Browned Butter Cookie

So, thanks to Houseful of Nicholes, I'm popping in real quick to actually blog.

I know, I know. Please don't pass out from shock.

Anyway, I'm back again this year to play along with #HousefulOfCookies once again this year.

My teen baking!

Now, last year, I made my lovely star Christmas tree. I was so proud of that tree and it's something I love to make. Last year, I entered the Christmas season with energy and vigor and excitement.

This year, has been a bit different. This year I've been feeling not well. There's a lot going on - which is also why I haven't been blogging. I usually bake dozens and dozens of cookies each holiday season. This year I've hardly baked at all. It's hard to balance energy levels, health issues, and trying to do-do-do. I just can't do it all. Or even half.

Mmm ... melted butter

So in an effort to scale back a bit, this year, we went with a simple cookie. Simple because I wanted to contribute to #HousefulOfCookies and because I needed to at least make some cookies this year. It's simple, but so good. And it's got lots of butter. And I love butter.

My 14 year old was my helper. And by helper I mean she basically did almost all the work and I snapped pictures. I told my husband the student has surpassed the teacher. So we are both feeling proud - I like an excellent teacher, and her as an excellent baker.

We (she) produced some excellent cookies. We made some with the fork, and she played with the cookie stamps for quite a few. Experimentation is good and she's never used them before. I might add, she did pretty darn good with them too, but can still work on technique a bit. Still, I didn't even know cookie stamps existed when I was 14!

It was a nice night and the longest part was waiting for the butter to cool down!





Browned Butter Cookies

What you need:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups and a pinch more of flour
Decorating sugar (optional)
Cookie Stamps (optional)

What to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F

2. Melt your butter over medium-high heat. Watch it closely. Allow it to melt and then after a few moments, the butter will start to foam and turn a lovely yellow color.

3. Remove pan from heat and refrigerate for 30ish minutes.

4. In a bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

5. Slowly add in the flower into the mixture and mix until it is well blended.

6. Rub some flour on your hands and roll the dough into 1-inch balls (a small cookie scoop is perfect for this).

7. Roll the balls into decorating sugar (this is optional. I like it both ways - without sugar, it makes for a great cookie to dip in tea or coffee!)

8. Place on cookie sheet and use a fork to flatten them. (Like how you do for peanut butter cookies?)

*OPTIONAL STEP 8. Do not do step 7. Place balls on cookie sheet and use a cookie stamp to flatten them. Add decorating sugar if so desired.

9. Bake 11-14 minutes, or until golden brown (note: they will bake a bit faster without the decorating sugar)

10. Let cool. Eat. Enjoy.

Yield 3-4 dozen

Want more cookie recipes? Look no further than here:
12/1 –Natasha Nicholes – Jan Hagel Dutch Shortbread Cookies 
12/2 – Maple Mellows – Rosie Discovers
12/3 – Partridge in A Pear Tree Pie Cookies – All Dressed Up With Nothing to Drink
12/4 – Chewy Chocolate Cookies with Coffee Glaze – Mama Harris’ Kitchen 
12/5 – Snickerdoodle & Peanut Butter Cake Cookies – Crafty Life
12/6 – German Chocolate Shortbread Cookies – Chewsy Lovers
12/7 – Fruitcake Cookies – So Rae, Me
12/8 – Cake Mix Christmas Cookies – A Real Urban Mom 
12/9 – Snow On the Mountain Cookies – Kitchen Stories Etc.
12/10 – Melt In Your Mouth Nutella Butter Cookies P Thirty 1 
12/11 – The Queso
12/12 – Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies – Hysterical Mom 
12/13 – Chewy Gingerbread Cookies – FoodPlus
12/14- Glazed Lemon Butter Cookies – Mixed Blessings Blog
12/15 – Banana Pina Colada Freestyle Cookies – Socamom  & Gingerbread Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies – Just A Splash of Diva
12/16 –Chocolate Truffles – Houseful Of Nicholes
12/17 – Snowball Cookies – Mixed Prints Life
12/18  Mommy & Me Blessed Macarons – Blessed be the Tie 
12/19 – Eggnog Cookies – Fab Haute Mama

Writing Tour Update

First, forgive me, as I'm a bit late to share this with you!

