I decided to try the 21 Day Fix diet and workouts and so far so good for the most part...haha! Day 1 was good as far as the diet part but the workout was hard and severely kicked my butt! Day 2, didn't happen until today Day 3. Basically, yesterday started off with good intentions but then I went and volunteered at Vanessa's school, ended up eating a granola bar and then taking the kids for donuts after their half day. Well, that is when it all went downhill. I had pizza for dinner and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert!! Haha To top it off I didn't do my workout.
So, this morning, I decided I have to buckle down and I did my workout, which I ended up LOVING! And I had my shakeology for breakfast. I feel back on track and ready to continue this journey! At least until spring break...hahaha!!!
Friday, March 10, 2017
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Baking 101
For about 5 years now, I have had a cupcake business called Kristen's Kupcakes. Sometimes I am really busy and other times not so much. Well, the winter/spring of 2015, we had some remodeling done to our entire main level, including the kitchen, so that meant I wasn't baking for months. In that time, I think I lost my passion, don't get me wrong, I still love to bake but not as a business anymore. And so I am slowly fading out of the business that really was just a hobby I got paid to do.
I do enjoy baking for the kids, my husband, friends and family. My daughter and I bake together every Christmas, we have really turned that into a tradition that I look forward to every year. It is my hope that I pass some cooking and baking skills to my kids. Often, I will have them help and for years now, they have been cooking dinner or at least helping once a week.
A few weeks ago, I made blueberry muffins from a mix I got at a local Mennonite store and it called for 1 cup of milk but I used half a cup of milk and half a cup of heavy cream. The whole family thought they were the best muffins they ever had but I told them, the secret is the heavy cream. I could tell that day that both of my kids took note of that and in my mind I could see Hayden telling his wife one day, my mom used heavy cream...haha!
So even though I feel my passion for the cupcake business is fading, my love for baking still exists. Of course, I love to cook too! I like teaching my kids tips and tricks from how to make dough to how to dice an onion. Today, I made them more blueberry muffins and homemade soft pretzels, this will be the highlight of their day, which I just love!
Don't get me wrong, we eat healthy too, in fact, 80% of the time. The 20% is for special treats made from Mom. That is baking 101 to me....smiling big!
I do enjoy baking for the kids, my husband, friends and family. My daughter and I bake together every Christmas, we have really turned that into a tradition that I look forward to every year. It is my hope that I pass some cooking and baking skills to my kids. Often, I will have them help and for years now, they have been cooking dinner or at least helping once a week.
A few weeks ago, I made blueberry muffins from a mix I got at a local Mennonite store and it called for 1 cup of milk but I used half a cup of milk and half a cup of heavy cream. The whole family thought they were the best muffins they ever had but I told them, the secret is the heavy cream. I could tell that day that both of my kids took note of that and in my mind I could see Hayden telling his wife one day, my mom used heavy cream...haha!
So even though I feel my passion for the cupcake business is fading, my love for baking still exists. Of course, I love to cook too! I like teaching my kids tips and tricks from how to make dough to how to dice an onion. Today, I made them more blueberry muffins and homemade soft pretzels, this will be the highlight of their day, which I just love!
Don't get me wrong, we eat healthy too, in fact, 80% of the time. The 20% is for special treats made from Mom. That is baking 101 to me....smiling big!
Sunday, January 1, 2017
2017, A New Year!
For some time now, I have been wanting to get back to blogging and at exactly 11:25 P.M. January, 1st, 2017, I decided to start again. 2016 was a whirlwind of a year, we traveled to Marco Island, Florida and overseas to Ireland. The kids turned 12 and 10, we remodeled the entire main floor of our house and got a new puppy and a new cat.
Before I knew it, we were heading into back to school mode and then holidays and my head continued to spin. I really felt like I had lost touch with friends this past year, mostly from being home bound with the remodel and now with the puppy so I really cherish the times we can get together. My hubby has been incredibly busy with work, which is great and when I can, I volunteer at the kid's schools.
So now it is January, a new year, with new goals. Ski season starts in a week, I turn 46 in 4 days, and get to head to Florida with a bunch of girlfriends in a couple weeks! I am beyond excited and ready for rest and relaxation and of course, fun!
One of my goals is to really make this blogging a weekly activity in my life. I enjoy it like writing in a diary but reflecting on my life and these memories I like to go back and read.
