Karaoke With Joni!

We went out for Jenn's 23rd Birthday and I get to mark off sing karaoke from my list. Joni and I use to sing Karaoke together when we were in high school. We sang "Landslide" by the Dixie Chicks and "What's Up" by Four Non-Blondes. It was a lot of fun. We also got to visit with some of Steve's good friends that we don't get to visit nearly enough.

Crossing off my list!

I was able to cross off paint kitchen cabinets off my list. I was so embarrassed of my cabinets because they were so dirty looking. The old paint was a dirt magnet. So I decided I am going to paint. Once I got started I thought what did I get myself into. There were so many nooks and crannies. But I did it and they look really good! The new paint is so much cleaner and much easier to wipe down if something gets spilt on it.

I also marked off another new recipe. I made pasta salad for my Grad Party. I got the recipe from Steve's family friend Anisa. It was really easy! I forgot to take a picture though. :(

Also for my grad party I made jello shots ( I marked this off as a beverage but I guess it could be considered a dessert too. They were raspberry lemonade jello shot and it was hard to take just one. :) They were a hit at the party!

I'm having fun marking off things on my 101 list!!

Hair cuts

Zoe and Presley both got their hair cut yesterday. Zoe wanted to go as short as mommy. It is pretty short. I tried to convence her to keep her hair long because it was so pretty. The short hair will be much easier to manage. She even told me, "Mom, I won't get food in my hair anymore with short hair." She won the argument. :)

Presley got his hair cut too. It was so long and beautiful but everywhere we went no matter what he was wearing people would call him a she. One person even told him to smile like a princess. Grr! It makes me so mad. So I broke down and got his hair cut. It is still longer. He looks like a surfer dude now! :)


Zoe Getting her hair cut!


Presley getting his hair cut!



Happy Kiddos!!

Great Wolf Lodge

We went to the Great Wolf Lodge for a night and had so much fun! We played in the water a lot!!

Cooking up a Storm

I have been taking over the role of cooking again now that I am on summer break and now that Steve has been working so much overtime. I am really enjoying it too! Two of the new recipes I tried are Greens and Beans and the other was Steak Stir Fry. They were both very yummy! Presley loved the stir fry he kept yelling more, more! A chef like to hear stuff like that. Lol! It's really nice to not be eating the same stuff over and over... like we usually do when we are on a strick schedule for time, but I found that both recipes were very quick and easy and I will be adding them into my food rotation. I'm on the search for more quick, easy, and yummy recipes!

Greens and Beans



Steak Stir Fry

50 Reasons I Like Myself

1. I have the best kids (even when they're naughty)
2. I have the best husband (we are a perfect match)
3. I have great parents that taught me right from wrong. :)
4 and 5. My grandmother Myrtle gave me some great qualities (especially the love to entertain and make people happy
6. I'm honest
7. I'm silly
8. I'm punctual
9. I'm a great teacher
10. I am outgoing most of the time
11 and 12. But I am also cautious and reserved
13 and 14. I'm safe but I also like to take risks
15. I am organized
16. I am strict as far as my parenting but I do it out of love. (Love and Logic)
17 and 18. I am a goal setter and I strive to achieve my goals.
19. I have lots of love to give
20. I am good at writing (but not spelling) Lol!
21 and 22. I have inner strength as well as outer strength
23. I may be small but I will stand up for what I believe is right!
24 and 25. I am a pretty good cook and I like to cook when I'm not too busy!
26. I am good at taking pictures of my kids and documenting their childhood. (I want them to be able to look back at their childhood.)
27. I'm great at multitasking... give me a couple of jobs I'll get them done and by the deadline too!
28. I'm creative
29. I throw a pretty good party. (my kiddos like them anyways)
30. I like my deep blue eyes (Thanks mom and dad!)
31. I like my tattoos. They tell a story about me and my life. :)
32. I can tolerate pain (read number 31)
33. I like my handwriting
34. I am independent (I don't depend on anyone else.)
35 and 36. I am a good leader but can also be a great follower
37. I am good a listening to others
38. I am good at giving advice
39. I am great at arguing my case too. (Sorry babe!)
40. I am a hard worker
41. I make yummy minestrone soup!
42. I make the best guacamole!
43. I am getting better at doing my own hair ( I have more then just two hairdos now.)
44. I love the group of people that I call friends!
45. I love my job... I get to be paid to explore and discover new and exciting things.
46. I look out for my kiddos
47. I am great at reading stories to my kids
48. I can make my own coffee now. :) (Funny huh... but it's true)
49. I am proud of myself for completing my Master's Degree
50. I like myself and who I have become!

101 Goals in 1001 days

So I have come across this life challenge. (Thanks Erin!) Since I am done with my Master's I need something to work towards. So I am taking on the 101 goals in 1001 days (which is 2.75 years. Some of these goals may take that long to accomplish. My start date is July 6, 2010 and my end date is April 2, 2013. I encourage others to take the challenge too! Go to http://dayzeroproject.com/ for more information.

