Please take a seat

One of the Christmas gifts that we (my hubby really) got this year was a saw. And I am so excited to use it. I have been wanting to add a window seat to our kitchen for a while now. We do not have bay windows, just a regular ole wall with two windows that overlook our back yard.

Here's some inspiration for the project...

I love the drawers on this one

I love that this one has open cubbies and drawers for versatility

So classic

Ours won't have the wrap around effect but I'm lovin it...

I'm hoping that we can tackle this project this weekend (maybe I should let the hubby know), I am gettin excited!

Burns Night Baby

Two weekends ago Mike & I went to Dallas to go to Burn's Night with his family.

I realize I have some explaning to do since most of the world has no idea what Burn's Night is. My husband's family is scottish and once a year we attend a dinner to honor Robert Burns who was a famous Scot. He was a poet and is most known for writing Auld Lang Syne ( the New Year's Eve song). Anyway it's a fun night that I am honored to be a part of.

THe night in pics...

Me & Mike

My sister & brother in law

Me & my favorite Mike's cousin

We had a great night, til next year...

Just another Rainy day...

I am REALLY ready for the sun to come out. All last week it was cold and dreary and rainy...The sun came out yesterday afternoon and I was so excited. After work I went for a walk/run (Yeah baby, that's one goal that is on track) and it was sooo nice to be outside. Then I wake up this morning and it is gross AGAIn! Rainy, foggy, and yucky- ick! Is there a point to winter, I mean really what is the point. I miss the sun...

SO since my outside goals are hard to accomplish in this nastiness called winter, I have been focusing on inside things.

I have started my third book of the year:

Half Broke Horses by: Jeanette Walls.

She is the author that wrote my favorite book I read last year The Glass Castle

I loooooved the Glas Castle and hoghly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. Half Broke Horses has started pretty good and I am excited that I am on track with my goal and that this book seems promising.

Silhouette

I just entered to win a Silhouette and this fantastic blog that I follow House of Smith's.

Best wedding Gift ever?

In my stack of bills that I was going through today I stumbled upon a bridal shower invitation. I immediately stopped what I was doing and went to look at what the happy couple had registered for. I LOVE to see what people want when they are starting a new life together, but it's always sooooo hard for me to decide which thing to get them. While I understand that all these things really are necessary to set up a home, I think the majority of them are kinda boring.
I want to get her something that will make her smile from ear to ear...

Do people really get excited about cookie sheets and glasses. That's not what gets me going...so here is the question of the day...What is the best wedding / shower present that you received?

Accountability

Update: today is Jan 11 and I have finished two books. WOOHOO! At least one goal is on track. The second book that I read was An Object Of Beauty by: Steve Martin. I did not enjoy it. I think Steve Martin is a very funny man, I love Father of the Bride and watch him anytime I can catch him on a Saturday Night Rerun, but I am not a fan of his writing.

So now I need to decide what my next book will be, any suggestions? Have you read any good books lately?

On a seperate note, I really need for the weather to warm up, these freezing temps are making it super hard for me to keep up with my training schedule.

Mommy's have meltdowns too...right?

This morning was NOT my finest moment. UGH! From the outside looking in I probably resembled not a 30 year old but a 3 year old by my meltdown...

Let me preface this by saying that I am not now nor have I ever been a morning person. I have a hard time getting myself out the door.
IT started with me getting up later than I should have and went down hill from there.

It was thirty minutes till hubby and the kids needed to be out the door to be on time for school.


Keddie was playing his DS, still in his pj's and hadn't had breakfast.
Langston was still asleep.






The two of them have REALLY been trying my patience lately with their refusal to listen to me and this morning it all caught up with me.



Langston woke up refusing to go to the potty (Oh yeah, did I mention we started potty training?) I sat him on the potty and sat with him for a while in the bathroom. He refused to go. We went into the boy's room to get dressed and he peed on the floor. Not 30 seconds after he got off the potty. GRRRRR

About that time Keddie came in and wouldn't get dressed because he was cold. Well put some clothes on and you won't be cold, but what do I know. He started whining and wouldn't get clothes to get dressed. Langston ran away from me so I couldn't put on his pull-up right as Keddie stepped in Langston's pee on the carpet. .

I should have just walked away. But I didn't...
I started to yell, I spanked, I completely lost my composure and lost my temper.

