Posting Month) and I thought about giving it a try…

OK, OK, OK…
I am cheating as I am back dating this post, but I just found out about this activity today from Carmen and so I am posting twice today. Based on my current history of no posts, I think two in one day should definitely count! :)

Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - Resort

2011-06-28T23:57:00.003-04:00

We stayed at the POP Century Resort at Disney.
We knew going in that it was a value resort and being prepared for that - we were happy.

The staff was amazing - very upbeat and at times, VERY helpful (sorry, not sure why my son left his refillable mug at the restaurant yesterday and yes, my husband left his at the bus stop today - ohhh, Mickey returned them for us?? AWESOME!). . .
The buses ran directly from our resort to the parts without any other stops (which is why I picked it).
The food was good. . .Especially the ice cream station.

The pool was fun - shaped like a bowling pin (just like the stairs).
The monster rubics cube was interesting too.

Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - Magic Kingdom

2011-06-27T23:51:00.002-04:00

I expected a quick in and out here.
Definitely wanted to see the fireworks, maybe the extended hours to ride rides at 2am.
I missed on this one too!

I think we all LOVED Space Mountain (rode it twice - love the Fast-passes). . .
Peter Pan was kewl too (heck any ride you hang and you fly is great).
But - we ran out of energy and never made it back to see the fireworks or stay late at night. If I had one disappointment, it was that I didn't head out on my own to see those fireworks and maybe ride Space Mountain one more time!

Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - Hollywood Studios

2011-06-26T23:44:00.003-04:00

My planning / research for this vacation was pretty far off!
I thought that Hollywood Studios only needed a half day and wouldn't be a favorite of ours.
Wrong.
We all enjoyed this park and probably could have spent more time there.

The food was awesome. . .Rosa's American Dinner was one of our favorites of the trip.
The stunt show was great. The rides were good (according to my family, not me).
I had no desire to ride some of the rides (Tower of Terror? REALLY???) so I walked around with my camera (people watching - you wore that in public, really???) while they rode rides. . . Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - Animal Kingdom

2011-06-25T23:37:00.005-04:00

Animal Kingdom was the other place that I thought we may need two days.
My kids love animals.
A lot.
Have I mentioned how much they like animals, except cows?

I don't know if it was the heat that day or what, but we left after a half day.
We had no desire to go back. . .

The shopping did come in handy (Hey honey - you may want to pack your belt next time!).
I did enjoy the safari and so did my camera. . .
Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - EPCOT

2011-06-24T23:27:00.000-04:00

In planning this vacation, I thought that EPCOT would be a favorite of our family.
I wrong!
I disappointed!

EPCOT has a very adult section - the World Showcase and a very kiddy section - everything else.

I expected innovation, technology and lots of interesting, educational fun.
Nope.

There are a few rides worth trying. . .Soarin' and Test Track come to mind. . .
Getting someone else to try Beverly at Club Cool is a kodak moment (NOTE: An Exchange Student from that country said that they do NOT drink that there ). . .The Henna Tattoos were a hit. . .

I think that a half day would have been enough to check EPCOT off my kids' list. . .

Namaste.

Vacation 2011 - Walt Disney World

2011-06-23T23:06:00.004-04:00

2011 found us with a trip to Walt Disney World.
This was the first time that both of the kids had been in the air, so it was a pretty big deal!

Probably the biggest part of the trip (at least the thing contributing the most to a biggening of our waist bands) was all of the desserts.

We ended up eating at our resort, POP Century, a lot:
Dirt and Worms. . .
Milkshakes from the ice cream station (or sundaes or apple pie fritters, etc, etc, etc). . .Mickey Mouse Rice Krispie Ears. . .Tie Die Cheesecake (which had a small amount of Velvet Cake at the bottom). . .Epcot found a few desserts that made it onto film:
From the World Showcase (Japan), Ginger Cake. . .
And from the Land (the restaurant that is in the same building as Soarin'),
Cheesecake, Rice Krispies and Tiramsu. . .
NOTE: For those who are going to eat at this restaurant - Cheesecake good, Tiramsu not.
Just about anywhere at Disney - you can find these ice cream treats. . .
I ended up with one at Animal Kingdom.Hollywood Studios found a vendor that had funnel cakes as snacks (on the meal plan). . .
BONUS!
We need to get our exercise room fully functional to recover from all of these treats!

Namaste.

Happy Dad's Day!

2011-06-19T23:03:00.002-04:00

MBB got a nice surprise on Dad's Day. . . Luckily, no fingers were injured during the making of the gift!
Especially since we weren't home when the power tools were being used.

Namaste.