When I participated in the Blog Tour a few weeks ago, I tagged two fellow bloggers that I love: Angie and Carol Anne. I told you when they answered the questions, that I would share with you!

So here I am, finally remembering to do so!

Carol Anne wrote about it here.
Angie wrote about it here.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to go learn some things about them. I loved reading their posts and learning more about how they write and create.

On another note, I now have in my possession, things that both these amazing ladies created. When I was in chemo, Angie sent me this lovely piece of embroidery. I can't tell you how much it cheered me up and just made me feel so good inside. I was lucky that a lot of people wrapped their arms around me and often sent little notes, cards, books, scarves, gifts to me. And this is one of the lovely items I received. Before we moved, it was in our living room, so I could see it every day! We haven't found a home for it in the new house, but I'm working on it. I snagged a wall and talked to the husband about filling it with all sorts of lovely things that inspire me (as I can see it from my sewing/craft area).

Another thing that will be going on that wall is this lovely cardinal photograph. Carol Anne took this picture and sent me a copy. As I said before, I love her photography and I'm SO excited that I will have one of her gorgeous photographs hanging on my wall. As a bonus, cardinals are extra special to me, so I couldn't ask for a better photograph to put on my wall. It just arrived at the end of last week, so I need to get it framed so I can get it hung!

This connection that I have to both of these woman, who I've never met in person, is real and is deep and I'm so grateful for it. This is the beauty of blogging, of being on twitter, of social media for me - it's the connections I've made with other people. They are priceless. Sometimes things are so different, and yet, there is always something there to connect us. Sometimes there are a lot of things there to connect us and we can joke that we must have been separated at birth! Sometimes I like to joke that my computer is really important to me because all my friends live in it, and while they all don't, a good number of them do. I've got some pretty amazing people in my life because of the internet!

A blog tour

Today I'm doing something a tiny bit different.

A few weeks ago, AnneMarie (of Chemobrain Fog) reached out to me to see if I'd be interested in writing about how I write.

Well, initially I was hesitant. I didn't really think I had much to say about my writing, but it was AnneMarie asking and I knew there had to be more to the story. So, I replied "um, I would"

You see, when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, AnneMarie was one of the first people who reached out to me. She reached out on twitter, where she figuratively held my hand, listened as I vented, worked out the what if's, and became a shoulder to cry on. I can not even adequately put into words just how much she was there for me.

So, when AnneMarie asked, I said yes. Because I knew she would have done the same for me.

So. Here I am today. Participating in this blog tour. Or chain. Call it what you will, but I agree with AnneMarie that chain doesn't feel like the right fit, so a tour I shall call it. On this tour, each blogger answers the same four questions and then passes the torch (metaphorically) to a couple of other bloggers, with the hopes that my readers will go read some new blogs and maybe make a few new friends!

And now, on with the Q&A session:

What am I working on now?

So, um, yeah. Aside from this blog not much. Sometimes I sit down and wonder "do I have a book in me?" Someone once asked me this question and I didn't know how to answer then. I still don't know. Some days I think I absolutely have a book in me. Most days I think, um, maybe a small pamphlet. And the rest of the days I think not at all.

Someday I hope to actually figure it out. Until then, I will continue to write on this blog as life and time allows. If some more writing opportunities come up, and they feel like a good fit, I would consider jumping on them.

How does my writing differ from others of its genre?

My writing is different, I believe, because this isn't a niche blog. I write about pretty much anything and everything. This blog started as way to document the things I had made ... so often the items I hand make are given as gifts, but I wanted to have some record of them. When I started this blog (which was not my first or second one) I didn't even think of myself as a writer at all. I imagined it would be a lot of pictures with a little writing. But I quickly began writing more - more descriptions about the pictures, then I started to post when I didn't have pictures. It still took my a long time to think of myself as a writer. In fact, it was just this calendar year that I said for the first time, when asked what I do, that I write. And what do I write about? Well, everything!

