Tis' the season!

Happy Holidays!

I hope that this blog finds you all doing well! Things have been CRAZY at our home. The day before Thanksgiving I decided to chop off my thumb (not really) I was slicing potatoes and well lets say the blade one and I lost! After a quick trip to urgent care I was back home. All it took was four little stitches in my thumb. :(

It's no secret to those who know me that I am not a good patient. I like being able to tend to myself and my family without much help. However, the lack of a thumb on my right hand made a lot of things hard/impossible to do. Thankfully the stiches came out today and with any luck I will be back to 100% very soon.

I am over the moon excited for Christmas! I can't wait to really start decorating and this weekend we are going to bundle up (it's going to be about 28 degrees out) and cut down our tree! My son is soooo excited about our little outing! The trip will be followed up with our little towns annual Christmas parade and tree lighting!

This year instead of buying all my gifts for my sweet husband I wanted to make him something really special. I cam across a very cool idea on another blog that was done a few years ago. I tweaked it a little to make it more personalized, but after that my "25 Days of Love" was born. I presented me husband with an envelope early December 1st telling him that Christmas was in the air and with it came a special gift from me.

Now every morning he can wake to pull off a special little note from me telling him what it is I love about him. Eight years together, two kids, and the craziness of the day to day can leave a lot unsaid or not said enough. What better time then Christmas to remind him why I am the luckiest person to be married to him?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Until next time,
Stephanie

Long time no chat!

Happy Friday!

 

No, I didn't fall off the face of the planet. I have been trying (without much luck) to get my household healthy. Everyone has been sick with one thing or another for the past two weeks. I'm not sure which is worse - a sick husband or a sick toddler! :)

 

It's been getting very cold here at night, but nice and sunny during the day. The sunshine seems to make everything seem not so bad. I have accomplished most of my holiday shopping as I am not a fan of the post Thanksgiving shopping craze! We have also had weekends full of birthday parties and dinner invites. Tis the season to be busy!

 

I have been playing with the idea of bring my business - Life's Accessory back to life. I was thinking of maybe doing some wedding coaching. I would work with couples getting married that are blending cultures and traditions. The concept would be that they would meet with me to talk about what is and isn't important to incorporate in their wedding. Having married a man from Norway this was something we had to deal with. It's totally separate from wedding plans (colors, food, indoor/outdoor, and what not.) Anyway, just toying with the idea.

 

Next week is Thanksgiving! We will be enjoying a simple, low key holiday at home and are really excited about it! Until next week! Have a great weekend!!!

 

Stopping to smell the roses

If you are at all like me you go day to day without really putting much thought to how it is that we get to live the lives that we do. I admit that as a country we have our faults and that we are far from perfect. With that being said I think we need to offer up far more thanks to those who leave the comforts of their home and their loved ones to allow us the lives that we live every day.

Sadly I don't think much about the effort or cost it takes to allow me the freedoms that we have. It's not until I see the news that I glimpse the toll of it all. When sadness hits that someone is mourning the loss of a fallen soldier or families that have to put away the "Welcome Home" banners because their loved one has been put on extended duties.

To all those who face the truth and reality every day I want to thank you! It's because of your sacrifice that so many of us get to live in our bubble of peace and happiness. Thank you for my bubble! Thank you for your service and selflessness! Thank you to the families who deal with a empty seat at the dinner table so I don't have to. To those who have lost their loved ones I'm so sorry.
 

Why I LOVE Fridays

It's Friday! In my world that means that today is MY day to do what I want. There is no activity that either child has to be at and to top it off it also means that they only time I need to watch the clock is around nap time.

I love that I always tend to have a little more energy on this wonderful day. I usually prep for the weekend with a stop at the store, wrap up laundry, and clean the floors. Then I get to pretend that it's not my problem again until Monday.

Long gone are the days of meeting up with friends for drinks at about 10 PM, because usually I'm already headed for bed at that time. Hey, I am usually up at 6 EVERYDAY. My world doesn't consist of sleep in days (unless you count Sunday) and I maybe get one day a week where I am not up multiple times a night. *Not sure what I did as a child, but I am being punished with a little who doesn't really believe in sleep :)

My world has changed a lot over the years, but FRIDAY is still my favorite day of the week. The party has just changed a little and last call usually comes around 7 PM before it's time to clean the kitchen up for the night, but I happy embrace it! So CHEERS to whatever your Friday night plans are!


Happy Friday!

Guilty Pleasure Friday #6

Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins

*Found this fabulous recipe at www.moneysavingmom.com - The notes are from her site. I followed the directions and loved them! 

• 1 ¾ cup flour (I use a mix of whole wheat and white)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup sugar (I always scrimp on this amount)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup milk
• Jam

Topping:

• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, oil, egg and milk until well mixed.
Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins half full. Place 1 teaspoon jam on top.
Cover jam with enough batter to fill muffin cups ¾ full.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Place melted butter in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. While muffins are still hot, dip tops in butter and then in cinnamon/sugar.
Makes 10 muffins

A little kindness can grow into a ton!

