Muir Family Menu #1

Having a busy little guy crawling and destroying my house makes for some pretty busy days! After cleaning up blocks for the 200th time, wiping a boogey nose, changing a bum, sweeping up peas and scrubbing down the highchair, this mom tends to get a little hungry/tired/irritable :) It happens to the even the best moms out there, I'm sure! Well on a crazy day filled with all this fun stuff, the LAST thing I want to do is come up with dinner ideas. And how frustrating is it when you do decide on a delicious dish only to find that you don't have 3 of the key ingredients?! I'm sure there are a few of you that totally understand my frustration at a time like this.

What to do, what to do?!

Well....in my most recent attempt to return to my Clean Eating lifestyle, (if you want to learn more about what Clean Eating is all about, go here or here) I have decided that the only way I can keep on track and avoid those Carl's Jr. quick-trips, is to plan out my menu in ADVANCE!

Genius. I know.

In chattin' with my family, I've found they are all struggling with the same thing here lately. Everyone seems to be stuck in a rut with their recipes and are looking to try something new. Kyle and I love to try new recipes and I have found quite a few blogs or websites that have TONS of recipes, complete with pictures. (I'm a picture girl...what can I say.) And I have collected a bunch of delicious looking pictures/recipes on my Pinterest. Follow me on Pinterest, or click HERE to check out my collection, although almost NONE of those recipes are Clean. However, I haven't found a recipe yet that I couldn't make clean by swapping out a few ingredients.

So, to make things easier for my family, I have decided to post our family Menus here on the blog. The menu will be for a 2 week period. I try to include some of the same ingredients making grocery shopping a little easier. These posts will be the Menu laid out with links to the pages that have the recipes on them. If it is a family favorite recipe, I'll write it out.

Keep in mind, these recipes are Clean for my family. I highly recommend trying the Eat Clean lifestyle for a couple weeks and see how much better you feel. The basics of Eating Clean include avoiding processed food (ie. white sugar, white flour, etc.) and include eating plenty of protein, fresh fruits and veggies. It's Healthy eating at it's finest. If you choose not to Eat Clean, however, these recipes may give you some ideas.

Also, if the recipe calls for fresh ginger, or a clove of garlic and you have powdered....USE IT! Just season to taste with it. Fresh is tasty but there is nothing wrong with using what you have on hand.

I hope you enjoy!

Muir Family Menu - #1

TUES:Cheesy Chicken Rice Bake from Tasty Kitchen

WED:Tosca's Keep-It-Tight Tilapia from Tosca Reno @ the Eat Clean Diet w/ veggies

THURS: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches w/ Crunchy Sweet Potato Fries from Farr Cleaner Life  Crockpot for 6 hours: 1 Pork Roast, diced onion, BBQ sauce of choice
   Shred pork roast, add to whole wheat buns, Enjoy :)

FRI: Eat Clean Pizza, Crust and Sauce from The Gracious Pantry, Top with veggies of choice & cheese. *We put green bell pepper, tomato, red onion, turkey sausage, and mozz cheese on ours :) YUM!

SAT: Sweet Pork Tacos  - whole wheat tortillas, black beans, diced tomato, lettuce, cilantro, cheese, Fat Free sour cream, salsa
Crockpot for 6 hours: 1 Pork Roast, 1 Lg can Green Enchilada Sauce, 1 can green chiles, 1 cup Brown Sugar
Shred pork roast in juice, Enjoy! *We always put half of the roast in a freezer bag for a quickie meal later on or lunches.

SUN: Fettucine Alfredo w/ Grilled Chicken, Sauce from The Gracious Pantry, 2 grilled chicken breasts seasoned, whole wheat fettucine noodles.

MON: Fajitas!!! Cut into strips and Saute: 1 Red/Yellow/Orange/Green bell pepper (each), 1/2 red onion. Grill 2 chicken breasts cut into strips. Season with garlic, onion, chili powder, and cumin. Enjoy on whole wheat tortillas. (for more step-by-step directions, check out Eat Clean Fajitas over at The Gracious Pantry)

TUES: Stir Fry from ECD Kitchen Table

WED: Crockpot Lasagna Kraft Foods ** To make this recipe clean, make the following adjustments: Fat Free cottage cheese, and whole wheat lasagna noodles (they do NOT need to be no-bake. Regular whole wheat noodles will work fine) We also use ground turkey instead of beef seasoned with salt and pepper.

