Planning my heart out!

The other week I took a leap of faith and ordered an Erin Condren Life Planner after my sister, Mande received hers in the mail. I had been using a my iPhone, a wall calendar and a monthly planner to manage my appointments, things going on the our family and monthly budgeting. Sometimes things didn't get input into my iPhone calendar or on the wall calendar and there I was missing an appointment or trying to remember where I was supposed to be.

On Saturday, this gem arrived in the mail and I'm impressed. Let's start off saying that I got a deep discount on this bad boy and $10 off with a referral from my sister. Normally the basic Life Planners run $50 and it doesn't even include shipping. However the Erin Condren website were offering them 40% off and the coupon from my sister covered my shipping. So, with a few extra goodies added on (Pop-in Meal Planner and budget book) I didn't even spend $40. I had it personalized with my name on the front, which is included in the price. 

After I ordered this and patiently awaited it's arrival. I searched the web for how most people used them. Let me just say, there are some people who decorate the heck out of their planners.  I got tons of great ideas for adding things in my planner, like cleaning schedules, monthly budgeting and lots more. Right now I'm using the 2 page monthly spread for my budgeting and overview of appointments. The weekly spreads I'm adding in when library books are due, when my son is ungrounded, my meet-up group's activites, when to blog, grocery shopping and the biggest thing I'm working on...writing my novel! I've been trying to carve out time to work on it, but sometimes (like always) life has got in the way. Hence, why I've started this project almost 6 years ago. So I'm excited for this planner to help control the chaos in my life and finally get myself organized. I have high hopes for this planner in the hands of a mom with ADD. 

On a totally different note.....GUESS WHAT OPENED THIS WEEKEND!?!?!?

One of the local drive-in theaters opened this weekend. So the hubs, kids and I loaded up and went to the Alexandria Bay Drive-in Friday night. We opted for the kid friendly double feature of "Home" and "Insurgent". I'm excited because nothing says summer, like evening spent at the drive-in with those you love. And of course, we enjoy the "Star Spangled Banner" prior to the movie starting. 

Spring is Finally Here!!

The snow has finally melted and now we get to experience crazy high winds & the joys of chasing trash cans blowing through the neighborhood. The sunny weather this past week has inspired me to tackle several Pinterest projects that I've been wanting to do & start working on the flower beds in front of our house. I'm excited about making our house a little more personalized with each project we add to it. 

The rockers have returned to the front porch alongside a cheery new piece of wall art for the front porch. I was inspired by a friend back home, who made a sign like this for her mother's front porch. I call this the "Lindsey". The mason jars are attached to the wood with a hose clamp with a hole that's been drilled through it. Since spring has just arrived to NNY, I knew that it would be weeks before the first buds of flowers pop up in my flowerbed, so I went in a different cost effective direction. FAUX FLOWERS. ;) I picked up some fake daffodils at the World of Wally on clearance and added them to the mason jars & anchored them inside with a dab of hot glue on a glass marble. After today's crazy wind, I'm really glad that I anchored my flowers or they would've been clear across the neighborhood. 

Another addition to the front porch is my super cute rag wreath with a chalkboard sign.  This wreath is time consuming, but I used the scraps from a quilt I'm still working on and quiet frankly I might be working on forever. I think it the rag wreath turned out lovely and the "Hey Y'all" chalkboard sign hanging underneath. The chalkboard round was a group Pinterest craft my neighborhood meet-up group did the other week. Prior to painting the front, I drilled 2 holes  through the wood and when it was dry I used some orange ribbon to tie it into place. I printed out my text and traced over the paper. Once finished I just used a paint pen to follow the outline. I did the same process for the following text on my next project below. 

This is my favorite project I've done so far and is what I like to call the "Paradise" coffee mug holder. I found a similar mug holder on Etsy for $115. This one cost me about $30.  The Johnny Cash quote speaks to me and I absolutely loved it. When asked what his idea of paradise was, he answered "This morning with her, having coffee." referring to June. And as a bonus I freed up a whole cabinet in the kitchen by hanging all our mugs.  

Last, but not least, here's the most recent project the hubs & I worked on. This winter we spent several LONG weeks completing this Peanuts photomosaic puzzle while being confined to our home due to the never-ending snow. This puzzle has been hanging out, propped up on my desk and begging for a frame since we completed it. Well, hubs knocked out not one, but 3 custom frames this weekend. We finished this one in a black stain to complement Snoopy. The other two frames are awaiting stain and/or assembly & will be displayed in the near future with custom kid art and another puzzle I completed earlier this past fall. I'm really looking forward to more Pinterest inspired projects to do around the house, so if I'm not blogging I'm either reading, over pinning my heart out or in the garage working on something new. Until next time y'all!

It's Spring and Still Snowing...

Ah, another North Country spring, where we're still wearing snow boots and get excited about temperatures in the low 40s.  How I long to sit on my front porch in a rocking chair, sipping on a glass of sweet tea and enjoying the latest book I've picked up. But, alas here I am in the frozen tundra of the North Country enjoying Spring Break with my boys.