I've noticed that most of us are busy people. We are always rushing around to get things done like our lives depend on it. Maybe our lives do depend on something, but far too often we let our tunnel vision block out the little things we can do to make our lives a little better.

Yesterday while coming out of the grocery store I was loading the kids in the car. My son really wanted to help load the groceries into the car. Since both kids were in a great mood I decided to take the time and let the little guy help me.

While loading up one of the store employees came out to collect the carts. She gathered all of them from the cart return and pushed her long line of carts up to my car. I told her that I could bring it up after we were done, but she wanted to wait. My little guy who has to stand on his tip toes just to reach the tip top of the grocery bag handle was doing his best, but moving a little slow. Once he was all done the lady gathered up the cart and knelt down to my son. She presented him with a sticker for doing such a great job helping mommy.

My little four year old son was so proud. Her simple act of kindness was not lost on my little guy. It was the highlight of his day. He talked about how nice it was of her to give him a sticker. She could have easily pushed the carts past us, but she waited. She not only waited, but treated him for a job well done.

It was something so simple, but meant so much. Hopefully we all can take a little time to pass a little kindness around this week! 

30 Days of Thanks Challege!

Happy November! I LOVE this time of year! The next two months are by far my favorite. To be honest I took down all the Halloween decorations last night once the kids went to bed and had my house decorated for Thanksgiving by 10 AM this morning! The kids were a little bummed, but this Momma is elated!

Since Thanksgiving is about counting our blessing and giving thanks to the positive things in our lives I thought that I would challenge you all to the 30 Thankful Challenge. Some people do this via their Facebook, but you can just keep a list on a scrap piece of paper if you wish. The point of the challenge is to get you to focus on the good things in your life!

I hope that my challenge is accepted by all of you!

*Follow me on my Facebook page to see what I am THANKFUL for! https://www.facebook.com/Lifesaccessory

Have a great weekend!

5 things to do with Halloween candy!

If your household is anything like mine you may find your house overflowing with candy come November 1st. With two toddlers and two full pails of candy, plus whatever is left in the bowl of candy we passed out it's a little too much! To help ease the anxiety of too much candy here are 5 helpful tips you can use to thin out your inventory!

1. Save some for Christmas stockings
2. Add some treats in a care package to the troops
3. Save the chocolate bite size bars for holiday baking
4. Donate it! Think local shelters, nursing homes, youth services with after school programs
5. Look for a buy back program. Some dentist will by the candy. (ex. 1 pound of candy for $1)

*I have also heard about the Halloween Fairy! The kids stash a few of their favorites for later and then leave the rest out for the fairy to claim later that night. The fairy can leave money or a small toy as an exchange.

Seeing the positive side

 

 

If you're anything like me you often think of the negative side of your role. The things you wish you handled better, the extra patience you with you had shown, the moments you lose your cool, or the moments you simply make an error. All this things can weigh a mom down.

 

I've come to notice (thanks to my amazing husband) that most of flaws as a mother are nothing in the eyes of my kids. Even on my worst days I am still showered with hugs and kisses. They are quick to forgive me and often times don't bat an eye at my mistakes or flaws.

 

I want to give my children the very best! I want them to have the very best mom and I truly do try my very best. I've noticed that my efforts often time seem to pay off. That it's only me who remembers the mistakes. It's only me that beats myself up over them.

 

Our babies love us. They remember the simple moments. The moments that we give them our full attention and our time. I can spend all day being pulled in a million directions. Everyone is content, but no one is as happy as when I take just a few minutes here and there to dedicate to the kids. I've come to realize that it's the ten minutes I took to color a picture or the three minutes it took for my son to tell me some story that he made up that has the long lasting effect. Nothing has been more rewarding then to hear my son tell his dad about the cool day he had with mom or to watch my daughter try and show him something that I taught her.

 

 

Life is about the little moments. It's the little things that count, so next time you have a not so pretty mom moment remember that you are still the person that makes the world go round in their world. They love you despite your flaws. Maybe the only thing we really need to work on is forgiving ourselves for our flaws and embracing our positives! 

Embrace it!

As women it's been no secret that we have had to fight for our rights. Many strong women before us fought for us to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the opposite sex. They fought for us to be able to become the CEO of a multi million dollar company and still show up to work with spit up on the collar of our tailor made suite.

Many women strive to do it ALL! We want to be the wife, the mother, the best friend, and the corporate panther. We want to take our worlds by storm. I'm all for this. I love that I have the option to work and climb the corporate ladder as well as have a family.

With that being said I wanted to touch on something. I am a SAHM. That's what I do. I left my job with my lovely little desk and window view of the large oak trees. I made the choice to be a full time mother. I find no shame in it. I don't feel that I have failed by not doing it all. I find it sad and a little upsetting that far too many stay at home moms feel that they are being negatively judge by being a mother who tends to her children full time.

"Is that all you do?"

Yes! That's all that I do! I play games, color, laugh, sometimes want to cry (lol), cook, clean, pay the bills, strive to concur the never ending pile of laundry and anything else that needs to be done for my family. I choose not to work outside my family. I just want to be mom. I have no shame. Some day I will return to work and I'm excited about that.