THURS: Salmon Patties and Green Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.- This is a super easy quickie meal I got from my mother :) 
Blend up 1 piece of whole wheat bread. Spread on jellyroll pan and broil in oven until crispy. 
Mix 1 can salmon, bread crumbs, and 2 egg whites. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice or lemon pepper. 
Shape into small patties and cook in frying pan with 1/2 TBSP olive oil until well done.
*I always squirt more lemon juice on my patty before serving. I heart Salmon :)

FRI: Turkey Burgers with Ranch Sauce from Clean Eating Magazine.
Ground turkey - shape into patties. Season with garlic, onion, salt, pepper. Grill until done.
Rance Sauce: 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 2 TBSP low-fat olive oil mayonnaise, 2 TBSP fat free milk, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper. Combine and refrigerate. 
Dress burger with red onion, lettuce, tomato, sauce on whole wheat buns. Enjoy!!

SAT: Sweet Pork Salad -using basically the same ingredients from Sweet Pork Tacos, make a delicious Sweet Pork Salad just like Cafe Rio :) If you want to add the Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo dressing, go HERE for the recipe. 
*To clean this up, I would use olive oil mayo,  and plain Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk.

SUN: Kabobs! 2 chicken breasts, cubed. 1 Green bell pepper cut into 1" squares, 1/2 Red Onion cut into 1" squares, 1 Lg can pineapple chunks.
Skewer, grill, enjoy!!  For more flavor, add soy sauce or pineapple juice marinade to chicken.

Happy Veterans' Day!!!

Yes, the rumors you have heard are true......

(NO I AM NOT PREGNANT! Thanks a LOT!)

I have officially vanished from the blogging world. And I do apologize! You see, the hubs returned home to me from the Army and now I enjoy sleeping in, cuddling, taking naps, snuggling......well you get the point!

But it's time to make a come-back because I have OOOOOODLES of pictures to share with you!

So much has happened since I blogged last, ok, here's the quickie version:

Halloween weekend I flew to Texas and cheered as my hubbers received a Honor Graduate Award, PT Award (292!),  and his Diploma from Combat Medic training.

Then we flew home and celebrated Halloween/my hubbers return with a HUGE party of all our friends and some family! It was a blast and we had so many people show up that we hadn't seen for months!

The day after our party, I started school.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I have been on a waiting list for the Medical Assisting program for.....ummm...oh ya-- EVER! Well they finally called me in to start! 

(really? The husband is gone for 6 whole entire excrutiating months and you finally have a start date for me....and it happens to be the DAY after he gets home. Ugh. Soooo bugged!!

The program is good....a lot like high school....but good. I'm hoping I can work fast and get through in only a couple months. We'll have to see.

Dearest Husband went back to work at Convergys. DH now wants a new job! haha 

We've been sharing one vehicle which gets a little interesting. 

(i.e. me flying down the road on my way back from an interview, picking DH up on the side of the road and driving him the rest of the way to work.)

So hopefully we'll be investing in a new set of wheels soon....oh but wait! You need money to do that...haha silly me! Maybe we'll buy a tricycle. Yes, that's more in our budget. 

Or maybe we could ride Trigger....he is big enough....quite fast when he's running from us, I'm sure he could get me to school on time....hmmm

Ok well ya'll should check out the Alluring Essence blog for updated pictures! I've been a busy girl and I have tons to show you! Also, I've got a couple tutorials coming up from the home decor I finally accomplished before hubs came home. 

Oh yes, one more thing: here are some pictures from the Veterans' Day Assembly at North Park today. My sissy-in-law teaches there and asked Kyle to come participate. It was such a wonderful tribute to all the members of the military both past and present! Those tiny little voices belting out the different services' songs were so sweet! My favorite was when all the children sang I'm Proud to Be An American. I was fighting back the tears big time. They sang the chorus with so much conviction! 

I'm so glad to be married to my amazing Soldier! And I'm thankful for all the men and women who have sacrificed much more than any of us know, in order to make and keep this land we love free. God Bless America, and God Bless the American Soldier!!!!!!!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I just looked at my photography website and I had 4,050 hits yesterday alone!!!!!!!! YAY!!! 

You all have been sooooo supportive and as a Thank You, I'm giving away a FREE HOLIDAY CARD PACKAGE!!! 

