The Journey Continues!

If you've followed my blog for any amount of time and you've recently stopped by you may have noticed that I've changed my header. I just felt like I had outgrown the other one because my kids aren't little any more and I feel like my blog isn't the same.

I started blogging on blogger 12 years ago this February. I was blogging before that on another platform but consistently here on blogger. I've had my times of super blogging where I blogged almost every day to times where I might have blogged 3 times in a year.

When I started my blog I had 3 young kids at home and I was desperately trying to navigate my way as a wife and mother. Heck I'm still doing that but my youngest is now 14 years old, my oldest is married with 3 kids of her own and my middle child actually just started his first job today. Life is changing around me and I'm trying my best to keep up.

So as I've looked back at some past blog posts, I have to laugh. There are now broken links to videos that no longer exist, terrible picture quality, so many memes that I joined in on, and who remembers the blog awards that were constantly handed out? LOL! Things truly have changed. My kids used to give me all sorts of good blogging material. Now, not so much. I think they are too busy trying to grow up and figure things out for themselves.

I never really found my niche on here and it's probably why I never became global. LOL! Oh I'm so kidding, about the global thing, not the niche thing. I was just a gal blogging about life. And my blog reflects that. I love looking back at some of the stories. It's like a little diary for all to see.

Now as I move forward in the next phase of my life, can you say PERI-MENOPAUSE, being a grandma, the worlds okayest mom and awesome wife to my hunkalicious, I'm still not sure what this blog will become but my goal is to connect with people, encourage people and probably at some point make people giggle. So if it's your first time here, welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by. If you've been here a 1000 times, welcome back. Things have changed, yet stayed the same.

With all that said, I hope you find my small space on the world wide web worth stopping by and saying hello.
So for this gal, who's ready to turn 50 this year......The Journey Continues!

Have a lovely day everyone.
Hugs!
Kim

Refreshed!

It's been almost 2 weeks since the new year rang in and I am finally at a place where I feel refreshed again. The holidays, as fun and exciting as they are, are exhausting. The party planning, dinners, shopping, decorating, undecorating etc. it's all great but still a lot of effort.

So within the first two weeks of the year I like to sit back and think about the past year and make plans for the new one. My poor hubby's birthday is right smack dab in the middle of those two weeks but I always try to make his birthday special regardless of what I'm trying to accomplish at that moment. You know, cause I love him and stuff.

Anyhoo, one of the things I ponder about every year is what do I have to offer this world? Who am I and what makes me different? I have some things stewing in my noggin' and will share soon but one thing I will share is that I love to make people laugh. I'm not going to blow your mind at my organizing skills or my cooking skills but getting people to laugh or at least giggle or smile is something I'm good at. It doesn't always come across so much in my writing because I don't know if my sense of humor is word worthy. But in real life you'll find I'm kinda of a nut. A very mature and responsible nut but a nut just the same. ;-) With that said I have two things that I want to work on this year and one of them involves a dinosaur suit and a YouTube channel. Say what? Yeah, and the other one I'll touch on in another post.

Also I finished reading the book Atomic Habits and will be sharing my thoughts in my next blog post.

What are you all pondering for the new year?
Have a lovely day!
Kim

My Word for the Year!

Well it's the beginning of a new year, a fresh start. There is just something exciting about starting over. I can't help but get excited about what's to come this year. I also get excited knowing that I can, to some capacity, have some control over it and how it goes. That's one of the reasons I like to come up with a word to focus on throughout the year. I've done it in the past a few times and it's always fun to look back and see how it affected me and my decisions. 

This year I really wanted to come up with a beautifully clever word. I've been seeing a bunch of other people's and they just seemed perfect but then I didn't want to copy them. I really wanted something that was personal to me and then it hit me, so here's my word. 

It is soooo not fancy or even beautiful but as I was thinking about how I wanted to be this year there was a clear focus on making myself a better person inside and out and so FIT was born. I even did a sort of mind mapping picture in my planner. 

I'll break it down for you how I've got it sorted out in my noggin'. 

FIT

Mentally: Do things to stay sharp.