Please don't feel guilt over your choices. We all strive to do what is best for our family. It doesn't matter if you stay home or work. We are all mothers trying our best. If you have a negative view one way or the other please keep your judgments to yourself. Pass along a little encouragement for the choices we make as parents.

Happy with my choice!
 

Facebook!!!

Do you need a little pick me up? Want to learn something new? Follow me on Facebook to get a daily dose of happiness! Starting tomorrow I will post something positive on my page EVERYDAY! Life is about the smiles and laughs. With the stress of the holiday season just around the corner why not go to your happy place in your time of need??? https://www.facebook.com/Lifesaccessory

Okay, maybe a bad plug for you to "like" my page, but if you would be ever so kind I would be ever so thankful!

Happy Thursday!
Stephanie

One of my horrible mommy moments

Yesterday was definitely a no good very bad day in my little world. I truly don't know what I was thinking when I scheduled my sons four year doctor appointment for an afternoon when I would have to bring both kids! Just to add a notch in my bad day my 20 month old decided that yesterday was the perfect day not to nap. FYI naps are at 11:30 AM  and the appointment was at 3 PM. True to form we ended up waiting for 30 minutes until we could make it back to our room. The kids easily entertained themselves playing with the toys in the lobby while I cringed at all the sick germs I'm sure were floating around.

Once we finally got back into the room we waited yet again. He was weighed and measured. This was something he was very excited about. He couldn't wait to see how big he would be as a four year old. The doctor came in and did his thing, asked his questions and was out the door in less then 10 minutes. Then the nurse came and all hell broke out. Kai was going to have 3 shots. Thankfully he is now all caught up and even ready for school, meaning no shots until he is much older.

Back to hell...I place Mia in one of the waiting chairs and go to help the nurse. She has Kai lay on the table with his legs hanging over the edge. I am to keep his upper body down and hold his wrist. The first shot goes and he lets out a shriek. This freaks Mia out, but I can't go to her because Kai is moving and wants everything to stop. The second shot goes in followed very quickly by the third. At this point Mia is in full freak out mode and Kai is pissed, crying, and screaming. I am trying my best to tell Mia it's okay while trying to calm Kai down.

Once the nurse left I picked up Kai and dresses him quickly before picking him up and sitting next to Mia. I spent awhile holding both and trying to calm them down. They seemed to be feeding off each other so the calming process took awhile. My nerves are shot at this point. I felt horrible that my daughter was crying in fear and I couldn't just grab her and comfort her. I felt horrible that my son was freaking out and that I was having to hold him down.

Once the crying was over I got everyone put back together and left. We ended the horrible trip with a quick stop and McDonalds for strawberry milkshakes. My weak attempt at trying to make everything better. I wish I could say that my night ended on a good note, but Mia didn't want to sleep and Kai kept waking up a lot. So I have no sleep and I think Kai actually has a cold. :(

Here is hoping to a better tomorrow and lots of coffee!

Cheers,
Stephanie

27 Reasons Why Kids Are Actually The Worst

I came across this page today and had to share a laugh or two :)

Enjoy!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbellassai/27-reasons-why-kids-are-actually-the-worst-6z51

Monday Monday!

If you're like many folks Monday may not be your cup of tea. You're coming off of a weekend that either was too busy or too lazy leaving you with dreams of just hitting snooze one more time. This time of year tends to make them a little harder to deal with when it is still dark out at 6 AM and cold. Really who wants to leave the comfort of a nice warm bed, unless it's to head to a nice steamy shower. The negative there is that you eventually have to get out!

This morning as I drag myself out of bed to my lovely alarm (My daughter shouting "Mommy" from her crib) I realized that I have yet to write my blog. I can come up with a mile long list as to why it wasn't written, but the honest truth is that AFTER I was done doing all the things I WANTED to do I was too tired to focus on work. Not that I don't love writing my blog, but I had my sister in town to go shopping with, my sons fourth birthday was a weekend long event, and I had family in town to hangout with. If I'm being REALLY honest I'm actually writing at this very moment to avoid cleaning the kitchen and doing the laundry. ;)

Here is a TOP 10 List on why we should LOVE Mondays!

1. You have new stories to share with your co-workers
2. You can come in recharged to face the crisis you left at the office
3. You get to get back on track with your routine
4. Kids go back to school
5. Hubby goes back to work
6. Happy Hour
7. You will probably order pizza for dinner
8. You can actually get yourself geared up to going to the gym every day this week! (Major props if you make it TWICE this week LOL)
9. It's fun to actually get dressed in something other then the yoga pants you sported all weekend :)
10. Four days left until the weekend!

Happy Monday!
Stephanie

Four years ago....

at 12:03 PM I became the mother of a 9lb 6oz baby boy! From that day on I have fallen more and more in love with this little guy. His transformation from baby to little boy has been nothing more then amazing! Being a mother proved to be harder then I could ever imagine, but it has been the most amazing experience! I feel so blessed to have this little guy in my world. There hasn't been a day that I haven't laughed with him, hugged him good morning, or showered him with goodnight kisses.

