A Penny For Your Thoughts

        This Winter I Will.....   Get my dining room back in order and redecorated with some new ideas I have come up with.  I will take a picture of us eating at our dining room table to prove it is no longer the catch all for our stuff.     Start a books I have read list for 2014.  I am curious as to how many books I actually read in a year.    Make a blog book from my blog.  I have found a couple of sites that turn your blog into a printed book and I think that sounds like a nice keepsake to have.   I am starting a photo challenge with one of my friends with her blog. I am hoping to improve my photography skills.   Lose 5 more pounds.  More would be a plus, but 5 more would be fine with me.

An Update on my "I Will" List This fall I "will"..... Make a new pumpkin recipe that I have never tried before. C made Pumpkin Pop Tarts and I made a Pumpkin Fluff Dip to eat with Vanilla Wafers.  Both were very good and are on my Pintrest Boards.  I also added pumpkin to my chili for extra vitamins, you couldn't even taste it, so we will continue with this.   Have most of my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving. I only have to buy a few gift cards....All of the girl's items were purchased by the week before Christmas....this was a huge holiday stress reliever for me and one I will continue in the coming years. Have my Christmas cards ordered and out by the first week of December. Ok, at least ordered. Done.  We took the pics today and the cards are ready for pickup already.....yes! Go to the pumpkin patch before the last week of October. We went in mid October, yeah for me.  I didn't feel that the trip was ...

    Today is Cranberry Wednesday....also know as the day before Thanksgiving.  It feels more like a Friday but that is OK with me :)  and these are my Midweek Confessions.  Link up with . E, Myself, and I  and share yours as well.   1.  I have a cold and the best way to describe it is that it sucks.  Sorry for those who hate that word (my Mama is rolling over in her grave right now).   2.  I can't wait to see my family tomorrow.  The food really is secondary to the company.    3.  I have big plans to take my children's picture for the Christmas card tomorrow morning.  Please may all be willing and moving around early.   4.  I am sad that I gained back one of my lost pounds and I know getting back on the right track is not going to happen for a few weeks now that the Holidays have hit.  #nocontrolwithgoodfood   5.  K started Basketball Dance this week and M'...

  I am actually enjoying the snow in this picture...however, I am still not ready for it in my own back yard.    1.  K had her Senior pictures taken last weekend by our friend Krista, I cannot wait to see them, I know she did a great job and what a beautiful model to work with.     2.  M was with us and I practiced my IPhonetography skills on  her...gorgeous and so grown up looking.   3.  Kiddie cheer camp was this week.  These are my two beautiful cheerleaders.  They performed a Footloose song, gotta love the 80's.       4.  The best part of an out of town meeting is the food.  This restaurant is known for its beer battered aspargus...yummo!   5.  I came across this saying on Pintrest.  So, so true and what a great thing to be reminded of.    Have a great week and link up with the blogs below and let everyone know your Five...

 Mid week....thank goodness.  This week is feeling very long to me....   I have had a headache that will not go away for like a week.  I thought it was allergies, wondered about a virus, but have come to the conclusion it is stress.   I have not been able to be at one of Madi's last 5 basketball games and am thankful to get to go to her last normal game of the season this evening.  I am really having a lot of guilt over this absence and am trying to not be bogged down by it in my head.   I feel that my work/home balance is WAY off kilter of late and I am trying to figure out how to get back on track.    I am living on diet coke and coffee.....   Criminal Minds was really good last night and I am now addicted to that show.  I think I could be a profiler...not.   I went to Target the other night, and actually got excited about decorating for Christmas...out of character for me, but a good feeling.  P...

  Welcome back to Friday....and another week ends.  This is what I was up to this week.   1.  I went to a great worship/teaching service with two of my favorite Christian friends on Saturday.  I am still wearing my arm band to remind myself of what I want to pray about.    2.  Doug, my nephew, M, and I all went to an Illini game on Sunday.  We really had a great time and they won!! It was not the most exciting of games but M really enjoyed the atmosphere at a Big 10 College game.       3.  L finally lost that tooth that had been hanging by a thread for 4 days.  She lost it in her sleep, thank goodness she didn't swallow it.    4.  My van had a birthday.  However, like the rest of us she is still going strong.  Age is a state of mind.   5.  This is our Chloe baby who we have had for a year now.  She is so pretty and has as much personali...

