A Year in Review- 2010!

Wow- I can't believe it is already time to say good bye to 2010! Many wonderful things happened this year, way to many to recall each and everyone.

We bought our first home. 

Greg broke his collarbone & wasn't too happy about it.

Went to some awesome summer country concerts. 

My cousin got married and I was lucky enough to be her Maid of Honor. 

Went to Put- In- Bay for the first time with my family.  

Gregorian became a proud owner of his first Harley. 

We extended our family with the cutest lil' pound puppy ever, Kelso! 

Successfully cooked and hosted our first Thanksgiving. Don't worry the turkey wasn't burnt, I did say successfully. We smoked it, that is how it should look... it was sooooo yummy! 

We went to some Browns games and even go to see a few wins- YAY!

Went to Epcot with Greg's family sampled food and drinks from around the world!

Looking back this past year was great for Gregorian and I. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... I am beyond blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. People who love unconditionally, are always supportive, bend over backwards to help out or pick you up  and make you laugh when you're feeling down. With out further ado.... to my incredible family, outstanding friends and the bestest husband in the land... cheers to you! Thanks for the memories 2010!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing a blessed and joyful Christmas, to you and your loved ones! 

Gregorian and I on Christmas Day opening gifts!

Enjoy this wonderful time of the year! 

Christmas dresses, why are you so hard to choose?

Remember when you were younger and your mom would dress you to the 9's for Christmas? As a child my Christmas dresses were often made of velvet or a velour-like material and usually had a lace collar. The best part of these Christmas dresses were that I wasn't the only fool dressed in them. My little cousin, Heather, often got stuck wearing the same dress that I wore. One year that sticks out for me is when we got matching purple velour dresses with huge lace collars and lace trim around the wrists. We were lookers, let me tell ya!

I wish that I had pictures to show you of these dresses because I am sure that my words are not doing them justice. I would think if you grew up in the 80's and early 90's you know what I'm talking about and very possibly have pictures in Christmas dresses like looked much like mine. I'll try to dig some up and post them if/when I find them. Oy vey!

Now, as an adult I get to pick my own Christmas dress to wear and it is not that easy. I have had my eye out for my Christmas dress since August, really. Some ladies can back me up here.... it is just not always easy to pick the dress that will be in family photo's for the years to come along with the must have picture in front of the tree w/ the hubby. So, with that said.  I have three options and I've pro and con'ed each of them and still can not decide.

Do I wear... the dark denim New York and Company dress?

I say yes- it is comfortable for being around the house and it's dark so if I spill anything on it (which always happens) there is a less likely chance that it will be noticed. OH! annnddd... I would get to wear my cute red ruffled flats with the dress. I love those shoes! Then... I also say no- it's denim, too casual for church. I mean if men are wearing ties... I certainly can not wear a denim dress. Can I?

Moving on to choice #2.... Do I wear the Gianni Bini dress that I got from Dillards on mega sale?

I say yes- it matches the green sweater that Gregorian will be wearing for Christmas as well as the waist line is flattering.  Then I say- no... it's a little to fitted to really enjoy all of the Christmas cookies and yummy holiday food! Plus, I think it might be a wee bit too dressy, because of the fit and there is a big zipper in the back as well as its a kinda low scoop neck line that is also scooped in the back. So, it might make a better New Year's Eve dress.

Finally choice numero 3... a red, I would say more like a wine colored dress from Banana Republic?

For the last time... haha!

I say yes- it compliments the sweater that Gregorian will be wearing and we will look like a cute lil' Christmas couple. Also yes, because I would wear brown tights and my trusted brown boots with this dress. These boots are the cats pajamas and they only took me 2 years to find (I'm very picky and super indecisive with just about everything but- especially shoes and clothes. Hence- this entire post, hahaha!). Then I say no- because I wore this dress twice already to other holiday parties and if I were to spill, it shows up. Sad to say- it has happened.

Ahhhh baaaaahhhhhh..... I think we should all just wear Christmas PJ's all day and forget about the hoopla that surrounds Christmas clothes and looking nice. I guess the best part about this is that I still have a few days to choose what to wear so I don't show up to church in my jammies and totally embarrass everyone. haha!

I'm glad that I was able to write this out for all of you to read. Now, you definably have a better glimpse into my world of indecisiveness and what goes on in my head when I stand in my closet.

Now, I leave you in wonderment... which will it be?

Dunnnnn, dunnnn, daaaaaa.....

Lookin' for a good read?

I just finished reading Chelsea Handler's newest book, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang and wow, is it funny!

I laughed from start to finish. Not just chuckled or thought about laughing but really laughed... out loud, a lot!  I have read her other books and they are the same way. If you are looking for laughs and a good read then I would highly recommend reading anything that she has written. 

Also, you should watch her show on E! because that is really funny too. I DVR it, then watch it in the morning. Nothing starts your day off better than a good ol' round table and candid celebrity interviews. 

I would like to thank...

... Giuliana and Bill Rancic.

I've said it before, I am a reality TV junkie and this post is a true reflection of that.

