Creativity…

I took Mike’s old school desk and refinished the top and painted the drawers. I know painting the top sometimes wears off from wear or gets scratched so I just sanded it and varnished it. The drawers took me time. The most time was in deciding the color. I wanted an orange, that is my most favorite color now. But it can’t be orange like hunting orange, I like more sunset orange. I looked at color swatches and finally had Mike help me decide. I like how it turned out.

 

Today I I had off so I created in my craft room. First I made up a dozen string scarves for Deb's daughter Amber. She’s been excepted into the World Race Mission 

and needs to raise quite a bit of money to do this mission work. So I am trying to help them out a bit by making them some scarves to sell and also some jewelry.

 

If anyone has some ideas to help these wonderful woman raise some money they would love to hear about it. Amber has been making and selling cookies, cleaning house and much other to raise the money. I’m going to see what other things I can come up with helping.

I went out for a walk the other morning. A short one but still a walk. It was mighty chilly but not a lick of wind so –30 isn’t as bad as it sounds. It’s that wind that drives the cold right through you. We are headed for another deep freeze the next few days. Long Johns on again tomorrow.

My to do list grows and grows. I got most of mine done last week but another one started this morning. Notice the last typed words? One day to craft…please. It didn’t happen last week but it did today. YEAH!!!

I got a call from my boss today. One mother called the bus garage asking for them to please tell me to be careful. Her boys were diagnosed with influenca A and that is a really bad flu, the one that last 4-5 days with temp up to 105*. She didn’t want me to get sick and if I did to know what it probably was and to watch out. My boss was concerned and asked me to please tell him if I even feel a bit sick. I’m fine and plan on staying that way but it was nice to know a parent and my boss were concerned.

Well that’s my catch up post for the day. I hope that this finds you all well and happy. A new week to do our best to be as healthy as we can. To learn as much as possible and to share this with others.

Blessings my friends!!

Looks like pea soup….

Okay, I told you I’d make up a green smoothie. I looked all over the internet for recipes and there are thousands of them. So I just took this sheet

and made up something from it, sorta.

Here’s my ingredients except didn’t need the unsweetened raspberry jam.

First the spinach.. 1cup than the almond milk...1 cup  

and blend them up. . My blender isn’t new by any means so wasn’t sure it could handle chopping up the carrots and apples and ice so used my handi dandi little chopper.  .  I put all of this plus 3/4 cup banana in the blender and let it go and go and go.  And out came this stuff that looks like pea soup. Now the big thing for me is the smell, if it smells off, bad, gross I won’t even try it. I can’t help that, it’s from driving truck for so many year and smelling my food to make sure it was editable.

 

It sorta tastes like it looks. Foamy, bubbly stuff. It doesn’t taste bad, it doesn’t taste wonderful but it’s palatable. It’s a bit gritty and sticks to the sides of the glass and it’s not cold enough. But I will keep trying because this experiment wasn’t horrible. I need to freeze my fruit, that would really help the coldness and I did read that many places. Maybe carrots aren’t the best veggie to add but I love carrots so maybe will chop them up finer and see. The banana over powers the apple but not by to much so maybe next time use different fruits if I have them. I always have apples and banana’s and in the freezer are lots of raspberries from last fall. Maybe grapes or oranges. I want this to be good for me, filling and taste good so will keep trying. This smoothie adds up to 248 calories for 20 oz. It has 52 carbs, 23 grams sugar and 11 grams of fiber. So a bit high in carbs and sugar but if it’s filling and can take the place of a meal then it will be just fine. 

So my very first ever green smoothie. You want to make up one and share?

Blessings my friends.

Wordless Wednesday…My new sewing/craft room…

Blessings!

I wasn’t going to do this but ….

Deb and I are sharing a blog (some nastiness came from sharing to much before but hey, gotta try again). Nothing fancy, just two friends working on getting healthy together. Come visit us at …..

http://www.debandjulie.blogspot.com/

Found this at an antique shop yesterday….

I love it!!!

Have a great weekend. I am heading out the door to take the girls basketball team to Wadena. Go C-I Go!!!

Blessings my friend!!!

Working on money….

I found this and was thinking this would be a great way to work up a savings. The only problem is I get paid every other week and know that in the beginning of the year I could afford to just double each deposit but towards the end of the year I can’t take $200.00 a month and put it away. So I’m still working on it, I am thinking $50.00 a month would be more manageable. Doesn’t add up to $1300.00 but $600.00 would be more than I have now so a start. What do you do to save money? Are you on a tight budget, little pay checks? Any magic ideas to saving?

Blessings!!

Been reading and wondering….

I hear, I read, I listen, I wonder….all about these green smoothies. Since I’m working on coming up with a good, repeatable menu plan I thought about giving this a try. I have to figure out the calories and such but I am betting having one of these when I get back from driving, the other 1/2 before I head back to driving and a good dinner I should survive. I have read about people being hungry a couple of hours later so someone said add a bit of extra protein. I know I like fruit smoothies but green ones …. I’m going to try. Want to try with me and than tell your thoughts?

 

Blessings!!

It’s almost the new year….

