loverly weekend!!

What made this weekend loverly:

-Saturday morning Farmers Market with TJ and I.  I took my picnic basket along to carry all my goodies and I got so many compliments!!  (Who doesn't like to start off the day with someone telling you, you look cute?)  Great scores at the market: raspberries, cherries, and YUMMY lemonaide (or as Emma likes to call it Lemonlade).

-Saturday lunch was picnic in the park with family to celebrate Wyatt's 5th birthday!  The weather was perfect. Children behaved.  I had a yummy PB & P (peanut butter and preserve) samich. It was made better because I used my homemade raspberries preserves.

-Saturday evening was taking myself to a movie.  I thought I was going to see Thor but the time changed and I ended up seeing Priest.  Not that bad.  What made it really amazing was the backwoods drive to get to the theater.  The sun was setting and I was driving through farmland.  B-E-A-UTIFUL!  I didn't have a camera or I would have tried to capture some of it and skipped the movie.

-Sunday sleeping in!!  OH HOW LOVELY!! 

-Sunday had for lunch had ribs (ich!) but DELICIOUS corn on cob and baked beans.  Plus it made me feel loved that Dad would give the big chunks of meat off his rib to me.  He would eat the meat of the bone from my rib.  I don't like ribs because of the bone.  Weird I know.

-Went to grocery store for ingredient for dinner.  They had flowers on sale for $3.  Because I am a sucker I got a couple.  Fresh flowers just make you happier.  So they are sitting on the kitchen table for all to enjoy even though I wanted to be greedy and keep them in my room. 

-Dinner turned out great.  It was supposed to be Philly Cheese steak sandwhiches but I didn't have a gridle so they were grilled steak, pepper, onion and cheese samiches.  Still yummy though. 

-Dessert was Raspberry Crumble Bars.  I added the raspberries from the market and they turned out so much better than I expected.  I really need to learn patience.  I cut the bars before it was completely cool and because the preserve was still runny/warm, it was kinda soupy but that is ok.  it was still great even though it wasn't pretty on the plate.

I love weekend like these.  I feel rested but I was still productive (I even did dishes, laundary). I also learned my bank account is bigger than I expected.  I love that.  It isn't that I got extra money or anything but just keeping my spending low, and rounding everything up in the check register has REALLY helped!  Maybe I can swing for the new tent I want after all.

Exicted...

becuase I am going dark tomorrow!!  That right...Mom is going to dye my hair!!  We went to Sally's beauty supply on Tuesday and got the color.  I selected a dark (but lighter) golden brown that had some red tones.  We are going to add some red (from the previous dye job years ago).  I am nervous but excited.  If it doesn't turn out like I plan, thankfully I can just dye it back to blonde :)  As soon as it is done, expect pictures on Facebook and here.  I think I will also cut it short.  I will have to think about that.

Christmas Eve

Oh what a fun day we had!!  Mom had to work so dinner was a group effort. I made my first batch of rolls.  They aren't as complicated as I expected them to be.  We ate on time and were so happy that Rob came this year.  Everyone gave and received lovely gifts.  I believe the kids are the most spoiled kids in the world.  Everyone was really cooperative when I was taking pictures.  Below are just some highlights. 

Each family (top left to right), The Cardarelli's, Marrs, Gullicks,
Bottom left to right: Parents Linsenmann, Me, and The Petersons.



Gpa/Gma with all the gkids
two pictures because of facial expressions

Misc pics
top: chaos in action as we begin to open presents
middle: Marlee and Me
bottom left: confusion as present opened
bottom right: 99% of the grandkids

Emma, Marlee, Wyatt in front of Christmas tree.

 

It is the simple things..

That have been making me happy:  

Seeing my new picture on the wall
The fresh flowers on the coffee table

Having the windows open

Smell of fresh laundry
Pretty bedroom
Dinner cooking

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been organizing and cleaning my house like mad.  I finally conquered my bedroom.  Not that things were dirty/gross, but I just let chaos and clutter reign supreme.  I let it get so disorganized because I was emotionally conflicted.  I wanted my outer environment to match my inner emotions. 