The other day, I was watching Giuliana and Bill and They are possibly my favorite reality TV couple and remind me a lot of Greg and myself.

They unconditionally support each other and always pick each other up when they are down. In the end- they just down right love, appreciate and admire each other for who they are and always manage to make each other smile and laugh. And really, what more could you ask for?

Greg does the same things for me on a daily basis and watching their show and seeing them just make me smile. It makes me happy that there is true love in the world and that people are fortunate enough to find it.

Snow Days

Today is snow day numero dos! I knew that sleeping with my PJ's inside out would work...YESSSSSSS!!!

I remember being little and loving snow days because you did not have to do anything- nothing at all. Getting all bundled up and playing outside with the other neighborhood kids, coming in to a big warm cup of hot chocolate and then watching a movie or playing Barbies. Ohhh the life! But, when you grow up snow days become a little more valuable. Like for me, I have to wash clothes, put them away, mail out my Christmas cards, brave the weather and get out to finish my Christmas shopping then come home and wrap...wrap...wrap. Also, I'm not sure if I get paid for snow days or not because I'm a long term sub... humm.

But...really, I don't have that much to do. I just don't deal well with having a list of things to do and an alloted time frame to get them done. I usually am successful in getting everything checked off my to do lists... but, it's just the thought of  deadline that gives me a lil' uughh feeling.

So... here I sit and it's 7:30am on a snow day and I have already made breakfast for Gregorian, unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, folded a load of laundry, put it away, fed the dog and now I'm sitting here looking at my list of Christmas shopping planing my route. Now, if only these stores would open earlier than 9 o'clock!

I'll try harder, I promise.

I really need to work at blogging more often. Like.... really, really, really try!

The last week or so my blogging time has been cut down a lot and this week it isn't going to get any better.I'm in the middle of a long term substitute placement. So I've had no time during the day because well.... I'm shaping the minds of our youth. And, naturally with with teaching comes lesson plans and grading papers.

I also had my gift wrapping fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Reasearch Hospital this weekend. It went really well...we ended up raising the same amount of money as we did last year. Regardless of the monetary amount it was worth it. It's always worth taking time out of our busy lives to do some good and give to those who need it.

Ohhhh....and the Christmas shopping....oh vey! I am very behind... like so behind you could really just say I haven't even started. Oops! I have a list and it is categorized to the different stores and  highlighted if I have a coupon for it. Now, I just have to find time and get my hiney out to the stores and get it done!

So I'm sorry for being a slacking blogger...very sorry! But tis' the season for being busy!

In My Kitchen: Turkey Day Leftovers

You might not have any turkey from Thanksgiving left over, but I still do! I made this Turkey Pot-Pie for dinner last week, it is very easy and you probably have all of the ingredients in your fridge from Turkey Day!

This is what you will need to make this Turkey Pot-Pie:
- Turkey, pulled/cut into small bite size pieces
- Veggies (cooked ones work best- but you can use frozen)
- Left over gravy 
- Shredded Cheese (optional)
- One egg 
- A tube of crescent rolls 

In the pictures there are 3 casseroles. One for dinner that night. Another small one for my husband to take to work for lunch the next day and finally one to freeze for dinner a few weeks later. Before I being putting the pot pie together I preheat my oven to 325* so that my oven is all warmed up and ready by the time my pot pie is assembled.

• First, I took my turkey and cut in into small pieces and put it at the bottom of the casserole dishes. I only used white meat because that is what I prefer.

• Then, I took my left over veggies and cut them into small pieces, mixed them all up and put a good amount into each of the dishes. The veggies that I used were: green beans, potatoes, carrots, corn, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and onions. The potatoes I used were already soft from being boiled. I just didn't mash them up on Thanksgiving.  Your potatoes have to be cooked already because they will not get soft enough in the time this dish is in the oven.

*This dish is a great way to sneak veggies in that your family doesn't normally eat. Like my husband isn't a big veggie eater... but he ate this with no questions asked!*

• Next,  I poured the turkey gravy over the veggies and turkey. The gravy that we had was a little on the thin side to be used in leftover dish. So, to thicken it up I whisked in some butter and flour on medium heat and then I let it sit for about 5 minutes on simmer to thicken up. You can also add some pepper and other  herbs and spices to the gravy to boost the taste a little bit. I have a spices grinder, similar to the McCormick Grinders, that is called "Country Herbs" so that is what I used for my flavor boost. After pouring the gravy into the casseroles give the pot pie fillings a good mix so that the gravy gets moved around and so the flavors all cook together nicely.

• This step is optional... but, I love cheese and for me shredded cheddar is the perfect pairing for this dish. I take cheese and just sprinkle it on top of the mixed filling ingredients.

• Now, we are ready for the crust! Pop open the crescent rolls and lay it out flat. After the dough is laid out you gently pinch the seams together where the rolls have been cut. The seams are pinched together simply cut the amount of dough needed to cover your casserole and lay it on top... tuck and pinch extra dough so that none of the filling is peeking out.