    As a working mom it is important to use my "assistants"  to help me in my daily life.  I consider the crock pot, washing machine, dishwasher, etc to be my assistants as well as the 4 beauties that live with me....hahaha.  But the one thing that has made the biggest difference to my success (loosely used term) as a working mom is my iPhone.    I use it to stay in touch with my family, the calendar to remember where and when to be places, weather app to know what to wear for the day, alarm to wake up from my naps on my lunch hour (not every day), lists for my grocery shopping, Christmas list, and on and on and on.   Some of my favorite apps are: Cozi Family  Calendar Walgreen's My Fitness Pal (I have lost almost 20 pounds using it) Shazam  (because I love music) The Weather Channel P Tracker (For "that time of the month") My social media outlets...Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin, Pintrest ...

As a fun play on the date 11/11, I am posting 11 of my favorite children's books.  Even if I did not have the job of being a children's Literacy Specialist, children's books would still be a passion for me.            Happy Reading!! and Even if you don't have a little, you can still enjoy a good children's book.  

  I LOVE To Read!!     The one thing I always make time for is reading.  I am also a speed reader so I move myself through an insane amount of books when I am in the mood.  A day on my deck in my lounge chair with a diet coke or coffee and a good book is my absolute favorite.  When reading I am a fan of Christian books on self improvement, prayer, etc.  as well as fiction.  Here are a few things I have just finished up and highly recommend.      I also do a lot of Bible studies, Beth Moore and Elizabeth George are two of my favorites.  However, I realize that reading the Bible as it is written is just as important but being able to do this has always been a struggle for me.  I recently began reading a Bible in One Year using the Message.  It has really made a difference in my comprehension and concentration.  This is the one I am using and highly recommend it.   I start...

  Listening to....I have so many cool songs on my IPhone now.  I am enjoying how easy it is to switch between genres....rock, country, worship, show tunes....you name it.   Loving...That I have no where to go tonight and I have no where to go first thing in the morning...score.   Thinking...that I may just have this Christmas thing under control this year or at least I am ahead of  years past.   Wanting...to make a ham this weekend.  I actually make a pretty awesome ham.  The secret ingredient??  a coca cola.   Needing.....to get the laundry caught up.  Boy, I am so out of control on that one.  With 6 people (5 being girls) it really gets out of control fast.   A yummy pin.... here is one I haven't tried yet but think I may be trying soon. http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/187769886/jalapeno-popper-spread-recipe/    Link up with Oh Boy Fourth Grade  for more currently fun. ...

            1. K got her Tragus pierced and now I want one too.  It is actually pretty cool and she swears it doesn't hurt too much.  However, it sounded pretty nasty when she got it done.  You could actually hear the cartilage pop....gross.     2.  I love finding pictures like this on my phone.  They just make me giggle.....     3.  C had her first game this week.  She is such a cute little cheer gal!!!   4. L has a Flat Stanley project going on and I am having fun finding things to photog him with.  This was when I had to go to a training.  Yep, he tagged along that day just to get his pic here.    4.  I am really liking this look with the grey and mint...   This was my weekly 5 list....link up with the blogs below  to find out theirs and add your own.        

I had been in a rut for a few years when it came to fashion.  My hair style was blah, my clothes were nice but blah....my spark was gone and then came Pintrest!!  The more I looked through the popular pins, I started to develop a sense of style again.  Also, I "learned" how to get the new hair styles, etc.  I have been successful in recreating my wardrobe through local discount stores, clearance racks, and clothes sharing with my daughters (the classic not trendy items).  This has made a tremendous difference in my confidence and my happiness.  It feels good to care again.  It is fun to care again.  Here are some of my favorites and I have about a lot more pinned on my boards if you want to follow along.  I think they are all pretty much the same outfit....haha     This has been so fun for me and even my gals have noticed a difference.   Don't be afraid to get outside of the "mom" box.  We are still ...

  Will I not miss eating lots and lots of candy.  Yes, the years have finally caught up with me and I have to restrain myself....lol   Will I not get sad when Christmas music starts and I want my mom!   Will I not enjoy boy's basketball games. Junior High, High School, College, Pro.....I love them.  It could also be watching one of  my fav girls cheer as well (living vicariously?).    Will I not feel a little immature listening to Pink on my IPHONE.   I am 42 years old, but I love her music ( Kate calls her my girl crush)!! Oh, I like One Direction and Taylor Swift as well.....don't judge.   Will I not see God's goodness each day when I wake up with my whole family under one roof.    Will I not want to solve every one's problems.  I do miss counseling.  I want everyone to be happy, well adjusted, etc.  Please remind me that God is in control and I am just here to listen. ...