Moving the Remodeling Upstairs. . .

2011-06-18T23:55:00.001-04:00

Thanks to a good coupon and sale price, we were able to get laminate for the upstairs floors.

Does anyone else find it interesting the different types of floor that we have in this house?
Hard wood. . .
Laminate. . .
Floating Vinyl Planks. . .
Ceramic Tile. . .
And a few more still TBD.
Okay, maybe I'm the only one amused by this. . .

Back to our regularly schedule (or not so regularly) blog post. . .

MBB and I are so excited to get rid of the carpet and the sneezes that go along with it!
I don't care how much you clean a carpet (and don't put shoes on it), it is still full of dust.
OB wasn't as happy with the change until he figured out he could slide on it with stocking feet. Namaste.

Slowly, But Surely

2011-06-10T23:49:00.001-04:00

We are slowly planting perennials in the flower beds.
Aren't they pretty?
Not sure why this picture is posting sideways. . .Last fall, I planted 20 mini-lilies. . .
Three came up. . .
One bloomed. . .

Annuals don't care for our clay mixed soil (even with potting soil and fertilizer that I add when planting flowers), so I ended up making some pots with those. Namaste.

Special Order!

2011-05-30T23:44:00.000-04:00

After much flooring style, color, dimension debates. . .We agreed to get special order flooring for our half bath. The square footage wasn't very big and it let me get the flooring that I fell in love with.

Yes, I know that sentence isn't grammatically correct.
I'm okay with that! :)

Presenting Rosewood Ebony. . . The room is now 95% done.
Just have to take care of the pesky hole in the ceiling.

Namaste.

Learning Something New. . .

2011-05-14T23:34:00.001-04:00

When MaBell asked me to do her hair for prom, I wasn't too worried. I did her hair for a few other dances in the past. We talked about a simple style - kinda Egyptian looking to go with her jewelry. . . Down with part straight, part curly.
NO PROBLEM!!! :)

The picture I was shown days before the event was definitely not simple. And it definitely wasn't down.

But, I crossed my fingers (and my toes), said a few (okay, a lot) of prayers and dived in.

The result?If you look real close, you'll see one of the three braids that I put into the do. . .

In the end, I learned how to do something new.
Now, to see if I can learn how to do it faster next time!

Namaste.

Creative!

2011-05-13T23:30:00.002-04:00

When a tool breaks. . .
And it's late and the hardware store will be closing in 10 minutes. . .
And you live 25 minutes from the hardware store. . .
You have to get creative to get the job done!

Namaste.

FINALLY!!!

2011-05-08T17:43:00.000-04:00

We have a room done!!!
Remember these in-process pics?

Here's the finished product!

Namaste.

Spoiled Kitty?

2011-05-05T23:56:00.004-04:00

Spoiled?
What?
You mean that all cats don't get filtered, running water?

No way!
Don't look at the wall - we're still remodeling that room! :)

Namaste.

Gardening. . .

2011-04-20T23:37:00.008-04:00

My seeds have become plants! :)

Namaste.

Dining Room

2011-04-17T21:48:00.004-04:00

It took another weekend, but we got the floor in the Dining Room done.

I have never been so happy to get rid of old, smelly carpet in my life!

Now, to find some baseboards and call this room complete. . .

Saturday Morning to Sunday Night. . . Namaste.

Just a Little Creative. . .

2011-04-16T23:49:00.001-04:00

With the Dining Room cleared out of funiture, a few of us (okay, all of us) kept banging our head on the light. . .

So, MBB got a little creative to save his head. . .

I have a better pic of this on the other camera - will try to post that pic later.

Namaste.

Running Man

2011-04-07T05:53:00.000-04:00

I have my pin cushion sitting next to the recliner in the living room. My craft room is a bit worthless right now and I had some mending to do. . . I looked over the other day to see an addition to the chair decoration. . . The running man. Guess he is supposed to make me sew faster?

Namaste.

I Wanna Help!

2011-04-06T05:53:00.001-04:00

We were ripping up carpet in the Entry Way. . . The kids took it outside so that it would be "easier" to roll it up to put in the trash. Good idea, right? Thought so. Until Rockstar decided that he wanted to help / play / get in the way.Namaste.

Stock Pile

2011-04-05T05:52:00.001-04:00

While MBB was rebuilding my Stockpile Closet, we had to temporarily move everything out into the entry way. Since I can't take a picture in the closet, this is my only shot to document it. It was definitely not organized! I was hoping that it was going to be moved again very quickly, so I didn't care that MaBell just got the food off of the floor. I didn't include the two big totes that have some of the "mice friendly" packaging. I am searching for better alternatives to the totes. . .But regular shelves do not help keep the rodents out of the food.