Ultimately I did walk away leaving my husband to deal with them and get them out the door.
I'm sitting here thinking when my kids are older is that how theya re going to remember me, as the mom who got mad and yelled? Did I emotionally scar them in some way? Pretty dramatic, I know, but these are my thoughts...

But now, as I sit here at work unable to focus, I am weighed down by this mommy guilt. In that moment I set a horrible example for my kids and taught them that it's okay to lose your temper. That's not what I want them to learn from me. I know that I am not the only one familiar with "mommy guilt" but sitting here right now I can't think of a worse way that I could have handeled this morning.

Looking back, I learned from this morning that I have no patience when I feel rushed, so our morning routine is going to have to start earlier. Also, that Keddie gets overwhelmed when he has to pick an outfit from his entire closet, I can help this by giving him options to choose from. Maybe were not ready to potty train yet, yes I said we. Langston and I BOTH have to be ready, and I'm not so sure that I am. And tomorrow is a new day.

Goal # 2

How am I to accomplish my goals that require me to be outside when the temp is 39 and dropping? Some of you may be thinking that's not so bad, but there's no sun shine either. It's just a cold, miserable, dreary kind of day.


Which brings me to my second goal for the new year.......on the edge of your seat, I know,
I am going to do a 10K. Notice I didn't say "run" a 10K.

The date is 3/12/11

The event is the Bayou City Classic

The emotion of the day is terrified

As I am typing this I'm thinking did I really commit to do a 10K? I must be crazy!

Not only did I commit but I already registered so I can't back out.

So my plan to accomplish this goal is to get started on the couch to 10K in 10 weeks plan. (Well actually I started it on Saturday) and I only have 9 weeks to go.

Which brings me back to it being toooooo cold to be outside... I guess I'm gonna have to hit the gym and hit the treadmill...

Continuing words of encouragement will be needed from here on out!

Yucky weekend...Yummy treats

What to do on a cold and rainy day.. waaaayyy too cold to go out and we all had cabin fever.

We needed something to do, let's make cupcakes!

Aren't they cute in their chef outfits? (thanks Grannita)

Langston spent most of his time baking in his play kitchen.

He measured out all the ingredients, and filled each cupcake all by himself.

waiting, waiting, are they done yet?

He was so proud of himself

&

they were YUMMY!

Off to a good start

So, one of my personal goals this year is to read more.

Pretty specific, huh?

The experts say the way to success is to get specific. So my specific goal is to read two books a month. By my calculations it should be a breeze since I read (most of the time) one book club selection a month, now I just add one book of my choosing to the mix.

This was my first "fun" book

I HEART Chelsea Handler. She is my sunshine on a cloudy day, she always makes me laugh. I love her level of inappropriateness that she exudes. This was the perfect book to get me started on my goal.

Now I feel like I should tell you she is not for everyone and would probably offend alot of you, so be forewarned...

Now off to finish my book club book...An Object of Beauty by: Steve Martin. I'lllet you know how it goes.

Resolutions vs Goals

Happy new years, here's hoping that 2011 is a whole lot better than 2010!

So, I have been doing a lot of self reflection trying to figure out the missing link. For a while now I have felt like someting is missing, not necessarily something huge but something. So in an effort of self- discovery I decided why not try and do things differently than before in an attempt to find what's missing...balance

Which brings me toresolutions and goals, people say don't make resolutions, make goals, but from where I'm reading, they seem pretty similar to me.

res·o·lu·tion: 
1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made,
2. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
3. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.

VS

goal:
1. the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

Maybe you have a resolution and then you take steps towards making it happen (like making a plan) and that's when it becomes a goal?...?

So I am going to make some goals...things that I have been wanting to do or feel like I should do...maybe I could have a goal for each week or each month....

I don't know how I'm gonna do it but stay tuned... I'll let you know.

2011 is gonna be the year that I make things happen!

Today is the day...the sad sad day that my mom moves away...

This morning she came and said her goodbyes and started her long drive to her new home...Nevada.

yes, that Nevada, half-way across the country Nevada,

two days drive Nevada...

Don't get me wrong, I am happy for her that she is getting the new start that she has been desiring for so long now, but I don't know that I can put into words how much I will miss her.

she makes me laugh...

This is my mom when she got her check after her house sold...she was really excited

She is the best mom...

She is a great grandma & friend to my boys...
Always willing to goof off with the grandkids...


she is my babysitter,
my seamstress,
my cook (sometimes),
my soundingboard,
my mom

We will miss her!

So, here's counting down the days until she comes to visit...

65 days and counting...