first transformation of the year

Okay, so not a complete fix, but a drastic improvement. Poor Harley, her room is so small, and she has so much stuff. At her age, there are so many cool toys and stuff. She also has a really bad purse, and paper obsession, among being just an all around not very clean person. I am pretty picky about the kids rooms, I like them kept clean. We have had a lot of company over the last couple of weeks and all of the kids end up in her room, and things get messy. Then she got a ton of new Christmas presents, and we had no where to put them. So, a few days of thinking about it, and this is what I came up with. Please keep in mind, her room needs a coat of paint badly, so try to over look that. We did what we could with what we had. Oh, and also keep in mind that by the time I thought to start taking "before" pictures, I had already been ripping things up in there for close to an hour. So the room was in way worse condition than it was when I first started.

Before

 

After

 

Before

 

After

 

Before


After

We are happy with it, Harley is happy with it. I like the curtains over the closet. Her old closet doors were pieces of crap! So hopefully this works out.

fo shizzle my nizzle

Happy New Year to all my ho-cakes and bro-cakes!

I am so excited for 2009!

Now that the crazy holidays are over, my mind is consumed with fixing stuff. Its racing with all the house-y things that need improved. I only had a few projects this last year. Re-arranging some rooms, and painting the dining room. I really want to get a lot more done this year. I am already thinking about all of the things I want to do, and let me tell you, its refreshing to actually "feel" like doing something.

I am drinking Honey Vanilla Chamomile tea right now, from my Portland Starbucks mug.

Guess what else I need to do? Pick my WORD for 2009. I kinda tossed around the idea of doing this. My last years word was obviously not focused on the way it should have been. I just dont know what to chose. If I want it to be more like a goal, or just an inspiration.
Here are some that I am considering:

*Improve (improve, not only the housey stuff, but things inside me as well) yea, kinda generic and un-original I know

*Execute (some of you may recognize this one as one I was considering last year) this is a big one for me, because I am known for wanting do to and have so many things. Things that I could have if I would just go through with it. Execute! Sounds like something out of a movie.

*Change (so cliche', considering the new president and all) and honestly, this word could work for every single person. I need a word that fits only me.

*Electrolysis (joke)

*Patience (something I really need to find)

*Reduce Reuse Recycle (i'm grasping for straws here..)

*Remember
*Know
*Pills
*Sephora
*Dream
*De-stress

Are you picking a word? What's your word?

An update....

I'm going to try my best to give a good update. I have tried to sit down and blog so many times lately. I have so much to say, but I draw a complete blank if I try to get it all out on here.

Lets start with my health. Its a sensitive subject for me right now. I recently saw a great doctor that specializes in female issues, like hormones. I thought that there was something wrong with me, and I got a reality check when I found out that all of my problems are stress related. I need to change the way I am living my life, in many ways. I need to take vitamins, stop eating sugars and starches, and find a way to relieve some stress. So, I have had a couple of weeks to process all this and do some research, and get a game plan together. I will keep you updated.

Christmas was good. I only got 1 day off, so it was a little rushed, but it was good. We all got spoiled. Dennis got me a star necklace, and a BOSE docking station for my iPod. We also got Guitar Hero World Tour as a family. All 4 of us can play at the same time. We have all tried all of the instruments, and Dennis assigned us each a position in the band. I'm the singer!!! Can you believe that? I am so totally awful. LOL! We all have fun playing in our family band though.

I am watching The City right now. How cute is it that Whitney and Olivia have the same hair style? I havent decided how I feel about the show yet, it seems a little forced, but I think it will get better.

I am having a family dinner here on Thursday. I tossed around some ideas of what to make and finally settled on just a traditional turkey dinner. Tomorrow night I am going to make the pies (pumpkin and chocolate cream). We arent doing anything crazy for New Years Eve, just having a few friends over to play some games and stuff. I will be really suprised if I make it to midnight.

So get this. I believe that Hermiston has the worst Starbucks in the nation. For real! Everytime I go there it takes 15-20 minutes to get through the drive thru. They are so slow, my coffee is never hot enough. I dont think I have ever had two of the same drinks actually taste the same. Half the time they don't even get it right, I ask for a peppermint white mocha, and either they leave out the peppermint, or give me a regular mocha and not a white one. grrrr! I do have to say that I am excited for the new line of mugs that should be rolling out anyday. Valentines Day mugs!!! I got one last year and its still my very favorite mug. Infact, I am drinking tea from it as I type this.

Ok, well that is about all I have for now. I know there is more. I know it, I just cant remember it right now. See, that is how life has been for me lately. I gotta add that I have been working A LOT of extra hours. One of the people in my branch is having some "life problems" and hasn't shown up to work for almost 2 weeks now. On one hand its been really nice and quiet, and on the other, its annoying to have to be to work at 6:30am every morning, and work until closing at 5pm. When I get home at the end of the day, I am exhausted.

So.... toootles!!!

Happy and Sad

I am so happy at all of the joys in my life lately. I have had an exciting weekend full of Christmas baking and fun. But sad because I have no pictures to share.