• Puzzles
• Read more books
• Games

Spiritually:

• Read bible daily
• Pray often
• Church
• Quiet time

Physically:

• Walk outside 5-6x a week
• Ring Fit exercise 
• YouTube workouts
• Eat on plan
• Take Vitamins

Emotionally:

• Quit reading negative things
• Be kind to others
• Take my perimenopause vitamins

Try not to throw any:

• Think before I speak
• 10 deep breaths when feeling angry

So basically I want to be mentally fit, spiritually fit, physically fit, emotionally fit and then try not to throw a royal fit. A lot of the things listed I already do so the habits are already there but there are definitely things to improve upon. Listing them helps keep me focused on what improvements I need to make. 

How about you, do you have a word that you focus on throughout the year? Goals? Resolutions?

Do tell!

HUGS!
Kim

Reflecting on 2019

You know, I almost didn’t write this post because it didn’t end up feeling like I wanted it to but it’s an honest reflection of the past year.

As I sat pondering what to write, my first response was to make it as uplifting and exciting as possible, but then it also seemed like that would be superficial and that didn’t feel honest. Fact is when I reflect on 2019 I honestly felt like I just coasted through. I didn’t do anything mind blowing and it wasn’t even terrible. It was just meh.

Yes of course there were some fun and happy and downright laughable moments but there were also some very personally reflective and hard moments. So if I had to wrap the whole year up in a word it would be “meh”.

Personally, I don’t want to live a “meh” year again and I think that’s why my word for the year, that I’m going to post about soon, is perfect.

So although this post ended up not being much of a reflection it was however a motivation for me for the next year.

What’s motivating you these days?

Have a lovely day friends.

Kim

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others!

I thought I would continue on our topic of being the best version of ourselves and talk about why we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others.

It’s so easy to look at someone else and assume they have it all together. That things are just easier for them somehow. I know I’ve looked at other people and thought ,”Well if I just had her ______, life would be better.” 

Let me give you an example. I’m 6ft. tall. I wear a size 12. I am not your average woman. But if I were to listen to what the world’s standards are on what I should weigh or what size I should be in clothes, I’d be starving myself to death trying to fit into “their” nice, little, conforming box. I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I was younger, fitter and childless, I, in my skinniest moment in time, could only get down to a size 9. And looking back, I didn’t look healthy. My size 12 is a short persons size 6 and that’s okay. AND because there’s so much of me it takes me 10lbs. to loose a pant size when most women it only takes 5. That could aggravate me (and it still does a bit) but it won’t change the fact that it’s true.

I used to hate being tall. I didn’t like being different. I WANTED to be in the nice, little, conforming box where all things were good. It took me years to gain the confidence I needed in order to accept myself the way I am. I am beautifully and uniquely made by God and He doesn’t make mistakes. I am this tall for a reason. It may be because my hubby loves himself a tall woman. It could be to help the little ol’ ladies at Wal-mart reach something on the top shelf. It could be because I like to eat and so I get to eat more than the shorter people. LOL! But make no mistake. Staying healthy takes work. I can’t just eat what I want and not exercise. I gain weight easily now that I’m almost 50.

Now why am I telling you all this? It’s because I want you to be happy with who you are. I don’t want you to look at someone else and think that they have it better than you just because they’re taller, shorter, skinnier, richer, prettier etc. Think about the talents you were given and how you use them to help others. Think about the kindness you can spread that reaches across physical boundaries. Be the best version of you!

Tell me in the comments one think you like about yourself.

Have a lovely day my people.

HUGS
Kim

If you look back at past posts, I share some of my workout routines and fun activities to burn extra calories.

The Virtual Ghost Town!

Yesterday I visited the ghost town that is my reading list. I wanted to see if anyone was still out here blogging. I missed blogging and I admit that I went through a time where I wanted to give up completely but managed to post here and there to keep things alive. I still blame Facebook for blogging’s demise. We’ve become an instant gratification society. But I have to admit I miss the community that made blogging great. I made some really good friends blogging and I miss that.

So as I was going through my list of people that I followed (and I literally clicked on each link) 85% of the blogs I followed hadn’t posted in over 3 years. Around 5% of the domains have been replaced with completely different people and content (not all good).  Another 5% posted, but not regularly. The only remaining 5% that posted often were blogs that have made a living out of it. And it’s not that I don’t like those blogs but I miss the personal aspect of it and these blogs are mostly sponsored posts now. *sigh*

So my question is this? Is anybody still out here blogging about life and family? I’d love to come visit you. And if you are some of the few that still read my blog, Thank You!!!

