Silohette Giveaway

Ok I know this is a bit silly but I really want this machine!!! Here is another giveaway. So amazing!

http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/06/its-time-huge-giveaway-worth-over-300.html

Silhoutte

Have you seen this thing yet? It is like something the Jetson's would have...I think it may make you dinner and put on your makeup (not really but people need to get on that). Ok, anyways a fellow blogger is giving this away...yay free products!!!! I know that I couldn't convince The Hubs to buy this for me so I will just have to try and win it. It cuts paper for paper crafts with designs you can download or design yourself..wall vinyls..stickers...everything!!!! Super fun....if you don;t hear from me for awhile you will know I won it. http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/06/silhouette-craft-cutter-giveaway.html

My Garden

We recently moved into our new home in March. The owner walked us around the back yard and gave me a quick tutorial of all her plants and trees. I tried to remember everything, because I love flowers and trees but I don't know much about taking care of them. Most of our grass is dying because who has time to hand water their lawns these days? (Yes, we have no working automatic sprinklers...ugghh). I tried to not kill anything....but there have been a few casualties. There might be hope in resuscitating them though..I'll have to read up on that. The other day I was looking through my husband's office window. We have a shed and then next to that a rose bush and Peach Tree. Peaches are my favorite fruit..however...I always forget to water this side area because well it is on the side of the house I never see daily. When I was looking at the Peach tree through the office window I saw...you guessed it...PEACHES. Amazing..I thought surely there would be no fruit this year because of my neglect. I picked a handful but there are still another dozen or so. I am so excited I can't wait to make some cobbler and peach iced tea..mmmm. Then I thought I better check my Orange Tree and sure enough it is loaded with fruit. I picked a dozen and there are still a couple dozen more. I also have a Lemon tree that produces beautiful lemons for my weekly homemade lemonade. There is also a Plum tree but I am pretty sure those don't give fruit until Fall or some time later. Finally, I have a beast of a tomato plant...I forgot to take pictures but it is about 4 ft tall and about 6 ft wide! It is a combo of regular red tomatoes and then a million of those yellow pear tomatoes.

I really hope I can hone my green thumb and keep these beauties alive. I feel like a lil' ol' country girl out picking her harvest...but this city girl is a little afraid of bugs and critters..so she will have to wait for The Hubs to help pick the rest of the fruit waiting for her.

Happy Summer!

Oh how I love Summer! I hate that I have to work though...times like these I wish I was a teacher, so I could enjoy this season to it's fullest. I would be at the beach at least once a week. I would be a golden brown tone instead of marshmallowy...or better yet pretty much clear! Hope you all are enjoying your FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! At least I get to be in the pool for round two of swim lesson with Shane!

Refreshing Summer Side

Last night I was in the mood for something light and refreshing. I saw this recipe for an Orzo, Mozzarella and Basil Salad. I made a Chicken Sandwich to go along with it. It ended up not being such a light dish...The Hubs and I were so full. It was really good though.

Orzo Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 1/2 cups cubed fresh mozzarella
cheese
2 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and cut
into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
Directions:
1.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Drain well, and let cool.
2.
Mix the mozzarella cheese cubes, tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt with olive oil in a salad bowl. Gently mix in the orzo pasta, and toss lightly to coat the ingredients with oil.

Happy Juice

Do you have that one food or drink that just makes everything better? You know the one that picks you up after a long day at work. Something that makes you all giddy just thinking about it. The one that is a little treat for when you feel the need to reward yourself. For me, it has always been Dr.Pepper or what Scott calls my "Happy Juice". Awwwhhhh..that beautiful ice cold maroon can and it's 23 flavors...it can do no wrong. Oh wait, actually that Maroon can is a huge part of why I keep packing on the pounds. It has cost me quite a pretty penny in my daily excursions to drive through and get my fix. So, one month ago I kicked the can to the curb. I have to admit I have done this before, but this was the easiest for me. Surprisingly I did it during the Summer. There is nothing better than an ice cold soda on a Hot Summer Day!

I am not a soda person in general. I actually don't like anything but Dr.Pepper. I thought that if I gave Dr.Pepper up first it would help in giving up other foods that are bad for me. I did not loose any weight and that was a bit discouraging. I even thought that I should just start back up again drinking because, hey, I obviously didn't gain (or loose) anything from stopping. I actually have become quite angry. But, I know that in the long run it is good. So farewell, Dr.Pepper, you have been so comforting in my time of sadness. You have brought me great joy in my times of celebration...but eventually you will bring on more pounds...diabetes and other aliments that no Dr. would ever condone.

Next up, I would love to cut out a lot of my sugar intake. Less than two months to my sister's wedding and I need to get serious!

I 'm a Pepper, he's a Pepper,

She's a Pepper, we're a Pepper,

Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?

Be a Pepper. Drink Dr Pepper.

Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaaa! I went to search for a picture of a Dr.Pepper to include in this blog and found a Caffeine Free Dr.Pepper. Why was I not aware of this? Why does So cal not participate in distributing this product? Oh well, it still has the same amount of calories and sugar, so there is no need to envy those who can get this goodness.

Tornado Shane

I always remember my mom coming into my room growing up and saying "It looks like a tornado went through here!". Well, I guess it is payback because my whole house looks like a tornado went through it, spitting out stuffed dogs, diapers, toys and all of mommy and daddy's shoes. Shane also decided to test mommy's patience with the dog food and water bowls today! He has been copying a lot of what Vinnie, our Boston Terrier, does lately. I knew it would happen eventually, but I didn't expect it this soon. I know he knows better, but he goes and sticks a handful of dog food in his mouth and splashes in the water bowl. I swear I feed the kid! I guess he prefers a little crunchy snack of Science Diet every now and then. I repeatedly told him NO and walked him away. A few times I could hear the wrestling of the dog food and would look over and he would look at me...smile(loosing a few in the process) and start to sprint away! I try not to laugh and I scold him. Today he even had his first time out in his crib. I had had it. It is amazing the look he gets in his eyes when he knows that I caught him and he starts to book it. Boys are tough. I allow dad to step in because he is a lot more scary looking than mommy. Just a raising of his eyebrows is enough to get Shane to leave the crime scene and not return for at least another 30 minutes. So needless to say it was a physically and emotionally draining day. Trying to figure out the best way to punish an almost 14 month old is hard. It is not like they understand reasoning...close but not quite yet. Time out can only be effective in the crib..but you don't want them to associate the crib with punishment. I am all for spankings but are they too little to truly understand their effectiveness? Oh boy, maybe Dr. Dobson has a chapter on this in his book on raising boys I am reading. I have learned so many great insights to understanding boys. As a matter of fact, I am beginning to even understand my husband better...amazing:).

With all the never ending clutter of toys and all things Tornado Shane I find myself trying to keep it all together. I don't mind that the baseboard are dusty or my windows need cleaning, but I really want to use my time effectively. I want to fit in exercise, family time, Reading to Shane and myself, hobbies, church ministries...etc. I think sometimes it is impossible to keep a clean home. Now I do work full time so I totally can see if I were a stay at home mom that I could find a lot more time, but I know it is still very hectic. I came across this Facebook post that I absolutely love... it read "To live everyday like it's your last is not always about doing something new, different, exciting and noteworthy. I think it is, in large part, about doing the ordinary with excellence". So that is what I am going to focus on this week. Doing ordinary things with excellence. If I don't get to go somewhere amazing or get to the project, that is ok. I will clean those baseboards like no other! Oh I almost forgot. Today Shane tested my patience, but he did the sweetest thing ever...he took out the trash. Yes, his first chore. I think it was his way of apologizing:). Daddy was pretty excited too!