Over the past four years I can honestly say that not only have I grown as a mother, but I have grown as a person. Kai has helped me become a better version of myself. I have learned that I don't have to be perfect. I've learned to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. I laugh more, dance more, and tell silly jokes more. I take time to give a hug or kiss. I take the time to say "I love you". I spend far more time in the present. I have seen how fast time passes and learned to cherish the time I had, am having, and will have.

I love being a mom. I admit that sometimes it's still surreal that I am "Mom" and that I have kids. With all the long hours, endless energy that these sweet babies have, and constant drive to do my best I often end the night exhausted, but so excited for the next day. You never know what each day will be with these little ones, but it's likely it will include laughter, the desire to bang your head on the wall, and a lesson learned by both parties.

It's been an amazing four years and I can't wait to see what the next four years will bring! Now it's time to go make some birthday pancakes with green sprinkles and open his morning gift! My little guy went from Mickey Mouse, to Thomas the train, and his love this year is Power Rangers. He is such a little boy! :)

Happy Birthday Kai!!!

The truth is...

When it comes to people criticizing your marriage, your children, or your personal self we have to remind ourselves that it's not our problem. When others look down on you for bottle feeding instead of nursing, putting your little one in a booster sooner then they think is right, or spout out snide remarks about meeting the girls for happy hour while your husband "babysits" the kids. *FYI I do not feel that fathers are "babysitters", at least not mine. He's Pappa and that makes him as equal as myself when it comes to raising and caring. I don't pay him $5 an hour to watch the kids. :)

We have to remember that everyone has an opinion and sadly far too many strangers feel the need to share them. It took me awhile to build my tough skin and a wife and mother. I didn't like the negative comments and often took them to heart. I wanted to be the best partner and the very best mommy. In the beginning I would always second question my actions because of other peoples comments.

About six months into my new role as a mommy it dawned on me that I didn't give a flipping rats rear what others thought of me. I AM a good mom! I AM a good wife. I may not do things in the way that others do, but for the most part it's the perfect way for my family! I know that I do a great or dare I say almost "perfect" job for my family. Yes there is a lot of trial and error. I stumble and sometimes really screw up, but everything I do for my family is with the very best of intentions.

I research the latest information. I chat with my other mommy friends about new, better methods. Bottom line I do what I can to make the best choices. At the end of the day I feel comfortable with my choices. I do what works best for the family.

At the end of the day it's your problem if you don't like how I am. I know that I am doing the right thing for my family. My family showers me with hugs and kisses and "I love you". So, next time negative comments and judgment are showered on you just remember that it's not you, but them with the problem!

Happy Monday!!!

Guilty Pleasure Friday #5

Happy Friday!

I made these last Saturday morning. To put it simply the family LOVED these. My three year old said "when it comes to donuts mom's got it." My daughter kept asking for more "pleeeesssee", and my sweet husband asked why there wasn't more. On Sunday my husband lets me sleep in. Most morning when I come down Mia (my 19 month old daughter) usually greats me with a happy "mama" and runs to hug me. Yeah, last Sunday she came up to me, grabbed my hand and lead to the kitchen for treats! No happy Mama morning hugs :(

Enjoy!


*I cooked these in Coconut oil and added nutmeg to the cinnamon and sugar that I rolled them in.

Doughnut Holes

By: girlversusdough

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1  egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sugar (for the topping) (optional)
• 3 tbsp cinnamon (for the topping) (optional)
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar (for the topping) (optional)

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add in milk, egg, and melted butter, and mix until well combined.
2. Fill a large skillet or medium pot with vegetable oil, about 2 inches deep. Using a fry thermometer, heat oil to about 375 degrees F. Make sure it stays around that temperature each time you fry the dough.
3. Place cinnamon-sugar (mixed together) and confectioners sugar toppings in two separate small bowls. Set out several stacked paper towels next to the stove for drying the doughnut holes, along with a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.
4. When oil is ready, place about 5-6 teaspoonfuls of dough at a time in the oil and fry on each side for about 1 minute (2 minutes total). Remove from the oil and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Then, using a fork, roll doughnut in either the confectioners sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture. Then place on cooling rack to cool slightly before serving warm.

Lessons learned at the fire station! *A MUST READ

Today was a pretty exciting day in our household! My little guy went on his first field trip! We went to visit the local fire station. The kids all had a great time! All the moms that went along to help out knew that the kids would be learning something, but all the moms ended up getting a few tips as well!

If you have kids 9 and under here are a few things that you should know, try, and teach your kids. FYI we were told that it is best to teach kids between the ages of 9-12 how to get out of the house in the event of the fire and where to meet the family. Under that age the children tend to be too young to understand and process information long enough to remember everything.

Tips for you little ones and your family

• Keep the doors to the bedrooms closed at night. This buys you time to get to the kids. It keeps the smoke out and leaves them in a safer place.

• If they can't get out of their bed talk to them about staying in their beds and yelling for you when they hear the smoke alarm. This way they don't go and try to find you.

