The Mom Challenge: Week 8

Josh's school does something special every Friday afternoon. It's called Passion hour.  In the beginning of the year each teacher chose something they were passionate about.  Each classroom has a different passion - cooking, sewing, recycling, aviation etc.  Then the kids get to chose one of the themes and go learn about it.  Now the 6th graders are leading the passion groups sharing some of their passions every Friday. 

The kids love it.  I love it.  The kids learn smoothing new - they are exposed to new things.  And they see that it's important to have something to be passionate about.

This week the challenge is to help your child find something they are passionate about.  It could be painting, clay, sports, space, tractors.  Even small children have something that they are really into.  Or if your 2 year old loves to color why not try finger paint.  Or puffy paint.  Or looking up fun art projects.  Passions are something that are for all ages! 

Has your child not found their passion yet?  Give them a camera - let them take some pictures.  Go out and play Frisbee golf.  Build a card house (do people still do that?)  Try all kinds of things.  It will be fun to try out new things and who knows maybe you will find some new passion as well!

If your child already has something they are passionate about why not harbor that and get involved with them.  Just an hour this week.  Learn about their passion.  Help them explore it - explore it yourself.  Have fun!

What are some things you or your kids are passionate about?

Our Florida trip...

It's such a dark and rainy day today so Josh and I have been hanging out - playing Scooby Doo Monopoly, doing laundry (well I've been doing laundry) and I'm going through my pictures.  We took a trip to Florida in January and on a day like today I wish I could go back!  Ahh the beach..

We stayed in Venice with my grandparents.  If you are ever in the area you should go to Mote's Aquarium.  It's really cool.

We also went to Disney World but I'll save those pictures for another rainy day! :) Have a wonderful weekend!!

Some amazing thrifting finds

I've been out and about this week at the thrift stores around town.  Well the one and Goodwill.  Usually I'm kind of upset with Goodwill around here.  They have cute stuff but when I look at the price - ouch! Something I would expect to pay $3 or $3 would be $7.  Something that should have been $50-75 was $200!  But the past week or so I've been plesently surprised at (some) of their prices.

Aren't the adorable?  They are Sheffield Strawberries 'n Cream stoneware custard cups (or ramekins whichever you prefer!) Oh to keep or to resell?  I would *love* to keep them and then go on a little shopping spree and find the rest of the collection.

 Wow! On facebook there is a garage sale group for our town.  I scooped these up there.  Her picture did not do these justice (not sure my picture does them any justice either!) I googled the name on the bottom of the salt/pepper (I always forget which one is which, I know shows how much I use them) and didn't get anything.  So handmade?  I'm not sure.  If they are they are SPEKTACULAR.  Well they are regardless!  They are big too!  4 1/2 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches wide!  As much as I'm falling for these they are going in the Shop tomorrow.  I listed them on Bonanza this morning.  Hopefully they find a good home!

Everyone loves a good owl figurine right?  He's a ceramic guy.  Just hanging out.  Waiting to be listed tomorrow in the Etsy Shop.

And since we are talking about owls...I found this quirky mug.  The owl is sleeping with one eye open.  Or maybe just trying to wake up - and wants you to fill him up with coffee!  But either way the back is my favorite part.

:) Makes me smile.  This is going up in the shop as well tomorrow! 

Have you been to any garage sales lately?  Find any good thrift store finds?

Strawberry Lemonade

Some days lately it's been really warm here.  Like summer warm.  Even when it was March!  Which is fine with me.  I can't wait until summer.  I've been thinking about it everyday since November.  :)

So the last really warm day we had I decided that I would pretend it was summer and make a batch of strawberry lemonade.  I should have made a few batches because it was gone that night.  So good.

You need to boil about 2 cups of water.  Then add 1 cup sugar.  Lower the heat and let simmer until sugar disolves.  Add a little bit of lemon peel and squeeze about 1 cup of lemon juice.  Stir and remove from the heat.  I pour mine into a big bowl.

Add a pint of hulled and halved strawberries to the simple syrup mixture.  Stir and let it cool.  Then toss in the blender.  Add another 2 cups or so of water/club soda/sparkling water (it depends on how strong you like your lemonade!) and put in the refridgerator to chill.  (Ours didn't have time to chill - it just got sucked down!)

