Felt Food - Easter Bunnies

I have been wanting to try my hand at making felt food for the wee ones. First up Chocolate Bunnies!! They were super easy to make. I bought a kit from http://www.lilybeanmarket.com/ I did modify them somewhat. I decided to hand stitch them instead of using the machine. I like the look of the hand stitching better. I also used a fiber fill instead of the solid piece of foam. Next up sushi!!

Peace Out

Hope & Health

After 15 years living in Orlando we finally made it to the zoo. We participated in a benefit walk for Hope & Health (an organization promoting HIV/Aids awareness throughout Orange & Seminole counties) The zoo is small but very clean. The day was overcast and wind was in the air. The Hawler monkeys put on quite a show. The noises they can make. The highlight of the day was when a turkey gobbled in response to a 2 year old boy's gobble, the look of excitement on the boy's face was priceless. 3 little girls giggled as Randy stuck his head in the elephant cut out. He thought the grand kids would get a kick out of it. (well okay it was my idea but he immediately complied) A fun morning and it raised a good deal of money for a good cause.

Peace Out

Happy Birthday Bennett & Kate

One year ago we welcomed the two of you into our family. Thank you Carey and Stephanie.

Peace Out

Four Weeks In

Today marks the end of the 4th week that I have been hitting the gym at least 4x. I feel great, I am lifting weights 3 of those days and at least 1 day I do an hour walk with Judy. I also walk Jack 6 out of 7 days. As of last Monday I have lost 8 pounds and 5 1/4 inches (3 of those in the tummy!) I have done an herbal detox (4Life) and have actually been taking vitamins. My sleep has improved thanks to drinking a cup of "Get So.me ZZZZZs" tea. I swear I fall asleep within 30 minutes of drinking that stuff and more importantly I am not waking up for a few hours every night. My diet consists of 4 meals a day, I try to stay in the 400 calorie range, with mainly lean meats and veggies. I am married to someone who likes a sweet in the evening and that is hard to resist. Thanks to the pre-sugars :-) we switched to sugar free ice cream, not bad. I am convinced of the MUFA role in my success. I read about it in the "Fl.at Bell.y Diet". Of course I would have liked to have seen greater progress but I realize I have made a successful change in my life. I actually like working out again. Give me a little Brittany and I can do an hour on the arch trainer!! I love Brittany!!

Peace Out

Rocks, Rocks & Rocks

Our weekend was consumed by rocks. Judy had (about 14 tons or so) a pile of river rock she no longer required. We needed rock to place around the screen enclosure to help with drainage and to stop dirt from sliding onto the patio. So off we started 4 loads later (14 containers per load), a trench being dug, weed guard laid down and voila the project is now 2/3 completed. It is impressive to think that our fingers touched every single rock. Randy came up with all sorts of ways to make the job go faster. His final solution was using an old window shutter as a sifter and shovel the rock on it and then just picked the rock from there. I preferred sitting on the ground and just picked my way through the dirt to score the rock. There was something relaxing about picking through the dirt. Of course the weather was awesome this weekend, highs in the low 70's and a nice breeze going on. It was actually the first gardening project that I did not whine through. Now it is on to the final side of the enclosure. We need to build a wall as the ground is much higher on that side of the yard. I have a really cool old mantel that will be incorporated into the wall although Randy says no. I say yes, I wonder who will win hmm... I vote me!

I went and scrapped Friday night, had a wicked headache so only managed a 2 page spread of my oldest grandson. I am really getting into the random pages I have been making. It is so different from the way I normally scrap. I like it.

We capped off the weekend with Sunday night dinner at Judy's. She made a yummy meatloaf. Now I make a killer meatloaf but this was great, it had Italian sausage it it. Tasty.

Peace Out

Product Plug

I used this product yesterday to clean the windows. WOW!!! What a great job it did. Now if I only could figure out how to use it on the inside.

Peace Out

Garage Sale Saturday

*****UPDATE***

Today is Wekivas annual neighborhood garage sale. We are heading out in a few to check things out. We are on the hunt for a lawn mower. We have discontinued our lawn service and will be doing our own. (damn economy) Have you looked at the prices of new lawn mowers? Outrageous!! A push mower (with no engine) is $140! I do not mind cutting the grass, I cannot stand the edging & weed eating. Of course I am sure my tune will change come August. We are also hoping to score a couple of pack-n-plays for the West Coast Ryans to use on their sojourn to the east. I am hoping one of my neighbors are hosting a garage sale she had the sweetest little girl things last year. I bet I can score some plastic kid yard art (aka houses, slides, swings) any takers?
Peace Out

**Update**
For a mere 100 bucks we scored: lawn mower, pack-n-play, cute dress for Kate, wall sconce, miniature snowmen for Brenna's miniature tree, Br.io train track(s), nice piece of coral and several knat bites.

And the beat goes on.....

March is here and man it came in like a lion. Cold and windy. We enjoyed an unexpected longer visit with Mary and Raymond. We did a little shopping, chatting & eating. Raymond & Mary are the kind of guests you can be quiet with. A comfortable quiet. I like that. I also like Raymond's humor. It was a good weekend.
Erinn is down from Gainesville. She is actually headed to NSB (New Smyrna Beach) for the week. She scored quite the cute swimsuit at the Tar.get yesterday. She will probably come back all brown. I like brown skin, makes you look smaller. :-)
I had a dream the other night that Bennett said a 5 word sentence, "I want to go outside" I cannot believe the twins will be 1 year by months end. I cannot believe I am so lucky that I have 4 wonderful beautiful grandchildren. I have 3 great girls, 2 that are married to equally as great of people, 1 betrothed (I like that word, committed but yet not official) to a great guy. A pretty good husband although he makes me nutty at times. We have lost a lot this year in terms of money, retirement is a long way off but yet....Life is Good. We had some unsettling news from dear friends and it made me think of one word...Gratitude . Sadness for them yet gratitude for my life. I am in good place in which to lend my shoulder, gratitude. The old saying God never gives you more then you can handle, in this case I hope it is true.
Take time out today and literally smell the roses.

Peace out

Books, Books and Books

As most of you know I am an avid reader. I love all (most) books. I love the beginning, middle and end. I would never dream of sneaking ahead, taking a peek. I belonged to one book club that met once a month. In the beginning it was great. Good books, good discussions. And then little by little the chick flick books began to enter in. I mean have you ever read "Brid.get Jones Diary" I mean come on people!! I could not even listen to that!! What was that point? And then, personal life discussions. We were there to discuss the book and ended up talking about so an so's dating life. It drove me nuts so I stopped going. Kinda of funny I still read most of the books they read. Now they are into the Twi.light series. UGH!!!!! Now to the real point of this post, Brenna & friends started an online book club, asked me to join. The 1st book is "The Guern.sey Literary and Potato Peel Pi.e Society" It is a collection of letters talking about the German occupation of Guernsey during the war. It is a good read. You want to know what happens to these people. The online meeting to discuss the book is tonight and I AM NOT DONE!!!! I cannot believe it. The first time ever (other then that BJD book) I left it too long, got all involved with scrapbooking last week, had company over the weekend. The weather delayed Raymond's flight so they were extended until tomorrow. Excuses, excuses.....no excuse
Peace Out