Yes, it's Spring Break, which means we're sporting footy pajamas and carrying fuzzy blankets around the house until we head South. We're looking forward to a long weekend visiting family and friends, attending a wedding and celebrating Easter and even squeezing in a trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Until I need to go start packing for our mini-vacay, I'm enjoying reading a book from the comfort of my couch, with the company of my almost-too-big-for-my-lap dog, Hunter & his sister, Bella. 

Up until recently, all my reading selections were based on word of mouth recommendations, on my to-read list on Goodreads and if the cover made me want to read the inside flap, while perusing a book shelf. Not gonna lie, I do judge some books by their covers. However, I now belong to a newly formed bookclub in our neighborhood and our first selection was voted on by our group. The first meeting is to take place a week after our vacation. Knowing that I had precious time to read it and sort out my feelings on a book I'd never heard of, I bought the book and patiently waited for it's delivery, all the while trying to finish a 1000 page beast on my nightstand. More on it in a bit.

~ Bookclub pick for April ~ 
"My Sunshine Away" by M.O. Walsh was not my typical read, but I devoured this book in 24 hours. Here's my Goodreads review:
"This is our newly formed bookclub's pick for the month of April. It at first reminded me of how dark of a novel "The Lovely Bones" was with the creepy neighbor, but turned out to be much more than that. The story's narrator guides us through his life and the summer that changed him forever. We're given brief glimpses of the past, as well as the future. You don't receive all the pieces to the puzzle, until the end and that's what I liked best. I enjoyed how the author spent so much time, carefully painting a picture of life in the Baton Rouge in the late 80's. I had no idea how the story would end, but it came full circle and I saw the big picture. You as the reader get closure with the narrator and feel like the burden he's carried for so long is finally lifted." 
I could go on about the novel, but that would spoil it for those of you who have yet to read it. So, I'm leaving it there.

I also recently participated in our post library's winter reading challenge of 8 or more books checked out from the library itself or off their Overdrive account. I won some nifty prizes and completed the challenge. The staff had made some selections of their own and turned me on to a cute little series by Jenn McKinlay, about a librarian who solved the mysteries to murders in her small town. Another new favorite read was a YA book series. The Graceling Realm series by Kristin Cashore was delightful. I read the books slightly out of order, book 1, 3 then 2, which didn't effect the final outcome of the series. I also checked out a book that had been lurking on my to-read list forever and finally checked out a copy. "California" by Edan Lupucki was terrific read for those of us who enjoy a post-apocalyptic novel. The author made the possibility of this world so realistic and had me making contingency plans for living off the grid. 

And to top it off, I'm once again doing the Goodreads Reading Challenge. In 2013, I set a goal of 25 books and read 29. In 2014, I read 21 books with the same goal. This year I've kept the same goal, but I'm currently 7 books ahead of schedule. I think it's time to change my goal. 
So, here I am in the middle of my next read, patiently waiting for the snow to melt and drag the rocking chairs out on the porch. You know that 1000 page beast I referred to way up there ^. This lovely book is the second in a series, which is well-written and holds my attention, but it's so LONG. I'm slowly working my way through George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice saga. I read the first book "Game of Thrones" last year and I'm almost 300 pages into "A Clash of Kings". I've renewed the book from the library once already and I have 13 days to finish it before it's due back. Wish me luck! 

 

I Promise I'm Still Here.....

So here I am months after my last post and it seems as always that life has "got in the way" of my blogging. I'm not to entirely unplugged, but I've been working on a project that needs my attention. Anyway. If you missed me, here's what's been going on with me currently. 

Hope you all have a fabulous day! 

Listening for the Happy Sounds...

So, here it is late August and I'm trying to get my butt in gear and keep a commitment I made to myself. You know, doing the blog thing. Problem is, I'm distracted. I'm always distracted and having A.D.D. doesn't make it any easier....oh, look at what I found on Pinterest. You can check it out here.  So my friend, Tiffany, you know the one from Texas that I wrote about here. She just made the leap into Facebookless-land. Not sure if it's a real place, but she jumped off the social bandwagon, began blogging again and it got me thinking...don't I have a blog somewhere out there in the vast internet? Oh, yes, I do and I've abandoned them. Sorry to those of you with abandonment issues, it's the A.D.D. I promise. Promptly after reading her latest entry, I headed back here to write.  

And while deciding what to write about I found myself thinking that life would be much better as a hobbit. Random thought, I know. Hobbits  are not up for surprises or much excitement and are creatures of habit, with the exception of Bilbo or Frodo. Those Baggins' always ruining a good point. However, my life is a stark contrast to a hobbit in the Shire. I'm always in a constant state of upheaval as a military spouse. I make no point to hide that, but it's not my entire identity. I also, try not to dwell on the "perks" of this insane lifestyle. We move every 2-3 for $hits and giggles, it seems my husband is always in a foreign country and that's the normal part of my life. Then I began to question myself- do I long for a "normal" life like so many of my childhood friends?  Yes, er No. Maybe so? Anyways, here I am trying to hold myself accountable and maintain a sense of accomplishment for reaching all my goals, whatever they may be, that I can eventually end up in a happier place with myself; spiritually, mentally and physically.