Namaste.

Aggrevated!

2011-04-04T06:42:00.000-04:00

For some reason, blogger is not letting me format my posts the way I want. I apologize for the ongoing paragraphs or the large amount of space between lines. It is DRIVING ME CRAZY (short trip, I know). Namaste.

Curiousity ALMOST killed the cat. . .

2011-04-04T05:44:00.001-04:00

We've been doing a lot of remodeling lately. . . DUH - Okay, you're reading my blog, so you've seen all of the pictures. :) When we have lots of stuff on the floor, we tend to lock the cat up to keep him safe. I 've been doing "some" mudding around the house over the last six months or so and have never had an issue with leaving him out. . . Saturday, I didn't think much when MaBell said "Yeager-bomb has mud on his paw!" I just thought he found a drop on the floor that I didn't get cleaned up. Then I started sanding the kitchen walls on Sunday. . . Namaste.

The Kitchen

2011-04-03T23:32:00.001-04:00

We were on a roll this weekend! Finally go the Entry Way floor done at 2am Sunday morning. . . Got a few hours of sleep and started on the Kitchen floor. I am seriously amazed how much we got done this weekend! I couldn't quickly find a picture of the kitchen before this weekend. Would be interesting to see a picture before we moved in three years ago. :) We had to put a leveler over the SLICK green tile (don't get me started how many times I have almost fell trying to cook dinner!). . . And the final product! I still have to paint over the border (strategically covered by Longaberger Baskets). . . And we need those pesky baseboards here too. . . Here is a closeup of the floor. . . Namaste.

Entry Way

2011-04-02T22:18:00.004-04:00

We have been spending most of our free time working on the Entry Way recently.

New walls.

New paint. New floors. Here was our very much needed change. . . Carpet that I'm not sure of the original color.

Subfloor.And the final product with a beautiful floor and new paint. I also bought the curtains. If you have heard about my failure of searching for curtains for the past three years, you may understand why I wanted to change the paint color (yes, it's still green - but three tones of a different shade). You may also understand why MBB wouldn't agree on a new color until I found the curtains. :) We just need to buy a double curtain rod and some baseboards. . . And find some more free time to install everything and WE WILL FINALLY HAVE A ROOM DONE! J ust in case you want a better view of our beautiful new floor. . . Goes pretty good with the hard wood floor, don't ya think?

Namaste.

Stock Pile Changes

2011-04-01T23:06:00.003-04:00

We starting creating a plan to finish our Entry Way and realized that it was not going to be fun. The cause? All of the little corners, twists and turns around the Stockpile Closet and the Basement Stairs. So, MBB tore out all of the tiny walls and started over.

The after pictures are a bit hard to take, even with a macro lens. I now have to go through the new basement door to get to a much bigger stockpile closet.

We still need to figure out the lighting situation and install the doors, but it is MUCH nicer looking! Namaste.

Great Invention!

2011-03-31T23:14:00.001-04:00

We were having loads of fun with broken bones in our house. We are having even more fun with baths and showers. . . What? Everyone doesn't know that taping a trash bag around the cast does NOT mean that you can put your arm under water??? Life got much easier when a coworker educated me about this great invention! Namaste.

Christmas that lasts into the New Year!

2011-03-29T23:03:00.004-04:00

We got a surprise in the mail... Wonderful Christmas Presents! Now, I just need to get the present mailed that is still sitting here in our hallway. Namaste.

It wasn't quick, but it was easy. . .

2011-03-21T19:55:00.004-04:00

I haven't been feeling well for awhile now.
We think that OB got it first. . .
He gave it to MBB. . .
Who gave it to me. . .
And as of getting home from school today. . .MaBell has informed me that I gave it to her.
Hmmm. . .Let's think about that one again.

We've already used up all of my "quick" dinner ideas the last few days, so I need something that, even though it wasn't quick, was easy.

A while back, I found this intriguing recipe for Baked Potato Nachos. I had it on the menu list for last week, but it was quickly substituted with a "quick" dinner. Tonight, I decided to make them - but I changed them up a bit so that they were the main course (see in the link above that you could still see the potatoes? Nope - couldn't see them when I was done - but with all of my trying to keep it easy, I didn't get a picture of mine).

MBB didn't think we had enough and he was right - but I was very close. So, we pulled out two of those handy, dandy Uncle Ben's 90 sec bags and considered dinner complete.

