Little Drummer Boy

We finally got Awesome a drum set. He's always treated other items in the house like a drum (without us showing him how), so we decided we should get him a little drum set. Ivan really, really wanted to do this and has been talking about it for over a year now. Below are a few pictures from Christmas day. Alexander loves the drums. He goes between playing with those, his puzzles, and the many trucks he got for Christmas. It's lovely!

What is this?!

Ivan showing him bass drum techniques - or how to slam your foot down and make loud booms

Took to the drums instantly

Playing for mommy

His rockin' out face. It's so cute!

Did you or your kids get anything fun for Christmas? I hope you had a great Christmas. Happy New Year!

Two More Goals to Check Off

Which goals have been completed?

3. Begin writing at least 1 of my stories

&

6. Have Ivan give me a spa day

There's no real completion date since these are both ongoing. Yes, I said both. You read correctly, even the spa day is on-going. Well, not really on-going, but it's happened more than once. I've had a few spa days and at least twice as many half spa days. Every night I get one or more of the following: dinner cooked for me, back rub, foot rub, trip to the store for ice cream, cookies, or some other dessert, Awesome being taken care of without me helping, etc. I really do have the most wonderful husband in the world. I'm very lucky and I love being spoiled. So double-check on this one. Who knew Ivan would make it so easy to achieve. Thanks, love!

For stories, I have completed at least half a chapter for 2 different ones. I have a solid storyline for both, but need more formal outlines. What I really need is to partner with a real writer. I know what I want to happen in the stories, but can never phrase it correctly. Any authors out there need ideas? Contact me and we can work together. Thank God for e-mail and Skype! 

Not much more to say here. Yay for goals, and double-yay for achieving them.

Fitness Progress - Week 9

Any changes for week 9?  Why, yes. Yes, there are. J

	October 16, 2011	November 6, 2011	November 27, 2011	December 18, 2011
Weight	195 lbs	188 lbs	186 lbs	180 lbs
Chest	42 ¾”	41 ¼”	41 ¼”	41”
Waist	37”	36 ½”	36 ¼”	35 ½”
Abs	42”	40 ½”	40 ¾”	40 ⅝”
Hips	45”	45”	44 ⅞”	44 ¼”
Right Thigh	28”	28”	27 ¼”	26 ¾”
Left Thigh	27 ¾”	27 ½”	27”	26 ½”
Right Arm	12 ¼”	12 ¼”	12”	12 ⅛”
Left Arm	12 ¾”	12 ¾”	12 ⅜”	12 ½”
Right Calf	16 ¼”	16”	15 ⅞”	15 ½”
Left Calf	16 ¼”	16”	15 ⅝”	15 ½”

Down another 6 lbs. and 3"! I’m definitely on track to reach my goal. My next check is in 3 weeks on January 8th, which is also the end of my first round of Jet Set Body. With the program you have specific things to do to reach your goal before beginning a maintenance plan. I’m not at the level they have listed, but I also haven’t strictly followed the plan. No matter what, though, this is still the best plan I’ve found to help people achieve their fitness goals (excluding things like becoming a body builder).

I feel so much better since beginning this program a couple of months ago. I’m still eating great and enjoying treats, but I also work my butt off in the gym and at home. I can’t wait to see what next year brings in terms of fitness, health, and happiness.

Cheers!

Biggest Loser

At the beginning of October a group of staff and faculty members, including me, got together for a biggest loser challenge. I thought I would win, but seeing some of the other people shook my confidence. I've been using the Jet Set Body program, but definitely have had more than a few cheat meals. I love food and if I deprive myself of too many goodies then I know I'll fall off the fitness train very quickly. When I do eat something I shouldn't or overindulge (Thanksgiving, anyone?) I try to workout harder and add a short, fun workout to the end of the day. Yesterday was the final weigh-in for the 10 week biggest loser challenge. The winner was announced and it was me. I actually won! It was a very exciting day and I can't wait to celebrate the victory this weekend. I had so much support from my husband and coworkers and can't thank them all enough for keeping me on the straight and narrow. Here's to next year's goals and the road to being healthy!