• Teach them how to test the door before opening it incase they try to go out. Have the touch the actual door and not the nob. If it's warm they should go and sit next to their window.

• Teach them about the fireman super hero and what his super hero outfit looks like. Also let them know how the fireman super hero will sounds. Their air mask makes a Darth Vader sound.

• Talk to your kids about how they need to go with the fireman should one come in during an emergency. You want them to know that these are real super hero's and here to help. You don't want them to run from them or hide.

• If you have multiple kids in multiple rooms or kids sleeping on another floor know your fire plan. Have a plan in place incase there is a fire on the first floor, second floor, garage, or what not.

• If there are multiple adults in the home have a plan on who is responsible for which kid. For example in my home I go to my daughter and my husband goes to my son.

• Teach your kids about 911. (How to dial it, when to call, and what to say). I've attached a link to a song that you can teach your little if you would like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVObBXma7bM

All in all the trip was a success. The kids saw what the firemen do to get ready for an emergency and saw them in full gear. Some kids were scared, but once they watched him undress and redress step by step into his uniform they understood that is was a real person in safety gear.

Hope this helps :)

Happy October!

Welcome to fall! This month my topic will be Moms! The good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between! Although I love fall, the falling, the cold mornings, and curling up with a warm cup of tea there is plenty I don't like. I live in Oregon and here fall = rain (lots and lots of it), which means the kids and I spend a lot of time indoors.

I try really hard to keep us busy and away from the TV. I admit there are days that I fail at this, but I give myself major props for the days that I keep us away. My mornings are easy. My son goes to preschool and my daughter and I run errands, enjoy play dates, playing at home, and doing little 20 month old approved projects. At the moment she is really into play dough!

This past week my fun plans were put aside as we try to battle our unwanted house guests. Our home has been invaded by ants! It's a battle that we seem to be loosing. I have bought every killer the stores have to offer. Most work, but only for a day or two. I have even tried a few homemade methods. Some we are still in active mode of trying. Really hoping that something works.

This weekend will be exciting for the kids and we plan to decorate the front porch for Halloween! My son with be four this month and is really excited about decorating. My daughter is excited simple because her big brother is!

This morning I came across an article about car seats. The NHTSA has come out with new guidelines (not laws) about the use and age of each seat. I have added the link for those of you with littles still in them. To sum it up the article children are recommended to rear face until up to age 3 (which near eliminates the possibility of internal decapitation in a collision) in either an infant seat (up to 12 months) or a convertible (up to age 4) then to ride forward facing and harnessed until about 7, then in a back booster or backless booster depending on your car model and your child's weight and height until up to 12. With all children riding in the backseat until 12.
http://www.safercar.gov/parents/RightSeat.htm

Guilty Pleasure Friday #4

Happy Friday!

This easy fall treat was another one of my Facebook finds. It's really easy and perfect if the kids want to help. This will definitely be on my son's treat table at his birthday party this month!

Bite-size Caramel Apples

1 bag (11 oz.) KRAFT Caramel Bits
2 Tbsp. water
Make apple rounds with melon baller.

INSERT one candy stick into each apple round. Cover plate with waxed paper; spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
PLACE caramel bits in medium saucepan. Add water; cook on medium-low heat 3 min. or until caramel bits are completely melted, stirring constantly.

DIP apples into melted caramel until evenly coated, spooning caramel over apples if necessary. Allow excess caramel to drip off. Scrape bottoms of apples; place on prepared plate. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator 15 min. before serving. Store any leftover apples in refrigerator

Why you should panic when the kids go quiet!

In my almost four years of being a mom I have found that unless you know your children are sleeping, watching a show, or out of the house panic when there is silence! Below is a top 10 list of what I have found during the "SILENCE"!

1. My walls have been colored with lipstick
2. Baby doll took a bath in the toilet
3. A whole bag of flour was used to "decorate" the kids
4. My whole upstairs has been toilet papered because they wanted to make a maze.
5. Diaper rash cream was painted on the walls :(
6. My daughter took a bite out of deodorant (She was okay and the bathroom is now baby proofed)
7. They took potatoes out of the pantry to hide. STILL finding them around the house WEEKS later!
8. Found Moms yarn basket - enough said LOL
9. My daughter found my emergency stash of treats
10. My son washed himself and the playroom in Elmer's Glue

Inside Job

I know it's easy to look for happiness on the outside. Friends to make you laugh, a partner to make you feel like the most precious person in the world, or co-workers to tell you how smart you. It's easy to want others to shower us with words to make us happy. Sadly, just like most things in life happiness isn't that easy. True happiness requires work from ourselves. We have to like ourselves, love ourselves, and see life in a positive light. We have to CHOOSE to be happy! All of us have the power to make ourselves happy. It's not always easy and often time it's easier to see the things in ourselves that make us unhappy.

The other day I was thinking of all the things that make me happy. They all were external. Not one thing on my list had anything to do with me. It took me awhile to adjust my list to include things about me, things that I controlled. I came up with only a small handful of things at first. I'm a happy person and really do love my life, but real internal happiness took me awhile to stumble upon.