I should admit now - I have some VERY picky eaters in my house.
If they looked at the recipe that I am about to post, at least one of them would refuse to eat this and the other would approach very carefully - but everyone liked it and said that it was a repeat. So, to those of you picky eaters out there (Hi Nicky!!!) - try it! You might like it!

(NOTE: see two are the ingrediants call for 1/2 of the container? Yep - I got this meat idea from another recipe that I made right before I got sick. . .Everyone liked it then too! Picky??? Hmmmm. . .)

Sassy's Modified Potato Nachos
Red Potatoes (I used 4 very big ones and 5 smaller ones)
1lb Ground Beef (Lean)
1pkg Cheesy Taco Seasoning
1/2 jar Corn & Black Bean Salsa
1/2 can Reduced Fat Refried Beans
2 cups Mexican Shredded Cheese (2%)
Shredded Lettuce
**Other Nacho type items**
Sour Cream (Reduced Fat)

Cut the potatoes into wedges, sprinkle with olive oil (I tried butter spray, but had to add the oil part way through). Bake on 450F for 25 minutes, flip the potatoes, 25 minutes more (mine were in longer because I started with butter...may not take that long if you start with oil).

Ground the beef with the seasoning on medium to medium/high heat. Reduce heat to low, add beans and salsa. Simmer until the potatoes come out of the oven.

I used paper towels to get the oil off of the potatoes once they came out of the oven.

Layer on each individual plate (allows for picky eaters to leave off sour cream and such!):
Potatoes, Meat Mixer, Cheese (will melt), Lettuce, **Other Nacho type items - MaBell's black olives come into play here**, Cheese (won't melt), Sour Cream

You will need a fork to eat these. . .
But they are yummy.

Namaste.

Good Sale Day!

2011-03-14T19:30:00.004-04:00

I stopped in at Walgreens today and hit my savings target!
OK - I did better than my target.

I would have done even more outstanding had I not picked up a carryall sleeve for my coupon binder. No, I didn't realize how well I was doing or I wouldn't have bought it today.

My Basket:
Right Guard (one was more expensive, so BOGO didn't work exactly right): 4 at $.38/each
Renuzit: 6 at $.10/each
Binder Sleeve: $1.99

Savings: 80.5%

Without the sleeve, the savings would have been: 87.8%
What was I thinking???

Let's hope the rest of my buying trips go this good this week. . .
I'm kinda on target to be a bit over this month - so I need some really good sales.

Namaste.

Rising Temper?

2011-03-08T12:50:00.000-05:00

I have been experiencing the Rising Temper lately. . .
Yep, from Rising Prices.

Produce: Bananas recently went up about 23%.
Milk: Also up about 25%.
Meat: Yeah, one of my grocery stores even stopped carrying really lean turkey. I'm assuming based on the price increases they have for the non-lean stuff, that the discontinuation was due to the cost.
Lumber: Yes, I am a female and I know the cost of lumber. Let me just say - it is going UP, UP, UP! When I stop by the home improvement store on my way home from work with a list. . .And you know which 2x4s to buy based on the price. . .Well, it is obvious when the costs change.
Gas: I DO NOT want to talk about it! Thankfully, MBB now works from home a majority of the week, so the high cost to fill up my tank is offset by the lower cost of his reduction in driving.

And now that a fellow blogger has brought the amount size reductions to my attention, I expect the temperature of my blood is going to sky-rocket.

Namaste.

Coming Up For Air. . .

2011-03-05T23:48:00.003-05:00

Yes, I disappeared again (go back a few day and you'll see some post that I just put up).
Yes, I have lots of reasons that I am sure you don't want to read about AGAIN.

I decided to come up for air. . .
And boy did I need it - the air in the basement has so much dust and dry wall flying around that most of my pictures have spots of dust.
Yep, I have to turn the flash off in order to get a decent picture.
Since there isn't much lighting, let's just say that my patience has been sorely tested trying to take pictures.

At this point in time, I don't care if the upstairs is done or not. . . I am begining to realize that I need to celebrate.
So, I have begun laying the ground work with MBB to host an Open House Style Party once the basement is done.
Everyone will just have to close their eyes until they get to the basement.

BUT - Please don't ask for a date. . .
I am a bit buried in drywall mud, paint and all of that stuff. . .
If I try to start working on party details, I may go crazy!

Our basement overhaul plan was to gut the original four rooms and rebuilt them into six. . .
That doesn't include the full bath that is turning into a toilet room.
Half of the rooms will be finished immediately. One may be finished later. Two - yeah well, who needs a finished ceiling in the utility room? We started the week before Christmas 2010 and with a few small breaks, have plowed through night after night.