Goal #8 (Studio) Completed

After I finished painting the dresser I could finally finish up the studio. Here is the room right before I moved the dresser in, but before I brought everything into the room.

A bit of a mess, isn't it? That was only about 2/3 of my stuff, but there was still a ton of it. Oh, and that coffee table you can see hidden under stuff will be a bench as soon as I get the tools I need.
So what did it look like when everything was moved in and cleaned?

Doesn't it look great?! There is plenty of room and storage, a work table, a comfy bean bag (actually a LoveSac), and all sorts of other goodies. I keep going in the room just to stare at it. haha It makes me so happy to have a place to work on this stuff. I also love that I have things from friends and family throughout the room. I have decorative items from Kai, a record player that my dad gave my mom when they were dating, prints and artwork from friends, and, of course, various things from Ivan.

Do you have a place of your own where you can relax, read, paint, build, or whatever? Where is it? What's it like? I hope it brings you joy and is a place you can think and be creative. God bless!

Fitness Progress - Week 6

Below is the updated table to reflect changes in my weight and measurements for week 6 of getting fit. It didn't go as well as I wanted, but with Thanksgiving during that time and a week of being sick and not working out it could be worse.

	October 16, 2011	November 6, 2011	November 27, 2011
Weight	195 lbs	188 lbs	186 lbs
Chest	42 ¾”	41 ¼”	41 ¼”
Waist	37”	36 ½”	36 ¼”
Abs	42”	40 ½”	40 ¾”
Hips	45”	45”	44 ⅞”
Right Thigh	28”	28”	27 ¼”
Left Thigh	27 ¾”	27 ½”	27”
Right Arm	12 ¼”	12 ¼”	12”
Left Arm	12 ¾”	12 ¾”	12 ⅜”
Right Calf	16 ¼”	16”	15 ⅞”
Left Calf	16 ¼”	16”	15 ⅝”

I have lost another 2 lbs. and 2 ½", so I'm super excited. As I mentioned before I forgot that my goal was to be 50% of the way toward my goal weight, instead of 25%. Over the next month I have between 8 lbs. and 13 lbs. to lose to be on track. I'm hoping to make it to 8, but if I don't I'm still very proud of myself.

Have you made any changes to your lifestyle to better your life? More exercise, eating right, playing Wii Fit? Try adding 1 new thing to your routine and track it for a month to see how it changes your life. Whether it's eating right, getting fit, building relationships, or working on your spiritual life, changing one thing at a time can make a big difference.

Goal #9 (Painting Dresser) Complete!

Yay! Another item checked! You remember how the dresser looked, right?

Not really my style, a little girly. Kai, a friend of mine, has brought different items back from China and I wanted to display them in this room. I wanted to paint the dresser to work with these items. I ended up buying jade spray paint for the dresser.After a few days I realized that I was, again, painting something green. Why can't I break myself of this pattern??? Everything's green or blue. I need to expand my horizons, so I ended up going with yellow (as mentioned in a previous post).

I decided to spray paint because I have seen or read about it many times before and thought it'd be pretty easy. First, I sanded the drawers and body of the dresser. Here it is after much scraping and sanding...and it makes me realize I need an electric sander.

Now let's see it after about 5 coats of primer.

The primer covered most of the problem areas, but didn't get everything. I was tired of priming, though, so I moved on to getting the yellow spray paint. I don't have pictures of that because, after about 5 coats of paint, it still look like this. I was very frustrated, so I bought normal paint and decided to go with it. This also meant that I could bring the dresser out of the basement and into my nice, warm house with good lighting. Here's how it looked after 2 coats of paint.

Much better! And the paint is so vibrant!


I thought I'd paint the handles the same color as the dresser, but wasn't pleased - just doing it so I didn't have to buy more paint. haha My parents gave me a file cabinet and I needed to paint it, too. I decided to paint it metallic black - it was sparkly! Side note - Ivan actually painted the file cabinet. He's awesome. I had extra spray paint and decided to paint the handles metallic black. Here is the final result!

I love it! What do you guys think? Have you tried painting furniture? Did you get frustrated with spray paint or trying to decide on colors? I'd love to see your projects! Until next time.