Yesterday morning I woke up at 6:30am because I was so excited for the day ahead. My plan was to bake 5 different kinds of cookies and enjoy some hot cider. The early morning started out with the Pampered Chef consultant dropping off my goodies. Then I went to the store and got the rest of the baking supplies. I had the cider going, and the recipes all organized, and I grabbed my camera. No memory card, and the battery was dead. I couldnt find the card, or the charger, anywhere. I still cant.
:-(

I baked all day. My special friend came over and hung out with me. I made chocolate chip first. Then I made no-bake cookies. Then I made thumbprint cookies. I got the recipe for the thumbprint cookies from a blog, and I thought they looked fun to make. I made half of them with raspberry jam, and the other half with lemon curd. They didnt quite turn out like the picture. But the taste is good!!! After my friend left, I made another batch of no-bakes. Then I made the dough for the sugar cookies, and the chocolate crinkles. Both of those doughs had to refrigerate. I did manage to get the sugar cookies done last night, but was exhausted in bed and asleep at 10:00. This morning I finished the crinkles and assembled the plates.

Dennis, Harley, and I set out in the snow to deliver the goodies. Everyone was so excited. Cindy messaged me shortly after dropping hers off and said that her favorite was the thumbprints.

Today it snowed more, a lot!! We watched Home Alone this afternoon, then we went to Dennis's dad's house, then to Safeway to get some dinner stuff for the week. I didnt get to clip any coupons today because there were no Oregonians!! They havent made it over this way yet because of the weather.

I just got done making home made biscuits and gravy for dinner. I even made the biscuits from scratch!!! It was yummy and now we are all enjoying cookies and milk. Dennis is watching football, and I am going to try and get him to change the channel soon!!!

Peace.

Holiday Spirit

I love this time of year. I love having a tree in my living room, and stokings hung. I love shopping for gifts. I love the smell of Christmas. I love the baking.

Its been snowing, and normally I would be "ugh" about it. But right now, I am loving it! Its so crisp and quiet outside. Its so cold that the snow literally sparkles, like glitter!!!! My poor little pooch, she can barely stand going out to potty. We put on her little sweater when she goes out, but I am sure her tiny feet are just freezing.

I have been enjoying a cup of tea every evening. I looooove tea. I got some new starbucks mugs recently and love using them to have a cup of tea. Its so relaxing. I've been drinking Honey Vanilla Chamomile, but tonight I picked up a box of Honeybush Orange, and its pretty decent. I first tried Honeybush a few weekends ago at TeaZone in downtown Portland, yummmm.

I had a great day with the 3 BFF's on Saturday. We enjoyed shopping and lunch at Nothing But Noodles. We also enxhanged cute little gifts. I received some very awesome and thoughtful gifts. It was a great way to celebrate the season.

I am thankful that all of my shopping is done, with the exception of a few things that I have to pick up here locally. I can't wait for Christmas. It's always such a fun day for our family to hang out, and I am really looking forward to it, and the day off of work. =D

Be the change.....

Hi everyone!

Do you like my new headline of my blog? I spent an amazing day in downtown Portland yesterday. Just taking it all in. Shopping, and people watching, thinking about pretty much everything. Thinking about the kind of person that I want to be. The kind of person that I already am, inside. And how to bring that person out to share with the world. Anyway, on my way back to Gresham on the MAX train, I looked up above the windows at the little placards on the train, and there was that little snipet of poetry staring right back at me. I thought, wow, how symbolic is that. "I believe in myself slowly", so true of me. I am always under-estimating myself and the things I can achieve. "It takes all the doubt I've got" I'm always doubting myself, my decisions, my abilities. "It takes my wonder" It does. My doubt, it gets in the way of me achieving my goals. I sat there for a while and thought about all of the signs. Signs that I need to change my lifestyle, and become a healthier person.

I bought a motivational piece during black friday shopping. Its a sterling silver ring that says "be the change....." I am going to wear it as a daily reminder that the only person that can change me, is me! I assume the message on the ring is intended to be "world" or "earth" related, but I also think it can be interpretted many different ways. And I thought it would be a perfect motivation for me as I start this journey again, for the hundredth time.

This time I am not setting a goal right away. I dont want to set a weight, or a size. I want to reach a place inside myself, where I feel healthy and comfortable. Once I get to a point where I am ready to set a goal, I will.

For now, my focus is...... change.

Bummed

What I thought was going to be a great holiday is getting worse and worse. My mom had to cancel our dinner on Saturday because her father in law died, so they have to go to California for the funeral this weekend. I completely understand, but I was looking forward to seeing my mom, so I am bummed.

I called my grandma tonight to find out what time our dinner is on Friday and she informed me that my dad had called and said he wasnt coming. I guess he had some home repair emergencies come up this month, so now they can't afford to come down. I tried to call him to get the whole story, but I had to leave a message. I'm still going to my grandma's but it's not going to be the same w/o my dad there, so I am bummed.

I'm nervous about the holiday. My weight has really been affecting me lately. Everywhere that I am going to be this weekend, I will be the largest one there. I'm so embarassed and disappointed in myself. I really want to hammer down and do what I need to do to change, but I can't do that 2 days before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the whole year. I hope that by thursday, I can put the weight thing behind me and try to just have a good time with family.