Tuesday, July 31, 2012

TAT: My Little Animal Lover


I am linking up with Melissa at Growing Up Geeky once again for Todle Along Tuesday. This week's topic is fur babies.

We live with 3 fuzzy little ones. Gracie is our 7 year old rescue.  Our cats Tom and Piglet (brothers - can't you tell) are almost 13 years old and have been with us most of their lives.


All 3 animals have been great about having P around. The cats don't stick too close when she is up, especially once she got mobile. Gracie on the other hand has not been so lucky...




Monday, July 30, 2012

Weekly wrap-up

Hello!  I hope you all have entered my 30 follower giveaway!  I didn't get done everything that I wanted to last week but I just got overwhelmed with getting my training and stuff done this weekend with the 3 Day coming up so soon!

This week will be light (especially the weekend, but watch twitter for 3Day updates). But here is my plan...

1. I will be partaking in TAT with Melissa from Growing Up Geeky. It's all about fur babies!

2. I will be writing one last blurb about the 3 Day before I leave.

3. Thursday will be the first installment of a new link party that I will be co hosting with Mrs Monica at Running Through Parenthood in Heels.

I'm leaving the list short since I am not packed and still have one more training walk. Say a little prayer fr good weather!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

30 Follower Giveaway!!!



I am so pumped that you all are with me!  I promised that I would do a giveaway when I hit 30 followers and we are here!  Here is the plan...

I am so excited and proud to be partnering with Jodi at Studio 228 for a $25 credit to her shop.  She makes lots of handmade baby items but will do custom orders too.  She did one for me for J's first father's day.  Here is my review of that product: http://myorganizedchaosverstreate.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-keychain-from-pressed-upon.html.  Jodi still does this type of work, via special orders!

Here are my favorites from her current listings:

 If I had a little boy, he would totally have this bowtie!!

My mommy secret is that I wish P would have taken a pacifier so I could use clips like these!


I met up with Jodi on our birthmonth board and then stayed connected through FB and our birth month group.  She is awesomely creative!  I would love to make some of these products, but she has already done that for us!

Here is a little more about Jodi in her own words:
I am a stay at home mom to a wonderful little boy and enjoy making things by hand to pass the time.



Now Shop!
Everything there is really cute. Check out everything at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Studio228. Jodi is offering 10% off to all my readers! Use coupon code Take10!


What can you win?
Now here is the best part of the post! Jodi has agreed to give my readers a chance to win a $25 credit to her store.


How to Enter:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. The giveaway is open to US Residents only and ends at 12:01am on Monday, August 6th.

The first entry is mandatory - Visit Studio228 and leave me a comment telling me which item at her shop is your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Monday, July 23, 2012

TAT: Dream/Actual Career







I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher.  The age of students that I wanted to teach was ever changing but it was always a classroom.  Finally around 6th or 7th grade, after several AMAZING math teachers, I settled on high school math.  Then my oldest sister went to college to be a teacher.  Then my other older sister went to college to be a teacher.
 
I couldn't do what they were doing!  I was in high school at this point, taking all the math that I could (yep, nerd here).  Accounting - that would work!  Math, people, jobs.  I was going to be an accountant.  Nerdy me took AP Calculus (basically college calculus) which got me Calc I credit for college.
 
I went away to Miami University (in OHIO, the real Miami University, not the University of Miami).  And I enrolled into the college of business AND Calculus II (not a requirement for accounting majors).  Two weeks later, I was changing my major back to education.  It was and is my calling.  I could not deny it!
 
I am one of the lucky ones who LOVES what I do.  I teach high school math.  I work for a great school district that has great community and administrative support.  Yes, I complain every once in a while, but it is about the little stuff.  I get to be around kids every day.  I get to see their eyes light up when the understand something they have been working really hard on.  I work with great staff.  I get to laugh with my friends in between each class.  I get summers off (sorry had to throw that one in there)!
 
My dream job is my job!  I am lucky and happy and try not to complain!








This week's Toddle Along Tuesday topic is occupations! What do you do, or what did you do in your former life? Or what is your dream job? There are no rules here, except that you link up a relevant post (old or new) rather than your whole blog.



Weekly Wrap-up

Hello!  SUPER busy weekend here but things will be calming down after tomorrow as summer school wraps up.  I am working 6 hours per day for summer school to finish though (UGH)!