So I have taken a few weeks and did baby steps to be organized and in control. All closets are organized.  Unused decorations are Rubbermaid bins.  Used blankets are hanging up.  Thankfully I am pretty much done.  I have hated the process but love the result.  It has taken an invisible load of my shoulders.  I want to stay home now.  I used to escape to my parents house nearly every night but now I want to stay at my house.  I don’t see the clutter in the corners and feel intimidated. 

I like being surrounded by my pretty things.  I enjoy hosting my family for dinners.  My blinds and windows are open so the fresh breeze comes though.

So far I have been able to maintain this for a week.  Aim is to keep it going for another week.

My first attempt at arrnage fake flowers. 
I got the vase and flowers are thrift store for a total of $2.50!! 
The vase is actually an insense burner that I have converted. 
Just one of the pretty things I like to look at in my bedroom.

Bike Basket..

So I have been riding bike on the weekends. I have to leave TJ behind because I don't have a basket to put him in. Well I found on. But it was all metal and that would hurt to sit/stand on. Plus it was black metal so that would make it really hot. SO. While talking to my coworker we came up with great idea to make a cover for it. Because I am not that great of a sewer and she is she took on the project for me. This is what she came up with.

Pretty awesome huh? There will be ropes on the side to attach to TJ's body harness so he doesn't fall out. Pictures will be posted sometime Saturday to show of what we have accomplished!

THANK YOU HEATHEr!!

Congrats to MOM!!

Mom is very involved with Republican Women. She has been President of Canyon County Republican Women.  She is currently Director of Canyon County Republican Women.  She has been VP in Idaho Republican Women and this she maybe President of Idaho Republican Women.  She is also Idaho Legistlative District 13 Chairman for Canyon County Republians.  She has worked as a precinct person in the District and is very proactive in promoting the true Republican platform..non of this RINO (Republican In Name Only) or liberal Republican stuff.  She is a true Republican!!

Well, because Mom is so great, through, and organized, alot get delegated to her.  For the past couple of years, she has been the float director for CCR (Canyon County Republicans) and CCRW (Canyon County Republican Women).  Each year we participate in Exchanges Clubs Annual Parade America.  Well, Mom has won 1st Place Civic and 2nd Place Civic.  This year we won GRAND PRIZE!!  WOOHOO!! Great job Mom and Dad. 

This year the theme was "America - A Blessing For All" and Mom came up with a brilliant float.  The music as set to Alabama's Fourty Hour Week.  The song said basically thank you for working fourty hour week even though you are going to send your money "further on down the line".  See the music video here on youtube.com.  The float itself consisted of children dressed in adult clothing of various occupations.  Everything from cowboys and girls to law enforcment, postal service, medical, and construction. 

For the medical, we did have an Uncle Sam in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask and an IV of money getting pumped into him.  We thought that was pretty funny.

Emma and Wyatt rode on the parade so I hung out with Lexy and Marlee. 

I just thought this was too cute not to post.

Wacky weather...

I really hate the weather now.  It will be warm one day and snowing the next.  I just want summer to get here so camping and boating can start to happen!!  But I will say that I have loved driving places because the sky has been so blue and the clouds so puffy white!! 

But here is a rundown of this weekend..

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Yes that is SNOW on the mountains!!  CRAZY!!

Now I have to wait for all that snow to melt before we

can plant more in the garden! :(

Sunset..

Same prcess with the rainbows.  And yes I am tooting my own horn.

Rainbow

So I was at my parents house last night.  All day it was overcast and in the afternoon there were crazy thunderstorms.  My dad saw this awesome rainbow after the storms and I tried to get into 1 shot but it just wasn't working.  So I took mulitple shots and will add them together to make one.  Below is my progress.  This is just using MS Paint.  nothing else.  It is a alot of copy/paste but I think it doesn't look half bad. I am just so proud of what I have done!!

Below are the three individual pictures I use.

Below is the placement of the three pictures.

Starting filling in the white spaces

and this is the finished project so far. 