Check out AlluringEssencePhotography.blogspot.com for all the details and get your entries in! The winner will be drawn on Wednesday October 20th! GOOD LUCK and THANK YOU for all your great support!

No More Excuses!

Ok people. It has begun...

I feel you must be warned, I just watched the first episode of Season 10 of The Biggest Loser. There were tissues handy. Yes, even Matt teared up....oh wait, that was during Australia*hehe*....anyway, I am officially motivated!

I have never had a problem setting goals for myself. In fact, I set goals daily. It helps me stay focused and I can accomplish so much more in a day if I have my goals. While Kyle has been gone with the Army, I have made it a point to set goals that would take months to reach....because, well, I had months. Now here we are 4 weeks away from him coming home to me! I've done a little inventory on the things I set out to accomplish and the things that I actually DID accomplish and I have to say, I'm proud of myself! 

I'm also terribly disappointed in myself.  

On a list of about 25 things I had wanted to accomplish before Kyle came home, I have completed less than half. But the great thing about my goals is they are just that: Goals! Nothing says I can't keep trying! Nothing says I can't accomplish great things when my husband is here! I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to!

*Please be advised: I CANNOT BE STOPPED!!!*

I am surprised at the effect that a single T.V. episode--which I used to refer to as a "stupid tearjerking waste of time"--has had on my life. Silly as it may seem, this is exactly what I needed. I needed to see that there are people out there who have faced and are still facing trials greater than I have ever experienced, and these people are not making excuses! Each person has their own motivation: family, life, death, success, failure. For a few people, their first taste of success was also a taste of failure when they failed their first challenge and never actually made it onto the show. I'm actually more excited to see how these people end up!


So I've decided that I won't look at myself and get angry and depressed over the things I didn't accomplish, but instead, I'm going to push myself even harder and pursue my goals with every ounce of myself!


One goal that wasn't included on my 6-month plan, but has been lingering in my head for the past 6 years (Are you kidding me?! 6 YEARS?! Ya, it's definitely time for this one!) is to Run the St. George Marathon.


I have an entire year before the St. George Marathon. My cousins Madison and Camille and my Aunt Kristine and Uncle Allen were the ones who first introduced me to the idea of a marathon. They ran together in the fall of 2004. Watching them do 26.2 miles was amazing! And they came back and ran it year after year after year! I fell in love with the idea of running a marathon (and the idea of finally having fabulous legs! lol) and the idea of pushing my body to do something beyond my perceived capability six years ago...


Well, no more excuses! Thanks to my cousins, aunt and uncle, and three fabulous sisters-in-law who have all discovered the love of running and encouraged me to join, I will be running The St. George Marathon in 2011!!! This is my commitment! No excuses! 


I'm so excited, I bought new running pants today! :) Two pairs! Wish me luck!!!

 

{Home Decor}: Decor Balls

Have you seen these awesome decor balls in Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and all the cute boutiques? I've been in love with them from the moment I saw them....the pricetag for one of these little gems, however, was not as attractive. $6.99 at Michaels, $8.00 at the local boutique. Um, I think not! My mother called me up one afternoon and very excitedly told me how to make some decor balls of my own! Crafty mother like daughter...or is it the other way around...? Well I finally got around to trying her method out, and WA-LA! I absolutely love how they turned out!

These are so easy and take about 5 minutes to throw together, let dry for about 5 more minutes, and your all done! And talk about inexpensive! I was able to pick up my twine at the dollar store.

You will need:

Craft Glue (Elmer's glue works just great too!)

Twine

Balloons

Spray Paint (optional)

• First, blow up your balloon to the desired size for your ball.
• Then, pour some glue on a paper plate.
• Drag the twine through the glue and using your fingers, squeegee the excess glue off the twine as you wrap it around the balloon.
• Keep wrapping in all different directions.
• Take the end of your twine and tuck it under a few pieces of twine to ensure it doesn't come unwrapped.
• Let the glue dry!
• Pop your balloon and remove from inside.

Your ball should look something like this:

When you're ball is completely dry, use your favorite color spray paint and finish them off!

I love my decor balls and I can't wait to make more! Hope you enjoy!

Struggling

I tend to struggle. 

The love of my existence is currently sleeping in a bay filled with potty-mouthed men. This makes it a little hard to pray together on the phone at night. Naughty words tend to chase the spirit right out of the room. I'm bugged.