A favor, if you don't mind?
Don't mention remodeling or the basement to my kids. . .
Yes, it has been night after night - they chose to forget that we took last week off.

I should mention that the drop ceilings and the flooring will be the last thing we will tackle.
We want to get all of the structural changes, walls and all of that good stuff done first.

So, when I say a room is almost done. . .
Don't look up.
Don't look down.
See - it is almost done! :) As of tonight:
Family Room:
Can I say about 50% done? Too much drywall, mudding, sanding, etc still to do to try to claim much more than that. There is a VERY large opening for a door that will get much smaller once we are done with hauling long boards in and out for the construction. . .
So, this room will probably be the last to hit 100%.
Pool Room:
WooHoo!!!
This room is almost done! We just have molding and shelving to install! Exercise Room:
Hmmm. . .Not sure what to say here. Maybe if I could see the room, I could gauge how much was done. But since this room has become the temporary holding bin for everything deemed crafty. . .
Yeah. . .I'll get back to you on that one. Utility Room:
Can I say 100%? No? Why? Hmmm. . .Still seeing through the stud walls means it's not done? OK, I guess it's not done.
About three sheets of drywall and we're done. Nope - no mudding, sanding, painting! :)
Storage Room:
I had this great idea to make the Utility and Craft Rooms smaller and add a Storage / Wrapping Room. We are now looking for cabinets and storage racks. Once I have those, we'll be able to build the last wall and finish it up pretty quickly.
Craft Room:
Hmmmm. . .10%, if I'm feeling generous!
The cement walls have been powerwashed and water-proofed. Can't say much more than that. You see - after it rains, we get this pesky little visitor called a puddle of water. We have to figure out where its door is so that we can make it understand it is no longer welcomed. Once that is done, then we will start building walls and installing insulation, etc, etc, etc.

Time to get back to work!

Namaste.

Interesting Color. . .

2011-03-03T23:22:00.001-05:00

We experienced another injury in our house recently. . .
Let's just say that snowboards and ice don't like each other very well!

OB got bright orange for his first cast - but I didn't get a picture of it.
Yeah, I know - bad blogger. . .

He went in for his second cast today and finally got the color he wanted. . .
I'm starting to think that there must be a certain girl. . .
One who's attention he is trying to get.
You know - the one who's favorite color is pink. . .

Namaste.

Generics. . .Food, not drugs!

2011-03-02T23:21:00.001-05:00

When I first starting "shopping for deals", I heard "generics are horrible", "generics aren't as good", etc etc. Take your pick. My thoughts were that most generics are comparable to name brands, but there are a few on my "do not buy" list.

As my shopping for deals has transitioned into coupons, I find that I can get name brands for just as cheap, if not cheaper, than the generics.

Great!
Right?

I have also found that I have a "do not buy" list and a "preferred list" now.

So?
Doesn't everyone?

Yeah, well. . .
The funny thing is, a few name brands have found their way onto the "do not buy" list.
Hey, wait a minute! What are those generics doing on the "preferred list"???

The problem?
Generics are supposed to be cheaper, so. . .No coupons! :(

Occasionally, I will find them on sale (my snack stock pile is looking better after Meijer's sale this week). But, I have found myself spending more money to buy a generic. . .

What can I say?
It's on the preferred list!

Generics on the Preferred List:
Kroger Honey Peanut Butter
Meijer Pretzels
Kroger Turkey Pepperoni

Namaste.

That Time Again. . .

2011-02-27T23:22:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again: Club Volleyball

Not as much practice. . .
Lot's of traveling. . .
Sore rear-ends from hours on bleachers. . .
Coolers full of drinks, sandwiches and snacks. . .
Sleep deprivation from 4:30am alarm clocks and uncomfortable hotel beds. . .

Yep, it's that time of the year again.

Namaste.

Saw Red. . .

2011-01-27T12:59:00.001-05:00

To be honest, this week and I are not getting along.
I cannot account it to one thing in particular – it just seems like tons of little things are piling up.
But, I just about ran into the straw that broke the camels back.

WARNING: RANT AHEAD
We have a small kitchen area at work.
It is not a room.
It is a counter with a sink and microwaves that is visible from just about everywhere.
There is a sign that says “Please return your dishes to the cafeteria.”

There are times when you see dirty dishes sitting there (used to be a huge problem and stink, but not such a big issue anymore).
I take my silverware/water glass to the cafeteria every morning, so they do sit on my desk overnight.
To be honest, if I am about to be out for vacation / holiday / etc, I may leave a spoon there before I leave in the evening. But, I also grab big piles when I see them to offset the two pieces of silverware that I have left for someone else during the year.

