crack-a-lackin

It's amazing what chronic pain does for ones mood.

For years, I've struggled off and on with spine issues of some sort.

About a month ago I ended up in the ER with extreme low back pain.  Now, I've given birth naturally--twice and this back pain exceeded that tenfold.  It hurt so bad it brought me to tears and then it hurt to cry.  The pain was the worst physical pain I've had--ever.  But after the low came the high... My neck has been bothering me for months now...and not just a little bit.  Let me esplain something to you all.  I'm tough.  Physically tough.  When I was a kid and they gave inoculations in school, I was the tough kid who not only didn't cry, but watched them give me the shot. I was the arm wrestling champion.  I was the dare devil who broke both arms trying to beat the record.  I was the one who did dead men drops off the top of the swing set, not just the cross bar. As mentioned before, I gave birth naturally.  Maybe it's the 1/16th Cherokee Indian in me, I don't know, but I'm tough... ...maybe to a fault.

rug time blues--Homemade Jeans Rug

I'm cheap.

I am a do-it-yourself-er because I'm cheap.

I think if I were rolling in the dough, I'd still be cheap.

ok, fruuuuugal.


So, in our entry way, we need a rug.

Have you priced new rugs lately?  Ridiculous.  I'm not paying that kind of money for something we wipe our feet on.

I've pinned a lot of DIY rugs that involve some kind of hula hoop loom, big crochet hook, old sheets, old t-shirts etc., in hopes of finding one that I could make myself.  Yeah, I'm not a crochet-er, or knitter or hula hoop weaver, but I do sew.

Here's my train of thought on this project...  All aboard?

ice ice baby

I'm so ready for summer!!

How about you? 

It's always about this time of the year that I'm plotting out my garden,

thinking about summer vacation, longing for flip flops, airy summer dresses, vitamin D, and warm breezes.

a spoon full of sugar...

I'm ill today.  The dreaded mahocus I think is the technical term.  It has rendered me useless.

All I want is a Coke.  A Coke and a smile.

what a crock!

You know the old saying, "one mans trash is another mans treasure"?  It's soooooooooooo true!

It's true for women too!

It was a dark and cold night, our neighbors were tired, weary, sick of moving, out of room and out of time...

All perfect ingredients for scoring someone's stuff!

I squinted to see what I thought was an old crock sitting by the city trash can, alone, dejected, abandoned and practically begging me to rescue it.

I asked the lady of the house, (yep still watching DA) if she was throwing that out.  To my horror and glee, she said yes.  "I'LL TAKE IT if you're throwing it out" I exclaimed, hardly able to control my excitement from this serendipitous good fortune.

She said I could have it, it was old (antique) and that she liked it but, it wasn't really her style and that it was really dirty and she whispered that it might even have mouse droppings in it.  I'm pretty sure all  I heard was a chorus of Angels from Heaven.

you take the piano, I'll take the bench

So, after I took apart my new piano (that's another story) and put it back together, I thought it was time to  recover the bench.

new year revolutions

I don't do new years resolutions.

Maybe I should, but I just think it's the worlds way and I don't do things the worlds way if I can help it...you know like losing a ton of weight, or something big and nearly impossible (at least that's how it seems to me).  Or to organize my whole life.  Yeah right, that's gonna be life long task--or at least until the children leave the nest...

I, however, want to have more fun.

I have discovered that I'm a stick in the mud.

I'm not adventurous.  I am a home body.  If I had my druthers, I'd stay in.  A LOT.

So...

I vow to have more fun this year.

ring in wild bells!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I rang in the new year in the drive way of my moms house.  Where were you?

I and my family partied at my sisters house and I  just found out on facebook that she didn't take any pictures.  (SHE'S the photographer!).  I didn't take any either even though I brought my camera.  

So there is no proof that we partied hearty, but believe me we did.

We played a fun Mormon newlywed game and I learned that I am not actually able to read my hubby's mind.  hmpf!  For not being able to read his mind though, we tied for first place.  I think four other couples did too...  We had to start playing that game because at one point, we were all looking at our phones, sharing photo's from our phones, on the new laptop,  tablets or some other form of electronic distraction when we realized how lame we all were.

Everybody brought snacks and it was a veritable snack feast!  We had yummy hot dips, and meatball subs (that I didn't get a chance to try),chips & salsa, crackers and easy cheese (wouldn't be a party without it) cookies, m&m's--peanut, peanut butter AND plain, soda pop and sparkling cider.  I think I saw plastic champagne flutes for the toasting in the new year, but we were the party poopers and when the first child was out, we decided to go. We had a half hour drive and were fading fast.  We were en route when the clock struck midnight.  All three kids had fallen asleep at this point and didn't care to be woken up just to be told that it was the new year and look at the fire works.

So I and the hubby hauled the sleeping kids in, got them in bed, went to our own, promptly wished the world a happy new year on facebook and fell asleep.

I hope that this year brings us all prosperity, good fortune, good health, good luck, good relationships, peace, happiness, and a grundle of creativity.

HAPPY 2013 EVERYONE AND TO ALL A GOOD NAP!

cherry tart

I didn't have time, (or didn't make time) to get any baking done before Christmas so during Christmas break I am doing some Valentines baking...

...the easy way.

First, you buy store bought crust, and store bought pie filling.

Yes, sigh, you've got me, this isn't all exactly homemade, but the pie filling said that it's a new formula--it doesn't use High Fructose Corn Syrup and it is now and always has been gluten free so it's gotta be wholesome.

Right?

So today we baked a wholesome and homemade treat.

Cherry Tarts.  That's what I'm calling them.

These little treats can be for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines  (balemtimes as my four year old calls it) or when ever you just want a delicious treat.


Let me show you...

down time

Here are a  few scenes from our Christmas morning...