I'm also bugged with a....bug..? Really, it's just me wanting attention. I thought that hovering over the toilet every hour on the hour would do the trick. After an E.R. visit and 3 liters of fluid with only 2 potty breaks since (we're talking 12 hours later...is that a problem?) I think I've had enough attention for the week. Can I be all better yet? I would love to be eating solid foods again. Sigh...

I'm also bugged, well, yes bugged is a good word, with people and the dumb dumb things they do sometimes. For some reason, my every move seems to be front page news to some....I didn't realize I was that popular. I guess I should be thankful that they are so interested in my life and appreciate the attention. Apparently, this whole barfing incident was completely unnecessary. Silly me! Can I be all better yet?

I appreciate support! My fortune cookie was right and my "new venture" is a success :) I'm loving the great response I've had from family and friends....and friends of family....in regards to my little business. The *gasp* "Oh Meg! That one's beautiful!"....click.....*even louder gasp* "Oh MEG! These are SO pretty!" reactions I get from my mother are always uplifting! I know that if I'm having a doubtful day and my not-so-positive-thinking side is taking over, I can always call my mother and she will put me right back on track. She's not the only person that is so complimentary but she's my go-to-gal. And no, it's not only because I know if she doesn't answer her cell phone, I can call her desk and be sneaky and force her to answer *evil laugh inserted here* It's because I love hearing her opinion on the matter. There are some matters that I don't love hearing her opinion on...but that's another matter.

I've learned that in only a few words, you can make or break someone's, well: life, attitude, day, dreams, heart, etc. And what's worse is those words sometimes lead to actions. I think a lot of drama, heartache, and issues could be easily avoided if we could all tame our tongues. Maybe ask ourselves, 'Am I saying this to make things better, or worse?' Step out of your mind and into the mind of the person on the receiving end of those words and consider what else they might be dealing with at the moment. Then ask ourselves, 'Is this going to make their day better, or worse?' I've had quite a few experiences lately that have made me question the motives of people around me. I've even had to question my own motives.....all because someone didn't monitor what was coming off their tongue.

Just a little food for thought, monitor what comes off your tongue. A positive word packs a lot more nutritional content for the soul than you think! And sometimes, a single sentence you say can change someone's life.

Here's to family, good food, good friends, and positivity!

Oh, and only 32 days until he comes home to me :) Can you say "Giddy"?!

-Meg

Antique Suitcases

I recently purchased these sweet babies off of KSL from a sweet lady in Salt Lake. I refer to her as sweet because she wasn't asking some OUTRAGEOUS amount for them. $30 for both :) SOLD!



I was so excited to dress them up a bit and use them with my photography...



I taped them up and used Krylon spray paint in assorted colors. The old tattered texture shows through the paint which was exactly what I was going for. I wanted to keep the aged look but spice them up with a new splash of paint! I absoutely LOVE the way they turned out and I've had lots of compliments on the bright colors. Here's a few of my end results:




What do YOU think???
-Megan

Brace Yourself

I apologize for falling off the face of the blogging-earth for the last....well 2 months?? Wow, I can't believe it's been that long. So much has happened! Crafts, San Antonio, seeing Hubs, flying solo (aaaahhhh!), dining solo, catching a cab ride solo (it's a big deal for me) ok well most of these things happened in one weekend. I am officially a big girl now :) You're going to hear alllllll about it and you're even going to get to see what I've been making here at home.

Seriously, brace yourself. There is a LOT of good stuff coming...

-Megan

Unpacking

My fortune cookie said 'A new venture will be a success'....

I hope it's referring to my craft idea and not my cleaning venture.

As many of you know, we moved into a new LARGE apartment two weeks ago. I used the excuse of unpacking in order to escape a number of social gatherings....largely due to the fact that I hadn't showered yet and thinking about it made me tired.

I napped instead.
Don't judge me!

I started unpacking last Sunday....and then I started unpacking yesterday...

after I went shopping.

I've discovered I have an addiction to Oreos. I'm not talking a little love affair, no, this is a full-blown addiction. I break and enter just to get my antibacterial-gelled-hands on these sweet babies.

Is it rude to type with your mouth full?

The hubs finally called late last night! He was excited to hear about the Garage Sale I'm planning to have. Mostly, he was excited about the Nordic Trac being in the Garage Sale. It breaks my heart.