So how are you all doing? Things are calming down, getting into a routine, enjoying the not getting up at 4:30 in the morning, 7:30 is just so much better, at least for another week.
To Marc, I’m still walking Marc. My numbers have to go just a tiny bit further so here’s what it’s been like for walking the past week.
Let’s see, I think this is the one where Wilbur was so far in front of me (2’) that I couldn’t see him very well. The picture is black cuz that's what I'm seeing too.
Doesn’t the snow look so pretty in these trees? I couldn't see it very well in the dark either.
And evening 3, well somewhere in there is the puppy attacking the snow bank. She sounded cute but couldn't see her either.

Each walk was only 2 miles but in snow gear and the ice and darkness I thought that was far enough. Today I’m going hiking in the better than knee deep snow because it’s the weekend to check out the local cabins and make sure all is well. I’m not to fond of the knee deep stuff.

I took my mama and daddy and Mike out for Christmas eve breakfast. We had a great visit, great meal and everyone was in good spirits. It’s been a different Christmas season but we are doing our best to make new things happen and remember the old with smiles.

This is my Wilbur. He loves me and sits in my lap every single time he can. Doesn’t he look distinguished in those glasses? He looks better in them than I do.
Soon I’m going to be able to share more of my playroom. This weekend we are getting counter top and shelving materials. It’s coming together so nicely and I am so excited to get in there and mess it all up.
I’ve had daycare most of this week. And we’ve been busy. We went sledding yesterday. I climbed the tailings pile 5 times and went down. My legs were mighty tired last night and poor Wilbur. He hurt so bad I had to carry him to bed.

 
I spent the day at Mike’s this week too. It was just a movie watching, organizing, working on budget day and just a plain relaxing together day.

We went to the casino for Christmas dinner with my in-laws. Afterwards we walked around. We are not gamblers and are not about to put money into a machine that eats it like candy but it is fun watching others do it.
  
The weather was been so weird for us this year. Today it’s 30 right now, tonight it’s suppose to get to minus 20 and highs tomorrow –10. Yesterday was an awesome day at 35 above.


We have to plow snow today. First it required cleaning out in front of the bobcat and for me to shovel, shovel and more shovel in the places it’s packed with ice or to close to the buildings. But we better do it today, don’t want to do it in the subzero again tomorrow.

I took this picture many, many years ago and it won me a prize or two. I call it …. “Take time to smell the …..tulips”. I love it and love that I keep finding it. It’s sorta like a reminder too. I’m going to have it printed and than frame it and put it up in my room.
Anyways my friends. I wanted to check in and share a bit. The new year is fast approaching and other than doing my best to keep the family plugging along and working on making me the healthiest I possible can I think that will be enough to keep me busy.
Take care everyone and please have a safe and wonderful new year.
Blessings!!

My sock swap….and….

My partner in this most awesome Secret Santa Sock Swap was Darlene and I had the most fun putting her package together. Now of course all my ducks aren’t in a row and I forgot to take a pictures so I’m stealing the one she put on her post. If you click the picture you can meet a really awesome woman in the process.

Now my partner sent me some really cool things too. Her name is Julie (I really liked that, sharing a name). If you click on this picture you can meet another most awesome lady. These ladies are runner and so full of inspiration. I loved it all but my most favorite was the Joy picture holder. I will be finding the perfect picture to put in there this Christmas. Thank you so much Julie and Darlene and mostly Courtney for letting me be part of this sock swap.

It’s suppose to be the most wonderful time of year but I am finding it very difficult this year. I’m working on trying to keep up my spirits but it’s hard and it’s not all just the loss of Cindy. My parents are not dealing with anything well and it’s me that gets the dirty end of the stick. I know they don’t mean too it just happens. I am doing my very best to try and hold it all together but it’s really not easy. I can feel it in my heart, mind and mostly my body which is rebelling with a cold. Lawyers are as slow as molasses, friends of my parents are not to much of friends, I feel sorry for my friends putting up with me. Oh my goodness. I am never in a hurry for time to pass but you know, I want 2013 to be over with so that a new year can start and hopefully with it some really good experiences. However I know in my heart that it’s sorta like wishing, we all know about wishing.

So instead of dwelling on a bad week I’m going to embrace this weekend (starting now since this morning really bit the nasty stuff). I have daycare tonight and he’s such a sweetie. We are going to make some bath goodies for his parents for Christmas. Than we’ll see if we can find a Christmas movie or something to just cuddle up with. Tomorrow Jim and I are going shopping and we are going to get the materials to make my counter top for my craft room. It’s coming together so nicely.

For now, I’ll just smile and forget and forgive and move forward. At least try. Take care my friends and have an awesome weekend. Christmas is fast approaching and it’s time to just gather friends and family and remember the real reason for the whole thing.

Blessings~

Sock Swap partner….

And my partner is Courtney from My First 5k and more. You want to talk about an amazing runner. WOW!!! To have just part of her ability would be awesome. I am so excited to start gathering my goodies for her sock. I did email her to see if there is something she hates, likes a lot or wishes for. I can’t wait to see what I come up with.

Just wanted to check in. We’ve had 16” of snow and now it’s way below zero. –25* when I got up today, got to –11 and now lowering again.

Blessings my friends!!