I cant wait to actually use an editing program to hopefully even out the colors and remove the lines. 

Really proud of myself...

I really love my headers lately.  I use Picnik.com for alot of the text.  I am totally stealing becuase I dind't get permission to use the flowers but they were just too pretty and I really didn't know how to get permission. What a rule breaker I know.  I am just too happy how pretty it turned out. 

It started with this image..

After original was copied, pastied, flipped horizontally, and moved, this was created

 

Upload to picnik.com, add text and this is what it was initially..

I prefer the final version up top. 

WHY??? OH WHY???

Why is it that when you get a cold, your eyes hurt?  i dont mean sinuses below eye, I mean my actually eyeballs hurt.  Maybe they are dry and I just can't tell.  But this just sucks!!  I didn't get a cold all winter and now with spring I get a cold.  Hopefully it just lasts afew days (good luck with that).  I hate this. What I really hate is when I blow my nose, it is like a floodgate is opened and I have to lean forward for the excess snot to be on the tissue and not just run down my face. 

This cold makes work suck because I can't hear people.  My ears pop if I blow my nose and I can hear for a few minutes but it never lasts long.  Thinking positive this will be over in a few days.  Just in time for the weekend.

Speaking of weekend, I think Mom is going to show me how to make pie crusts.  Pumpkin and Banana Cream are must but maybe I should make a cherry too.  I have never tried cherry.  Hmmm, something to think about.  Wonder if I could make enough to freeze..even more food for thought.

hmmm

I havea few thoughts running around in my head so I thought it best to write them down.

Spring is here.  Yesterday it was over cast and gloomy.  Today is sun is shinning and I really don't want to go to Church.  I want to be outside in the sunshine. Playing at the park.  With my niece and nephews and my dog.  Having a picnic lunch.  Not inside teaching.  Oh well.  I guess that is what an adult is being about...doing things you just don't want to do.  I hear birds chirpping as I sitting here listening to Jim Brickman and TJ snoring. 

I am enjoying the sun keeping me warm.  With the slight breeze coming through the window.  I am really fond of spring right now.  I wish we had more snow but this is nice too.

It is also nice because I cleaned my house yesterday.  The floors are swept and vaccuumed.  The table tops are dusted.  Kitchen sparkles.  It smells lovely.  I will have to post pictures.

In addition to those lovely feelings, I have a huge sense of accomplishment and pride in myself.  I made bread again yesterday.  I think I finally got it down so I can make it at home instead of always asking Mom for help.  It tastes so yummy.  Lexy brought soup over yesterday.  To have homemade soup and hot bread was divine!!  Lexy then commented on breakfast we had as kids. It was toast that we would dunk in our chocolate milk.  I hadn't tried that in forever!!  So I tried it today.  It was just as good as I remember.  It doens't tastes the same using boughten bread.  Doesn't have the substance that homemade does.

Also..speaking of yummy things...we had scones last night.  It is were we take some of the bread down and fry it in some oil in the cast iron skillet.  That is yummy too!  Top it with raspberry huckleberry jam and life is perfect at that moment. 

I am also proud of myself becasue I successful installed my printed on my laptop.  It was giving me fits but thankfully I was able to resolve them.  First print job was my lesson for Church today that I just read and wrote this am.

Wish I was in the middle of the field watching the clouds, or taking a nap, or having a picnic or so many other things.

Oh what a beautiful morning...oh what a beautiful day!

What a wonderful day Friday was.  I took a vacation day and had a wonderful time playing around.

I got to sleep in til 915am which was amazing.  Bad thing was I needed to be to Cailtyn's house by 930 so we could go shopping.  Shopping is a great motivator so I was only 10 minutes late. 

We went to the super junk store.  It was amazing.  Caitlyn found an actual Louis Vutton buffle bag!!  Consider this, our entire cart was $13.  If you broke it down, I am sure she only spent $0.75 at most on it!!  We had Wyatt and Emma with us who thought they were in heaven.