Here is my plan for the week:
1. I am co hosting Toddle Along Tuesday with Melissa at Growing Up Geeky.  We are writing about our careers - dream, actual, and anything in between!
2. I have those Christmas projects still sitting.  Maybe this week...
3. We have so many leftovers from the past couple of weeks from new recipes that I am not cooking too much new.  That makes me a little sad!!!  Maybe I will write about things I dream to make.  Or come up with a great sweet treat to make!
4. I have a little more for the home tour!  It's the last part!!!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

16 month update




16 months - I cannot believe it!  A lot has happened this month so here is the rundown!

Age: 16 months

Stats: No official check here but my guess is we are hovering just under 25 pounds.  I feel like she is getting taller every day!

Sizes: We are solidly in size 4 diapers. I am debating looking into the toddler overnight diapers as she has been VERY full most mornings and little damp some mornings.  Clothes are solid 18 month but she does have some 24 month items, which run a little big.

Sleeping: She is a champ in the area.  She is getting better about going down without crying too much.  I am not sure how to stop this one :(  Napping is good - the length is hit or miss but we get a solid 2 hours a day.  Once summer school is over (soon), I will be working on a more solid routine to get ready for the sitter!

Eating: I feel like I am in rut for her - she eats a lot of the same things everyday.  But she is a rock star with eating most things.  She LOVES mangoes, bananas, mac and cheese, and carrots.  She is still not a huge fan of eggs, cheese, or peanut butter.  Man would I love to give her a PB&J!  We are still on the bottle.  I am okay with it, but I have no idea how to get her off.  I am terrified that she will not drink as much milk and with the lack of cheese in her diet...  We will see!


Milestones: We have a walker!!!  On July 4th she really started toddling on her own and now we are in full walker mode.  She will still crawl every once in a while but more walking than crawling at this point.  She even has tried to do a somersault!  I am glad that we have a baby gates because the stairs are a hit too!  Her gross motor skills amaze me!
Language is growing too.  Her vocabulary includes: mama, mom (yes my one year old calls me mom), dada, daddy, hi, hey (she shocked the ladies at the gym with this one), dog, bark, woof, kitty (sounds more like titty), meow, nose, nana (banana), down, up, go, no, tickle, belly, two, three, and ball.
She can correctly identify her hair, eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, ears, and belly.  She knows the sounds that dogs and cats make.
I want to start working on her fine motor skills more.  She can sort of use a fork and spoon - she can get the food into her mouth, but she does not know how to get the food on the utensil.  I want to color and finger paint with her soon too!

Favorites: She is still loving her push walker, the dog, and chasing me around.  Swim lessons wrapped up beautifully.  We will definitely get her into the next class once she is old enough.  Pool time has been a little limited with my schedule and the oppressive heat.  We still have summer left though!
She is really into stacking and putting things in and out of containers.  She loves that she can get into our plastic ware and pull the lids on and off.


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Pinterest recipe - enchiladas


I am totally addicted. I have made several crafts and many recipes. Most good too! So here goes another...

Here is the original recipe that pinned: http://foodfamilyfinds.com/recipe-easy-and-creamy-white-chicken-enchiladas/

So I gathered the ingredients. This is the rotisserie chicken already shredded.


I loaded and rolled the tortillas. I decided to split the recipe into 2 baking dishes so we can have one tonight and I will freeze the other.

I made the sauce, poured over, topped with cheese, and the are ready to cook!

They were delicious. J was skeptical of the corn, but the sweetness was great. We both only ate one so this recipe will get us 4 meals!  Amazing! I forgot to take a picture but they looked great too.

I am linking up my deliciousness with Ginger Snap Crafts for Wow Me Wednesday. Check out more wonderful homemade goodies there!


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

TAT: boring and not green



We are boring when it comes to diapering. We are a disposable diapering family. As green as I try to be about many areas of my life this was one I had to let go. So here is our routine...

We use Pampers. There was a big stink right around when P was born about their Baby Dry diapers causing problems but we have never had a problem and love them! Cruisers and Swaddlers!

In P's room we keep diapers in JJ Cole bins in her changing table. I love the closed storagethat we have in her changing table but the hutch gets in the way ocassionally.

After a lot of searching, I found the perfect caddy for our living room. It is smaller, portable, and holds what we need. It blends with our stuff so it doesn't scream baby but functions really well. It is also JJ Cole. I seem to like their organizers, huh!