Here is my list in no specific order:

1. Go for a road trip
2. Identify 100 things that make me happy
3. Go on a picnic
4. Find a personally inspiring quote and work it into a piece of art or home decor
5. Buy a lottery ticket
6. Have a candlelight dinner
7. Go camping
8. Do some volunteer work
9. Go to church
10. Go to Mt. St. Helens
11. Go to the beach (a warm one)
12. Get Zoe in a class (gymnastics or dance)~ Oct. 2nd :)
13. Buy Christmas presents in November
14. Go to Edgefield (booked for Nov. 20th)
15. Sell our house
16. Pay off debt
17. Read 10 books all the way through (0/10)*
18. Bake cupcakes
19. Finish my quarter sleeve tattoo
20. Go to Disneyland
21. Celebrate my 30th birthday
22. Raise $500 for the Race for the Cure (15/500)*
23. Get a gym membership and use it
24. Have Thanksgiving at our house
25. Write a love letter to my hubby
26. Write a haiku
27. Write 50 reasons why I like myself
28. Take a trip on a train
29. Make mamosa So yummy!
30. Eliminate non-fitting clothing from my wardrobe
31. Put together an emergency food kit
32. Back up all digital photos
33. Spend an entire day at the beach
34. Go fishing
35. Take a Zumba class (September 2nd!!)
36. Cook 25 new dishes (4/25) *
37. Make strawberry jam
38. Buy a new computer
39. Write to someone who inspired me
40. Go to 5 restaurants I've never been to before (2/5): Eco Park Resteraunt, Blue Plate in Portland,
41. Go to Seattle
42. Keep a prayer journal (started it Aug. 11th)
43. Make my own birthday cards
44. Bake all my families birthday cakes
45. Find 10 dairy free recipes that are really yummy (0/10)
46. Make a family recipe book*
47. Go to the zoo five times (0/5)
48. Go to the Children's Museum
49. Go to Las Vegas
50. Throw Zoe a BIG 5th birthday bash
51. Start a new hobby
52. Go to a garden (lilac or tulip)
53. Complete my Master's Degree (waiting on transcripts)*
54. Sing karaoke (drinking may be involved)
55. Grow a garden
56. Do 10 random acts of kindness (0/10)
57. Donate to charity
58. No Starbucks for a week
59. Keep a food journal for Presley for a month
60. Add more fruits and veggies to our diet*
61. Paint Zoe's room
62. Move Presley upstairs
63. Lose 10lbs
64. Set a budget and stick to it!*
65. Get Presley in pre-school
66. Go on Field Trips with Zoe's class
67. Play board games at least 20 times (2/20)
68. Read to Zoe and Presley (almost) every night)*
69. Watch 10 "classics" I haven't seen before (0/10)
70. Buy or make 10 new decorations for the holidays (0/10)
71. Go to the Pumpkin patch
72. Cut down our Christmas Tree
73. Take 26 pictures, 1 for each letter of the alphabet and make a book for my kids
74. Make a personalized photo book for Presley (like Zoe's)
75. Develop wedding photos that haven't been developed yet
76. Put pictures in albums
77. Move into a new house
78. Go out to breakfast at the fireside cafe
79. Have a big Easter Egg hunt with family and friends
80. Save for Hawaii $0
81. Write a list of things that each person in my life has taught me
82. Go to an aquarium
83. Buy bikes and use them
84. Get a manicure/pedicure
85. Make 5 new desserts (0/5)
86. Go on a motorcycle ride with Steve
87. Play golf
88. Try 10 new beverages (2/10)*
89. Paint the kitchen cabinets
90. Buy new frying pans
91. Eat breakfast everyday for a week (I'm not a breakfast eater!)
92. Watch the sun rise and set in the same day
93. Go on a date once a month with my hubby* (2/33)
94. Plant some flowers
95. Make a list of 100 reasons why I love my husband
96. Attend a festival/ concert
97. Go camping with friends
98. Throw a dinner party
99. Don't say anything negative for a week
100. Pay for a person's Starbucks behind me
101. Tell my family I love them everyday!*

Wish me luck! I already tried a new recipe today so I got to add to my goal already.

Stike means I completed the task
numbers or * means I have started it

Summer is Finally Here!

We had a great July 4th! We went to Josh and Katie's house in Castle Rock. We had dinner, the kids played in their beautiful backyard, and we watched fireworks. This was Zoe and Presley's first year watching them. Presley fell asleep 15 minutes into the show. Zoe liked them but thought some of them were scary.

So far this summer the kids and I have stayed busy playing outside a lot. We have been going to the library once a week for the summer reading program. Zoe went to VBS last week for the first time and loved it. She was such a BIG girl. Presley and I got to have some just the two of us time. He liked spending time with mom, but he also missed his sissy a lot.

Steve is so busy with work. He has been working a lot of overtime which is great but we really miss him on the nights he has to work late. I am praying he can get a new job soon this one is wearing him out.

Well I'll write again soon the sun is calling my name... time to go enjoy it now that it is finally here.