After the junk store, we headed to the outlet mall to meet Dad/Grandpa for lunch at Idaho Pizza.  Idaho Pizza has am amazing buffet of pizza and salad.  After an uneventful lunch, it was time to hit the VF (Vanity Fair) outlet.  I got an adorable gray sweater ($8), Seahawk tshirt for Dad's birthday ($10), new pair of jeans ($12), and a white button up ($4).  It was pretty awesome!!

Kids were ready to play so we went to the park.  It was such a nice day with blue skies and an occassional breeze.  If I had a blanket, I would have curled up in the sun and taken a nap.  After running around for a while, we went to Fred Meyer's to check out the 60% off lowest marked price.

At Fred' I got a purse for only $2!!  Wooo hoo for clearance!!  I got another purse for $15.  Body pillow for $7 and a couple other things. 

After Fred's I contiue to shop around the mall and get new flower ring for only $2!!  I will post pic soon because it is so gdang cute!  Plus new sweats and brown cardigan.  I spent a total of $11 on the ring, sweats, and cardigan!!  Got to love clearance!!

I finally head home to let TJ escape from the house.  I intended t o stop by the dog park for just a few minutes but ended up staying an hour.  TJ was having fun playing with two labradoodles. 

After the dog park, watching TV at parents, I finally hit the sack around 10 so I can get up Saturday to go FOUR WHEELING!!  I was super excited.
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Saturday rolls around and I drag myself out of bed around 7.  i wanted to get to the mountain ASAP.  I make it to paren't house around 8.  I made lunch of tuna fish and breakfast of egg/cheese sandwhichs and we are on the road at 830.  We park and are on the  trail by 930.  We just followed the main road up to Silver City because we only have 1 ATV with tracks on them and 1 ATV with tires.  No major playing in the snow this trip.  There was one spot where the drift was too big to over over and blocking the main road. 

Thankfully Dad found a trail that I could make it up (I on the machine with no tracks).  I was concerned that I was going to get stuck...but I didn't!!  YIPPEE!!  We make it to Silver City around 11.  Normally this would take half the day itself but that usually includes playing in the snow and more trails but oh well.  We were taking the trail to Jordan Valley when we came across another ATV with tracks. 

I was stopped at the top of the hill and Dad and ther other riders were at the bottom.  After a few minutes, I decided to join the group.  As I am approaching I hear a rider 1 say "Don't tell her I said that!" and rider 2 responds "A buddy can be a girl."  Dad says rider 1 asked if the red ATV (me) was his buddy.  Dad responds "That is my daughter." and you know the rest of the story.  Really can't blame ridger 1 because my hair was under a hate, scraf around my face, and every other person up there was a boy.  Typically, I was the only girl (that we knew of).

Dad and I continue with our ride.  Up in Silver City, it was snowing and there was a couple of feet of snow.  By 1pm, we were down in the canyon, playin in the desert and it was probably 40 degrees.  Idaho is so weird.

While Dad and I were riding, we across a group of deer.  Not just a couple of deer...but at least 40 deer!! 40!!  It was crazy! So Dad and I driver futher and we come across ANOTHER group of 40 deer!!  So we continue along our way.  As we are headed back to the truck, we saw the two group together!!  I have never seen so many deer!!  It was amazing!!

Dad and I leave around 4.  We start driving and Dad stops.  He says get out and come here.  I head to the back of the trailer but he wasn't there.  I turn around and he is climibing into the passanger seat.  WOO HOO!!  It is time to learn how to drive a trailer! So I climb in and the lessons begins.  It isn't as bad as I thoguht.  Of course only going 50 in 65 helped calm my nerves.  Dad and I even tried back up the trailer in a church parking.  Yes it took me 10 minutes but I got it between the lines!!  With more practice, I can drive the boat up to the lake.  Dad will still have to back it up there but hopefully this means more trips to the lake!!
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Sunday was an ok day.  It started out with getting up at 9am becasue mom and Caitlyn called.  Mom was making homemade biscuits and gravey.  After breakfast and a little play time with the kids, Jana, Wyatt, and I head to a flea markte.  It realy wasn't that great. 