Have a wonderful day my peeps!

Kim

A Little Healthy Competition!

Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a bit competitive. So it works out pretty well that my hubby is also competitive. With that in mind we decided to have a little fun with our fitness journey.

We were going to get fitness watches but decided that the apps it takes to run them were a little bit too intrusive and from the reviews, didn’t work all the time. So I suggested we do what I used to do back in the day. I used to use my Wii Fit U game to track my activities. It comes with a pedometer/activity tracker that you link with the game and once a week you upload your data and it will keep track of miles walked and calories burned. Mine had broke last year so I bought us both new ones and we got started a couple days ago.

Let’s just say it’s keeping us motivated to do more during the day. Hubby used to be very active as an electrician but now has a desk job, so this is a good indicator for him to see what he needs to do each day to stay healthy. My life can be sedentary as well so it keeps me motivated too.

Here’s a video explaining the game and all it has to offer. You will need the Wii U gaming console in order to play but to me it’s totally worth it. Also if you want to just check out the info on the tracker skip to around 2:24 on the video.

Now if you’re not married, find a friend. Only one of you needs to have the game but you each need to have your own fit meter. Come one let’s get fit together.

If you missed my last few posts talking about the other things I do to stay active you can check them out HERE and HERE!

Let me know if you have any questions about anything.

HUGS!

Kim

Getting Old Still Stinks!

Eight years ago I wrote this humorous post about getting old. If you want a good chuckle go check it out. Little did I know when I wrote that post what I’d be dealing with eight years later.

I’d like to share my thoughts in a little poem I call:

Hormones

My feelings aren’t my own these days.

The hormones want to come and play.

I’m happy, mad, crazy, weepy.

My hubby thinks it’s kinda creepy.

My monthly friend is more sporadic.

More like a curse that’s wreaking havoc.

My hips are wide, my skin is thin.

I’m growing a beard on my chin.

My mind is scattered, can’t complete a thought.

Remembering things takes everything I’ve got.

One moment I’m hot and then I’m cold.

A constant reminder I’m getting old.

The End.

I’m really not that bad on a day to day basis but some days feel very much like this. LOL! Hope it at least gave you a good laugh. Because laughter really is the best medicine.

How are you becoming the best version of YOU?

HUGS!
Kim

Getting in Extra Steps Where You Can!

Today I just want to point out some things you can do to get in some extra steps each day. Some of them are no brainers but if you’re like me you can have a tendency to overlook these things. Being aware of our goals makes it easier.

1. Make your bed. I know that sounds crazy but my husband was actually joking around with me the other day about how many times I go back and forth making our bed. (It’s the ocd in me people) But regardless, I definitely get in some extra steps AND it makes my whole bedroom feel neatly put together. BONUS!!

2. Park further away from stores. I would do this any way. I drive a full size crew cab pick up truck and just find that it’s easier to park away from people because I like to back in a space so getting out is easier. AND when parking in Florida one looks for the trees in the parking lot to park under and they are usually further out.

3. Lose your phone. I don’t mean limit your screen time, I mean literally lose your phone. I misplace my cell phone ALL. THE. TIME. So I definitely get in extra steps just by being forgetful. Ha!

4. Walk during commercials. I especially do this when I’m watching a sport like hockey or football. I’ll walk in place during commercials.You’d be surprised how many extra steps that adds to your count. You’ll get the weird looks from your family the first couple of times but they’ll adapt to this new confident you!

Do you have any suggestions on getting extra steps in your day? Do tell!

HUGS!

Kim

Fun Calorie Burning Activities!

Yesterday I talked about what I did on an average day during an average week to get in some workouts. Here are a few things that I don’t get to do all the time but are extra bonuses of butt kicking calorie burning fun.

Spikeball!

Guys, I’m obsessed with this game. It’s so much fun and it’s super easy to play.

 The pros of the game are that you can (depending on how intensely you play) burn a lot of calories and if you’re playing in the wonderfully humid state of Florida like I am, you are sweating and getting rid of toxins.