Although we are vanilla with our diapering, there are many stories to read through Toddle Along Tuesday at Growing Up Geeky. Check it out!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Weekend wrap-up

I have been MIA for a few days because J and I had a out of town wedding to attend this past weekend. He read in the wedding so we had to head up Friday for the rehearsal too. This would have been totally normal and nice, especially since we stayed with J's parents. And they took P while we went to the wedding and reception kid-free!

It started Thursday when I noticed that my car was running a little funny. I had a dinner date with 2 neighbors (super fun time) so I took J's car and he was going to put air in my tires when I got home, later than expected. At 10:30 we realized that I had a bolt in my tire and shouldn't drive it much the net day - other than to the mechanic. We scrambled and got a ride together for J since I now needed to pack his car and fix mine. As soon as I got home from class, P and I headed to get my tire patched. Done, and cheaply, then we had a few errands before naps. We got it done and were on our way just in time.

We enjoyed the rehearsal with P and had a good dinner on our own at J's parents. Saturday, we all went to Stride Rite to get P's first shoes! Very exciting! The wedding was beautiful! It was great to see old friends and relax!

We got home Sunday and got our weekly chores done and relaxed as a family. I forgot the most important part of the weekend! J and I celebrated our 11th anniversary on Saturday! We joked that our friends threw us a big party :). It was a little surreal to be at a wedding on our anniversary but I liked it!

My blog plan for the week includes:
1. Pinterest recipe!
2. TAT link up
3. Some thoughts on Christmas (yes I know it's July)
4. A play date at the pool
5. A winner for my first Giveaway!!!

Thanks for reading!

PS I have gotten many more followers, so thanks for joining! I plan to do another giveaway when. Get to 30 followers! Tell your friends!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Breast Cancer 3 Day


The Breast Cancer 3 Day is a nutshell is a fundraiser for Susan G Komen. Participants, like me, walk a total of 60 miles over the course of 3 days. And it is amazing!

I am going to be walking in Cleveland for my second 3 Day. This s a cause close to my heart as my mom and SIL are both long time survivors. More recently, a dear friend of mine was diagnosed and she is wrapping up her treatment this summer.

The longer version is this. You arrive in one of 15 cities for an emotional and motivating opening ceremony. It reminds everyone that, although 60 miles is tough, it is no comparison to enduring Breat cancer. That is why we walk. To move closer to a cure, earlier detection, and ultimately an end to this horrible disease. Each day you travel about 20 mikes per da with fantastic cheering stations, rest stops, and lunch to a camping area each night. On the final day, your destination is closing ceremony. It is an uplifting send off for the work that as been done.

Before you arrive to the city you are walking in you have 2 big responsibilities. One is to raise money. There is a minimum. I was blessed to have great community support both in 2009 and this year, so fundraising was shockingly easy! In today's economy, I can't thank everyone enough!

The other responsibility is to prepare yourself. They offer several suggestions for training programs. I tried the 24 week program the first time I walked and ended up with serious tendinitis in my feet. It was awful! This time, I definitely monitored my feet but am having trouble finding the time with P and the hot weather. I hope tha I am prepared!


Interested? Check out my site to support me, read more, get involved, or just head out to cheer!

www.the3day.org/goto/MilesForMelissaHV

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Home tour continued - our area


And we continue with our master suite. We lucked into a big master bath. In my dreams, it is reconfigured to have a big walk in shower, double bowl vanity, and the toilet is an afterthought. Needless to say, we have a small shower, single sink, and lots of room around the potty. Maybe someday...


I will admit, I love the art that I found for the wall. It's small but it works so well!

Onto the reason this part of tour was on hold... Our new bedding!
We got a tear in the last bedspread but didn't want to paint. Well, J didn't want to paint - I was intrigued. Except for the wall decals above the bed. I <3 them! Please ignore the mismatched night stands. J need the room and we are in the market for new furniture. The set we have is a hand me down from J's grandma. It works but it is not our style. After 11 years of marriage we are almost ready to get some for ourselves. Maybe soon! Here is the rest...



The picture in the middle of the collage is P, even though the glare doesn't show it!

I really like our set up, even with the old furniture and small shower. We are lucky!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Weekly wrap-up

Hey! This past week was light and 2 of my to do list items didn't get done. I have an excuse for one but not te other.