Fast forward to today.
I have a system when heating up my lunches.
I put it in, go to the ladies’ room and (if I have a frozen lunch in for two minutes) am back before it is done. You know. . .Multi-tasking.

Today, I have soup – so instead of two minutes, I am only using the microwave for one (but there is another free microwave and no line...And I hurried!).
As MBB will tell you, I like a little soup with my crackers.
So, I stir my soup and crackers and since I don’t want my spoon sitting on the dirty counter, I lay it on my soup can while I am gone…Right next to the microwave that is currently running with my soup in it.

Remember, I am not getting along with this week, so I’m already not in the greatest of moods.

I get back and someone put their dirty silverware on top of my soup can and MY SPOON.

They didn’t put them by the sink where dirty dishes are sometimes left.
It isn’t the end of the day when the café is closed, so they, in my opinion, are just being lazy.
It wasn't something smelly, so they could have left it at their desk until they go back to the cafe tomorrow.
What they did do was added it to the pile of someone who is obviously heating up their lunch and getting ready to eat.

I now understand what someone means when they say they SAW RED.

Namaste.

Big Bang Theory

2011-01-25T22:57:00.004-05:00

Our family has one show that we all like.
So much, in fact, that we have begun to quote lines from it randomly.

Tonight, OB came down while I was sanding drywall and randomly dropped a line:
I'm rooting for the Sun (just like Sheldon).

Then I looked in the mirror and realized that it wasn't so random.
Namaste.

New Toys. . .

2011-01-24T23:46:00.000-05:00

It seems like MBB always gets some new toys when we are remodeling.
That's okay by me! Really!!!

But I should mention, if I haven't already, that I don't care for drywall mudding.
Really, I can't stand it.
But as my handsome husband is a little OCD about mudding and I would like it done sometime this century, I now am the official mudder of the family.
The title doesn't make the job any better.

I am getting a little better. . .
Still not as good as Luke, but I do see improvement from wall to wall.
Though - I can't take personal credit for the improvement on the last wall. . .
I had help from MY new toys!
Yep, I got new toys for our remodeling!
I'll just try to forget that I got the toys because I am the official mudder.
But at least the corners are a bit easier to do now.

Namaste.

Fun!

2011-01-23T23:32:00.001-05:00

We hooked up to city water just under three years ago.
For two and a half years, we didn't have any issues with our plumbing. . .
So MBB decided to finish that job and cement in the hole in the wall.

Suddenly, we now have a drip.
Yep, about three months after the job was finished.

Like how we were tracking how bad the leak is?
The picture that I cannot share because I couldn't bring myself to take a picture (okay - I didn't want to ruin my camera) is when this small drip became a spewing nightmare.
Yep, we quickly learned what the emergency number is for our water department and found out exactly where our water meter is and how to turn off the water line.
Did I mention that our drip was at the entrance to our home - JUST INCHES BEFORE OUR MAIN TURN-OFF (Look to the right side of the picture - it was SOOOOO close!)?
Yep, fun times!

The good news - MBB fixed the nightmare, I mean drip, and now we are dry again.
No picture. . .Sorry. Not much interesting about a plumbing part - other than it's name. . .Shark Bite. Expensive, but after what we went through - WORTH IT!

On a brighter note. . .
Like our new door handles?
Prettiest part of one of the rooms still under construction.
Namaste.

Rubble to. . . Non Rubble?

2011-01-22T23:23:00.000-05:00

It started out as the base of a shower we no longer wanted. . .
Okay, we never wanted it.
Unfortunately, the original builder poured it when he poured the basement floor, so our only option was a jackhammer!

Such a wonderful mess! NOTAfter quite a long time of MBB trying to make it perfect (note: it is not perfect cause I did the final run at it), we now have two nicer looking drains in our basement than we had before.

Gotta love remodeling - never know what you are going to get into next or what new power tool you will have to rent.

Namaste.

The Last Smile

2011-01-17T23:45:00.002-05:00

Here is OB's last smile. . . Don't ask me why blogger keeps turning my pictures! AUGH. . . Why you might ask? He was about to be very depressed. And swore he would not smile again for two years. Namaste.

Lost Another Good One

2011-01-06T12:30:00.000-05:00

I have a soft spot in my heart for law enforcement.
I tear up when I hear of law enforcement who die while working to keep our streets safe.

It tugs at my heart even more when it is someone from my hometown.
Someone who walked the halls of my school that same time I did. I looked through some old yearbooks and marveled at how she, at 40, still looked so much like she did in high school.

It affects me as I feel our mutual friends' pain.
Some of the memories being shared bring tears to my eye. . .