During my early 20's I spent a lot of time learning about myself and trying to fix the things I didn't like. Now I'm in my early 30's and I am happy with who I am. I can even branch out and say that I love the person I have become. Yes, I have my fair share of flaws. The flaws will continue to be a work in progress. I'm happy. I'm happy with my marriage and with my children. I'm still trying to find some happiness in my career, but for now I am happy being a stay at home mommy and blogging.

Cheers to HAPPINESS!

Guilty Pleasure Friday #3

 

 

Happy Fall!!!

 

 

I tried to wait, but I did turn the heater on this morning since the kids had ice cold toes. It was 65 degrees in the house! Fall is definitely in full swing in Oregon. The trees are changing quickly, the rain is falling, and the moss is growing. This weeks recipe is an easy one! If you have little hands around that are eager to help this is a perfect little treat. ENJOY!

 

Marshmallow Caramel Popcorn

• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 9-10 marshmallows
• 12 c. popcorn
• Microwave brown sugar and butter for 2 minutes, add marshmallows & microwave until melted.
• Pour over popcorn  and mix.

 

 

 



My DIY success!

Okay, I will be the first to admit that I am not very crafty. I don't sew and drawing is way out of my reach unless you want a pretty cool stick figure. :) This summer I decided that I would redecorate my home. I wanted something fresh and trendy. To make it fun I wanted to do it on a really tight budget so that I would be FORCED to get creative. This weekend I came across some old crates and an old pallet. After doing some research online I achieved the looks that I really wanted!

The last two pictures are just a pallet that I cut in half. The first one became a shelf in the kitchen. All I had to do was add a bottom board. The last picture is just the pallet hung on it's side. Then I just went around and found little treasures to add to it. FYI the candle is a battery operated one so nothing burns down. :) These little projects added some great unique looks to three rooms and they cost me less then $5 for all the wood!

Have a wonderful day!
Stephanie

Be your own hero!

"Without roots the world just blows you around"

~ Unknown

 

 

 

In this world there are those who speak before they think and those who hold their words until they are played out in their minds. Those who let words flow far too soon and too often don't always realize what their words do to others. They don't know just how much they can break someone with their comments or judgments.

 

Those who think before they speak tend to know how their words will hit others. They speak in a manner that comes out as they intend it to. If there is any way that it could be taken differently they usually voice it.

 

I have seen too many people allow others to hurt them with their words. They let people talk down to them and criticize them for every little thing the offender wants to. Those being spoken to often let themselves become the victim. They let people "walk all over them" either because they don't want to cause any further drama or they simply don't know what to say.

 

If you ever find yourself the victim it's time to become your very own hero! Plant your roots and stand tall in the face of the storm. Simple tell others not to speak to you like that or walk away. You don't have to stand for those disrespecting you and you don't have to show them any "respect" by taking their angry words.

 

It doesn't matter who is talking down to you. You are an adult. You are old enough to stand on your own two feet and make your own choices. Don't give power to those who shower you with negativity. No one can save you if you don't want to save yourself.

 

I once saw a grown man talk down to his mother. He was yelling at her for bringing cold chicken. He continued to go off on her around others. Never mind that they chicken was cold because he showed up over an hour late without so much as a phone call. When I asked her why she allowed her grown son to talk to her like that she simply said "I don't know."

 

Later she told me that she thought about it and the next time her son attacked she stood her ground. She told him to stop yelling at her. If he couldn't talk to her like an adult that the conversation was over. It didn't stop him from still trying to unload on her at times, but she figured out that she didn't have to take it. Now she simply walks away! Next time your being spoken to in a negative or hostile way please plant your roots. You can't change the way people speak to you until you speak to them. Let your voice be heard!

 

All the best!

Stephanie 



Guilty Pleasure Friday #2

It's Friday!

A Facebook friend shared this a couple of weeks ago. I LOVE snickerdoodles and the family is a big fan of pumpkin. These went over well, but I did cut the sugar in half since I found them too sweet once rolled in the sugar. Not to mention I didn't want to give the littles that much sugar if I didn't need to. :)


Pumpkin Snickerdoodles ~

 What you will need:
 For the cookies:
 3 3/4 cups flour
 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
 1 cup sugar
 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
 1 cup pumpkin puree
 1 large egg
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 For the coating:
 1/2 cup sugar
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 Dash of allspice

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk together to blend. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until well combined. Next, still on medium speed, beat in pumpkin. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract. Lastly, add in the dry ingredients. Beat until combined, but do not over mix. Cover the dough, and refrigerate for one hour, until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with nonstick spray). In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and spices for the sugar coating. Scoop dough (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) and roll into a ball. Roll the dough ball in the sugar mixture, and place on the lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Take a drinking glass with a flat bottom and moisten with water. Dip the glass in the sugar mixture, and use it to flatten the dough balls. Re-sugar the glass as needed.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove when the centers of the cookies have set. Let cool on the baking pan for approximately 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Have a wonderful day!
Stephanie

Believing in yourself

“All the so-called "secrets of success" will not work unless you do.”