I don't consider my writing scholarly, or researched. It is more of what I think blogging was born out of: web log. Yes, the word blog comes from web log, a log of things on line, that was shortened to blog. This is my log, of how I'm feeling on any given day, of what I'm making on any given day, what I've cooked, what I've read, what I'm watching on tv, where we've been, where I want to go, etc, etc.


More on the side of diary, without being a here's-my-deepest-darkest-secret-diary, but just what's going on at that moment.

Why do I write what I do?

Um, mostly, I write what I write because I can. Does that make sense?

It's kind of however the spirit moves me when I sit down. When AnneMarie first asked me to write about my writing process, I told her I would (as I said above) but added "But my writing process isn't so much a process as throwing up words."

It's what I consider a pretty accurate description of what I do. There are all these thoughts bouncing around in my head, and I come here to get them out. As a said about, this is my log. Some days it's wordy and moving. Some days it's "I ate today. The end."

How does my writing process work?

Can I say, see above, because if so, guys, see the above answer.

In that vein, and because this is not academic work, I do not usually proofread my work. Most days I forget to spell check it.

It's probably something that drives people reading this crazy. Occasionally, someone will point out when I've made a typo that makes it hard to understand what I'm trying to say. I am immensely grateful for this! I know I should proofread, but on the same vein of thinking of this a a log, a dairy, etc, I wouldn't spell check my diary, so I don't think to do it here.

That said, and kind of a side note, I LOVE (and I mean REALLY love) to proofread other people's work. I'm really good at it. I used to love that part of writing for academic purposes. Actually, I loved all the parts of writing a research paper. I've often said that I could handle doing research for other people. Especially if I got to use note cards. A lot of them. Arranged just perfectly. But, I digress ...

I'm okay with being really relaxed on here. It's me. This is my space. My home so to speak. And while you are here, you should feel free to take your shoes off, kick your feet off, and relax with me!


And with that, the Q&A session is over.

Now, I get to introduce you to some bloggers you might not have read before. This was hard because I know a LOT of bloggers. How do I just pick a couple? I'd highlight them all, but, I'm guessing you don't have a million hours to spend reading this!

First I'd like to introduce you to Carol Anne. Carol Anne and I first met on twitter. Then I read her blog. Then we became friends on facebook. We've never met in person. I've never been able to give her hug - though I hope someday I can. Carol Anne is an amazing friend ... always there, always kind, always so caring. She's given me a lots of awesome advice and been a great person to vent to.

Carol Anne also is a phenomenal photographer. I LOVE looking at her pictures. (Go, and look at this awesome frozen bubble picture she took) And she has such a wonderful way of writing. You should go and check her out!

The second person I'd like you to meet is Angie. Angie and I also became friends over twitter. {side note: I do have friends outside of twitter, but I'm so grateful for twitter's ability to connect me with so many wonderful people}. Angie writes so beautifully. She writes openly and honestly about life - the struggles and the moments that just make you smile. She shares poetry and photographs. And, as cheesy as it is to say it, she shares a piece of her heart.

And of course, don't forget AnneMarie, who I mentioned up above and tapped me to be a part of this whole thing. She did this tour last week, and you can find her responses here. Carol Anne and Angie will play along next week, and if I can remember, I'll link you to them!

Friday Fun

I've done this before occasionally, but decided it was time to do it again!

Here are some things I've seen around the internet that make me smile =)

Rustic Burlap Wreath from Too Much Time On My Hands

I'd love to try to make this for my house. It's just gorgeous!

Harvest Time Apron from Primitive Quilt Shop. I'd love to have this to wear while making applesauce or pumpkin pie. Well, okay, assuming I was actually going to make those things!

Capture Life Necklace from The Rusted Chain. Sigh. It's just fun and nice! Also, I've met Beki before and she is simply lovely.

