some good some not so good

WOW! Emma has a wonderful roommate! Thank God!! See nothing to worry about, someone else is watching out for her!

I was lucky enough to not have a roommate my freshman year in the dorm. Old dorm, tiny room. I will never forget Mom and Dad dropping me off. "Now Krista, just leave the door open, people will walk by and you can make friends". They were right. They left, I cried...people stopped by.

My sophomore year I had a good roommate Branka, who ended up not to be so great. After I started dating her ex boyfriends best friend, the relationship ended. However, I stayed with him....and married him.

My junior year I ended up with Branka's crazy dance line friends Beth and Shelly. They stuck me in the dingy, gross basement with no bathroom. Boy, did they pull one over me. Shelly started having a shopping list inside her cupboard door that she would check off as she ate things..she believed I was taking food.

So thank god Emma got Kate! Kate the Great! love, k

Kate the Great...

Emma's wonderful roommate is Kate! 

Emma's fever started Friday night, which led to in bed with a 101 temp on Saturday, which quickly turned into 103 temp in a matter of hours last night.  Kate to the rescue!  She took Emma to immediate care, texting me constantly, getting Emma to take liquids, got Emma's Rx filled (for strep!), got her a milkshake and into bed.  Then, she set her alarm for the middle of the night to check on Emma and get more Advil in her.  I was in tears, but Emma is doing much better today.

THANK YOU KATE!  Emma's Momma

I don't want this, I NEED this....

put on your big girl panties....

and deal with it!

That goes out to several people (ladies and a few guys) that need to hear it!

the kitchen sink...

...not sure if you recall this or not, but I became a clean sink crazy person after you visited me at my apartment (that I shared with Karla Abellera - love her!) in Madison while in college.  YOU scrubbed our sink with Comet and I was shocked at how clean it looked!  Ever since then, I am a little freaky about my sink and countertops (Dad joins us in this obsession)...Comet, Windex (my favorite) and paper towels...I panic if I'm running low on any of those items!  I literally sprinkle (okay, douse) the sink with Comet every day, often multiple times (sounding a bit compulsive now) and wipe down the faucet, stovetop and countertops with Windex. 

I think the cleaning list is a great idea....I would love to have everything "picked up" before I go to bed, BUT I am usually the first one to go to bed and it's just frustrating to get up and see what has been "undone" as I slumber.  As I am always the first one up, I do the "pick up" in the a.m. before everyone gets up.  Yes, they should be picking up, but they don't think squashed pillows and scattered items need to be "picked up."

The laundry tip of one load a day is a GREAT idea...especially the putting away part.  With Emma at school, it has been very easy to keep up with laundry like that.  Another thing I've done, since I get so annoyed with washing bath towels that have been used only once, is assigning colored towels to each person....I have pale yellow, Chris has beige and Peter has a light blue....simple and so much better than when we all had pale yellow!!!!

Since I refuse to put the heat on until at least late October, I did put on the flannel sheets yesterday...it was 62 in our house!  Peter loves his flannels...so do Chris and I.  I especially love the color of ours...turquoise!  Emma heard that once the heat goes on in her dorm, it's 80 until April....I guess my gift of xxl Company Store flannels will not be needed...she said most girls say you end up sleeping with your windows cracked because it gets so hot!

I do like things clean, but I have some dark secrets...

As you know, for a LONG time, our bedroom was my dark secret...we won't go there.

Right now, my basement, garage, hall closets and desk drawers are my dirty secrets.  I think that is just fine!  xoxox to you Sissy!  H.

fall cleaning

1. Shine Your Sink.

Several years ago I was on the flylady email list and the first thing I learned was to “shine your sink” every night. (Unfortunately, that’s as far as I got with the flylady. Maybe I should try again!) Anyway, the shine your sink concept is a great habit to begin! Every night take five minutes to clean your kitchen completely. Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher, clean off the counters, and scrub and dry your sink until it’s shiny.

2. Wash One Load of Laundry Daily.

Instead of waiting until the weekend to wash several loads of laundry, get in the habit of washing one load every day. As soon as you wake up, put a load of laundry in the washing machine. As soon as it’s finished (that’s the hard part for me!), transfer the load to the dryer. Hopefully it will be finished by the time you leave for the day! When you get home, fold and put away the clothes.

You may need to modify the routine if you’re worried about your clothes getting wrinkled or you have more or less than seven loads of laundry every week. Just make adjustments and find a way to make laundry part of your daily routine.

3. Process Mail Immediately.

Go through your mail daily. As you walk in the door, open all envelopes, throw away or shred junk mail, and put bills and other action items in your command center.

4. Create a Command Center.

A command center is an area in your home that can be used as a catch all for items that need to be processed (i.e. bills that need to be paid, cards to send out, etc.). It’s also a place that can house items that need to be picked up quickly as you walk out the door like keys, bags, and phones. Some also benefit for having a calendar in this area. Customize the command center to fit your family and life!