Goal #4

So I actually went back and read my goal for getting in shape. I thought it was to be 25% of the way to my ideal weight/size, but it's actually 50%. :-( That really bugs me since I thought I had met my goal, but it makes me glad that I actually wrote my goals down. So, I have 10-16 more pounds to lose by the end of the year. Wow! That's going to be hard, especially since it's the holiday season. Time to get disciplined. Here's to eating healthy and exercising!

Inspiration

I love quotes. I have a short book of quotes that I compiled over a few months in 2006 and may one day publish, though I hope to add to it considerably before that time. I was reading the other day and came across a very inspirational quote (a few paragraphs worth, actually) that I think could benefit us all. It's from a young girl who lived during World War II. Although it always saddens me I love reading her stuff. She always tried to see the best in the world and had a great perspective. I always try to think of people like this when I have a bad day and want to complain. I usually don't think of Anne Frank specifically, but I do think of my very best friend Jenny. She was always positive and tried to stay happy, no matter the circumstances. She was, and still is, a great inspiration to me. So here's your inspiration for the day.

I don't then think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. This is one of the things that Mummy and I are so entirely different about. Her counsel when one feels melancholy is: "Think of all the misery in the world and be thankful that you are not sharing in it!" My advice is: "Go outside, to the fields, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God. Think of all the beauty that's still left in and around you and be happy!"

I don't see how Mummy's idea can be right, because then how are you supposed to behave if you go through the misery yourself? Then you are lost. On the contrary, I've found that there is always some beauty left - in nature, sunshine, freedom in yourself; these can all help you. Look a these things, then you find yourself again, and God, and then you regain your balance.

And whoever is happy will make others happy too. He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery!

~Anne Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank

Fitness/Lifestyle Change Update

So here's a few notes and an update for my fitness plan. First, I am using the Jet Set Body program. The Jet Set Body program incorporates eating healthy with exercise. Kim even wrote a cookbook that has some fantastic recipes. I am honestly not following it exactly because of my own limitations, but think that if someone did follow it to the letter then they'd be fit in no time. For me, this program has staying potential. It isn't one of those things like diet pills or packaged meals that may cause people to get discouraged and fall off the wagon, regaining more weight than they may have lost in the first place. I've gone into crazy mode with counting calories, making sure my meal plans covered everything as it should in the food pyramid, and couldn't maintain it for too long. I think it's better to get the idea of what you should and shouldn't eat in your head than have a strict regimen that makes you feel like you don't have any freedom. Keep in mind that I am a pretty laid back person, so if your personality is different than that then you may love a strict plan.

With exercise I just never know what to do. What is best for a woman who is working out? What is best for someone who is severely out of shape? Should I do the same thing every workout or switch it up? Cardio everyday? These are just a few things that go through my head. I don't understand exercise at all and have never known anyone who did or who could explain what I should do. Jet Set Body answered most of the questions I had. I don't think their plan - even the beginner -  is for someone who is really out of shape, but it is a great guide and you can ask them questions on the forum anytime. You should also consider talking to your doctor if you're really out of shape so that you don't end up hurting yourself, which is true of any exercise plan. Having said that I would like to point out that I can do all but maybe 1 or 2 exercises in each of their days, so I'm not doing too bad. 

I really love that Kim and Rob, the people who created the program, stay involved with the participants through e-mails and forums. I think they really care about everyone being healthy and in shape. I haven't met them in person, but from videos and blog posts they seem to have great personalities and a good sense of humor. At the end of the update will be some links to Jet Set Body and to one of their success stories. 

On to the real update. As a warning, I'm going to be really transparent with weight and all that's related. I have never understand why it's so taboo to talk about weight or admit how much we weigh. People can see that I'm overweight, I see that I'm overweight, so who cares if others know my weight. In my mind it feeds the whole notion of women needing to be a certain way, to look a certain way. I hate the idea of thinking that someone is lesser than anyone else because of that. I did take a before picture, but will only post the before and after at the end of my journey. What's the end? I would like to get to about 140, which was my weight throughout high school and college. I'm am doing weights, though, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. I'll have more muscle mass so my altered goal is between 140-150. As soon as that hits I'll post my before and after pics with final results. I'll of course still continue to eat healthy and exercise so that I can maintain being fit. 