The cons are, you need 4 people to play. I didn’t birth enough children close enough in age to do this so we recruit one of my boy’s friends to come and play with us. AND playing with teenage boys brings out the extreme competitiveness in me. I don’t want to be the weak link after all. Ha!

Here’s a video if you’ve never heard of it. I bought my spikeball set at BJ’s and it was like $20.00. So not a huge investment.

Another thing I like to do is Just Dance. For this you’d need a Wii or a Wii U gaming console. Once in awhile I just feel like getting my groove on. It’s fun if you don’t take yourself too seriously and you will burn some calories.

Here’s an example of one of the songs. You basically just mimic what’s on the screen and have fun!

The third thing is just playing with my grandkids. When they do come over they expect Grammy to play with them and because they are 4 and under, they are very active and therefor I’m moving around a lot and picking them up and down (working those muscles) and in doing so getting some steps in and a bit of calorie burning.

Here’s are my beautiful little pumpkins!

I hope this gets you to thinking outside the box. Being active can be fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously or think you’re too old to start something new. You got this!

HUGS!

Kim

Did you workout yesterday? What did you do?

Have a great day!

My Daily Physical Activities!

Let me go ahead and give you a little personal information. I’m 6 feet and weigh 165lbs. I can’t compare myself to anyone because I am unique and so are you so don’t you either. I used to get jealous of those little 5 ft 2in 100 lb gals that made push ups look easy. I’ll be honest with you. I can’t do one push up. Does it mean I’m weak? No. I’m 6 foot and 165lbs and apparently not obsessed with being able to do a push up. LOL!

I’m also a stay at home mom to my 2 teenage boys and grandmother to my daughter’s 3 beautiful babies. My life can have a tendency to be sedentary if I’m not careful..

Here’s what a typical daily activity log looks for me. Minus Sundays. I’m pretty much a slug on Sunday. (Except going to church. Work that spiritual muscle too. Ha!)

I’ll do a short 7 minute total body workout around 10am. No equipment needed. I discovered this gal  Lucy Wyndham-Read on Youtube and have really felt positive results doing her routines. If you can get past her sometimes not so on point editing, it’s wonderful. You can totally go at your own speed. She has something for everyone but I enjoy the quick 7 minute ones. Here is one of my favorites.

Then around 4pm I’ll do a short walking video. I like the walking workouts by Leslie Sansone. She has a ton of free videos on her channel as well. Sometimes I pick a mile, sometimes 2. Depending on the day and how I’m feeling.

And then, weather permitting, I’ll go outside around 7pm, because that’s the only time you can go out in Florida and not die, and do about a mile walk in the hood.

I personally am all for breaking up my workouts throughout the day. One reason is because I don’t have an hour all at once in the morning and two, I believe working out is a lot like eating. You don’t eat just once and expect your body to keep going so I believe that doing short spurts throughout the day will keep your metabolism up and running so you have more energy and burn calories all day. But ultimately, do what’s best for you and your schedule.

Tomorrow I’ll post about some things I like to do for fun that burns calories in the process.

Tell me what you do to rev up your metabolism.

HUGS!

Kim

Check out my earlier post about The Being the Best Version of You Challenge!

Be the Best Version of You!

Who here has ever been lazy. *raises hand* There are times in my life when I’ve been lazy at housework, or cooking or even taking care of myself. Sometimes I just get plain ol’ lazy.

I recently turned 49 years old. Say what? I have a hard time saying that. It doesn’t seem real. But alas it’s true. I’ve also set a goal for myself over the course of the next year. I want to be the best version of myself before I hit 50. That’s not going to happen if I’m lazy, so I’m gonna get off my butt and get to work.

With that all said, I thought I’d see if anyone wants to join me in becoming the best version of themselves? Your version doesn’t look like my version but I’m going to share what things I do, with you and maybe you can get inspired to push a little harder each day.

This challenge is in no way limited to women my age. This push can be for anyone. I feel like we can all benefit from trying a little harder to feel good. I’m not as much about looking good as feeling good. Let’s face it, my ship has sailed. LOL! I can’t turn back the clock but I can make it tick a little slower by doing my best to take care of myself.

When I get in the habit of taking care of myself I have more energy and clearer thinking and usually end up making better choices in my life, whether that be what I eat or what I do.