After the flea market, I take Emma back to her house.  Caitlyn had to work and Brandon was coming home from Jackpot.  Emma didn't take a nap, so we ended up going to see Plant 51.  Emma and Wyatt did really good at staying quite and sitted.

Once the movie was finished, we troop over to Fashion Bug becasue they had a sign that said "EVERYTHING $10".  Well  that was too goo to be true.  If you purchased something at regular price, you could get a 2nd item for only $10.  Thankfully there were running 40% lowest marked price.  Because we were in a hurry (they closed in 15 minutes and parents waiting with dinner), I purchased what I liked and would take them home to try them one and return what didn't work.  I tried on two of the three pants.  WOW!!  Their average is really short.  They were such high waters!!  They tall was nearly perfect but a little shorter than what I expected.  So 2 of the 6 I purchased would be going back. That means I got 3 shirts and 1 pant for only $25!!  Not bad at all!

After Fashion Bug, Emma and I get dropped off at Emma's house.  Brandon is now home so I leave Emma with her dad and I head over to my parent's house.  I originally thought about making breat but that will have to wait til next Saturday.

Once dinner of roast of consumed, and tv watched, I left my parent's house early.  I left at 945!!  I normally start getting ready to leave around 10 but something happen and I am walking out the door at 1030 so 945 is weird. 
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All in all it was a great weekend.  I wish today was following suit.  People are just not listening and I am repeatign myself like 20x!!  GRR!! It is aggravating!

Photo..

So here is the final product for family wall at the parent's house.  I hope that the more pictures there are, you are distracted from looking at one too long. Can you believe it was the hardests to select the picture of TJ?  There were so many but I thought that one was the best one to see his cute little face and being his silly self.  BTW his birthday is on Sunday!!

Canyon County Republican Women

I have been working on a project for Mom.  It is a website for Canyon County Republican Women.  We only paid $10 for the domain name and I have been able to do everything else for free!! Check it out at http://www.canyoncountyrepublicanwomen.com/!!

WOW!!

Can't believe it has been over a week since I posted!! Let me update you a little,

I am working on my new years resolution very well. I followed suit of the majority of the country and set my sights on losing weight. I have survived a week and have been improving each day. A better Megan is emerging. I have been blogging about it on a different page and it helps me so much. No one reads it but it is still there for me. You should try it if you have a common goal.

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I got the problem solved at work. I am no longer mad...annoyed=EXTREMELY!! Readers Digest version. I submitted to have July 6-9 off from work on the form we have to fill out at the end of the year. It was my first choice. There are only 5 people who have more senority than I. Last Monday, we get our forms back with the approved dates and I was not approved for my first choice. I assumed that it went to someone with more senority (understand but I have been asking off for a year).

I couldn't find out who received the days until the posted the calendar at boss' desk. I strees for a week. Finally on...I think it was Friday, the calendar is available. A coworker has it at her desk so it isn't posted yet so I can see it. Coworker advises me someone with LESS senority than I received the day off.

Think I was mad before? I was so mad I was ready to cry and storm my bosses office. All that morning I just have steam coming out of my ears. Finally bosses posts calendar and I walk by. The person with less doesn't have the day approved.....there name is on the day because it is their birthday!! My blood pressure drops a couple thousands points.

But now I am confused.....nobody has those days off. Now I am wondering why I wasn't approved in the first place?!?! They could have saved me so much angst if they just would have given me the days off to begin with!! GRRR!!!

Now I have to email my boss and see if she will approve me for that weekend. Thankfully she does but really people.

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Saturday was a fun day. I started off making spaghetti sauce to freeze (plus it made a great brunch on Saturday too). Did a little cleaning. Then it was off to DD for my sister and her birthday party. What a great time. Sushi was amazing for dinner and then we went to dueling piano bar in Meridian. What great singers. I will have to go back because it was alwasy a....SING A LONG!!

I finally collapse into bed at 5am on Saturday. I wake up at 8am because TJ needed to go out. I couldn't fall back to sleep becasue at 930, friends were picking me up to go get my car (because I drove their van home). Sunday couldn't take a nap so I vegged at parents house.