At the beginning of the year I was at 205 lbs. I don't think that I look like I weigh that much and have been told that by others, but maybe they were being nice. I decided that I needed to finally get in shape and be a good example to Alexander, so I set a goal - to be 25% of the way to my goal weight...to lose 14-16 lbs. In March I wrote this goal, with others, on my blog to have some semblance of accountability. In April I was offered a new job and decided to take it. Just knowing I was going somewhere else helped me to drop 5 lbs. Five pounds just from the relief of getting out of a job I didn't like...amazing! Between then and deciding to start the Jet Set Body program I dropped another 5 lbs. I think it was still due to finding a new job (that I LOVE) and being in a better mood. So before even starting the program I was down 10 lbs. Woohoo!

I officially started the Jet Set Body program on October 16th. I weighed, measured, and took pictures. Three weeks later, on November 6th, I weighed and measured and have those results here.

	October 16, 2011	November 6, 2011
Weight	195 lbs	188 lbs
Chest	42 ¾”	41 ¼”
Waist	37”	36 ½”
Abs	42”	40 ½”
Hips	45”	45”
Right Thigh	28”	28”
Left Thigh	27 ¾”	27 ½”
Right Arm	12 ¼”	12 ¼”
Left Arm	12 ¾”	12 ¾”
Right Calf	16 ¼”	16”
Left Calf	16 ¼”	16”

So that's the progress so far. I think that's great for 3 weeks!  Down 7 lbs and 4 1/2". That means I've actually surpassed my goal for the year by 1lb. Yay! My legs have always been muscular, so I only see them going down a couple of inches, but I'm fine with that. Again, if I followed the program exactly I'd have even better results, but I'm looking for long lasting results - not quick ones. Do you have any fitness goals? Have you achieved them or are you still working towards something? I'll have another update in 3 weeks. 

Looking forward.

 

Jet Set Body - http://jetsetlife.tv/JSB/

Success story - David Siteman Garland - http://www.therisetothetop.com/davids-blog/flab-fit-fitness-model-shape-90-days/

David Siteman Garland interviewing Kim and Rob on his show - http://www.therisetothetop.com/davids-blog/david-body-transformation/

Writer's Block

I feel compelled to write, but lately I haven't been able to actually get words out. It doesn't matter if it's for this blog, an e-mail, or one of my stories...nothing is making it's way to paper or screen. I thought trying to write about the block, if that's what it is, would help. I mean, it's taken me over 5 minutes just to write this much. Ridiculous!

The past few weeks my creativity has been leaning more toward working with my hands and making something not just typing or writing. Luckily, this has helped with some projects. The dresser will be primed tonight and painted tomorrow, if all goes according to plan.

I've also just wanted to hang out with Ivan and Alexander more. What better way to spend my time than with the guys I love?

Workouts have been going great. I need to post an update on my progress, I suppose. I need to measure everything first, though, so I have numbers for the post. I was working out in the evenings, but switched to mornings last week. I get up around 5:45 (I just can't get out of bed at 5:30...I need just a few more minutes of rest) and am out of the house at about 6:10. Working out has been tough, but I've noticed I have a little more energy. Well, energy isn't really the right word. I feel better and am just more positive. I guess the part in Legally Blond where she says endorphins make you happy is true. Who knew?

Ok, this has taken me way too long to write and I've strained to think of what to say. Soon I'll have the pictures of the dresser up and the workout update.

Looking forward.

Lifestyle Change

The past few weeks have been so busy. Last week I was at a conference and the rest of this week Ivan will be at one. I haven't really touched the laptop recently because Ivan uses it for his business and I'm so beat at the end of the day that I barely have energy to play with Alexander.

Good things are underway, though. Other than being busy with work and family I have begun a lifestyle change, which includes eating healthier and adding a fitness routine to my week. I really have no clue how to approach working out, but Ivan found a program that could help - Jet Set Body by Rob and Kim Murgatroyd. This program is tough, but has so many great points. I honestly can't do everything in the workout (and I do the beginner one), but I push myself and will be able to do the entire workout by the time I'm done...maybe even move on the intermediate. They have a cookbook available, too, with some wonderful recipes. Their actually gearing up for a holiday cookbook, which I can't wait to get.