In a separate post I’ll share what my day usually looks like in terms of staying active. I’ll also share some easy ideas to sneak in some extra steps during your day.

So who’s in?

Have a lovely day!

Kim

My Finished Afghan

Okay so my Christmas in July plans had to wait a couple of weeks because I was bound and determined to finish the afghan I started earlier this year. I’ve really enjoyed making it and I’m kinda sad I’m already done.

Here’s a fun fact for you. I made the exact same pattern/style for my mom for mother’s day over 22 years ago. I no longer had the pattern so I had to do a little research but finally found it on Ebay. Yay to finding everything and anything you need on Ebay. Am I right?

So not only do I have a picture of mine to show you, but my wonderful hubby found a picture we took of my mom’s too.

Mine.

And  here’s my mom’s. When they would come down for the winter she would bring it with her. It’s held up really nicely over these past 22+ years

Here’s a picture of the pattern book I used in case you’re interested. Just do a search for it and different sellers come up for it. And if you do decide to make one for yourself I’d love to see your finished project!

Have a lovely day,

Kim

P.S. Let the Christmas in July commence. 
I'm linking up with Made by You Mondays

Style? What Style?

If eclectic crazy is a style then I am the master of it. If it’s not then I just invented it.

As I was doing dishes this morning I started looking around my living room and giggling to myself. My living room is all over the place in regards to style. While most women probably wouldn’t have the guts to pull off this look, I have learned to embrace it.

I can look through magazines all day long and appreciate a put together room where everything matches and is on point but for some reason I was never able to do it for myself. I believe the reason lies in the amount of things I love in my life. I think you need to see for yourself what I’m talking about.

Be Warned: What you are about to witness would make most home decorators cringe but maybe just maybe you can walk away a little braver and learn to stray a little bit from the norm. Or not.

Picture #1: I love all things shabby chic AND retro. So here we have a shabby chic cabinet with my retro record player on top.

Picture #2: I love my family as is evident with our pictures being on the wall.

Picture #3: I love the Lord and this plaque my hubby made pretty much sums that up.

Picture #4: I love gaming. Yes I’m 48 years old and still a gamer. I started way back when Atari was all the rage and still play when I get a chance today.

Picture #5: I love our country. Even though we have our troubles we are still very much a blessed nation.

Picture #6: I love football. Tommy boy is the GOAT! (greatest of all time). I have Patriots stuff peppered throughout the whole living room. Tommy goes up at the beginning of football season but has to come down when I put my Christmas stuff up because I love Christmas even more than football.

Picture #7: This is our living room and you can probably spot most everything I’ve showed you in this one picture. It’s all in here and then some. *smile*

Personally, I love walking into someone’s home for the first time and instantly gaining a feel of what they’re like. Who they are as a person. If that’s the case what is my house saying? Ha! Ha! Come join the crazy train! Woot! Woot!

So how about you? Is your living room Better Homes and Garden ready or a mishmash of stuff like mine?

I hope if nothing else, this post brought a smile to your face.
Have a lovely day my friends.
HUGS!

Kim

P.S. My love of God trumps all the other things that I “love”. FYI

2018 Goals

I’m not one for resolutions but I’m all about setting goals and trying to achieve them. I find it works a whole lot better when I write them down and so I’m going to do that here. Maybe they will inspire you to set your own goals for the year.

1. Meal plan more. I don’t know why I don’t keep up with meal planning. It makes meal time so much easier. I’ve already planned out my first week and making dinner has been a breeze.

2. Work out more consistently. I’m pretty good at working out on a regular basis but during the winter it’s hard to get me out of my robe, let alone workout. I need to just man up and get it done. If you’re interested in the things I do for exercise they are as follows. I do yoga, zumba, Wii Fit, Just Dance, walking outside and free weights. Not all in one day mind you. I mix it up a bit because I get bored real quick.

3. Read my bible more diligently. Instead of reading a lot, I want to read less and absorb more. Does that make sense? Sometimes when I start to read a whole chapter, my mind will start to wonder about half way and I’ve lost myself to the thoughts of the day. It’s the ADD in me I think.