I wish everyone a joyful 2017 filled with love and laughter and I hope I can entertain everyone once in awhile with my weekly blog! Cheers!!
Before I knew it, we were heading into back to school mode and then holidays and my head continued to spin. I really felt like I had lost touch with friends this past year, mostly from being home bound with the remodel and now with the puppy so I really cherish the times we can get together. My hubby has been incredibly busy with work, which is great and when I can, I volunteer at the kid's schools.
So now it is January, a new year, with new goals. Ski season starts in a week, I turn 46 in 4 days, and get to head to Florida with a bunch of girlfriends in a couple weeks! I am beyond excited and ready for rest and relaxation and of course, fun!
One of my goals is to really make this blogging a weekly activity in my life. I enjoy it like writing in a diary but reflecting on my life and these memories I like to go back and read.
I wish everyone a joyful 2017 filled with love and laughter and I hope I can entertain everyone once in awhile with my weekly blog! Cheers!!
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Toy Story Blues
You know how in Toy Story 3, the part where the little girl grows up and doesn't want Jessie anymore? It has happened with my little/big girl! Vanessa no longer wants any of her TS characters and she has them all. I have to admit the moment she handed them to me to put in our yard sale, my heart actually hurt and I thought of that part in the movie that always makes me cry. I don't want my little girl to grow up and not want her toys and on the other hand, I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming. It truly is bittersweet. I think I shed some tears as I walked away from Vanessa with Woody, Jessie, Buzz and the others in my arms. A piece of me is so torn, do I save them for grand babies or sell them and feel so sad...I still don't have an answer and the yard sale is three days away. I wonder how many more moms go through this as their child grows up....I've handled it pretty good up until this point. What will I do when she turns 13, 16, 18....sighs! I think I have to go rescue them from the yard sale box!!! Yes, I am feeling emotional! Ha!!😜
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
December 31, 2014
New Year's Eve and it has been a very long time since I wrote on my blog. I vow every year that I am going to write more often and I never do...but, this year, that will change, for the one thing that I miss so desperately, is writing. From time to time I remember my English college professor telling me to change my major from graphic design to journalism. She thought I was a fantastic writer and had a lot to offer the world of journalism. It really was such a compliment to me since the only writing I had done was in journals at home or papers for school. I did, however, start a young adult novel and children's book and after that I started two more novels...but never finished any of them. Life always seemed to "get in the way".
This could be the year that I finish at least one of them...I mean, why not, what else is there to do now that both children are in school, in fact, one will be in middle school next year. Well, I have asked myself that every year since Vanessa started kindergarten and she is in 2nd grade now. I think it is time to "make" time for ME. The one person who always puts herself last, who worries about everyone else, who never says no, who helps with everything I am asked to help with, who belongs to several groups....the list goes on and on and I think I finally have realized, I want to say no, I don't want to belong to several groups and I don't want to put myself last...and finally, it is okay to do that.:)
It's not that I want to lose focus on my family, in fact that focus has always been my number 1...I'm just moving me up to number 2 instead of being at number 4...hahaha! I have said no to a few things these last couple of months and I didn't feel guilty like before and it was refreshing and I feel I have finally started finding myself again...not that I was lost but I was over-tired, over-stressed, over-committed and not over-joyed. But I think all women go through that phase in life where we say yes too much and run ourselves ragged and now...I am taking time to breathe, to enjoy, to soak up whatever comes my way instead of looking at my calendar to see if I can "squeeze" it in and my plan is to continue to do that this year. Just make more time for whatever I want to....and, well, one of those things is writing! Cheers!:)
This could be the year that I finish at least one of them...I mean, why not, what else is there to do now that both children are in school, in fact, one will be in middle school next year. Well, I have asked myself that every year since Vanessa started kindergarten and she is in 2nd grade now. I think it is time to "make" time for ME. The one person who always puts herself last, who worries about everyone else, who never says no, who helps with everything I am asked to help with, who belongs to several groups....the list goes on and on and I think I finally have realized, I want to say no, I don't want to belong to several groups and I don't want to put myself last...and finally, it is okay to do that.:)
It's not that I want to lose focus on my family, in fact that focus has always been my number 1...I'm just moving me up to number 2 instead of being at number 4...hahaha! I have said no to a few things these last couple of months and I didn't feel guilty like before and it was refreshing and I feel I have finally started finding myself again...not that I was lost but I was over-tired, over-stressed, over-committed and not over-joyed. But I think all women go through that phase in life where we say yes too much and run ourselves ragged and now...I am taking time to breathe, to enjoy, to soak up whatever comes my way instead of looking at my calendar to see if I can "squeeze" it in and my plan is to continue to do that this year. Just make more time for whatever I want to....and, well, one of those things is writing! Cheers!:)
Friday, February 21, 2014
A Favorite Childhood Memory
The kids have off of school today and the weather is pretty blustery making visibility terrible so, we are indoors and going through their rooms in search of things to get rid of...I love to do this every couple of months...The more we de-clutter the better!:) And, of course, they keep growing so we have to go through their clothes.:) That part they are not very fond of....hehehe. So, in the midst of going through Vanessa's books, we found my favorite book from when I was a little girl. The book is called Fairy Tales and it is in very delicate condition. The covers are worn, pages are torn out in the beginning and the binding is taped to keep it together. There is not a single page in the book or a word on the cover to tell you who wrote it, published it, the year it was published or anything...so it has become a mystery book of sorts. But, what is in the book, is the contents and the checkmark beside my favorite story and at the top of the page I wrote "49 the picture". That was my favorite picture ever and I would look at it everyday and fantasize about my prince.