Double Rope Braid Bun from The Beauty Department. My oldest has started dance classes and she must have a bun for ballet. We actually did this to her hair and it turned out great.

And two outfits from Title Nine that I'm dreaming of owning. Especially the red boots that match the red outfit. Sigh. A girl can dream can't she?

Have a great weekend everyone! =)

Some Pretty

This has been a heavy week around these parts - at least that is how it has felt to me. So I thought what better way to end the week than to share some of the pretty things I've seen around the web recently!

The first item comes from Tender Lane Etsy Store. I can't lie. I love this dress. I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I thought it would fit me. And no, I have NO idea where I would wear it to. But? If I got it? I think I might wear it just around the house. And feel pretty!

Next up is another etsy find. It comes from Charlotte Lyons. It is a gorgeous embroidery pattern. I can picture so many places this would just look so cute in my house. But, the truth is I need to start a new project about as much as I need another hole in my head.

Now to this lovely sweater that Stephanie of Adventures in Babywearing whipped up for her daughter. I love it! Also, I wish it came larger. I think my 9yo would love it. And oh yeah, I would love it too! 

Even though I'm not planning a wedding, I pulled this idea from My Bride Idea. I love it. It's so simple yet beautiful. These may be centerpieces at a party I throw later this year. Or I might just put a couple on our dining room table to make dinner more lovely. 

And with Valentine's Day coming up, I thought this pillow from U Create was absolutely lovely. I'd love to tell you I have plans to whip it up this weekend. But I don't think I'll get around to that. I can dream about it though! 

Hope you enjoyed the pretty as much as I have. And also? None of the photos are mine ... if you click the picture it will take you to the original blog post/etsy listing/etc =)

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

WIWOMH 10/17

So today I am wearing this cute hat

This hat was made for me by grannie. Grannie is LouCeeL's mom. Grannie was the first person to knit me a hat and has given my quite a few of them. And then Lou kindly delivers them to me. My 9yo also loves grannie's hats and tries to steal mine all the time! {Also, Lou has a lovely picture of me modeling another hat grannie made for me here}

Anyway, in very cool news, last week Grannie opened an etsy shop! She has a lovely purple scarf in there now and I hope she'll add more things. And that you'll go check out her shop. Because she is very nice and her knitting is wonderful! =)

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful new year and that 2011 is a wonderful year for you and your family. I hope that whatever year 2010 was for you, that you have some really great memories to hold onto in your heart from it.

Although my 2011 is starting with a lot of sadness, we still rang the new year in in a good way. Which was nice. And better than sitting at home doing nothing (which was our other option). We drove about 5 hours into Wisconsin and hung out with my dad's side of the family. 3 males in the family are getting married this year - all to nice fiances I think. So there was lots of hanging out and a surprise game like the old Newlyweds game - and they were all great sports about it. The kids played, I talked, snapped a few pictures, relaxed a bit and had a lovely evening.

Of course, at midnight we all gathered and sand Auld Lang Syne and welcomed 2011. I took my traditional midnight photograph of the kids. (on a related note the first time they are not with me on new year's eve, not being able to snap this picture will be the saddest part of it. I might have to make them promise to get a friend to take the picture!!) I've done this every year since my oldest was 2 months old! Even taking it of them if they are sleeping! Or if they happen to be 5 and overtired and not very cooperative at the time (ahem. You'll see!)








Anyway, happy new year! =)

Also, head on over to Dupage Mamas to see why I won't be making resolutions this year!

Some Lovely Soap ...

Look what arrived in my mailbox a few days ago:

Can you tell what's in there? {Also, note, it's not wrapped in plastic, which makes me smile lots!} Anyway, it's a lovely bar of soap from my friend over at Nothing But Soap. Sent me some lavender soap and I love it!

I love how it smells (nice, but not strong, which is good because strong smelling products and I are not a good mix LOL!).