I plan to give little updates about the ease of the Jet Set Body program and my progress, including whether or not I stay on course or veer off a little. So far I've had a hard time because this type of lifestyle is so different from how I have been for the past few years. One of the wonderful points about this program is that Rob and Kim periodically send e-mails with various tips or information and they are available on the forums. This type of support, along with that from family and friends, is a key point to help get through any type of lifestyle program.

I definitely think I'll make my weight loss goal by the end of the year and hope to go beyond that. Here's to the beginning of a new way of life that will help not only me, but improve the life of Ivan and Alexander, too. I'll update about every 2 weeks as time permits with progress.

As a side note I really think I need to start wearing my glasses when I update my blog. Everything's blurry so I hope my spelling is correct and the sentences actually make sense.

For more information please visit the Jet Set Body website. Kim and Rob have started a blog to go along with the program and even share some recipes on it. Make sure to check out the rest of their site, too. They live a great life, have a wonderful attitude, and truly want to help people improve their life through being healthy.

Jet Set Body - http://jetsetlife.tv/JSB/

Check Me Out on A Better Way of Business

Hi, everyone! I did a guest post on Friday at A Better Way of Business with Ivan Bickett (yes, he's my husband, but let's forget about that for now). The post gives the viewpoint of the spouse of an entrepreneur. I think I did a decent job. ;-)

It was posted on his WordPress hosted site, but his main site went live today. I'll post links to both below because comments were made on the hosted site, if you want to read them. If you don't care to read the comments please check out his new site.

A Better Way of Business - http://www.abetterwayofbusiness.com/uncategorized/communication-preparation-and-understanding-guest-post-by-skye-bickett/
A Better Way of Business (WordPress) - http://abetterwayofbusiness.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/communication-preparation-and-understanding-guest-post-by-skye-bickett/

Painting the Dresser - Goal 9

Here's a picture of the dresser I wanted to paint for goal number 9.

You've seen this type of dresser before, I'm sure. I wanted a piece for my studio in which to place fabric, paint, brushes, and other items. This dresser really needed a makeover, though. Something to reflect my personality and whatever art I create. I wanted to remove the decorative border, replace the handles, and do some painting.
It was so easy to remove the border. I was going to just sand it a bit and not worry about it anymore. But what would greet me when the border was removed? This:

The face of the drawer was routed out so that the border could be completely inserted, not just glued. Oh and there about 50 nails in each border.

I was not a happy camper, but Ivan suggested inlaying the routed part. I looked into this, but the routed area is just way too big.
I refuse to give up, though, and am thinking of 2 possibilities. The first, which is a little more work, is inspired by the following piece from Twice Lovely (link at the bottom).

I would stain the top, assuming the wood is all one color, and paint the borders a similar color to the stain. The rest of the dresser would closely mirror the inspiration piece.
The next possibility is a similar looking dresser from Anastasia Tumanova's Flickr stream that has a bit more of a pop (link at the bottom).

Nice, huh? Because the dresser would be in my studio I would choose a brighter yellow. I could leave the border on all drawer fronts and just change the hardware.
Which piece do you think would look better in a studio? Do you think a different color would be better? Maybe you can see something completely different in my dresser; some kind of potential that I'm blind to. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Twice Lovely - http://twicelovely.blogspot.com/
Anastasia Tumanova's Fickr stream - http://www.flickr.com/photos/anastasiatumanova/

Frustrations of a Working Mom

You always hear about stay at home moms and how hard they have it. Or at least how other people think they do nothing and don’t have a real job. Stay at home moms do have a ton of work to do and I long to be one some day, but I do have a few annoyances about what people think of working moms.

As a working mom people assume that you just don’t care about your child that much and would rather work. False. Some people don’t really have a choice. Yes, there are some choices, but they compare to the same choices the stay at home mom makes/gave up to stay at home. After having my son I had to go back to work. My husband and I still disagree on that point, but I went back and it was a blessing that I did. Shortly after returning we had several bad, expensive things happen that would have bankrupted us had I not had a job. God works in mysterious ways, but I’m glad that the decision to go back to work had its blessings.