• After you have put the dough on top of the filling & cheese you will want to give your crescent roll crust an egg wash for a little extra crisp. I use one large egg and separate the white from the yolk. I then add a little bit of the "Country Herb" grinder herbs and spices to my egg wash along with about 1/4 teaspoon of minced garlic. Then I whisk it all together and using a silicon kitchen brush gently brush on the egg wash mixture.

*Notice I only put crescent roll and the egg wash on 2 of my 3 prepared casseroles. As I mentioned earlier,  I was putting together one dish to freeze and use for dinner another night. If you are freezing this dish only freeze the turkey, veggies and cheese. The crescent roll does not freeze and re-cook very well at all, trust me I've tried. So, I just put a lid on my pyrex glassware casserole dish and stuck it in the freezer. Then in a few weeks I'll just pull of the freezer, it out thaw it, top it with the crescent roll and egg wash and wha-laa... dinner! *

• Finally, stick the casseroles into the oven for about 20-25 minutes (or until crescent top is golden brown) at 325* and you now have a yummy Turkey Day leftover meal!

ENJOY! 

Someone has been sneaking into the shower...

and it's this guy....

Kelso loves to jump in the tub and lick the water out of the shower after I get out. I let him do it because I want him to like being in the tub so when we give him a bath he doesn't freak out... because trying to wrangle him into the tub when we want to give him a bath can be a tricky thing. 

The first time he did it I thought it was so gross! But, trust me this is not the worst thing this dog likes to do. I think shower water is better than eating dryer sheets, cotton balls with make up remover on them and coffee grounds from the garbage. However, to take the gross-level down a notch I give the shower a quick rinse in anticipation of Kelso coming in and licking the water from the tub. 

Boy, oh boy this dog is something else... but man, oh man do I love him! :o) 

I love reality TV.. BUT-

This new show on E! called Bridalplasty is such a bunch of crap!

When I first started to see the commercials for the show... I was a lil bugged out by it.  I don't think that there is any reason to have extreme plastic surgery, especially so you can have your "dream wedding".  I mean these women who are participating in this "game" are able to get up to 15 procedures! The looney toon, Heidi Montag had 10 procedures and she is now lookin' like Plasticstein! 

The concept of this show speaks volumes for what some women are after in their lives. What happened to loving yourself and being happy with who you are inside and out?! I mean when these women met the men that they plan to marry... the men obviously loved them for who they are and how they looked. Another kick in the pants with this show is that the women who wins this show does not get to see her husband until the wedding day! That poor guy isn't even going to recognize his bride...ugghhboy!

Some of the things that the brides on the show want to have done it plain out ludicrous! Each of the women have an on-line wish list on the shows website. The most redonk procedure that that one women would like to have her second toe shortened. Thats right folks- you read it correctly ... a - toe - shortening! It's almost sad actually. 

When I got married it wasn't about the dress size, if my arms were flabby when I waved or if my forehead had wrinkles when I smiled. My wedding day was about new beginnings, being head over heals in love and sharing that day with the most important people in your lives.  

Greg and I right after the "I Do's"! 

The best picture of our wedding party at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Ps: We had a kick-butt wedding photographer. If you are looking for one he was AWESOME! 

Thankful....

This post was set up to post on Thanksgiving... but it didn't (weeeeird!). But,  I wanted to post it anyway.   I hope that you enjoyed your Turkey Day with your loved ones! 

I am thankful for my best friend, who gives me genuine & unconditional love every day- my husband. 

I am thankful for my wonderful family- all of the love they give, everything that they have taught me and fun times that we have together! 

I am thankful that Greg has such a great family and that they have welcomed me into it with open arms.

I am thankful that I have people in my life to guide me and provide me with encouragement when I need it. 

I am thankful to have my faith. 


I am thankful for prayers that are answered.

I am thankful for having a job doing what I really enjoy.

I am thankful that I have great friends who are supportive and always a good time! 

I am thankful that I have roof over my head. 


I am thankful for my cute dog, Kelso- even if sometimes I want to knock him out! 


I am thankful for the sun shining.


I am thankful that my husband has a job that he enjoys. 


I am thankful for laughter. 


I am thankful for my health.


I am thankful that I love in a country where I have freedom to make my own choice. 


I am thankful for my education.


I am thankful for all of the opportunities that I have been given. 


I am thankful for forgiveness for the things that I have done wrong.


I am thankful that I have the ability to share my thoughts and views.


I am thankful that I have food in my fridge to eat.


I am thankful for DVR, so that I can watch TV whenever I want (haha!)


I am thankful that listening ears for bad days are only a phone call away. 


I am thankful that I live in a safe place.


I am thankful to have things to be thankful for. 

Oops, I broke it.

A few weeks ago... this happened. 

Worse part was that I did it... I broke Gregorian's Xbox, bad! Red Ring of Death bad, which means there is some sort of hardware malfunction..blah-bitty-blah-blah-blahhh!