Her etsy shop is full of lots of great soaps and a few extras! You can get a lovely little gift set

I know December is ticking by (and going faster every day!) but I think this would be a great teacher gift or a nice stocking stuffer. Or you know, you could get one and send it to your favorite blogger ;-) And there is still time to order some. And then, order some for you too. Because I know you've worked hard this holiday season getting everything all set so you could use a little bit of pampering =)

Anyway, head on over to Nothing But Soap and check it out. =)

*Disclosure: I was given this bar of soap by my friend. I decided to share it with you. I am not being compensated for this and all opinions are my own. =)

What a week.

It's been quite the week around here. Mostly because of some majorly raging hormones on my part. Which sucks for my family and well, anyone who has to talk to me! Someday I will have to write more about that, but for now just know this week had some highs and lows.

Thankfully, yesterday it all seemed to go back to normal. Just in time too. Because last night I got to go out to dinner with Kim and Tracey! And if you don't know them, go check out their blogs when you are done reading here, because these two ladies are wonderful and fabulous! And can I just tell you how awesome it was to get out of the house and chat with them?

In some fun news, Kim is house-hunting and starting a new vlog series that I think is awesome! It's called Property Sluts (but don't worry, it's less tame than it sounds!) and I think you should watch it. Tracey was talking about how she got her tickets to Blogher (umm, why yes, I am jealous!) but still has to cover airfare, so you know, feel free to sponsor her should you be looking for an awesome person! =) Other than that we just chit-chatted. I kept interrupting (completely unintended too, I swear, I really am not a horribly rude person I think I was just overcome with joy about getting to talk to adults! At a restaurant! With no kids around!) And dinner was just yum too (we ended up going to Sweet Tomatoes - and oh my. It was my first time and I hope I get the chance to go back soon!) Also, I got something fun to bring home and try out, and should I like it, I'll tell you all about it soon!

In some other fun news, tomorrow I'm going to host a craft day here. Just a few ladies are coming over. I have one planned for December too. I hope they go well, this I something I'd like to do every month or at least every-other month. Because it is much more fun to make things with company then without company. So hopefully I'll have some fun reports about that to share with everyone.

Speaking of stuff coming up - I do have one very exciting thing coming up that I can't wait to share and talk about. And then one warning, there are some really awesome give-away's going around (in time for holidays I guess?) that require some blog posts about them. I promise not to turn the blog into post after post, but a few are too sweet to pass up, and at least one of them will extend the prize to anyone who comments on the winner's post.

Aside from that, just working away on making things. And reading. And trying to keep the house a little bit clean. And needing to feed everyone ;-) Hope you all have a great weekend! =)

Some ideas ....

Since I've been doing not much the last few days, I have had ample time to plan projects I will work on when I am feeling better (good news though - it's not strep but I'm taking antibiotics so I should be a-okay for my little overnight this weekend!!)

First of all, you know how I love my cloth napkins? Well, maybe you don't know it yet, but let me tell you I do. I just love them. And I cam across these embroidered napkins and oh my - I will have to add something similar to my cloth napkin basket!

I hope you'll click over to Subu - because she has a link to more pictures on flickr and seriously I think I drooled a little looking at them!

Next up - colored jars. Because I also love jars (yes, I did buy blue ball jars at a garage sale last year just because they were blue and I thought they were gorgeous! And also, one of my sisters did tease me about it!) but these jars are gorgeous - so this year I will be searching garage sales just for plain old clear jars so that I can turn them into this:

I found this idea over at Gingerbread Snowflakes and I just think they are lovely. There is a complete tutorial over there - so if you think these are as gorgeous as I do, click on over and learn how to make them. It really looks simple. And I can't wait to dress up my table and possibly the deck with some of these. And yes, we have started a new tradition of having candlelight on our dinner table almost every night, so it will be nice to have some new candle holders!

I would like to knit myself this:

It's from the newest issue of Knitscene - which I did treat myself too a few weeks ago. I know summer is coming up and it's not exactly summer wear - but if I knit it over the summer, it will be ready to go this upcoming fall!

I've also got some sewing books checked out for the library that I am excited to make some things out of!