5. Throw Away Trash.

Throwing away your trash seems so simple right? But, how many times have you (or someone in your family) taken something out of a package and put the package on the counter beside you? Or, maybe you’ve taken tags off clothes and just placed them on the dresser instead of the trashcan? Instead of waiting until later, just take a few extra seconds and immediately throw away trash in the trashcan.

6. Straighten Up Every Night.

Waking up to a clean home can make the start of your day more pleasing and productive. Take a few minutes each night to pick up around the house. It doesn’t have to be spotless, but straightening up nightly helps to keep the mess from becoming overwhelming.

7. Create a Cleaning Schedule.

Depending on your personality, a cleaning schedule can be as detailed or scaled down as you want it. You may want to clean bathrooms on Monday, mop and vacuum floors on Tuesday, dust on Wednesday, cut the yard on Thursday, and something else on Friday. Or you may prefer to do everything on the weekend. In either situation, a plan will help you move through the list much more quickly. Just like other areas in life, a plan will encourage, motivate, and enable you to reach your goal for a clean home.

8. Become a Minimalist.

Reducing clutter reduces stress. You’ll have less to clean, less to pick up, and less to maintain. You may even be able to live in a smaller house! Or at least not feel like you have to move into a bigger one.

9. Do One Thing.

Sometimes the list of household projects can seem so overwhelming. If you have a list of 10 things that you need to replace, build, or update, just pick one thing to complete. Then do one thing that will move you closer to finishing that project. For example, if you need to organize your closet, start with your pants. Then move onto skirts the next day, and tops the following day. Break down a large project by just doing one thing. More examples can be found in my Do One Thing series.

10. Have a Junk Drawer.

Yes, a junk drawer is a must for a clean home. In some cases, a cabinet or closet may be more reasonable! Having a place to store random items that don’t have a home can be so freeing. Plus, when you’re in a hurry, sometimes it’s just easier to dump everything into one place. Of course, the only downfall is that you must clean it out periodically!


So many of these remind me of you sissy....you have always wiped your sink clean... :) k

things are heating up

Dinner tonight...shrimp, tomatos and beans~ yum! If you have the right food you can eat right. I have 30 days left to go on STEELE workouts. Its time for me to make a plan for after the contest. I need to stay focused, and keep working out. One thing I am going to do is join the local rec center. They have a small workout room and walking track. It's only $35 a year...:) K

omg...really...

Did you know Tori and whats his name just had their 4th baby...Hattie was born last October, this one was born in August...is she nuts 2 in a year....????

got em'

Stevie rocked the cans for me at Target! Yeah!! All I have to do is mention it, and he will go find it! Love these! Lily wants the pink one in her room for her pens!

the girls fav treat

Like you, Lily and I have our favorite spot for frozen yogurt..MENCHIE'S!!! Love, love. love it. They have great choices for yogurt, you can even find nonfat, nondairy and low carb in the same flavor, can't beat that. So good. So refreshing! Can get pricey.....especially when Lily loads hers to the top!! :)k

MIA...

Are you just too busy exercising and working to get blogging???  We were actually dishing there for a while and now you are MIA...again.  H.

p.s. I'm on strike until you're back on :)

self confidence or what??!

A distant relative recently posted as her status on Facebook:

"Looking I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E." 

Needless to say, she's got one like.  This nameless relative writes the most outrageous things...calls her friends out when she is feeling slighted, posts endless photos of herself, complains about her staff and posts lots of "foodie" photos (you know what I'm talking about...endless wonderful meals that only she and her other "foodie" friends can truly appreciate).

This was just too crazy not to post here :O...Heidi

i love this face

best treat EVER....in my opinion!

ok, a cute idea....

I admit it, my love/hate relationship with the YoungHouseLove blog is a little weird...I must visit it every day, but I find the couple and their ugly dog annoying as heck!  They pull their ideas directly from PB, and every other magazine or catalog and call them their own....the benches at the end of their bed are copied right from a photo in PB's latest catalog.  Anyway, I just saw these cans in Target yesterday and thought, "hmm, what could I with these besides just saving them?"  Bingo!  Heidi

p.s. anyone who spray paints their toddler's plastic basketball hoop gold (so it looks better in their carport and they "don't look like trailer trash") is a freak!

it's Friday....

AGAIN!  The weeks always seem to fly by!!!  I had lunch with my dear friend Kris this week...at one of our new favorite lunch spots...Coopers Tavern on the square.  SO yummy.  Kris and I always have so much fun together...love shopping in the unique shops on State Street (mainly for things to send to our college girls!) and catching up on our lives!  On this excursion, Emma got two headbands and a pin.  AND, Evan will be getting a postcard from his Auntie.  I don't know how many years I have sent Evan postcards, but I'm always on the hunt for a good/goofy/gross one for him!