So currently this is what's going on with me...

...and I challenge all my blogging friends to post a "currently" as well. 

Until next time.

A New Journey for a New Me…

Back in late February I began a new adventure to better health and started Whole30. I cut out all wheat, sugar, artificial ingredients and all of the other non-approved foods on Whole30. I read “It Starts with Food” and learned the science behind the foods making me feel not so good. I stocked my kitchen with healthy foods and enjoyed creating new dishes that would nourish me. I began to enjoy the simplicity of very few ingredients in my meals and their flavors. I went from snacking all the time to only eating 3 meals a day once on Whole30. I wasn’t bloated anymore and the weight that I had gained since our move to NY was magical melting off without stepping foot into a gym. I was proud of myself and the transformation that had slowly began to take shape. I had even talked a good friend into joining me on the Whole30 journey and had the support of another friend who was in her third week when I began. 

Then wham…

 21 days in and I caved.

I had burnt my dinner, had a pity party and threw away 21 days of feeling wonderful; all for a couple slices of pizza and an ice cold beer. I justified my lapse in my Whole30, so I could partake in the St. Patty’s Day festivities. I made my traditional Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes to share with my neighbors, cooked up a delicious Guinness Corned Beef and cabbage dish in the crockpot with roasted fingerling potatoes on the side. The corned beef and cabbage was amazing, but I soon wished I had a sweet potato instead of the little fingerling potatoes . 

I remained off program for almost 2 weeks and felt awful all over again. My face broke out. I began suffering from “allergies” and any OTC medicine I tried, failed to relieve my runny nose and sneezing. Also during that time, I was back to snacking 24/7 and the weight I had lost was slowly creeping back on.  It really put a damper on my mood and this endless winter wasn’t helping.

However, my body was still craving the whole foods and sending me “signals” of what it really needed. Last week, I began eating half Whole30/half processed. The meals I ate on plan made me feel better than I had when I ate whatever. Lesson learned-I wasn’t as satisfied as I thought I’d be eating a slice of my favorite pizza or a bowlful of homemade mac & cheese. 

I woke up this morning determined to begin another Whole30/Paleo journey. I know there will be days that I’ll have temptation and times that Paleo friendly food isn’t available, but I’m going to do the best I can. So here I am, day one (again) and wondering why I stopped at day 21. I know that no one’s perfect and we all have our weaknesses. So try again I must. 

Some of my most favorite Whole30 creations:

*Sweet Potato and Apple “hash” cooked in coconut oil alongside golden raisins, coconut flakes and pecans.

*Apples chopped up and cooked in coconut oil with a bit of cinnamon to go along with scrambled eggs at breakfast.

*Cuban Pork Tenderloin with a sweet potato, Craisins (oops, they’re not unsweetened), apple & pecan “hash” alongside roasted broccoli. 

Leftover Pork Tenderloin sliced and served with sautéed green beans, cashews and orange segments.

Perfect side dish for anything-Brussels Sprouts with bacon 

*Grilled Chicken with cashews, snow peas, broccoli, orange segments and golden raisins.

*Steak & Fried Eggs with sautéed spinach, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

*Grilled hamburger smothered with mushrooms and onions, baked sweet potato and ‘burnt’ green beans.

*Omelet topped with pico de gallo and avocado served alongside bacon, blueberries and oranges.

*My go-to lunch: Grilled Chicken Salad with hard boiled egg, bacon, avocado, cherry tomatoes, EVOO, Frank’s Red Hot, Red wine vinegar and salt & pepper.

Where are we now?

Last time I blogged (which was in May- Eek!) was about our upcoming move to New York. We left Kansas in October and headed for the newest place we'd call home. 

Well, we're here and enjoying all the things to do in the North Country. We made a trip to Old MacDonald's Farm and it seemed like Kansas was trying to call us back.

 Clay and I took a trip up to the 1000 Islands and Alexandria Bay area and saw Boldt Castle. We enjoyed the scenic views and ate lunch in a pub down by the bay. 

 Boldt Castle

Clay and I enjoying the views in Alexandria Bay.

 We discovered Dano's Pizzeria and enjoy their pizzas. Our two favorites are the Luna pizza and the Buffalo Wing pizza.

 While visiting 1000 Islands, we fell in love with the Saint Lawrence Red wine from the winery there. 

We've had more snow in 2 months than we ever had in Kansas and there is more still to come. We've been to Syracuse a few times, took a day trip to Lake Placid and Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Mountains. So far we're enjoying New York and looking forward to more adventures as a family.