Of course there’s the work aspect, too. When you have a sick child it’s not part of your job to take care of them. You have to call in to work and say you need the day off, see what you had scheduled for the day and rearrange what you had or attend with the chance of a crying/sick kid popping up. Work thinks you’re a slacker and gives you an unexcused absence. Oh, you read correctly. Work places still have them and they suck for parents because it can affect your performance evaluation, raises, and can get you fired. I’ve dealt with this and it’s no fun. Work makes you feel like crap and that you don’t appreciate your job and you feel like a crappy mom when your husband stays with the kid instead of you. It’s a no win situation.

What about when you’re sick? You can call into work, but they often want a doctor’s excuse (yep, you don’t get away from that when you leave school either). Some want you to come to work then send you home. If you’re like me you stay home and realize how much needs to be done in your house and feel you should do something, but know you shouldn’t because you’re sick. Plus you still have to take care of your child and husband when they get home (don’t get me wrong, I have a great husband and he spoils me so much…some of these comments are about working moms in general). Stay at home moms can say that they don’t get to call in sick, but you have to as a working mom because you have to get better quicker or risk losing your job. No one wants that on their record.

For some of us we also have the problem of not having family live near us so we can’t just call in grandma and grandpa to watch our child when we’re sick, want to go out, or whatever else you can think of. Most of the time I want Alexander with me, but there are times that it’d be nice to have time with just Ivan. Many stay at home moms I know seem to live right next to mom and dad, so life is a lot easier.

Lastly, and my biggest frustration of all, is the fact that stay at home moms have the mindset that they are the only ones who have housework and they have to balance that with watching their children. Are you kidding? What mom doesn't have all of that work? For a working mom you'll have roughly 12 hours of you day devoted to getting ready for work, commuting, and working. Take away about 8 hours to sleep (usually less) and you have 4 hours left in the day. Four hours to cook, clean up after cooking, sweep, vacuum, mop, do dishes, wash and fold clothes, make lunch for the next day, and spend time with your child and husband before bed. Sure, you have the weekend, but they are usually reserved for groceries, errands, trying to see family or friends, church, and finally a couple of hours of sitting still and spending time with your family. While stay at home moms have to do this kind of stuff to it is there job, as they put it, to do that and keep house. So, technically, I guess I have two jobs. I welcome the relaxation of being a stay at home.

 

So there's my rant. Keep in mind that any combination of working and being a mom has it's pros and cons. To me a mom who works part time seems to have the most difficult time. You may work a couple of days a week and if you or your child gets sick you miss 50% or all of work that week. Not the best option and certainly viewed from a very different perspective by an employer. They probably think, "Man, she only works part time and she can't even come in to work for that." This probably leads to a quicker decision to reprimand or fire the mom. A mom who has her own business from home, say intertior design, and keeps the kids at home with her probably has the best option. She brings in income and can make her own schedule so that things are a little smoother. She still has bumps, but that seems like a pretty cool deal to me.

 

What type of mom are you? What frustrations do you have? We all have something that bothers us, so rant away...everyone has to vent at some point to keep an even head.

Overwhelmed by Thoughts

Have you ever had so many things buzzing around in your head that you feel like you'll go crazy? I don't mean a to do list or what's on your calendar. I mean ideas and thoughts to improve yourself, your hobby, your relationships, your life. That's how I've felt lately. It's mostly very manageable, but there are times that the feeling just overcomes me; makes me know that I'll dream about tidal waves and running away from them. It's really hitting me right now, which is why I'm posting. I have so many ideas about how I want to improve myself, my house, my art...so many things.
It's not that I'm not happy. I am so happy and lucky to have my husband and son - I never thought I'd be this blessed. They bring me joy every single day and always bring a smile to my face. It's not just me, either. Ivan is feeling the same way, although it's more to deal with his venture to start his own business. That may be adding to it because I'm nervous for him, though confident at the same time. It's very exciting!
I think it'll get better when I can actually get things planned out and get some project complete. I suppose Ivan and I will have to have free weekends to get some of it done. I hope to have goals/projects from my current list completed soon and have pictures posted here. If I can keep my head on straight I'll even have before, during, and after pictures. :-)
Hmm...interesting. Writing for a little while has helped calm me a little. Maybe I should write some of my ideas and stories down when I feel this way. Something to think about.
Do you ever get overwhelmed by the ideas, creative or not, that run through your mind?

