I'd like to think I am slightly creative, but I think most of my ideas/projects/to-do's come from Pinterest or other internet ideas. Thanks Al Gore!
Us ladies are in the midst of turning 30 this year... yikes! Erin's birthday was earlier this month (Happy Dirty Thirty chica!), mine is January 9th, and Jamie's is in May. I don't know about my blog sisters, but I'm actually quite excited to welcome 30 into my life.
I'd like to celebrate by joining in on The Birthday Project.
Basically, celebrate your birthday by performing the same number of Random Acts of Kindness as the year you are turning. Since 30 is a banner year, I figured it is a great year to give this a try!
Now, I'm not rich. The opposite probably. Blessed, but not wealthy. So it is time to get creative with ideas to make people smile, while not breaking the bank. I also have to figure out the timing of all of this, because I will be working 12+ hours on the actual day. (Being an adult is not always roses.)
Here are some ideas I have read, from other people who have joined in on The Birthday Project:
1) Load bags of groceries into cars for elderly shoppers or single parents with kids with them.
2) Feed parking meters getting low.
3) Tape spare change to vending machines, laundromat machines, etc.
4) Tape lotto tickets to gas pumps for surprise for next person.
5) Leave happy notes on cars.
6) Buy a $5 gift card to McDonalds/DQ/Chick Fil A/whatever, and give it to the person behind me in line.
7) Leave a small treat and note of thanks for mailman/garbage man/etc.
8) Pay for person behind you at drive-thru.
9) Send cards to troops
10) Give carepacks or 'blessing bags' to the homeless
11) Hold doors open for strangers
12) Let strangers ahead of me in line
13) Thank police/fire/etc with cookies (fire station right down the road from me!)
14) Write handwritten letters to people who have made a difference in my life
15) Pick up trash
16) Give flowers to someone on the street.
17) Donate blood
18) Donate to Goodwill/SalVal
19) Give event tickets (easy in my case!)
20) Shovel snow for a neighbor (in NC? Not sure if this will work out!)
21) Be generous with compliments
22) Be polite on the road (can we just all do this every day?)
23) Offer free babysitting
24) Bring a special treat to coworkers
25) Surprise someone with an e-card
26) Volunteer (Ronald McDonald House, check!)
27) Buy a treat for a child (with parent's permission)
28) Leave coupons next to the matching products
29) Hide little bags of treats in stores.
30) Give a hot drink to someone working outdoors (January after all!)
Those are just some ideas I've liked; not sure if they are the exact ones I'll do. But it is definitely something I want to do! And I am going to ask friends and family to consider performing a RAK that day/week too, to continue to pay it forward. I can't wait! Is it January yet?
PS- If anyone reads this, and has any ideas, please comment. I'd love to hear it!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Pin Fail (aka- Who needs a laugh today?)
So almost anyone who has attempted to replicate some 'pins' on Pinterest has been here: Someone pins something adorable/tasty/eye catching/whatever with a title exclaiming how easy it is, and so you want to try it too!
And then you find out, it is not quite so easy. Or maybe they missed a few steps in the tutorial. It can't be me, right? (Ok, with my track record, it probably is me!)
I recently discovered a hilarious blog, Pinstrosity. This blog is a collection of everyone's failed pins, with descriptions and photos. I laughed my face off at a banana bread gone wrong. Who knew that frozen-then-defrosted bananas could look like poo?
The following is what I would submit to Pinstrosity, after a do-it-myself Halloween wreath went awry this morning:
The Original Pin:
Adorable, supposed to be easy, and cheap. My kind of craft!
So in this tutuorial, "Mom" used a tube of pipe insulation to make her wreath, because it was black and cheap ($1.50 for 6 ft, and cut to only use 3 ft of it). Alright, hubby was going to Lowe's anyways, so I had him get me some of the pipe insulation. I had already picked up spider webbing and fake spiders at Walmart, and had duct tape (to turn insulation into a circle) and ribbon here. Let's go!
Well, the main problem with the whole thing was that my wreath would NOT conform into a circle. This was as close as I could get it:
Yikes. I continued trying to turn it into a circle, and added black electrical tape over the duct tape to hide the gray. And then I added spider webs and spiders.
Final product.... That is scary alright....
I just could NOT get that wreath form correct. I could have gotten the spider web to look less clumpy, but finally gave up, realizing I'll have to just go buy a true wreath form and some black spray paint. Not a terrible fail, but not something I want to hang on my front door either!
And not my first fail either. I had a delicious fail when I tried to make Oreo truffle footballs for the Super Bowl last year.