~Unknown     

I am a firm believer that happiness and success can't become a reality in ones life unless they believe in THEMSELVES! It really is the secret to life. It's a little bit of faith, courage, and drive all mixed in to one. It's loving yourself - faults and all!

Far too often we let those around us define who we are and what we are capable of. We let others tell us what value we have to the world. We let others dictate our feelings and reactions. We alone gave others this power. Maybe now we should take the power back?

Only you know what YOU are capable of! Put some effort into yourself and present the best you possible! Give the world a force to reckon with! Play by your rules and your beliefs!


10 reasons to believe in yourself:

1. You are stronger then you know :)
2. Believing in yourself encourages you to make positive choices!
3. It will open up new doors for you!
4. It will lead you down a path towards positive people!
5. Believing will give you the push to strive for something more!
6. It will give you more focus on where you go with your life.
7. You will feel stronger about your abilities
8. You'll challenge yourself to be the YOU, you want to be!
9. You'll bounce back from rejections of others stronger and quicker! 
10. You'll project a stronger image of yourself!

Have a wonderful day!
Stephanie

The early bird catches the worm, but what about the worm?

 

"I think we consider too much the good luck of the early bird and not enough the bad luck of the early worm." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

Have you ever thought about cause and effect? The other day I was talking to a friend about a job she interviewed for. She was hoping that some good luck would rub off on her and she would get the job. Sadly this gal has had a lot of unfortunate activity around her the last few months. Including a job layoff that lead to the reason she was even interviewing. We chatted about how great it would be if she landed the job. Then she started talking about how bummed she would be if she didn't get the job. This lead to us talking about how great the job is and whoever gets it will be very lucky.

Do you ever think of your gain as someone else's lose? Do you ever see the light in someone else gaining something while you lose out when the tables are turned? I've started paying more attention to these very questions and have found that people only tend to pay attention to the good vs. the bad when they are in the good.

Challenge - For every bad thing that happens to you this week try and focus on how it could be positive for someone else. You're the worm here so it may be a little hard, but I know you can do it! Remember a positive outlook on life leads to less stress and far more laughs :)

 

Guilty Pleasure Friday #1

Happy Friday!

I love to cook and I love to try new things. That being said I am a big fan of SIMPLE! So I thought that I would share some of my favorites with you!

My girlfriend shared this recipe with me last fall. It's a great breakfast for those cold fall mornings. Not to mention that aside from the smell of fresh brewed coffee this one is just as yummy! ENJOY!!!

Crockpot oatmeal
Place 2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.
Pour in 2 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.
Do NOT stir.
Cook overnight for 8 - 9 hours on low.

*It also tastes great if you toss in some dried cranberries!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Stephanie

Remembering our past

 

 

Most of us can pretty clearly remember where we were when we heard or saw the news. It was a moment unlike anything many of us had ever experienced. Sadly, many lives were lost. I don't think that 9-11 was all for nothing. During the weeks that followed our nation changed. We united as friends. We spent more time with the ones we loved. Took that extra second to hug goodbye. Our bubble of always counting on tomorrow was popped for the better.

 

I wish that all this was true, but it seems many have forgotten the impact of that sad day. Innocent people died. Moms, dads, siblings, and children all left their home like any other day. They all had no clue that they wouldn't have a tomorrow. If only for today pay tribute to the lives lost, the lives saved, and the amazing men and women who gave what they could by simply enjoying today. Give your love ones a hug, do a good deed, send a friendly smile to a stranger. Let's simply unit for a day! Let's remember that we aren't invincible as much as we all want to pretend we are. We are all only human.

 

To those who lost love ones I pray that you find peace.

 

Never forget!

 

 



Ladies and Facebook

If you're at all like me much of your day to day contact comes via technology. It's become a necessity in my world. As much as I hate to admit it Facebook is a part of my everyday life. On the plus side I no longer have it on my phone. I decided that I need to cut the cords a little :). While surfing the web due to a lovely evening of insomnia I came across an interesting article. It was written in 2012 so it's dated, but still the information is so true and a little funny. It's a really quick read :)

http://www.psmag.com/blogs/news-blog/men-women-use-facebook-differently-48325/

Enjoy!
Stephanie

"I can do this!" - The drive of a toddler

 

 

I never knew that you could learn so much from someone who has been on this earth for such a short time. This three year old little guy has showed me time and time again that sometimes we just have to be brave and cheer ourselves on! The photo above is an example of that.

 

My son has always loved trains. On the way to the boat show we parked in a field near a parked train car. He was so excited to go and see it, until we told him to go alone. Train cars aren't small. They are large, very large to a little guy! The whole time he was walking towards it he kept saying "I can do this." He said it over and over! Once he finally got to the car he turned around a shouted "I did it! I was brave!" and then took off running back to us.

 

I admit I was a proud momma to watch him do something he so badly wanted to do, but was also afraid to do! Life's fears tend to hold us back and it seems the older we get the more we let that fear hold us back. We like our bubble of familiarity!