I have wanted to do a steppin out Saturday post for a few weeks but J and I just don't take enough pictures. Especially of ourselves. I was hoping the camera would help but it hasn't. I will try more.

The one that I have an excuse for is the next installment of the home tour. My plan was to do our bedroom and bath but we bought new bedding. It got here Friday so that will be done this week - promise!

So here is the plan for this week!
1. I am doing the next home tour post. Really!

2. I will be working on the Pinterest Christmas gifts.

3. My first giveaway is up! Check it out!

4. I will be writing a little more about the 3 day.

5. I have more ingredients coming for some DIY cleaners. I am unusually excited about making them!

That's the plan folks!

Now, any hints on how to get more pictures of me and J?

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Summer Fun Giveaway!



Thank you for stopping by The Summer Fun Giveaway & Event, hosted by Mama to 4 Blessings at http://mamato3blessings.blogspot.com/ and the Mommyhood Chronicles at http://www.the-mommyhood-chronicles.com/! This event will take place from July 8th at 12:01am EST to July 18th at 11:59pm EST. For this event we will be celebrating summer! Which means each participating blogger will be offer summer related giveaways $15.00 and up! After entering my fantastic and FIRST EVER giveaway be sure to visit each blog from the linky below the Rafflecopter and enter for your chance to win 
some really amazing prizes!

Here is the link to get a listing of all the super summer giveaways: http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=89e8d2bb-1ac7-4ab3-ab35-e7dea81c0de1




I am totally in love with E&O Clothing company!  I have talked about her many times on my blog here is my first review of her work: http://myorganizedchaosverstreate.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-hand-embroider-onses-from.html.  P wore an adorable CUSTOM onesies at her first birthday, you can see it in my post about her party: http://myorganizedchaosverstreate.blogspot.com/2012/03/party-time.html.  We also have a custom made breast cancer onesies that will be coming up in pictures in a post VERY soon.

E&O Clothing started as a passion for a little girl.  It has turned into a great business for a new mom.  She has plenty of great ready to ship items in her store in lots of sizes.  Talia will also either make something she already designed in the size you need or, better yet, she will work with you to design something one of a kind!  Her work is impecable - and lasts!  I still ahve the holiday onesies that P wore at least 5 times.  My hope is to include it in a quilt of my favorite clothes of hers.

Here are some of my favorite items from her shop:



Another one of my favorties from her shop is that she will do monthly onesies!  I wish this was out before P was born!

 Here is a little more about Talia in her own words:

I am the mother to a beautiful daughter named Eleanore. She was the inspiration for my clothing line. I now run Eleanore's Treasures full time and have a blast at work everyday dreaming and creating. I would love to create something for you too!



Now Shop!
Everything there is really cute.  Check out everything at www.etsy.com/shop/eleanorestreasures?ref=si_shop. Talia is offering 20% off to all my readers! Use coupon code JULYBLOG20 for the whole month of July!


What can you win?
Now here is the best part of the post!  Talia has agreed to give my readers a chance to win a $25 credit to her store. 

How to Enter:
This is a Rafflecopter giveaway. Click "Read More" below and then follow the instructions on the widget. Make sure to click "Enter!" after you complete each entry. All currents count! The giveaway is open to US Residents only and ends at 12:01am on Thursday, July 19th.



The first entry is mandatory - Visit E&O's shop and leave me a comment telling me which item at her shop is your favorite! Once you complete this entry, the widget will give you the option of completing the rest. Complete more steps for more chances to win!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Pinterest 4th of July Dessert

Happy 4th of July! We are getting ready to go to a cookout at my sister's house and my charge is an appetizer (loaded baked potato dip) and dessert. Here is what I found!

Here are the ingredients:
*i also needed water, egg whites, and vegetable oil.

I put together the cake according to the box but separated it into 3 bowls. Two of the bowls got food coloring.



I then layered them into the greased bunt pan.

Then bake at 350* for 40 minutes.

After the cake cooled, it was time to ice it. I separated the icing like the cake mix. I started with white, the red (which was kind of pinkish), and finally blue. I wish I had found some sprinkles but I did not. I am excited to see how it tastes!


I'll post some pictures tomorrow of our outfits - we are all festive - and how the dessert worked!

I'm linking up with Delightful Order for her Inspiring Thursday link up! Check out more!