It grabs at my heart that we are both newly weds.
To have found love and have it taken away so quickly. . .
The fear grips me when I think of her husband and kids and it makes me hug my new husband and new kids even tighter.

It tears me up to see law enforcement from around the globe banding together.
The UK reported on this on-line and calls have been received from as far away as Australia.
Officers from other areas are covering shifts so that everyone can pay their respects - that brings tears to my eyes even as I type the words.

"Rest in peace Warrior, we have the watch from here."
- a Patrolman from the Mount Sterling Police Department

It hurts that I cannot pay my respects when her funeral procession drives by and goes to the village where I grew up. I can only image how long that procession will be and I wonder how/if all of the cars will even be able to fit in the small village.
I come from a small community that bands together. One that will line the road to pay respects. One that does not drive by a procession because that is just not done. One that will send this good one off with all of the respect that she deserves.

I do realize that the last time I saw her was 21 years ago at her high school graduation - walking across that stage. I don't have any memories of us together - I can't even say that we had a relationship. But there are many connections and degrees of separations. . .
It still hurts and I still have a tear for a life lost.

I will be watching from affair thanks to the on-line media.
I wish we had not lost another good one.

RIP
Deputy Suzanne M. Bauer Waughtel Hopper

Bad Situation Obit Photos Good One

Namaste.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T18:00:00.001-05:00

I had a big blog typed up for 12/31/2010 and then Blogger decided that it wasn't good enough and wiped it out.

Rather than wracking my brain for the great words of wisdom that I already typed, I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Please enjoy your celebrations and please call a cab if you need one.
I would love for you to still be around blog land in 2011.

Namaste.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T06:52:00.001-05:00

We wish you and yours a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Namaste.

Blogging

2010-12-24T01:14:00.001-05:00

I finally found some time to sit down and update the blog.
I'm not promising any words of wisdom, but I can provide a few pictures.

You may want to travel back into November to see some of the posts I just put up tonight. :)

Namaste.

Christmas Baking

2010-12-23T20:37:00.005-05:00

I did my usual Christmas Baking this year, but decided not to do my usual menu. . .

In years past, the menu contained lots and lots of cookies.
This year, the menu looked a bit different.

(Excuse the bad mobile phone pic. . .)

Peanut Butter Cookies (from the bag)
White Chocolate Chocolate Cookies (from the bag)
Butterscotch / Peanut Butter Chip Pudding Cookies
Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
White Chocolate Chip Cocoa Cookies

and. . .

People Puppy Chow

Pretzel Wreaths
Cake Balls - Spice w/ White Chocolate and Yellow w/ White Chocolate

I decided to change up the second batch of cake balls.
Instead of dipping them completely in chocolate, I drizzled chocolate on top.
I also make some more Pretzel Wreaths, without the pretzels, with my left-over chocolate.
Namaste.

Things That Make Me Go Hmmmmm. . .

2010-12-22T23:07:00.001-05:00

The biggest mystery for me right now. . .

Why is it I used to be Ms. SassyMarie and now that I am married. . .
People are now calling me Miss MBB.

Miss?

I thought getting married made me a Mrs.?
And how long will it take me to remember to check the Mrs. box on those forms? :)

Namaste.

More Remodeling

2010-12-15T23:52:00.005-05:00

We've been pretty busy around our Home Sweet Home lately. . .
(And I'm not the only one now snapping pictures.)
Yep, we're now working on the basement.
Here are some in-process pictures.
Please excuse the mess in the "final pretty" picture as we have already moved on to other walls and needed to move all of our toys.
Namaste.

His Fort!

2010-12-14T20:33:00.002-05:00

We bought Yeager-bomb a climbing house for Christmas, but he got it way early.
He quickly turned it into his fort and he protects it often!
He can usually be found laying on the top, just ready to pounce as someone comes around the corner.

Good thing he doesn't have claws!

Namaste.

Time is Flying!

2010-12-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

It has been two months since our big day!
Some days, I can't believe time is going so fast.

Other days - well, MBB said it best.
"Two months? That's it?? Feels like a LOT longer than that!"

Love you honey!
Hmmm. . .Should I change my nickname to Mrs. MBB?

Naw. . .I think I'll keep Sassy Marie. :)

Namaste.

House Full of MVPs!

2010-12-05T23:13:00.000-05:00

We now have lots of MVPs in our house.

OB was named Offensive MVP.
MaBell was named Offensive MVP and Overall MVP.

Sure am proud of my kids!

Namaste.