4. Plan more dates with my family. Get them on the calendar and do them.

5. Use my planner that I bought. I’ve tried and tried numerous times to use a planner and have failed every single time. I would usually start out with a bang and then a month or two in it would end up sitting there collecting dust. But this year I found a planner that I’ve already started using and I really like it. It’s the Happy Planner. Click the link and it will show you all about it.

6. Read more! I already have a few books coming in the mail that I want to read this year. At Christianbook.com you can find a lot of books that are slightly irregular for a big discounted price. Plus I got a free shipping deal. Yay! I can’t wait to get started.  I got 6 books for right around $35.00. I’ll post my list in a separate blog post.

7. Blog more. I really miss blogging and every time I say I want to blog more, I don’t. So I want to try to blog more this year. I miss the good ol’ days of blogging so even if no one is reading, it’s always fun for me to look back at our little homestead happenings.

Well that’s about it. Nothing too hard and mind blowing. Totally doable.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress throughout the year.

What about you? Do you set goals for yourself? If so what are some of them?

HUGS!

Kim

Blogging Old School Style

It’s been a very long time since I was tagged in something and even longer since I’ve participated but because my long time blogging buddy Debbie tagged me I knew I had to do it. Plus you might learn something new. A lot has changed since I first started blogging 7 years ago.

Let’s see, I write what I do because it’s my life. I love reaching out to people. I love encouraging people. And on occasion my life will probably make you laugh and who doesn’t want to laugh? Oh and who knows, you stick around long enough and you might learn something. *smile*

I think everyone’s blog is different in some way simply because we are all different. No one has the same life with the same circumstances. That’s what I love about blogging. You get to see glimpses into the lives of people to whom you’d probably never meet otherwise.

Right this instant I am working on getting my craft/homeschool room together. We’ve been doing a lot of painting and moving around of rooms lately and mine is the last to get done. Don’t worry you’ll get to see it when it’s all finished.

Hmmm….I never really thought about what my writing process is. I usually just wing it. I know that’s not very technical or thought out but it’s true. Some posts are thought out but a lot of them are spurred from the moment. But those usually end up being my best ones.

One thing I wish I could go back and change are pictures. If you go back far enough in my archives the pictures are really bad. LOL! But it’s the nature of the beast I guess.

So now I pick a person to whom I want to pass this on. I’m going to pick a person who has a lot to offer on her blog but doesn’t get recognized like she should. My bestest Kathy over at the Bluebird’s Nest. She is so very talented. She sews, cooks, bakes and has the cutest boxer on the planet. Why don’t you stop on by and say hello.

Have a lovely day my friends.

Kim

Dealing with the Blahs!

I think coming off of the holidays is always kinda hard. You’ve been going non stop for weeks and now it’s the new year and you think you need to have it all together right away. I mean everyone else seems to have it all together. Well I’m here to tell you, I don’t have it all together. 

I am so not motivated to do anything outside the every day life right now, which is okay. I think it’s a good time to just unwind, relax our brains and just do what we need to do and nothing more. I can’t go from one thing to the next so quickly. I need a break in between.

I can’t think about 30 days of organizing, or what books I want to read this year, or what curriculum I’m going to buy my kids next year, etc. (and all that totally appeals to me) but I’m just stepping back and letting each day come and each day go. No real plans or things thought out, just living (and homeschooling *smile*).

Speaking of just living, I had to show just how real I am on my Facebook page the other day.

This is our king size fitted sheet for our bed and this is how I folded it and put it in our linen closet. Didn’t bother me one bit. *smile*

What I really loved was the fact that there were so many of you who totally confessed to doing the same thing. You all make me smile and I love ya!

Have a lovely day my friends.
OXOX,

Kim

Things I’ve Learned in 2013

Whoosh!!! Did you hear that? That’s the sound of another year flying by. They seem to go by faster and faster as I get older. That’s why I want to take this opportunity to look back and reflect on some of the things I’ve learned this year.

I’ve learned that getting sick can derail any workout regimen you might have had going and getting back on it during the Holidays is pretty much impossible. At least for me.

I’ve learned that trying to find a church to be a part of can stretch you. Stretch you in ways you didn’t think you could be stretched.