You should come to the Garage Sale :)

Someone just rang my doorbell and I avoided it. Does that make me a bad person?

They rang 3 times.

I may or may not have called my sister-in-law (my upstairs landlady) to confirm my suspicion that it was the RS President at the door.

I haven't showered!
Don't judge me.

I've been cleaning and organizing and parting with memorable treasures... like the napkin from my cousin's first wedding. Yes, I keep things like that.

It's a sick habit.

I get it from my mother.

I miss my husband....he's in Texas playing with dangerous weapons. He's a soldier.

He'd be so proud of my clean house and the boxes awaiting their long march to the garbage can. I have been making a serious dent in the amount of 'stuff' I've acquired. I'm going to sell some of it at my Garage Sale.

I have to wait until tonight to take the boxes to the garbage can...I have to walk past the doorbell.

I love my hubs :) He has a cute bummers. If he were here, he'd take the boxes out to the garbage can. He loves me.

He doesn't know I went shopping. Shhhhhh....don't tell!

I'm making something crafty. I got the idea yesterday. I told myself that I could only work on my craft idea once the unpacking and cleaning was done. But I'm tired of cleaning.

I guess I'll go shower.

The Soldier's Creed

Sorry this post is WAY overdue...

Kyle was honored as the Distinguished Honor Graduate of Charlie Company at his Basic Training Graduation in July. This is also known as Soldier of the Cycle.



Kyle was nominated by his Drill Sergeants from 3rd Platoon to face a panel of the "big wigs" (as I refer to them haha) where they asked him questions that spanned everything he had learned at Basic Training. He was then chosen by them to be the Soldier of the Cycle.



It was a very big honor and he received a medal and two coins, as well as plaques, certificates, and a class ring. Of course Kyle tried to shrug it off as if it wasn't a big deal. But everywhere we went, soldiers and Drill Sergeants were stopping us to introduce the Soldier of the Cycle to their families, get pictures, and congratulate him. He was awarded during the Family Day ceremony as well as Graduation. Kyle was also asked to lead Charlie Company and Foxtrot Company in The Soldier's Creed during the graduation ceremony. Every time I listen to the video, I get the chills :) It was so powerful and the commitment these Heroes have made to protect our freedom is nothing short of inspiring. I am proud to be an Army Wife! I'm so thankful I was there to experience this great accomplishment with him.

I am so proud of Kyle for his hard work and for being such a wonderful person! I couldn't ask to be married to a better man--I truly don't believe there is anyone better.

Here is a peek of my favorite part of Graduation :) HOOAH!

G-E-O-R-G-I-A

G for Good Grief I'm Tired
E for Everyone is so sweet here!
O for Oh my gosh, we're gonna die on this airplane...
R for R.E.L.A.X.
G for Good Eats...i think!
I for I can't believe my HUBS is inside THAT BUILDING RIGHT THERE!!!!!!!!
A for Almost in his arms!

Can you believe its been 10 weeks?! Basic Training Graduation :)

Mom and I are on our Girl's Adventure in Columbus, Georgia and we are having a blast! We drove to Las Vegas and stayed in a cheap motel = rocks for pillows, retro bedspread, and scratchy towels. First thing this morning we were up and out the door (ok actually I was up all night, every hour on the hour, staring at the clock so. excited.can't. sleep. *yaaaawwwwwn*) we were rushed through security, hustled to the gate, bought a water and we were almost the last ones on the plane :)

Our flight was 3 1/2 hours to Atlanta. We sat next to a wonderful southern woman named Sharon who was so sweet! I was editing Matt & Jacki's photos on the plane and she kept commenting how cute Trevor was and gave me tons of compliments on my photography. Turns out, her hubby is a professional photographer in Las Vegas :) I gave her my email address and I can't wait to touch base with her again! What a wonderful woman with tons of Faith!

We got off our plane in Atlanta and jumped on the subway to our connecting flight. It was CRAZY! But we got there in time for some of the locals to completely hustle us. Dang it! I thought we were fitting in. They could totally tell we were tourists and we ended up getting a free flight.....i think.