 

My kids made me want to step out of my bubble. I've tried to become as brave and self motivating as my three year old. It's not an easy task (LOL), but I keep trucking along. I never thought my drive would come from my little's, but I am so blessed that is has!

 

 

"I can do this! I will be brave!" ~ K.C.

Laughing

 

"When you've got nothing left laugh"

 

 

Do you know that laughing is a great source to relief stress and reduce pain? It's also a great way to burn a few calories! Not to mention it helps you focus on the positive instead of the negative. Our day to day lives get busy and sometimes we are all business and no party. We let the stress effect us mentally and physically. I mean when was the last time your stomach hurt from laughing? For most it may actually be a hard moment to recall.

 

Funny how simple things are often the best things for us. I mean sitting down and chatting with a friend or watching a comedy are actually healthy activities for us. It's exercise for the body, mind, and soul!

 

 

Fun laughing facts:

 

• Laughing reduces tension, guilt, and anxiety
• Laughter is contagious
• In social situations women laugh more then men
• Most people can't laugh on command
• Laughter can lower your blood pressure
• Most laughter takes place during a greeting or farewell
• Children laugh roughly 400 times a day and adults on about 15 times a day
• Laughter is a great way to attract the opposite sex
• Laughing is FUN :)

 

 

Here is to many laughs!

 

Stephanie

Wikipedia

I'm sure that most of you know what Wikipedia is. If you're at all like me you have used it to prove your husband wrong LOL. I know that I put little thought into how companies online survive. Wikipedia is just a tool that I use and it's free so that's an extra perk. This morning while looking up the word "ginormous" (to prove to my husband that it was a word and not something I made up.) I noticed this:

"Dear Wikipedia readers: We are the small non-profit that runs the #5 website in the world. We have only 175 staff but serve 500 million users, and have costs like any other top site: servers, power, programs, and staff. Wikipedia is something special. It is like a library or a public park. It is like a temple for the mind, a place we can all go to think and learn. To protect our independence, we'll never run ads. We take no government funds. We survive on donations averaging about $30. Now is the time we ask. If everyone reading this gave $3, our fundraiser would be done within an hour. If Wikipedia is useful to you, take one minute to keep it online and ad-free another year. Please help us forget fundraising and get back to Wikipedia. Thank you."

http://en.wikipedia.org

The big dog here is in fact a small dog. I guess they just have a big bark that landed them the 5th biggest website in the world, but still. I'm not associated with the site at all. I just wanted to bring to your attention that the site is asking for a little help. If this is a tool that you use and you can spare a few bucks please pass along a little kindness.

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”
― Anne Frank, diary of Anne Frank

Looking back - James Russell Lingerfelt

While on Facebook this morning I came across a post on my wall that sparked my interest. Really the title seemed sad, but drew me in none the less. Beautiful advice from a divorced man after 16 years of marriage. The article was his advice after reflecting on his ending marriage. I really thought that he offered up some great advice. Although it's told from a male perspective I think his advice works well for women to remember.

Far too often I think we tend to stop working on our relationships that mean the most to us. Our partners are someone that we see all the time. Day in and day out they are there. We get caught up in the day to day life that we sometimes get lazy. We stop as the article states "dating". I know that I am guilty of getting caught up at times.

Here is the link to the article. It really is a great read and although the reason he wrote this is sad I think he opened a lot of peoples eyes. http://jamesrusselllingerfelt.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/beautiful-advice-from-a-divorced-man-after-16-years-of-marriage/

Out with the OLD & in the with NEW Life's Accessory

Hi!

Welcome to my blog! If you have read my page before, but if your new let me tell you a little about myself and my blog! This blog started as part of my life coaching company. Since the birth of my daughter I closed down my business to better focus on my children. Now that everyone is a little old I have found that I have the time to get back to my blog and am really excited about it!

I am a stay at home mom of two wonderful children! My son is gearing up for preschool and will be 4 this fall. My sweet baby girl just turned 18 months old and is a sweet ball of energy! I'm the mom that takes her kids to the park, plays dolls and transformers, and special pancakes in the morning. I'm also the mom that makes an amazing spaghetti sauce with meatballs, but forgets to buy the noodles. The one who left the house without extra diapers or her wallet in her purse while heading to the grocery store. I'm not perfect, but I try my best and so far the kids are growing up to be pretty amazing :)

I'm married to my best friend and can't believe that 6 years of marriage has already passed. He's my right hand man and the reason I have a smile on my face everyday! He drives me nuts at times, but he loves me and puts up with my good and bad parts. Did I mention he will also come home from a long day at work and make us an amazing dinner while I take a break! Yeah, he's pretty amazing :)

This blog will be about a lot of different things, but the main thing is that it will be POSITIVE! So when you are sipping your morning coffee, grabbing lunch at your desk, or cuddled up with a glass of wine I hope that you leave my page feeling happy and maybe with a little food for thought. Wherever your reading this from I hope that you continue to come check in. Feel free to tell your friends and I always welcome your comments or questions!

Thanks for reading and here is to a wonderful journey!

Always,
Stephanie