• friday funnies

    Laugh Out Loud Moments

    Some pretty stinkin’ funny things happen during motherhood. I mean, they aren’t funny at the time, but later. I’m sure they are funny later. Right? Right? Like that time I let my son pee in a sippy cup…in the backseat of the car…in front of my husband’s office. I won’t even tell you what happened to my hand that was holding the cup. I do need to get more hand sanitizer though. Never hold the cup. Words to live by. And, of course, it is perfectly reasonable to wear the fire hat while watering grass seed. The good news is that his hard work paid off and we finally have…

  • Food

    Dave’s Killer Bread Copycat Recipe

    You know that point when you grow up and realize you’ve got to make your carbs count and white bread just isn’t doing you any favors? I’m totally kidding. A life without carbs…where’s the joy in that? However, I have moved passed my white bread phase onto a more heartier bread. It started for me several years ago when I tried Dave’s Killer Bread. If you live in the Northwest, you’ve probably heard of it and I hope, for your sake, that you’ve tried it. It combines the smooshie goodness you associate with white bread with the benefits of “healthy” bread (fiber, protein, whole grains, etc.). Plus, the story of…

  • Crafts,  learning

    Teacher Appreciation Gifts

    We moved to Georgia at the tail end of the school year. I was so thankful to my kids’ teachers for welcoming them into their classrooms with open arms and hearts. They truly made the transition so smooth. And hey, they only had to put up with my kids for 8 weeks! So before school ended, we whipped them up a little homemade appreciation gift of strawberry freezer jam and anise biscotti. The kids helped! I know the teachers probably would have appreciated a gift card even more, but I’m trying to teach my kids how special it is to give the gift of your time. In the age of…

  • Uncategorized

    Hi!

    If you are coming over from Knock Off Decor, WELCOME!  I am just so darn excited to have a project featured on a site I visit all the time for great ideas and inspiration. Picture me doing my happy dance right now! I’m pretty new to the world of blogging and love having a place to share ideas and connect with other folks. Thanks again for visiting! Share this:

  • decorating,  DIY,  Makeover,  Running

    Racing Trophy Display Door

    My husband became a runner when he was 36 years old. Turns out, he’s really good at it. (I try not to hold that against him.) If you are new to the world of running, let me enlighten you. Some runners become so enthralled with the sport that they start running races. It keeps you motivated in your training and many runners even enjoy *gasp* these races. Crazy, I know. For every race you enter, you will receive a running bib with your number on it and for every race you complete you will usually earn a medal. Before long, you’ve got medals hanging from doorknobs (classy) and you’re looking for your checkbook in the junk…

  • decorating,  DIY

    Pottery Barn Shelf Knock Off

    Update: Just found out this posted is being featured at Knock Off Decor. HAPPY DANCE!  Who loves Pottery Barn? *raises hand* Me! Me! ME! ME!!!! Who loves Pottery Barn prices? *crickets* Yeah. So, what’s a girl to do? Convince her husband to make something similar. Check and double check. (And for the record, I did help.) Here’s how the Pottery Barn “Holman” ledge looks: (image taken from Pottery Barn website) These gorgeous shelves at Pottery Barn are $69 plus shipping/tax for a 4 foot version. Say what??? Ours are 5 feet in length and were made with scrap wood we found in our garage when we moved in. SCORE! We did buy a…

  • Family

    Actually Enjoying the Beach

    The beaches in the Pacific Northwest are epic. Big waves, amazing rock formations and unbelievable views. Oh, and did I mention cold? How about windy? Check and check. Don’t get me wrong. There are those few precious days of warm temperatures and no wind and we savor them. If it gets really hot, little kids might “play” in the water, but no one is swimming. The only time I have experienced actually swimming in a warm ocean was in Maui. (I know, woe is me.) So, now that we live in the Atlanta area, I was excited to take the kids to Florida for their birthday. We chose to do…

  • Food

    Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam – fresh and delicious

    I used to be scared of making jam. There’s no such thing as an easy strawberry jam recipe is there? Making freezer jam sounded complicated and like a heck of a lot of work. Plus, it never tasted good enough that I’d go through the trouble to make it myself. I have enough to fill my day, thank you very much. Then one day I tasted strawberry FREEZER jam, courtesy of my in-laws. I swear the clouds parted and my taste buds did their happy dance. It was so. darn. good. Possibly the best strawberry jam recipe ever! I was finally motivated to put on my big girl panties and attempt to…

  • Family

    Shades

    Last year we went to a 4th of July parade in a small Oregon town. I love a good parade. The sense of community. The Americana vibe. High school marching bands. The sense of unity – at least for an hour – between townsfolk. The possibility of kettle corn. My kids love the candy. Just keeping it real. If candy collecting was an Olympic sport… The local frozen yogurt place had a float in the parade. By float I mean a pickup truck with a banner attached. Tomato. Tom-ah-to. I guess it was prudent of them to not throw frozen yogurt at the crowd. So instead, they handed out sunglasses.…