When it happened G was in the garage doing other manly things. I immediately got this "Oh dud!" feeling in my stomach and got a little panicky... how was I supposed to tell him that I broke his beloved Xbox? So I pulled myself together and went down to the garage... poked my head in the door and said "I think we have a problem... the Xbox is flashing red." He replied with, "Are you sure?" paired with a drained look on his face. I just muttered, "Ugh, yea. I'm sure." Then, I pulled my head back inside and went upstairs until he came in to look at it. 

I don't think that he was too upset that I broke it. But more disappointed that when it broke he wasn't playing one of these awesome games.... 

       

Rather I was watching Season 1 of.... 

That's right. I gave his Xbox the Red Ring of Death watching, Glee!

But, sanity and balance has been restored in our household because the Xbox was shipped back this week and it has been fixed. Now, everyone is back to their happy and videogaming has resumed.

Who-o-o.... Who-o-o...

One day Greg sent me this...

I am a night owl (hence the title of this blog, get it?). Greg is not. He goes to bed around the same time every night.  I also have a small love for television, which doesn't help me get to sleep any sooner and DVR has only made this worse! 

I knew that it bummed him out that I would stay up and not go to bed the same time that he did. But, I thought..."He falls asleep in like .25 seconds...he doesn't even know the difference if I'm there or not...noooo biggie." When he sent me that comic, I felt bad and realized it was a biggie. Then we talked about it and everything was good. I started going to bed when he did but the problem was....I would just lay there wide-a-wake.I tried reading... no dice. I still would not get tired and struggle to fall asleep. So... we figure out a solution so that we could go to bed at the same time and I could eventually get tired and fall asleep. 

Here it it! A few days later, Greg bought this & hung it up in our room... 

Now... I watch TV in bed, cuddle with Gregorian and fall asleep like a baby! It is wonderful... but,  not as wonderful as my husband! I LOVE HIM! 

"Miiissssss Jammmmiiiieeeee!!!!!"

Before I started substitute teaching this school year, I worked the a year and a half at a popular educare (education/childcare) school. The children's ages at this school range from lil' babies, 6 weeks old, to kindergardeners. I taught preschool and pre-kindergarden while I worked there. The first school year after college graduation I started substitute teaching then when summer (full time unemployment...ughhhbuhhh) came rolling around I started working at above mentioned educare school.

I love working with kids and even know this was not the "full time teacher job" I was looking for... a part of me fell in love with that place. The school...the kids...the staff. The worst part about my job was that it was a pretty far drive and my hours were totally awe-fulll! But hindsight.... those things didn't matter, really. 

Tonight- I was reminded of all the wonderful parts of that job. I went back to my educare school for their "Thanksgiving Pot-Luck Feast" and it was like I never left. It felt good to be greeted with big smiles , "Miss Jammmiiieeee!" coming from all directions and huge hugs. One lil girl, who I adore, ran up to me and as I knelt down to hug her she just pressed her cheek to mine and kept saying, "I miss you, I really, really miss you". I think at that point my heart skipped a beat. I know that to many this seems very exaggerated and over-the-top... but it's true. Children make my heart melt! That is how I know that I am in the field that I'm supposed to be in. Granted- jobs are hard to come by and the money isn't the best... but frankly- I do not care. I know that my heart is in the right place and that in time my "full time dream job"will come.

It seems like it doesn't matter how long the time goes by I always feel good being back at that school. It's familiar and comfortable for me and I think anyone in education can tell you, our job is emotional. So to go back to a place where you feel good

I sat down to eat our "Thanksgiving meal" with a girl I used to work with and I can not even explain how much I enjoyed talking to her. Just shooting the breeze about life in general. During the time I worked there I think I might have taken for granted my co-workers and not embraced the friendships that were right there, every Monday- Friday.  I think it's easy for many of us to automatically put a label on co-workers, I know that I did.  It's also comforting to know that even know I don't work there anymore I still have people there who care about me and support me. I also got invited to the Holiday Party... I mean come on, they really love me there! (haha!) Which is good because, I love them back. 

Alex P. Keaton, Teen Wolf, Marty McFly...

... all characters who were played by Michael J. Fox. 

Last night I had the privilege to hear him speak to a sold out crowd of 3,500 people at my college alma-mater, The University of Akron. And- let me tell you... it was engaging, humorous, heartfelt and defiantly inspiring. 

When I was in college I was in a sorority, Delta Gamma. Along with The Office of the President of the University, Delta Gamma was honored to sponsor this evening which we refer to as, A Lectureship series on Values and Ethics. Last year, Colin Powell was the lectureship speaker and two years before that Queen Noor of Jordan was the honored guest. Being a DG has many perks and Lectureship is one of them! Knowing that I am part of an organization that is so committed to instilling quality characteristics in collegians and inspiring so many to DO GOOD in their lives is a wonderful feeling. 

Ok so... now that I've rambled about that. Let me get back to last night...

I wasn't too sure what to expect from it all. How long would he speak? Would he talk about his acting career? Discuss his Foundation? Would I cry? Would I laugh? Would he answer questions? Discuss his book? Would he sit or stand while he was speaking? 