September 11 came and went.  I noticed a lot of people saying on t.v. how they dread this day.  I think that is good.  We should dread it.  It's NOT an anniversary (which implies some notion of good and there is NOTHING good associated with 9/11 except the people that saved lives on that day).  I think it's a very sad day.  Peter and I saw the footage of the 2nd plane hitting and the same sadness and tears come every time.  It never gets easier to watch and I'm grateful it doesn't.

I am very worried about what is going on in the Middle East.  The hatred toward America is frightening. 

Enjoy your weekend!  It's going to be gorgeous so I am sure I will be in the garden!  I need to divide!

xoxo, Heidi

we miss you george!

                                            

We will never forget 9/11. We will never forget where we were. We will never forget who did it.

on a day just like today...

Emily Bronte

 

 

Fall, leaves, fall;die, flowers away;

Lengthen night and shorten day.

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

ooooh that looks so good...

...and I even have that exact ball jar.  I always forget how GOOD that water TASTES until I make it.  Better yet, it makes you FEEL so GOOD!  Thanks for the reminder, Sissy.  Heading to TJ's tomorrow and I'll pick up the produce and make my water!  Keep up the great work on your bod!  You've inspired Chris too...he's on the treadmill before dinner tonight~yay!  H.

detox water

2 lemons- 1/2 cucumber-water- leave overnight in refrigerator- drink the next day for a natural dextox. I am trying this! love k :)

I am obsessed...

...with greek yogurt and fruit drizzled with honey!  I LOVE every single heavenly spoonful.  H.

missing...

Emma.  Been three weeks and three more until we see her.  Today I was not smiley and "so happy because she is happy."  I am teary because I miss her.  H

Fall....please!

I am ready for fall this year! I don't know why, it could be the record number of 90 degrees days??? Or the lack of rain?? Or the very sweaty walks?  I love summer, but I am actually ready for it! I am also excited for some of my fav shows to come back...like...

                      

  in January...NEW DOWNTON!!!!!

stormy weather last night :)

fussy, fussy, fussy...

Okay, I like the colors better, but I still don't like the "faded" background look behind the blog....it looks unfinished.  Work with me here, Sissy.  I don't like change!

Speaking of change...



Because of the drought, the leaves are quickly changing and dropping.  It's been such a hot and dry summer.  It's supposed to cool to the 70's later this week - FINALLY!  I am not ready for sweaters but I am ready to not be a "sweater."

Enjoy your week - it's already Tuesday!  xoxo, H.

no, no, no...i don't love our new look...i like pinks and oranges and blues...black reminds me of the kardashians...try again please...or not.  you know i don't like change period!  i don't like change!  h.

new look

what do you think of the new look....we need to keep changing for all of our followers...ha!

for em, ev and p

                       

yes, yes and yes!

I laughed out loud and coffee almost flew out of my mouth as I just read your comment that "potatoes look like dirt."  For some reason it struck my funny bone! 

Yes, to the chicken lime burgers...they've had them for years and YES, they are so good.  And you're right, their frozen veggies are always good...I'm back on track after a friday night fish FRY (bad bad)!

Yes to the tomatoes and mozarella...yummy.

And YES to the cammo cupcakes - what a cute idea!!!  Can't believe we're one year away from Evan in ROTC and Peter is right behind him...although Peter's been toying with the Marines lately.  I am so proud of the boys and their commitment to serve their country while in college and beyond.  God, family and country!

Had a real moment of missing Emma last night.  I went to bed and shortly after heard the backdoor and thought "Emma's home!" BUT it was just Chris taking George outside.  It's been two weeks.  I think that is the longest we've been separated.  Four more weeks until we go down for a visit!  She is happy happy happy, but we miss miss miss her.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!!  Going to try to get Chris and Peter to go to the Taste of Madison with me today...H.

for our army boys

                      

Wouldn't these be perfect for our Army boys someday! Celebrate after they are done with training or boot camp. I am blogging this so we have it for future use! :O love, k 

adult pops!

                                          

Love this for an appetizer! Easy and so delicious! I have been addicted to eating fresh tomato slices with fresh mozzarella slices and basil drizzled with a balsamic dressing lately. This is so easy and so good for you. Tim the trainer said eat things that look like they are good for you! Bright tomato's and fruit. Stay away from potato's, they look like dirt. love, k 

your favorite place

Its been a couple of months since I have been at Trader Joe's. But since I have been eating "right" again, I have to explore more food choices. After a trip to the Farmers Market today to pick up tomato's and zucchini, we stopped by our neighborhood TJ's. 
I found these chicken burgers - they were really good! I used olive oil and fried in a pan. Added TJ's frozen green beans and tossed in almonds! It was a great dinner! Sometimes I need something other than salad...it was tasty!
love, k