Luckily these ones tasted so good, they didn't sit on the table mocking me for too long!
Still fun to try out pins, to get new recipes, decor, fashion, hair, craft ideas, etc. And if I ever get the money to put my Pinterest Dream Home in action, watch out HGTV!
*****************************************************
Also wanted to post how my mantle came out, from the last entry. No fail here!
Ok, heading to the craft store. Have a great weekend!
And then you find out, it is not quite so easy. Or maybe they missed a few steps in the tutorial. It can't be me, right? (Ok, with my track record, it probably is me!)
I recently discovered a hilarious blog, Pinstrosity. This blog is a collection of everyone's failed pins, with descriptions and photos. I laughed my face off at a banana bread gone wrong. Who knew that frozen-then-defrosted bananas could look like poo?
The following is what I would submit to Pinstrosity, after a do-it-myself Halloween wreath went awry this morning:
The Original Pin:
 |
| via Mom Endeavors |
So in this tutuorial, "Mom" used a tube of pipe insulation to make her wreath, because it was black and cheap ($1.50 for 6 ft, and cut to only use 3 ft of it). Alright, hubby was going to Lowe's anyways, so I had him get me some of the pipe insulation. I had already picked up spider webbing and fake spiders at Walmart, and had duct tape (to turn insulation into a circle) and ribbon here. Let's go!
Well, the main problem with the whole thing was that my wreath would NOT conform into a circle. This was as close as I could get it:
 |
| Not a circle, but not quite a square? |
Final product.... That is scary alright....
And not my first fail either. I had a delicious fail when I tried to make Oreo truffle footballs for the Super Bowl last year.
 |
| Foot-blobs? |
Still fun to try out pins, to get new recipes, decor, fashion, hair, craft ideas, etc. And if I ever get the money to put my Pinterest Dream Home in action, watch out HGTV!
*****************************************************
Also wanted to post how my mantle came out, from the last entry. No fail here!
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| Should I add a little garland or something? |
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Who doesn't love a vase of skulls? |
Friday, September 28, 2012
Halloween
Not sure about my counterparts, but I LOVE Halloween. Especially decorating for it! And now thanks to Pinterest, I also love making my own decorations or getting design inspiration from others.
Back in college, and when hubby and I first got married, I bought decorations, but they were cheap and cheap LOOKING. I didn't even think of making things on my own. I thought there was just cutebutsoexpensive stuff at stores like Pier One, and cheapbutnotsocute stuff at Walmart. I just tossed a few cheap things up, yay decorations!, and that was it. I was never all that proud or inspired by it though.
But check out these adorable things found on Pinterest:
I didn't think to take a picture of any of the things I've done so far, but one thing I'm loving is my mantle. I have 3 glass vases of different sizes that I try to fill each season or holiday month with something specific to that holiday. So right now I have a candle in one, some mini pumpkins in another, and then one filled with skulls and eyeballs. Came out great! And I framed this picture and put it up there too.
I haven't really thought of any decorating upstairs though. Do people decorate bedrooms or bathrooms for Halloween at all? Or just their common areas (living room, kitchen, etc.)?
Back in college, and when hubby and I first got married, I bought decorations, but they were cheap and cheap LOOKING. I didn't even think of making things on my own. I thought there was just cutebutsoexpensive stuff at stores like Pier One, and cheapbutnotsocute stuff at Walmart. I just tossed a few cheap things up, yay decorations!, and that was it. I was never all that proud or inspired by it though.
But check out these adorable things found on Pinterest:
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| via |
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| via |
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| via |
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| via |
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
A Day of Reflection
Today is the 11th anniversary of the September 11th attacks and it's crazy to think that it has really been that long. I'll never forget that morning and it seems like it was only yesterday. I remember sitting in a freshman college class called "Shakespeare in Love" during only the second week of classes at St. John Fisher College, in New York. There was some chatter in the hallway after the first plane went into the towers, but no one really thought much of it at that time and believed it to be a horrible accident. As my second class started, "Sex and the Body Politic", I remember kids coming in and telling us to turn on the television. And there is was...horror, panic, tragedy, and disbelief all laid out in front of us.
The rest of the day seems like a blur. Classes were cancelled and students gathered in the dining halls to watch it over and over again on television. After leaving the dining hall I remember gathering in a classmates room to watch all the news coverage. There we sat...probably six or eight of us, with other people coming in and out, and we all just cried. There was nothing else to do...we could not explain it and anger had not yet set in, so we just cried.