Labor Day Weekend and Photo Fail

What a fabulous weekend!

Friday
I got to wear my narwhal shirt and converses to work. :-) I love my job. I also listened to Video Games Live and other gaming soundtracks all day, even while I talked to pharmacy faculty about resources and books. You might be surprised by the number of people who love the music I listen to at work who are shocked and a little turned off by the fact that it's from video games. Weird. The college had early dismissal so I was out and running errands for a little bit before I picked Alexander up for some mommy-son time. Even though it's month end Ivan got to come home on time and it made my day even better. Lots of time to hang out with my 2 favorite men.

Saturday
Errands and relaxation.We, of course, started with breakfast date at Chick-fil-a. For anyone north of the perimeter I suggest going to the Hamilton Mill location. Everyone is super nice and the food is always perfect. It makes for a great start to the day. After that we went grocery shopping, cleaned, washed dishes, and finally spent the rest of the day playing and relaxing.

Sunday
We got up early and headed down to Ivan's parents' house. His sister organized getting us all together for the grandparents. It was loads of fun. It's amazing how much busier and noisier their house is with 3 grandchildren playing and running around. I love it! After we had lunch and chatted some more we left for my grandmother's house. My lovely aunt was visiting so it was a super bonus. She is sweet, funny, and a joy to be around. Combine that with being around my grandmother, another aunt, mom, and one of my sisters and you have a a ton of fun. I love being around family. We headed home later that evening and went to bed as soon as we got there.

Monday
Bonus! Chick-fil-a was open for breakfast AND they have hot chocolate. The temperature has been getting down to mid-70s or below so it's definitely hot chocolate time for me. I run a little cold. hehe After that Alexander took a nap, I played some FF13, then we headed to the Ackerman's. I love seeing them and talking to my sweet, sweet goddaughter. She was actually awake for quite some time, but crashed during dinner. It took her less than a minute to fall asleep. We talked the night away with the always entertaining La Sha and Peter and headed home shortly before Alexander's bedtime. What a fantastic way to end the weekend. I can't wait to see them again.

What was the photo fail? Did you see any photos in the post? No? That was the fail. Even though I had my camera with me the whole time I didn't take any pictures. :-( I need to get better at taking pictures at gatherings. Hopefully I'll have pictures to take after the next get together or adventure we have. Until then....

Projects

My original and only hands on project of the year was going to be repurposing and updating my old dresser. This is still on the list, but more have been added. The dresser awaits completion because I don't want to paint it until the weather is a little coolor. I'm not sure how the paint and/or stain will react in 95 degree weather. Never fear, however, because cooler weather is on it's way! :-)
My other project is repurposing a coffee table. It's old, or retro since it's probably circa 1980, but I see potential for this discarded piece of furniture. The legs defnitely need a redo and the top is missing chunks, so it's no good. I want to repurpose it to be a small spot for sitting and removing shoes and jackets inside the entryway from the garage.The underneath will be made into cubby holes for muddy shoes, work boots, or rain boots. I need to reinforce the underside of the table to support weight, which the cubby hole sides should help with. I'm not sure if I want to add knobs in the wall above it to hang jackets, purses, and backpacks or if I want to add a ~3 foot backing to the table with a few more cubby holes and knobs underneath them. I believe some sketches are in order to make a final decision.
There is one more project, but it will not be done before the end of the year. I want to take an old china cabinet and turn it into an entertainment center.The reason it'll take longer is because it's sooo heavy. I need help to move it anywhere. Ok, so I don't need help, I have to have others move it for me. It is seriously that heavy. The cabinet has 3 windows in it, but the middle one doesn't open. My plan is to take these windows out and add to 2 doors that can be folded and slid into the sides. Does that description make sense? Here's a picture that's similar to what I'm talking about...unfortunately I have no recollcetion of where I got this image.