Our flight to Columbus was on a puddle jumper....compared to the airborne freight train we were on before :) It was only a 30 minute flight with LOTS of turbulents. I was very glad that I hadn't had time to eat anything or mom would've been barfed on haha! Columbus is such an awesome place! Everyone is so so so sweet. And I seriously have no idea what everyone is complaining about... I LOVE THE HUMIDITY!!! I feel like my skin is just soaking up the moisture and its wonderful! Mom's afraid I've already decided I want to move here haha but I'm not to the point quite yet :)

Tonight, after checking into our lovely hotel = soft fluffy heaven-like pillows, ironing board, free internet, and good water pressure, we set out to find a place to eat. Oh hell. Two sleep deprived, tired, dehydrated, stressed women (we're going to leave out short tempered, blind, and deaf) tend to stop for ice cream cones, drive until they scream at each other, and ultimately give up on the Good Southern Eats experience and settle for a Burger King heart attack in a bag. But dang that heart attack never tasted so good :)

After a few zzzz's we were off on another adventure. We drove to base to make sure we know where we're going tomorrow. I think this would be one of those occasions where Kyle would actually get mad if I were to be late. I expected to get turned around at the first checkpoint but just like the trend is around here, the guards were so nice and gave us turn by turn directions to our destination. They told us to go check it out so we drove right up to Kyle's Battalion--the building where he was sleeping!!!! I was so giddy I wanted to scream! I can't believe I'm within a few feet of where my love is laying his head!! It was so fun sneaking around haha!

I can't wait to see him, and tomorrow night I'll fill you in on my amazing Hubs and his accomplishments. I am so proud of him and I'll give you a teaser.....I get to sit in V.I.P. seating at graduation :) Why, you ask? Well you'll have to wait for that post tomorrow!

I LOVE MY SOLDIER!!!!!!!

Pictures will come tomorrow due to computer problems....sorry!

Announcing.....

Drumroll Please!!!!!!!

After months of planning, hours of shooting, and all day getting the website put together, I'm so excited to announce my new business, Alluring Essence Photography!

Please check it out and, as always, let me know what you think!!

• Website: www.AlluringEssencePhotography.com
• Blog: AlluringEssencePhotography.blogspot.com
• Facebook: Search "Alluring Essence Photography" (what else? lol)

I am now booking for June and July. I'm also running a Grand Opening Special:
Get 60% off your Sitting Fee!
If anyone needs their photos taken, I'd love to do it!!

Bifocals....nope, even BETTER!

One of many entertaining phone conversations with DH during Basic Training

Kyle: "...and I've got my virgin makers on..."
Me: "Whoa! Wait.....what did you just say?"
Kyle: "Um, I've got my awesome Army issued coke-bottle bifocals on."
Me: "No, no, no...what did you say the first time?"
Kyle: "Virgin Makers...?"
Me: "That's a terrible name! How did you come up with that?"
Kyle: "Ha ha ha! Well, it's just what came to mind when we got them! You'll see...."

I've seen. And I understand completely :)

Those babies are SAAWEEEEEETTTT! And the name.....so fitting don't you think?
**Just kidding Hunny Bear--You're still my dreamboat, even sportin' those gems!**

So while Kyle has been rockin' his new lenses, I decided to get myself some too! But I'm having a little more fun with my lenses than GI Kyle :) I love comments....let me know what you think!!

So Busy!!

Wow, time flies when your busy! I thought I would have plenty of time on my hands with Kyle being at Basic Training....but I was wrong! There's so much to do!

Lots has happened since my last post--unfortunately, none of it is crafty stuff haha! But Kyle is doing GREAT at Basic :) He's called me a couple times, although we only get about 5 minutes to talk. I did find a Facebook group for his platoon and it links up with pictures of his platoon doing things each week. They got to experience the gas chambers this week....I can't wait to hear from him and see what he thought about it! Also, they entered into White Phase, which means they get to call home on Sundays which = YAY!!! A very happy wifey :) It has been so hard with him gone and those phone calls do so much to help. I finally got Kyle's address figured out so if anyone would like to write him a letter, just message me your phone # and I will text it to you.

More news on the homefront is: Trigger got the snip snip! Hallelujah! He was becoming way too aggressive for my liking. After practically chasing my mother into a corner and growling at her, I decided it was time. He's been very obedient since, and it has been so nice. He's still the little ball of energy that he always was but at least now he's listening a little better. Right now, we're trying to train him to keep his bummers off the couch. (Ok, for all those out there asking for it, here it is "You were Right." That's the only time it will be said haha!) He is so big and he's not even half size yet, I figured that it would be to my benefit to train him now that puppies don't get on the couch. But he did finally successfully jump onto the bed (MUCH higher than the couch) so for now, I'm going to reward him for that :) We'll see about later!