Looking back it is ironic that such a horrible tragedy was able to bring about such a close bond and friendship amongst strangers. None of us knew each other that well, as I said we'd only been there two weeks, but by the end of the week, we were all friends. To this day, eleven years later, I still speak with most of the people who sat in the dorm room with me as we watched the tragic events unfold.
There truly is something to be said about tragedy bringing people together. I'm not just talking about a group of college students, but a nation as a whole. We have turned this tragic day into something more important, a national day of service. There is no better way to honor those who lost their lives than by helping someone else.
*9/11/01-Never Forget*
The rest of the day seems like a blur. Classes were cancelled and students gathered in the dining halls to watch it over and over again on television. After leaving the dining hall I remember gathering in a classmates room to watch all the news coverage. There we sat...probably six or eight of us, with other people coming in and out, and we all just cried. There was nothing else to do...we could not explain it and anger had not yet set in, so we just cried.
Looking back it is ironic that such a horrible tragedy was able to bring about such a close bond and friendship amongst strangers. None of us knew each other that well, as I said we'd only been there two weeks, but by the end of the week, we were all friends. To this day, eleven years later, I still speak with most of the people who sat in the dorm room with me as we watched the tragic events unfold.
There truly is something to be said about tragedy bringing people together. I'm not just talking about a group of college students, but a nation as a whole. We have turned this tragic day into something more important, a national day of service. There is no better way to honor those who lost their lives than by helping someone else.
*9/11/01-Never Forget*
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Volunteering
One of my hobbies/passions in life is volunteering. I don't have a lot of extra money at hand (especially as we go through the adoption process), but I can share my time with those who need the help.
I wasn't always as gung-ho about volunteering. When I was younger/more immature, I wasn't as interested in volunteering, mostly because it was usually a requirement, and what teen doesn't hate being told what to do? I also didn't have a big pick of what I could do, due to age. But things changed in college.
I loved college, loved it! But I did get homesick from time to time, including missing my dog and cat back home. Living in a dorm, those types of pets were not allowed, and the turtle I'd bought as a "pet" was not cutting it. (side note, did you know turtles can live for decades? Crap!). I one day had the idea to call the city shelter to see if they had any volunteer programs, and wound up a dog walker, going a few times a week to get dogs sunshine, fresh air, socialization, etc. I also got to play with the cats and kittens. I was helping the small shelter out a lot. But I was actually getting a lot more out of it for myself. And that is when it clicked.
In the years since, I have volunteered for the Humane Society, Ronald McDonald House, Hands On Charlotte, and more. And I have been lucky enough to work for a company that provides volunteer opportunities for us as well. And no matter what I do for each organization, I get so much more back for myself.
With the Ronald McDonald House, I help with a volunteer leader committee, studying the ages of volunteers and finding was to connect with them. Because of that, I know that only a small percentage of our volunteers are under 40, or even 50, years old. It doesn't have to be that way.
I don't write this as a "Go Me!" piece. I write it to try to convince others to give it a try. Not because someone is requiring you to. But because you relate to a cause, and it just clicks for you too.
I wasn't always as gung-ho about volunteering. When I was younger/more immature, I wasn't as interested in volunteering, mostly because it was usually a requirement, and what teen doesn't hate being told what to do? I also didn't have a big pick of what I could do, due to age. But things changed in college.
I loved college, loved it! But I did get homesick from time to time, including missing my dog and cat back home. Living in a dorm, those types of pets were not allowed, and the turtle I'd bought as a "pet" was not cutting it. (side note, did you know turtles can live for decades? Crap!). I one day had the idea to call the city shelter to see if they had any volunteer programs, and wound up a dog walker, going a few times a week to get dogs sunshine, fresh air, socialization, etc. I also got to play with the cats and kittens. I was helping the small shelter out a lot. But I was actually getting a lot more out of it for myself. And that is when it clicked.
In the years since, I have volunteered for the Humane Society, Ronald McDonald House, Hands On Charlotte, and more. And I have been lucky enough to work for a company that provides volunteer opportunities for us as well. And no matter what I do for each organization, I get so much more back for myself.
With the Ronald McDonald House, I help with a volunteer leader committee, studying the ages of volunteers and finding was to connect with them. Because of that, I know that only a small percentage of our volunteers are under 40, or even 50, years old. It doesn't have to be that way.
I don't write this as a "Go Me!" piece. I write it to try to convince others to give it a try. Not because someone is requiring you to. But because you relate to a cause, and it just clicks for you too.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Blogs we love
I love finding new blogs (well, new to me!), and wondering where they were all my life! Some blogs are so funny, your abs get a workout from laughing as you read. Others feature the next (less annoying) Martha Stewart. And some make you feel like you have known the person for years, even if you've never met.