Turkey Oreos

2010-11-24T23:44:00.003-05:00

We tried to make Turkey Oreos, but had one problem. . .
I couldn't find any candy corn ANYWHERE!

I attempted to use a substitute. . . It didn't look as good, but seemed to work.

Until they got ninja-ed.
Yep, they started to lose their wings.
I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of the wing-less Turkey Oreos. :)

Namaste.

Beds. . .

2010-11-21T23:40:00.000-05:00

Yeager-bomb seems to have lots of beds around our house.
Some cause issues for my housekeeping skills.

Namaste.

Goodbye Friend

2010-11-14T17:16:00.004-05:00

We said goodbye to one of the "Pups" today.
He was just a year old and full size, but we still called his sister and him "the Pups" to distinguish from his parents.

He was the biggest of the small dogs on our road, but I could still hold him under one arm. . .

He was 75% Wiener and 25% Beagle. . .
I always loved to sing "Wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener" to him. . .
I always thought that his name should be Eddie (see the hair line - reminds me of the Munsters). . .

He thought that he could protect us better than the big dogs could. . .
And would lead the charge against all of the cars on the lane that he did not recognize.
Unfortunately today, the car won in the charge battle and we had to say goodbye.

Goodbye Oscar - you will be missed!

Namaste.

Making Us Happy!

2010-11-02T06:07:00.000-04:00

I have realized how much an ugly piece in our house makes me VERY happy!

"What is it?" you ask.

The wood burning stove in our basement!

Previously, we barely used the stove. . .
Mainly because the wood from the two trees we cut down in the summer of 2009 needed to season. And to be honest, I didn't think that we got much heat from it.
This year, though, I wanted to use it more in an attempt to keep our electric bill down. I DO NOT want $400 electric bills this winter!!! Yes, that is the frugal side of me. . .

After a night of being cold despite burning wood (and some smoky moments in our basement), MBB started investigating whether we had a bird's nest blocking our chimney or if there was anything else deciding that the smoke was our guest and needed to stick around.

What he found was a huge need for us to replace the fireplace's piping (safety is pretty important when it comes to fire!) and clean out as much of the fireplace / chimney as possible.
It was an all day affair and you wouldn't believe some of the stuff that we found when we pulled the stove out of the chimney.
Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of OB or MBB inside the chimney. . . :(

MBB did figure out during his search for bird's nests that our chimney was built in thirds. . .
We have one wood burning stove and one fireplace in the living room that does not have a stove.

Threeeeeeeeee???

He also found a hole in the chimney in my craft room (not in a fireplace area!!!) that was letting in LOTS of cold air.
Yep, we are burning wood to warm the house and there is a hole letting cold air in!
A cap on the hole stopped the cold air, the pipes were replaced and suddenly, there was smoke coming out of our chimney. . .Success!

I'm realizing that this post is getting really long, so I'll shorten the story very quickly to say that later that night, I found another hole inside the living room chimney (remember the THREE chimney sections???). We quickly got that one covered to and you wouldn't believe how WARM our house has become from using the wood burning stove!

You might have noticed that the title of this post was "Making US Happy", but I was talking about our stove making ME happy.

Well, there is a new toy in our house that has made MBB happy as he doesn't have to get as many blisters on his hands while chopping big logs into small logs.
This is the non-frugal side of us coming out. . .We bought it brand new, BUT with a coupon!! lol

Introducing our log splitter.
The only bad thing. . .The logs have to be pretty short to fit in it. :(
Namaste.

Baby Cake

2010-11-01T06:06:00.000-04:00

You are probably expecting a cake that I "tried" to make or paid to have baked. . .

Nope! :)

Some friends of MBB's had a baby very soon after our wedding and we wanted to get them something. I don't like doing "what everyone else does", so I searched for something different that was quick and easy (no time to make a baby quilt right now!).

I saw this great idea of making a baby cake out of diapers and using some baby stuff as decoration.
I think it turned out okay for my first try, though I will admit that using small diapers was a bit much for only two hands!

Namaste.

Changes. . .

2010-10-17T15:31:00.000-04:00

Everything changes...

Buildings, People, Organizations
Personalities, Circumstances, Ages,
Addresses, Signatures, Families
Even Landscapes (Old Man on the Mountain!)

Every situation is different and unique.

My life has truly changed over the last few years. . .
It has become obvious that some of the things/people from my past are also changing. . .
Some things still fit.
Some don't.
In retrospect, some things that didn't fit a few years ago are now working again.

Every situation is different and unique.

I am finding that it is now time to release and let go. . .
Some goodbyes are difficult as the memories are so sweet.
So, I need to concentrate on the memories and continue on my journey.

Namaste.