Well, I'm off to sleepy now, Everyone have a Happy Memorial Day!!!

Trash-to-Treasure: Grapefruit Sugar Hand Scrub

Since DH left for Basic Training, I've had quite a bit of time on my hands. So to keep from falling to pieces, I've been letting my crafty side run wild...and right in time for Mother's Day! This post is coming the day after because I didn't want to spoil the surprise for my Mom and my brother's wives.

I got the idea for a Lemon Scrub over at Under the Table and Dreaming by Stephanie Lynn I used her recipe for the mixture at first, but I needed to make more and I was pressed for time so I used the old, "A little of this, a little of that..." method--throw it all in the KitchenAid and Wa-LAA! My mixture isn't as oily as hers but I tried it out and it works great at scrubbing off those rough patches and adding just the right amount of moisture to your hands! Not to mention the fabulous scent! I'm excited to try out other scents too. You can make this with any fragrance oil of your choice.


While my Dad was here this weekend, we dropped by a yard sale and I found the perfect containers for $0.50 each (again, I failed at taking a before picture....I really need to get better at that). I dressed them up a bit and I think they turned out great.

I even decided to use this as a graduation gift for my friend Shantel. Since she is a True Aggie, I figured she'd like the Aggie Blue and White:

If you ask me, homemade things make the best gifts! I had a blast putting these together and I hope all the Mothers (and Shantel) enjoy their Grapefruit Sugar Hand Scrub!! Love you all!!

Trash-to-Treasure: Jewelry Holder

Many of you are aware of my habit of scouring the D.I. looking for "treasures" on a daily basis....I get it from my Daddy :) In fact, when he's in town we often find ourselves at the DI having a BLAST!

Well a few weeks back I was dragging DH through the DI when I stumbled upon a $1.00 beauty! DH just rolled his eyes but I had big plans for this sweet baby. I got the idea over at The Thing About Daisies. She has great tutorials on lots of projects, make sure to check her out!! I failed at taking before pictures...Sorry! Just picture her with an awful shade of red paint and some grime. I cleaned her up, slapped some green paint on,

fought madly with some mesh wiring (thank you Lowe's for having mesh wiring and one-upping Walmart yet again! Also, thank you for the Military Discount, another point for you!),
with the assistance of my little helper, of course!

"Please, no pictures!!"
Then I used some antiquing glaze to bring out the detail. I learned this technique over at All Things Thrifty. This is another blog I stalk on a regular basis! Check out her decorating techniques, just LOVE them!!

Attaching the mesh wiring was definitely my most challenging task but after a few blisters, cuts, and a little blood, she was all finished!!
Look at all that empty room!! I guess I'll have to whip out the beads and start making more earrings! (And bracelets too because we all know you have to match your earrings to your bracelet.) * Those are words I'm sure would cause DH to groan :) *

I love comments! Let me know what you think!

And speaking of DH, yesterday there was a ring on the doorbell and looky what I got:
My tricky husband ordered me these beeeeautiful flowers for our First Anniversary! I'm actually glad that they showed up a week early because I get to enjoy them ALLLLL WEEK! Have I mentioned that my DH is the most wonderful man in the entire world?! I am such a lucky girl!!

My First Phone Call from Basic!

I'm sitting here blog-stalking, looking for some form of inspiration to peel my sorry self off the bed and do something productive when suddenly....the most beautiful, uplifting sound I've heard since last night at 8:38 pm: My Hunny's Ringtone!!! I was not expecting to hear his voice and it was the best thing that's happened all day! So now here I sit, mascara smeared, stuffy nose, tear-stained cheeks, blubbering because I realize how much I miss the man of my dreams.

Kyle is at Reception right now, which is where the soldiers go before Basic Training. They complete lots of paperwork, get all their uniforms and p.t. gear, and get their heads shaved! I asked him how he looks bald and he said, "I make bald look gooooood!"
When his Company is full, then they'll ship them over to Basic. The Drill Sergeants aren't being too hard on them just yet. According to Kyle, "They only yell at you if your being an idiot. Other than that, they aren't too bad." The Drill Sergeant told him he can keep his cell phone for now to talk to me until they ship him over to Basic. So, if all goes well, I'll be getting a call each night until Tuesday.