As you know, Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease about 19 years ago. He shared with us last night that when he was first given the diagnosis the doctors told him that he had about 10 good years left to work. He has surpassed that expectation, at this point, by almost 10 years. He isn't flying around with Doc Brown in a Delorean anymore but he is still acting here and there and most importantly working hard to help those with Parkinson's and find quality treatments and a cure. 

He shared childhood memories, the highs and lows of Hollywood, how he came to peace with having Parkinson's and charming stories of his wife and children. He made it clear that you have to life your life one step at a time and anything that you put your mine to, you can accomplish. He spoke to the large crowd as if he was sitting at Starbucks talking to a group of 4 or 5. It was one of those, "I'm so glad that I go the chance to do this" nights for me.

While he was speaking he said something that clicked with me and so I wrote it down in my program so I would remember it correctly to share with you: 

"Answers aren't going to fall from the sky. We need to get ladders to go up and get them."

I am grateful for the opportunity to be inspired... so, to Michael J. Fox- THANK YOU!  And for everyone else... go get your ladders and make something happen! 

Someone likes my smell!

We have had Kelso for 2 months now (can't believe that!) and when we adopted him they told us that it helps to calm them down if they have things that smell like their "people".  So... Kelso has 2 shirts that we put on his bed at night to help calm him down so that we can all sleep. 

Let me tell you, it might sound totally goofy, but it works like a charm. Look.....

... he is passed out and snoring... loudly! He also dreams sometimes when he sleeps... it's funny! His legs move like he is running and he makes barking/howling noises. I can imagine that Kelso's dream land is filled with squirrels running everywhere, an unlimited supply of raw-hides and it probably rains peanut butter drops! 

HAPPY FRIDAY,  EVERYONE!

Today, we salute you...

I substituted today and just like every other day I arrive at school at 7:50. But today- something was different... there were a lot of children walking to school and the parking lot was nearly full. Strange! So, I parked and walked into school and then soon realized that is was Donuts with Dad's Day! It was sweet to see the kids eating donuts with their dad's and grinning ear to ear. Then later in the day I couldn't help but think- "Darn those donuts and all that sugar that has the kids all hyped up! Bahhhh!"

But the more important thing... HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY! A very heartfelt THANK YOU to all the men and women who have served or are currently serving to protect our Country and freedom. This morning at school we had an assembly outside and all of the students and teachers gathered around the flag pole. There were also Veteran's who were related to the students there. The sun was shining and it couldn't have been nicer out.

The Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts lead the entire school in The Pledge of Allegiance. One of the students father spoke a little about the history of Veteran's Day. There were a lot of thank you's said and rounds of applause given to all of the Veteran's for acknowledge them for their service to our Country. The second grade students sang "The Star Spangled Banner" and my eyes started to well up. I just can not help it... I am a sap. A huge, stinkin' softie! The immediate pride that I felt for my Country was overwhelming.

I have always considered myself to be a pretty patriotic person (I usually get goose bumps during any song about America and more than 50% of the time shed a tear or two- really.) But to see young children, who really have no idea what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan or the impact of any of the other wars our armed forces have been involved in, belting out The Star Spangled Banner with the biggest smiles on their faces simply, melted... my... heart. Which then sparked my next thought of how many of the young children in American have mom's or dad's who are serving overseas or stationed somewhere else in the Country and away from them. It truly is such a honorable sacrifice and commitment. Now, don't get me wrong I've always know that... but something about today and seeing those smiling singing faces just sparked something in my heart.

So with all of this said- THANK YOU, TO THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING... MILITARY VETERAN'S... YOUR FAMILIES ...

Happy Crafting: Clothes Pin Photo Wall

My husband and I bought out first home this past summer. We closed in April and then waited 3 long months to move in! In the end it was so worth the wait... I love owning a home and having a place to decorate and organize anyway I want to.

I am a picture-a-holic, admittedly, and any one who really knows me can attest to that. When we moved into our house I wanted to hang picture frames everywhere I could, especially in the hall way that leads to the bedrooms.  I thought it would be like a walk down memory lane every time you walked down the hall. But, Greg wasn't too keen on the idea of having holes in the wall and it kinda would "clutter-up" the place. So I came up with an easy solution to have the pictures I wanted in the hall way with out it looking "cluttered-up" and putting holes in the wall.

Blog friends, I present to you.... A CLOTHES PIN PHOTO WALL!

Ok, so this may not be the first time you have heard about or seen this... but I was impressed with how this turned out that I thought I would share.

Here is what you'd need to create this:
- Clothes pins 
- Paint
- A paint brush or sponge
- News paper
- 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips 
- Level 
- Tape measure 
- Pencil 
- Pictures! 


*I don't have pictures for all of the steps and I'm sorry about that... but you are big kids and super smart so I'm sure you can figure it out!*

1. Using a level and a tape measure mark (with pencil) on the wall a little dot or X to show where you will put the clothes pin. I suggest spacing the marks about 5 to 6 inches (depending on picture size) apart so that the pictures do not over lap when you hang them.