Sunday night I didn't get any good sleep because I was have stomach issues. Come Monday morning, I said screw it. I am sleeping in and called in sick to work (which techinically I was).

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Monday afternoon, my stomach was pretty ok. I went to play with neice and nephews and took them all gifts I have been holding onto for a while. They loved it. Emma loved her Ariel doll. Wyatt loved the spider man lunch tote. Marlee loved to rock out on the piano (4 keys).

Monday I made spaghetti for the family.

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Tuesday I got myself out of bed and exercised before I went to work. It made my day. Now I am working on setting a playlist to rock out to while I am exercising. Bonus on today is Dad is upgrading my memory in my laptop. Thank heavens he works at Micron (and still has a job).

Homemade Christmas Candy!!

A couple of weeks ago my sisters and I got together to make Christmas candy. Below are the fruits of our labors. We cooked from 8-12.

Below is the perfect batch of homemade carmel. Not hard but not too gooey either. Too bad the 2nd batch didn't turn out AS great. It was still good because it has walnuts in it.

Emma just had to tuck TJ in for naptime.

Lexy made nut clusters. They were YUMMY!!

This is the first year we did Almond Bark Pretzel sticks.
I prefer the small ones because you get less pretzel and more bark.

Chris came up with the great idea to sprinkle white chocolate on the peanut clusters!

Here are the Christmas Corn Flake Wreathes. You use the same recipe as Rice Crispy treats, just add green food coloring and substitute corn flakes for the Crispys. Red Hots are the holly berries. Just place mixture on wax paper and form with butter covered fingers.

Butterscotch haystacks made by Jana.
We had difficulty melting the butterscotch but they tasted just as good.

White Chocolate covered pretzels. In B/W becasue was slightly out of focus.

And here are the chefs! L to R is Me, Chris, Lexy, Marlee, Caitlyn, Emma, and Jana.

Just the sister chefs!! What an amazing day!

Thanksgiving!!

There are no pictures of all the good homemade food we ate but that is ok. With each sister bringing a side dish, there didn't seem to be as much preperation necessary as usually (becasue everyone made it at their own house.) But the usualy dry turkey, stuffing, homemade rools, cranberries, pistachio pudding, pickled asparagus, pickles, olives, mashed potatoes, peas, homemade gravy, and greenbeans casserole were all for the taking.

Pre dinner activiteis including rough housing on grandparents waterbed.
We had to work up an appetite playing and laughing.

Marlee was getting flipped over onto her belly by Grandpa and
she would just giggle like there was no tomorrow!

Emma enjoyed the same treatment as Marlee but
Emma would pop up after each time and laugh.

Marlee, Emma, and Wyatt had a great time rolling around and on top of each other.

Wyatt and Jana (his mommy) getting ready for dinner.
(Yes there is some photo editing around the edges.)

Wyatt was ROCKING OUT in the mike and ROCKING ON the horse at the same time.
Love the faux hawk!

Emma, Grandpa, and Wyatt were all picking at the candy table (note pictured and see previous post for further details). The look is over indulding on turkey.

Yes I make TJ dress up for the holidays. Take a close look at his mouth. You can see how he really feels about it. (Not really, he usually shows his teeth like that. He actually tolerates wearing clothes. Yes he will be wearing the same outfit for Christmas too.)

Loved the look on Wyatts face. I think I just told him he would have to give me a kiss goodbye!

Wyatt is so funny. He loves to see himself in the camera display and will keep telling you to "do it again" so he can see different picture sof himself. I wonder if he will become a model.
(Yes there is photo editing around the edges/color.)

Same pic as above with different editing. I don't know which one I like best.

This is the dog bed Caitlyn got me for the birthday in preperation of getting a dog (one of the greatest bday gifts ever!) Tj just sleeps on my bed at home so I took it to parents for him to use becasue he can't get on the furniture there. He actually uses it and this is just proof to Caitlyn because she doesn't believe me.

Here is Marlee giving TJ a kiss. TJ is the only dog she likes.
She agrees with me that TJ is the best dog EVER!!