And also, I'm thinking of mixing some of hte great patterns at Urban Threads with a few of these

for some baby gifts I need to start working on. Which will seriously be a lot of fun for me to work on!

My First Tweet Up!

This weekend I was invited to attend my very first tweet-up.

It was a LOT of fun! It was sponsored by UL and I'm so glad they reached out and invited us!

We talked about ways to be safe this holiday season and then the kids were able to make some wreaths!



And then, surprise! Santa stopped by to visit with us! This was quite unexpected and a big hit with almost all the children. (My 10 year old is now too old to sit on Santa's lap - which I admit depressed me, but I didn't want to push the issue with her).



My 7 year old, however, is simply in love with Santa and was SO happy to see him! And she had to show him her wreath when it was done



The 3 year old wasn't sure at first, but then moved his chair next to Santa and took a few pictures (although, he never managed to get on Santa's lap, but that's okay!)



As a bonus, I was able to meet Kim (who blogs at Hormone-Colored Days) for the first time face-to-face. We connected through The Motherhood originally and then through twitter, so it was nice to actually talk without a screen!

All in all, it was a lovely day and I'm so glad we decided to head down there! =)

Sneak Peeks!

This time of the year is always hardest for me to blog about. I'm working on gifts, and yet, don't necessarily want to share pictures of the gifts, since you never know who is reading this blog (and one time I showed a picture before giving it away and the receiver guessed! LOL!)

So, today you just end up with a few sneak peaks!

I have officially finished one project:



It turned out so well, I admit I will be sad giving it away. I will have to make one for myself after the holidays!

The second project has been started and is coming along so nicely ...



Now, it won't take many of you long to figure out what it is, but at least this way, you can't see how it is looking just yet.

The i-touch has been an important part of my crafting thus far, so I decided to throw it in the picture - because, really, there wasn't much else to show you! LOL!

I've been listening to episodes of Craft Sanity while working away. I'm on episode 60 right now - which is with Amanda Soule Blake, also known as Soule Mama and who I completely idolize and so wish I could be like her!!

I have declared this next upcoming week a major crafting week. I will attempt to get as many things done as possible from Monday through Friday. Tuesday and Friday I will have friends over and will get to craft with company - which is always so much fun! There is also going to be Craft Day on twitter Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll be over there a lot probably.

Raw Food

So there is this whole raw food movement.
I've heard twitters about here and there, but never thought much of it. The kids aren't too picky, but you know, they are still somewhat picky.
But today, I read about this

over at Crunchy Domestic Goddess and had to eat it. And also, it's hot. And I didn't want to cook LOL!

Thankfully we had everything I needed to make it. Except sun-dried tomatoes. So I searched and I searched on-line. And since 99% of recipes for the marinara sauce needed sun-dried tomatoes, I started to give up hope. But I found one.

I know now why there is only one. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either. My family was pretty freaked out that we could eat zucchini as pasta - which was awesome! But the kids didn't eat much. Dh had double helpings (small ones though) and said the sauce kind of killed it for him.

I do, however, have my family's permission to try it again if I can find a better sauce recipe. Amy assures me if I try the same recipe she tried (and is the one that 99% of other people use!) that it will be a much bigger hit.


Last night I made some quinoa tabbouleh that didn't go over so well either. (Way too spicy, even for me!). One child at dinner noted tonight that "I'm so glad we get to go grandma's house tomorrow for dinner. She won't make us try new stuff." Yeah, I laughed at it! But hey, at least we tried.

I will try the zucchini pasta again, and I will try the tabbouleh again too - a less spicy version I hope. Because that we ate in warmed pita pockets, and seriously, if it were toned down a bit, it would have been pure joy to eat!

So blessed!

Where would I be had I not discovered blogging? I know my blog isn't famous, and only on rare days do more than 10 people read this blog, but you know what? I love it. I love it for so many reasons. Most of them are the people you get to meet, the lives you get to know, the connections you make with others through these blogs.

Yeah, I'm getting mushy, I know! But you see I've been given some blog awards lately and I'm so grateful for them.