As we get our feet wet, and ramp up our own blog, check out some of our favorite blogs to read (and be inspired by). Just make sure to come back and read us again too!
1) Six Sisters Stuff: www.sixsistersstuff.com
These six sisters and their blog are a great inspiration to us. They started the blog to stay in touch, share recipes, craft projects, entertain the kids, etc. You'll be hooked in no time!
2) Our Daily Obsessions: www.ourdailyobsessions.blogspot.com
Amy has great style and a great eye for design, but what we really love is that she does it on a small budget as her husband has been in law school. Her tutorials are easy to follow, and her family is adorable!
3) Mama Laughlin: www.mamalaughlin.com
After having her first baby, she lost 60 pounds. And then after having her second baby, she lost another 40 lbs. If she can do it twice, then I can do it once, can't I? Be prepared to LOL with her, and don't be offended by her potty mouth- have fun with it!
4) IHeart Organizing: www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com
We never knew we were closet organization freaks until we started reading her blog. Now, all we want to do is print labels, file things, and make our houses look half as beautiful as hers. You're welcome!
Other great blogs include:
www.luluthebaker.blogspot.com
www.hungry-girl.com
www.ttimes3.wordpress.com (adoption blog)
Or speaking of adoption blogs, please consider checking out my other blog, an adoption blog, at www.jenandmattadopt.blogspot.com. Shameless self promotion here, but the more people that know we are trying to adopt, the better! :)
What blogs do you love?
As we get our feet wet, and ramp up our own blog, check out some of our favorite blogs to read (and be inspired by). Just make sure to come back and read us again too!
1) Six Sisters Stuff: www.sixsistersstuff.com
These six sisters and their blog are a great inspiration to us. They started the blog to stay in touch, share recipes, craft projects, entertain the kids, etc. You'll be hooked in no time!
2) Our Daily Obsessions: www.ourdailyobsessions.blogspot.com
3) Mama Laughlin: www.mamalaughlin.com
4) IHeart Organizing: www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com
Other great blogs include:
www.luluthebaker.blogspot.com
www.hungry-girl.com
www.ttimes3.wordpress.com (adoption blog)
Or speaking of adoption blogs, please consider checking out my other blog, an adoption blog, at www.jenandmattadopt.blogspot.com. Shameless self promotion here, but the more people that know we are trying to adopt, the better! :)
What blogs do you love?
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Change
Someone recently told me that the only people who like change are babies with wet diapers. I laughed and thought, "that's not true...change is a good thing." Well then things started to change and suddenly I realized that maybe I wasn't a huge fan of change. Change is scary...even if it is a good thing.
My family and I are in the process of making a huge move back closer to home. I can't wait...it will be so nice to be close to our family again. But it's becoming more and more real as the the date gets closer. Suddenly reality is setting in and I'm realizing this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING!! How is it that one moment you are so sure all you want to do is move back home, and the next you are crying thinking about leaving the home you have started on your own???!!
The last seven years have truly been amazing. I moved 5 hours away from home, I earned my graduate degree, I met AMAZING friends along the way, I married my best friend, we bought our first home, and we had a wonderful little girl. I know no matter where we live I will continue to have a great life with my family and my friends, no matter how far we are...
So back to my original statement about change being scary...to put it bluntly...IT IS!!! But it's how we embrace the change that is really important. This isn't the end of my story, but the start of the next chapter. I can't wait to see where it takes me and what new things I learn. I'm excited and nervous but mostly excited.
So for now I'll embrace the stress and anxiety over moving and look ahead to the new memories my family and I will create in a new home, in a new state!
~Jamie
My family and I are in the process of making a huge move back closer to home. I can't wait...it will be so nice to be close to our family again. But it's becoming more and more real as the the date gets closer. Suddenly reality is setting in and I'm realizing this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING!! How is it that one moment you are so sure all you want to do is move back home, and the next you are crying thinking about leaving the home you have started on your own???!!
The last seven years have truly been amazing. I moved 5 hours away from home, I earned my graduate degree, I met AMAZING friends along the way, I married my best friend, we bought our first home, and we had a wonderful little girl. I know no matter where we live I will continue to have a great life with my family and my friends, no matter how far we are...
So back to my original statement about change being scary...to put it bluntly...IT IS!!! But it's how we embrace the change that is really important. This isn't the end of my story, but the start of the next chapter. I can't wait to see where it takes me and what new things I learn. I'm excited and nervous but mostly excited.
So for now I'll embrace the stress and anxiety over moving and look ahead to the new memories my family and I will create in a new home, in a new state!
~Jamie
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