Serve over ice (and with your rim lined with sugar - I know right!?) 

Yum.  So good!

What reminds you of summer?

And for your pinning pleasure :)

Linking up here

Update

Well hello friends!  It's been a few weeks -- so sorry.  My computer has been sick. So I sent her off to be fixed - and hooray she's all better now!  I tried getting on Blogger through my phone but I dared not to try to blog from it! 

And Saturday Andy's dad had what we think was a stroke.  He's been in the hospital right now.  They think he's been suffering small strokes for a little while now.  So extra prayers would be appreciated!

Things will get back to normal around here - really is there ever a normal? :) I'm going to pick up with the Mom Challenge starting next Monday again!  Talk soon!

Help me redo this dresser!

So I have a new adventure.  I love shopping.  I love deals.  I love finding awesome stuff.  But I'm scared to death that one day my house will be filled with boxes full of junk and someone will nominate me to be on Hoarders.  So I try to keep the junk out of my house.  And one day it hit me.  Sell it!  Buy it.  Sell it.  Make a little cash.  What's not to love?  So we have officially gotten a booth at an indoor flea market. 

Which means...I have to go thrifting.  I have to go to garage sales.  And I have to go to the auctions.

Which is where I found this beauty.

Do you love the scallop bottom?  I do.  But wait.  Check this out.

The drawer folds down into a desk!  Awesome right?!?

Pretty sweet huh?  I paid $12 for this at an auction the other week.  I'll admit.  It's rough.  There are 3 layers of paint - black,  (a really cool shade of) yellow and white.  It needs new hardware.  There is candle wax all over the front.  But the wood is good - it's solid.  And I really like it.

So I've been sanding away.  I've got about half of it done.  Sanded all the way to the wood. 

And I need your help in re-doing this dresser (or is it a desk?).  I need to finish it and get it up for sale!  (Because I already have the next furniture project purchased....)

So help me make the decisions!  First question:

Should I paint...

Or stain! 

Leave a comment with your vote -- I should be done with the sanding in the next couple days.  And then I will either get started painting...or staining!  :) Help make the dresser (desk) beautiful!  And help me get it sold quick! :) :)

The Mom Challenge: Week 7

Hello ladies!  I've got so much to share with you all this week!  I've been so busy lately, but you know hard work pays off!  {Or it is supposed to anyways right?!?!}

If you are new to the mom challenge visit here.  It's a list of ALL the past challenges.  Also make sure to login to The Blog Frog.  It's free to join!  And I was thinking of starting a live chat on Saturday night?  Thoughts? 

 

Alright this week's challenge is for us.  The short order cooks, the chauffeurs, the accountants, the cheerleaders, teachers, maids, and doctors otherwise known simple as Mom.  Being a mom is hard work!  We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  For life. 

 

But you know what.  Even supermoms need a break.  I was talking to my mom the other day and I told her "You need a hobby."  Her response: "I don't have time for a hobby." (My mom still has 2 kids in elementary school!  My youngest brother and I are 20 years apart! WOWSERS!)

I realized that there are probably lots of women like my mom.  Work, come home, clean up, make dinner, run kids to this place and that place, come home, clean up some more, sleep.  Repeat.

 

(No that is not my mom. LoL) (source)

Us moms need to take care of ourselves!  How can we expect to be re-charged and on top of our game if we don't get 15 minutes to ourselves!  My mom claims she does stuff for herself.  She does yard work (In my opinion it's only called yard work if it's a chore.  If you like to do it you call it gardening...but whatever.)  And sometimes she reads (aka falls asleep in her chair with her book in her hands). 

So this week's challenge is to set up a date.  A date with yourself.  Tell the hubby (or find a sitter) to come watch the kids (or take the kids out!) and do your own thing.  This does NOT include:  running errands, cleaning up the house, surfing Pinterest looking for dinner ideas, or doing laundry.  This time is just FOR you.  And YOU only.  Go get your nails done.  Meet up with a girlfriend for appetizers (and a margarita), go shopping (for yourself!!),  go see that chick flick, head to the flea market, take a nap!  Do something for yourself!  You deserve it!!