Christine and Jenjen have both given me the Lovely blog award

The rules are: Accept the award, and post it on your blog, along with the name of the person who bestowed it and a link to his or her blog. Pass the award on to 15 blogs that you have newly discovered. Remember to notify the bloggers that they have been chosen for this award.

Jenjen, also kindly gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award!

So consider yourself the receiver of two blog awards today! =)

Sarah of Mom's Knitting ... Again
Homejewels of Home's Jewels
Becki of Nervous Girl
Tina of My Open Book
Lisa of Books List Life
Wool Winder of Wool Windings
Lu of Hyperactive Lu
Sarah of In The Midst of It
Thrifty Florida Mom
Cluck and Tweet - and it goes to both of them =)
Beki of Pampering Beki
Jill of Charming and Delightful
Deborah of Indigo Jones Studio (I'd also like to point out her handbags rock. My daughters have one. I'm jealous.)

For these, and so many other blogs, I am constantly amazed, inspired, blessed, smiling, and just looking forward to my time on-line! =)

Okay, on my computer hte links are showing up very faint and hard to read. I've tried to change it. I'm hoping it's just off on my screen and you can all read it fine. If not, I'm sorry :(

Great Giveaways

Over here

Go enter!! I entered two so far ... I hope I win! LOL =)

A wish list ....

I had stumbled upon YouCanMakeThis.com a little bit ago and then promptly forgot about it.
Today, being that I still am not feeling that great and had yet another bad day, I went back to the site and created a pretty decent wish list!
Anyway, if you are on the lookout for patterns or how-to's in the form of e-books, go visit the site and take a gander at my wish list because I think I have some pretty good items on it LOL!

Hello

Happy Memorial Day to everyone who reads this blog.
And a big thank you to everyone who has served our country, or is currently serving our country. And also a big thank you to the families who stay at home while loved ones serve. I can not even imagine what a sacrifice it is for everyone involved. I am truly grateful for it.

For those of you who would like to reach out and help soldiers and/or their families, please visit Soldiers' Angel to find out how you can help!

Everyone have a safe, happy, and healthy memorial day!

Contest!

My friend, over at 30 Accomplishments While 30 is hosting not 1, but 2 contests right now!

One is an Earth Day giveaway aimed at the adults in the house - here
and one is an Earth Day giveaway aimed at the kiddos - here

So go share what you are doing to help the Earth and enter the giveaways! Good luck everyone =)

Back again today!

Two posts in one day .... that's amazing!

Anyway, thanks for all the nice comments I've been getting. Because, well, I like comments and LOVE nice ones! They make me smile - and remind me I have been very bad about leaving comments myself lately so I really need to step it up (I used to make it a point to leave at least one comment a day and I have not been doing that lately :-( )

But really, what I wanted to say was I just found a new hero ... go meet her here. The premise of her blog: to not shop for a year (except the necessities like food and clothing). AND not only are they not shopping but she is going through and doing some serious decluttering of her house. Seriously, I am so in awe. I mean, we have greatly reduced our shopping, but it was really because of financial reasons. We wouldn't be doing it just to stop bring all the crud into our house. Seriously go read about it because it rocks. (and now I am really motivated to declutter our house more!) She also has another blog here which is a GREAT blog as well. And I found her through The Motherhood Blog ticker so we'll call this reason 4,691 that I love The Motherhood! =)

What I want ...

Just for fun ... a few of the items on my wishlist

The Emmaline Apron Sewing Pattern <-- already="" and="" bought="" can="" caved.="" eying="" fabric="" figure="" for="" get="" here.="" i="" it="" just="" m="" my="" one.="" ones="" out="" pattern="" s="" span="" stash="" t="" the="" this="" to="" treat.="" use="" wait="" what="" yeah="">
Reading Pillow Pattern
Think Outside the Bottle
The Creative Family
Bend the Rules Sewing
Simply In Season Cookbook
More with Less Cookbook
The Pink Chocolate Stripe Bag
Netflix
Ergo Baby Carrier

Have a great day!