2. After you have decided how many clothes pins you will be hanging on the wall take your paint, paint brush/sponge and number of clothes pins... lay them out on the news paper and paint them. *NOTE: Do not paint on the side that the 3M strip will go on. It will not stick as well and this also gives you a paint free surface to lay the pin to dry.

I suggest waiting 30 to 45 minutes for the clothes pins to dry, so grab a snack and watch a rerun of Friends or The Gilmore Girls that you have saved on your DVR.

3. When the clothes pins have dried take 2 of the 3M strips and cut them so they become about 1/4 of an inch wide. Peel and stick a piece that you have just cut to each of the non-painted side of the clothes pin. Then stick another piece that you have cut to the spot you marked on the wall earlier.

4. Clip the photos that you have decided to display and clip them into the clothes pins. Then simply match each of them up to the 3M strip piece that you have already stick on the wall.

5. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done and enjoy your new,  simple, very affordable (easily under $10- depending on the cost of getting your pics printed), self-made, "un-cluttered" photo wall!

After I hung my pics up I just thought the wall needed a little something more and I found the sign at Target (love that place!) for $15 and I think it works like a charm. For me, it gives the photo wall a title, a statement that the pictures I chose capture.

This idea could be easily adapt to other rooms in your house too. Like the kitchen- you could hang some pins to keep your shopping list, recipes or coupons on. A craft room would be another place that this might come in handy. Here you could display ideas torn from magazines or small swatches of fabric. A child's bedroom would be a fun place to have some pins too! Kids love to display art work that they have created and this would be a great way for them to do that and change it as often as they wanted. Plus, it is such a simple project that they could even help put it up!

HAPPY CRAFTING! 

Green Day once said, "Do you have the time..."

And the fact of the matter is that in the last week I have not had the time. Especially, to blog about not having time. But this morning I found myself with some and so here I am! Aren't you thrilled? :o) I am!

One would think that I would have oodles of time because I don't work everyday. But, I'm a busy girl with things to do. Ya know- I clean, cook, grocery shop, wash clothes, fold clothes and then finally put them away. Then it seems like by the time I have that done I get to do it all over again. But- the best thing about having time during the day to do all of this stuff is that when Gregorian gets home we can eat dinner together and just enjoy the evening. -Delightful!-

Outside of regularly scheduled housewife things, I have been working hard on getting my ducks in a row for some fundraisers that I will be hosting in December. So, this past week I designed all of the flyers for both events. Called a thousand places for donations and wrote donation letters addressed them and those will get send out today... It's all very exciting! Check out all of these flyers...

I am a big advocate for charity and donating to those who are less fortunate. In the past few years I have becoming very involved with fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. There is something about St. Jude and their mission, values and vision that I simply connect to. They never turn families away because of their inability to pay for treatments and procedures. I like to do fundraisers for them during the holiday season to benefit their Thanks and Giving Campaign. The motto for this campaign is, "Give thanks for healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not." It actually brings tears to my eyes just typing that, ohh boy! I just couldn't imagine having a child, like one of my nieces, who wasn't healthy and needed an organization like St. Jude. I am blessed to have healthy children in my life and therefore I give- I give to those who need it. I give to St. Jude because they give. They give hope. They give life.

I encourage you to take time and think about donating to a charity that is close to your heart this holiday season. Choose a charity whose mission, values and vision truly touch you... it fills your heart with joy and that is the best gift- ever.

If you would like more information on the fundraisers that I am hosting in the Northeast Ohio area or would like to donate please contact me at JamieCashWatson@gmail.com with St. Jude in the subject.

Potluck Posting!

Hello internet world!  We haven't spoken in a few days and it's not really like a whole lot has happened. I would like to call these postings "Potluck Postings"... ya know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. So let's have a quick recap of the last 4 days....

HAPPY (belated) HALLOWEEN!

I love halloween! This year I was very excited because we finally had a house and we could sit outside with our dog, Kelso, and pass out candy to all the cute lil' kiddies! But ... it just so happened that my sisters city did trick-or-treat the same night as our city did it. So in keeping with our halloween tradition we went to my sisters to trick or treat with our nieces. I wish I had pictures to share... but I dropped the ball with pictures this year and did not take a single one ... BOO! 

In preparation for halloween I spent most of the day Friday making costumes for my husband and I. They turned out alright... Greg was an XBox "red ring of death" and I was a cupcake. The cupcake didn't turn out as well as I had hoped for the amount of time that I put into it. But.... oh well it was fun anyway! 

NOVEMBER...huh?! 

I can honestly not believe that it is November! As I sit here I'm trying to think about where October went... and it just seems like time is flying by. There are a lot of things that are coming up in November that I'm very excited for. Like.. this weekend we are going to the Browns game. My family is coming over to our house for the Ohio State football game next week and probably the most exciting thing in November is THANKSGIVING! 

This year Greg's family is coming into town from Florida to celebrate Turkey Day with us! I am very excited to have them come and stay with us for a few days. But with any holiday hosting gig a lot of nerves come attached. This will be the first "holiday" that we host at our house. I am sure that soon I will make a cleaning check list and a to do list of random odds and ends that need to get done. I sat down today and wrote out who would all be coming to out house for Thanksgiving and it totaled at like 25 people! YIKES! But really... the more the merrier! I love to have people over so it will be wonderful I'm sure. 