What I didn't realize at the time is how much I loved that book, that story, that picture. So, when my dad and stepmom gave me this book as an adult, I almost wept because I was so happy to see it, I LOVED that they kept it for me all of these years. I simply could not wait to pass it on to Vanessa but it's fragile state made it almost impossible for her to read it without me helping hold it together. So, we stuck it on a shelf and never really read it. Today, when she brought it out, I decided to go online and see if I could find it and it took about 20 minutes but I finally did. I had to type in what it looked like and that it is vintage and the characters on the front and voila, I found ONE, on E-bay. Now, I have to make the decision, do I buy the one on E-bay that is in much better shape than mine or re-tape mine and see how she does with it. On one hand I want to give her the better shaped book but I feel it will take away from "passing on" this childhood memory....
the tape spine
What I didn't realize at the time is how much I loved that book, that story, that picture. So, when my dad and stepmom gave me this book as an adult, I almost wept because I was so happy to see it, I LOVED that they kept it for me all of these years. I simply could not wait to pass it on to Vanessa but it's fragile state made it almost impossible for her to read it without me helping hold it together. So, we stuck it on a shelf and never really read it. Today, when she brought it out, I decided to go online and see if I could find it and it took about 20 minutes but I finally did. I had to type in what it looked like and that it is vintage and the characters on the front and voila, I found ONE, on E-bay. Now, I have to make the decision, do I buy the one on E-bay that is in much better shape than mine or re-tape mine and see how she does with it. On one hand I want to give her the better shaped book but I feel it will take away from "passing on" this childhood memory....
The front cover
the back cover
The inside contents
the picture
my checkmark and "49 the picture"
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Another Make-up Gem
So, my Mom surprised me this year and on top of a new purse, which is what she gets me every year for my birthday, she also gave me a Sephora gift card through Facebook. I have to say that is the coolest thing I just learned about Facebook. When it is someone's birthday you can give a gift and choose from different gift cards. Well, then Facebook sends you a gift card with your amount on it and you keep the card and then anyone can add a gift to it through Facebook and you just reuse it. I might have just made that sound confusing but it's really easy and a great idea!
Anyways, with my Sephora card, I got a few little things but my main item was a product by Too Faced and called Smokey Eye. I have wanted this product for awhile and it is AWESOME!!! It comes with instructional cards to tell you how to do a Smokey look for Day, Fashion and Classic and so far I have only tried the Day. I was worried that it would be too much and it wasn't at all. Here are photos below:
.JPG)
.JPG)
I definitely give it two thumbs up and if I had four thumbs I would give it four thumbs up! Here are photos of the product.:)
Anyways, with my Sephora card, I got a few little things but my main item was a product by Too Faced and called Smokey Eye. I have wanted this product for awhile and it is AWESOME!!! It comes with instructional cards to tell you how to do a Smokey look for Day, Fashion and Classic and so far I have only tried the Day. I was worried that it would be too much and it wasn't at all. Here are photos below:
I definitely give it two thumbs up and if I had four thumbs I would give it four thumbs up! Here are photos of the product.:)
THANK YOU MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)