I honestly like the art above this entertainment center, too. Even the wall color is appealing. I may repaint my studio (ooo another goal for the year) before I finish setting it up and am thinking of something bright like this. We'll see. It all depends on the color of the dresser. Will it be yellow or blue? Hmmm.
So what do you think I should do with the coffee table? Do you think my idea is good? Can you think of something else for it? What about the china cabinet? Neither will ever be used for it's intended purpose in my house. I have no china for the cabinet and a coffee table just wouldn't work in our living room. Should I post pictures of both so you can get a better idea of what they currently look like? Let me know and I'll get pictures uploaded.
Do you have any projects that you'd like to complete this year? Please share if you have any you've done or want to do. I'd love to hear about it. :-)

One of My Favorite Meals

Doesn't it look delicious? It's so simple to make and is actually filling. It's the Asian Chicken Salad from Giada (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/asian-chicken-salad-recipe/index.html). Of course, I change it up a bit, but her recipe is great as is. Try it out. I promise you'll love it.

Alexander is 2!

Alexander turned 2 on Friday. He still doesn't get the whole birthday thing, but I like to think that he had a great birthday. Rose and Cooper (Ivan's parents) came up today and made Alexander's birthday even more special. I hope my mom (maybe dad) can come up this week to see him, too, but they did get to see him a week or so ago. All of the grandparents, and a couple of aunts, made sure to call him to wish him a happy birthday. Yay! Here's a picture of my 2 boys. You can't really see Ivan, but this picture is priceless.

I like that Ivan's parents brought me presents, too. hehe Cooper made them and they are magnificent! Here's a picture of the hollow form he made. Isn't it wonderful??

So far the weekend has been pretty awesome (as the year has been). I still can't believe my little boy is two. He's getting so big and has been the best little man ever. He makes our lives pretty easy and we try not to spoil him too much, but he makes it hard. He listens to us and does what we say even when he doesn't want to. And he's super sweet to us, espcially when we're sick or get hurt. I guess there's a reason we really wanted to name our first born Awesome (which is what we, and a few others, call him every once in a while). Here's to more great times!

Veggie Pizza

This week Ivan requested a veggie pizza for dinner one night. I thought it was an odd one since he hates when I suggest veggie pizza to share at restaurants. I didn't want to buy too much new stuff so I decided to top it with what I had. The only thing I really needed to buy was the crust, but I also decided to add mozzarella instead of the usual shredded cheese. It actually turned out great and even Alexander loved it. Yay! Although, as usual, he did just try to eat the toppings and not the crust. Since I make things up I really never have a recipe to go by later. For this reason I've tried to guess how much of everything I use and write it down. I only use recipes as a guide and go on the look of things (which is why I can't bake, I suppose), so even if I don't get things down exactly right it's good enough for me. I'm going to post this recipe in hopes that someone tries it and loves it. Here is a picture of the pizza right before it went in the oven:

Here's the recipe:

Veggie Pizza

Sauce

I prefer to make my own sauce, but store bought it fine. Here's what I used for this pizza:

1/4 c tomato sauce

1.5 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (if you don't have it mix together some of the following: oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, and basil)

Pizza

Crust (I prefer Boboli for ease, but also like Publix dough from the bakery)

1/3 c baby portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/3 c kalamata olives, cut length wise in quarters

1/3 c red onion, thinly sliced 

1/2 small tomato, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp dried parsley (Fresh, if you have it. I love this stuff! Alternatively, you could use fresh basil.)

7-8 slices of mozzarella 

Preheat oven to 450° (or whatever your crust/dough calls for). Combine ingredients for sauce and spread on crust, leaving 1/2" border. Place vegetables and cheese on top (the above list is exactly how I placed mine). Bake for 13 minutes (or whatever the directions for your crust/dough say).

I thought I would need to saute the mushrooms and onions for this to be really good and was going to try it the next time we make the pizza; however, the veggies cooked perfectly. I may try to make a thicker sauce next time by adding a small amount of tomato paste, but we'll see if I remember. 

Here is the finished pizza:

Yum! If you try this and like it let me know and I may post my sloppy joe recipe. :-)

Remember to make this recipe, and any other, your own. I am a big believer in loving what you eat and savoring food and the company that comes with it. As Truett Cathy said, "Food is essential to life. Therefore, make it good." Enjoy!