"FILL IN THE BUBBLE COMPLETELY TO ENSURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS"

Yesterday  I took my time filling in all of the bubbles on my ballot. I'm not going to ramble on and on about this... but I did want to mention a lil' something. I'm not one to get involved in heated political discussions, push issues on people or sick 10 campaign signs in my yard. But- I will vote. Every time. 

What I think and how I see things might not be the same as you... But the big picture for me is- at least we have the freedom to choose. I educate myself and vote for who fits how I feel. Naturally, there will be times when people (especially with politics) do not agree and won't always "win". But I will always, always, always support the political leaders elected. I can choose to put up an argument, stomp my feet, shake my finger  and blahh blahhhh blahhhh... but, the way I see it is, me being a turd about it is not going to change who holds the office. So... vote one day and wake up the next a proud American and press on with life. Sounds good? Ok! 

LET'S END THE POTLUCK WITH... DESSERT!

Here is a little something sweet to end this potluck with. On Saturday, Greg and Kelso sat at the window and squirrel watched together... it was so cute!

1, 2, 3...AWWWW! 

Rock, Paper, Scissors...SHOOT!

These are the words that I heard last week in the teachers lounge at lunch time.

I'm a substitute teacher and I have recently become the "building sub" for an elementary school. This week, on Wednesday there were 3 teachers who were going to be out of their classrooms. When teachers know in advance that they will not be in school they can request a specific person to sub. When you are a teacher you take ownership of your classroom and you want to know that your students are taken care of as well as the lesson plans that you left are being carried out effectively. Even know I am not a full-time teacher...I am an educator. Therefore I am  responsible to TEACH... not to sit in a classroom with 25 children and simply maintain behavior and watch the clock turn.

So, last week at lunchtime I walked into the teachers lounge, said my hello's to the other teachers... asked how their days were going and then opened my lunch and started to eat my hummus and honey wheat sticks. Then Teacher A casually says, "I'm going to be out next Wednesday and I'm going to talk to Mrs. Principal so that you can be put in my room." Teacher B follows by saying, "Mrs. Principal told me this morning that she was going to be in my room next Wednesday." Teacher C pipes in and said, "Well that isn't fair because now I will get stuck with someone who my kids don't know." A observer of this entire conversation then suggests that they play rock, paper, scissors to see who gets me in their room. The 3 teachers look at each other with this "whhhaaatttt?" look on their faces then all stand up with their fists out in front of them.

I couldn't believe this and it was hard not to laugh... but it happened. I saw it with my own eyes, 3 adults playing rock, paper, scissors for a substitute.


The best part is that the sub was me! It was a very strange few minutes in time... but in the end it was very flattering. It definitely felt good to know that the teachers see that I'm good at what I do. They see me as a colleague not just a person who teaches here and there...I'm not just a substitute. I am a teacher.

We are printer-less...

At our house we don't have a printer for our computers. I'm not totally sure why...we used to have one at the house we first lived in. Then we moved to an apartment and all of the cords got lost in moving. Now we are in our new house and we are printer-less. Not like I really use it all that often but when you need to print something...it would be nice to have.

Like tonight, I needed to print a shipping label that UPS e-mailed to my husband. So being printer-less I went to my defult location when I need something printed- the library (angelic voices are singing in my head at the mention of its name). You see... I LOVE the library! I often refer to the library in conversation with my friend Amy (who is also a blogger...check her out!) as "my crush"....Like, "I made a stop to pick up books today from my crush" and we laugh about it becuase she also understands the sheer joy of the library and all of its wonderful things!  My library is less than 5 minutes from my house and I probably go there at least 3 times a week to get books (that most of the time I don't even get around to reading in the 2 weeks that they grant you). Sometimes I will just go there to sit and read magazines, that are usually months old, but so what if I am reading about how to make the best 4th of July BBQ picnic in the middle of October!? I sure don't!

Another thing I love about the library is that I can search for books from my computer, order them and the wonderful library people e-mail me when they are pulled form the shelves and ready to be picked up! I am sure that this is something that people have been enjoying for years...but, who cares?! I love it and I want to talk about it so I am!

Ok, well that is enough about that. Plus, I'm writing this from the library and they close in 9 minutes.

PS: I was in such a rush to get here to print the shipping lable that I left the house with my slippers on...haha!

P.S.S. Don't judge this slippes (or my sweet Halloween socks that I have on). These slippers are wonderful- they are NAP slippers from Brookstone and you should think about getting a pair. They are like walking on clouds :o)

Kelso, Whatta' Mutt!

Ladies and gents... this cute lil' (by little, I mean 55 pounds) puppy is mine.

His name is Kelso and he is a hound mix. My husband and I adopted him in the middle of September from The Humane Society. He definitely has proven to be a handful! He is about a year old and still totally a puppy. He jumps, he licks, he does other boy dog actions that he shouldn't do,  he loves to chew on everything and eat things that he really shouldn't. Things like... paper clips, bobby pins, coins, carpet strings, dryer sheets, chapstick (which is a big problem in this house considering that I am a chapstick addict) my book light, contact cases and the list goes on and on...