I’ve learned that your daughter can go from being single to engaged. You then ponder the fact that she will probably not be here sleeping under your roof next year. *sniff*

I learned that (in my eyes) I have the handiest husband on the planet. This year he closed in our screen porch to make a Florida room. (Post to come on that transformation.)

I learned that I really love watching football. Especially my Pats who are now in the playoffs. Woot! Woot! I’d gone many a years not watching because my time was needed elsewhere. You know like raising your family and stuff. *smile*  But now my boys like watching it with me and it’s so much fun.

I’ve learned that Pinterest has become my biggest traffic source for my blog. The 3 top posts coming from Pinterest that are food related are Apple Crisp, GF Autumn Pumpkin Bars, and Cheesy Jalapeño Stuffed Chicken Breasts.

My top 3 non-food related posts were The Top 10 Ways I Save Money, One Burlap Wreath for 4 Seasons and Denim Placemats.

I’ve learned that most people stopping by are looking at my recipes and that’s it.  I’m okay with that. I want my blog to be a blessing and if that blesses them then I’m happy with that.

I’ve learned that I’m still not very good at time management. Just being honest. I have things I want to improve upon next year and I hope to share my journey on here.

I’m thankful that even though every year brings new challenges and I too often fall short, Jesus still loves me and He gives my hubby the strength to put up with me. *snicker snicker*

Have a most excellent day my friends.

OXOX,

Kim

Because Birthday’s Should Be Fun!

I’m convinced that the older I get the more fun I have.

So every time my birthday rolls around I think of it as an excuse to have some good ol’ goofy fun. So when my bestest asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday this year, I decided that we should have a few friends over and have a Minute to Win It party. Oh that was SUCH a good idea. 

My bestest Kathy did all the prep work and put all the games together. (I love her!)

Here are a few that she picked (with links to the games).

She modified the games to suit our needs and amount of people. So don’t think you have to stick to the rules.

A Bit Dicey

The Elephant March

Hanky Panky

Face the Cookie (This one had me CRACKING up!) The cookie kept getting caught in my eye socket. LOL!

Nose Dive

Paper Dragon

Didn’t get any pictures of that one for some reason.

Sharp Shooter

No pictures of this one either.

Extreme Nutstacker (We modified this and used dice)

As you can see, we had a blast!

But what’s a party without dessert? I made my famous chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting (leaving the sides bare to save me some calories) and my daughter made my peanut butter pie. 

And then the giggles set in.

  Just remember,

 

Have a good day my friends.

OXOX,

Kim

 

 

 

And Then She Bought Some Vodka!

Yeah that’s right, I bought me some Vodka. Actually the story leading up to this is kind of amusing and I know you want to hear it, so I’ll go ahead and tell it. 

For YEARS, and I mean YEARS, I’ve wanted to make my own Vanilla Extract. I’ve heard people rave about how wonderful it is, but one thing stood between me and making it. Vodka! I just couldn’t bring myself to buy it. I would talk about it but I never did it.

Anyway, fast forward to today. I needed to go to BJ’s so I decided to put on my big girl panties and buy me some vodka while I was there. Cause they’ve got a liquor store there and stuff. Which made it convenient. The fact that it was miles from my house wasn’t to bad either. (Less chance of running into someone.)

Usually when I go to BJ’s my bestest goes with me. This trip was no different except I forgot to tell her of my intent. So as we were making our way across the parking lot I got all excited and announced to her (and probably anyone within ear shot) that I was finally going to buy vodka today.

She just laughed at my excitement because she’s the one that I’ve been talking about this with all these years. AND because she’s my bestest she had to go with me and “hold my hand” sort of speak. She’s good like that.

So I walk in, cool, calm and collected. Immediately the salesman asked if he could help us find anything and I blurted out, “I need some cheap vodka! I’m making vanilla extract!” (Cause he needed to know that). I made my selection and proceeded to check out. Meanwhile he proceeds to tell me all the drinks you can make with vodka. Yeah, ummm,I’m making vanilla extract remember? I’m not sure he believed me but none the less, I now have some vanilla extract brewing in my cabinet.

Here’s the proof! Not that you NEEDED proof but here it is just the same. *smile*

 

I’ll keep you posted on it’s development.

Have you ever made your own vanilla extract and if so how do you like it?

Have a lovely day my friends.

OXOX,

Kim