He's met a lot of nice guys (with a little chuckle after he said "nice"....not quite sure what to think about that...) so far. From my end of the line, I added "A lot of young, stupid guys?" and he just laughed. Today they got lots of immunizations. Kyle said instead of going down the line, they had two nurses each shooting you in one arm at the same time. The peanut-butter shot in the bummers he said wasn't too bad at first but he's definitely feeling it now! :) *smiling thinking of his cute little bummers* Tonight he'll be doing Fire Guard where he'll take a shift being awake for an hour watching the exits of his barracks to make sure nobody goes AWOL and tries to run! (Sounds pretty intense, eh?)

Here are a couple pictures he sent me:I think he does make bald look gooooood!! And I gotta say it makes me feel so much better seeing what the barracks look like. I keep picturing the dark bunks from M.A.S.H. and it makes me shudder. He sounds really upbeat so that also makes me feel better. I absolutely love the man I married and I'm so excited to see the man that he has yet to be! I know he'll be such a good soldier!

Here are a couple pictures of those of us on Canyon Road:





Also, if you wanna check out Fort Benning and see what's going on at Basic Training, or to get more info, check out this website: https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/basictraining/30thAG.asp

Off to Basic

Let the countdown begin! Kyle is on a plane to Fort Benning, Georgia as I'm posting this!

We had a really good day together yesterday walking around Temple Square reminiscing about our wedding day (in 2 weeks, it will be a whole year! Can you believe it?). We laughed and walked around taking funny pictures (Kyle was the "bride" for photo purposes haha). Scott, Peggy, Kelly, and Ash came down to eat with us at Macaroni Grill--my first time ever eating there, and I must say, it's definitely a favorite! And that cake!!!!!!!!! Kyle's parents said their goodbyes at the restaurant while Kelly and Ash rode with us over to drop Kyle off at the hotel. Not my favorite moment. It was so hard knowing this was the last time I would have my husband's arms around me until September. That is when I'll be flying to Texas to see my hunny-bunny-boo-bear for a week over Labor Day. We're going to make sure to stop by the San Antonio Temple, which we're both very excited for. And hopefully we'll get to do lots of fun things while we are together. Sorry to say but the little Trigger baby will be staying with family back home. By then he probably won't be quite so little anymore!

I'm really grateful for my family and Kyle's family. Kelly and Ashley, thank you so much for being there to drive me home and for giving me a shoulder to soak. Kyle and I are so lucky to be surrounded by loving friends, neighbors, and family and we hope you all know of our love for you!

I'll be posting bits of Kyle's letters on here for everyone to stay up-to-date. He will also be giving me his address so we can all write him letters of encouragement!! Let me know if you would like his address and I'll put you on the list :)

I love my Soldier!!!

My Gorgeous Man

I thought I'd share with you the product of my random "COME WITH ME!! I WANNA TRY SOMETHING!!" episode last week.
He's gorgeous, don't you think?!

The End and Beginning

This semester has flown by. Under normal circumstances, I might be excited but considering that the end of the semester also represents my dreaded day....I'm less than happy. Kyle will be jumping on a plane in 10 days to fly to Basic Training in Georgia. I miss him already. I've got my sweet little Trigger to give me luvs but its not even close to the same. Aren't I supposed to be having fun with Kyle right before he leaves? Yes. However, Convergys felt the need to change his schedule 2 weeks before his 6-month-long departure and since he is working 3-9 I get to see my DH for only an hour during the day. Ugh. I love my DH so much! He is such a wonderful person and so full of goodness. I can't wait for him to be home for good!

On a brighter note, I found yet another hobby I would like to attempt....hair accessories anyone? :) Thanks to Elise at work for the idea. Her sister makes the cutest hair accessories and after examining them for about the 5th time, I thought, Hmm...I bet I could make that! So I'll be swingin' on over to Michael's to pick up some discount ribbon and I'll see what I can throw together. So after finals next week (yes, I should be studying. Really, at this point, why would you even ask? You should already know the answer! haha) I'll be diving headfirst into my crafts and try to keep myself occupied during these lazy afternoons.

Also, I've got some fun tricks up my sleeve with photoshop, so my offer for pictures for anyone still stands! And who knows, they might even turn out kind of...professional? Let me know if you want to do a photo shoot!!!