I wanted to introduce him to all of you because I have some pretty funny stories about him that I will share with you from time to time. I love this dog and I really am happy that we have him in our little family (even know sometimes I call him names when he doesn't listen).  The things dogs do can drive you crazy and the simple fact that they do not understand the full english language and can't comprehend when you say to them..."Please stop running with the scissors in your mouth. They will hurt you!" or "Get off of my bed- it is not a place for you. I sleep there!" is enough to make you want to pull you hair out (run on sentence, sorry).  They really are fun to have and in the long run worth the work. 

This next bit is cheesy, like velveeta, so consider yourself warned. I know that we were meant to meet Kelso at The Humane Society and bring him home with us. It is amazing how fast dogs build up their loyalty to their "people"and I know that he loves us as much as we love him! Plus, anything that gets my husband to talk in cutsey voices, jump around the house and roll on the floor ... is totally worth it. 

One final note- If you are looking into adding new furry member to your family check your local humane societies and adoption shelters before heading to the nearest pet shop. The Humane Society we got Kelso from offers training for as long and often as we want to bring him. They have been so extremely helpful and they are genuinely grateful for each and every person who chooses to adopt a new pet. There are so many animals out there who are looking to find a home and to be loved! One thing I do know is that if you love them... they will only give you love back. 

Local animal adoption shelters:

The Humane Society of Greater Akron- PAWSabilities 

Paws and Prayers

One of a Kind Pets

Cleveland Animal Protective League

Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter 

Those Rangers are some stand up guys!

Over the weekend there was an article published in my local newspaper about the Texas Rangers outfielder (and American League Championship Series MVP),  Josh Hamilton. I couldn't find the article that I read on Sunday on my newspapers on-line version but I found another article that is similar. It doesn't tug at the heart strings as much as the print article I read did however, it gives most of the details.

You see... Josh struggled with an addiction to drugs and alcohol for years, which kept him from playing in Major League Baseball.  The night that the Rangers clinched their series against the Tampa Bay Rays his team mates headed back to the locker room to celebrate.

I know from watching the Indians in their hay-day that the locker room celebration is the moments the player live for. The cool new championship t-shirts and hats, reports coming in for interviews and you can't forget about the alcohol. To have the chance to celebrate and crack some champagne with the people who helped you get to the top is surreal in itself. I'm sure that the walk back to the locker room seemed like miles for Josh. His head was probably spinning with emotions... hesitant and unsure of what would happen being surrounded by alcohol as well as overcome with excitement from the victory. So... they entered the locked room and his teammates picked up bottles and starting shaking 'em up! But, much to his surprise his teammates were not shaking bottles of bubbly... they were shaking 2 liters of ginger ale to spray and celebrate together.

This story really struck something in me. I don't know if it's because of all of the negative press and self-centered actions (ahhhemmm LEBRON!)  that you hear about in professional sports or the simple fact that it is nice to hear of people who genuinely care about and support the people around them. Maybe we all should take a second and think, "If I was in that situation... what bottle I would shake?"

And away we go...

Hello!

Welcome to my little slice of cyber land. Let's get things squared away right off the bat. I am not a writer... I am poor with spelling and grammar. You know, like when exactly you should use a comma or what the difference between a semicolon and just a regular old colon is. So don't expect fancy well written blog posts from me. I just type as fast as the thoughts come into my pretty little head. *Note: I really like to use "... " and " - " a lot when I type things. So if it bothers you, too bad... this blog is mine.

Any who, my name is Jamie. I have thought for a while now about starting a blog and I'm not totally sure why. I like to talk, a lot, and I guess because I often find myself with things to say or share with people that qualifies me to write a blog.- maybe? Along with interesting things to say, I do some pretty fun things too.  Well, some of you might think it is interesting... others of you will probably think I'm boring. But- to each his own my friends.

I can guarantee a few things to you all in this blog:

• I know that I love to make people happy... so expect funny stories that I hope will make you laugh and sometimes melt your heart. 

• I think I have the best family and friends in the entire world. Especially my husband, he is the best. For reals! I can 110% guarantee posts about them. 

• I love to cook. So, maybe here and there I can share some of my cooking tips and tricks with you. I think I cook pretty well, I haven't had any complaints yet.

• I find myself in my "element" when I am doing crafty things. I have scrapbooked for years, but that got too time consuming. But I still "get my craft on" from time to time. I sew and do some crafty things like make cards, home decor things... ohhh and- home made gifts. Well, most of the time they are semi-homemade... but none-the-less. 

I have been keeping notes of things that I would like to share with you in this blog for a while now. So, I'm sure that I will be posting a lot in the upcoming weeks and other post ideas on my list will just have to wait for those "I need filler posts days". 

That is what I have for now. I have to go take my dog, Kelso, out for a walk before it starts to rain again. He is a baby about getting wet and being cold.