Happy Memorial Day

We have such a great weekend planned out. Tomorrow we are hanging with some great friends of ours to swim and BBQ so I made some quick buckets for the kids. Each bucket cost about $6.00 I have snaps, temporary tattoos, glow sticks, a ring pop, and a pinwheel all wrapped up in a cute bucket. Here is what I started with:

Teacher Gifts

I wanted to find something for my kids teachers that wasn't the typical thank you gift. My husband and I absolutely loved our son's teachers this year! They were wonderful and we wanted them to know it! I found this idea on Pinterest (who doesn't love that site).

So I copied the idea and modified it a bit to add my personal touch. I got most of the items at Walmart and Meijer. Each gift cost about $13.00!! I printed a little note and had the boys sign their name. Here are the supplies I started with.

 

I put it together and thought it needed something refreshing. Water maybe??

Nope....didn't like it. The water was too heavy and I could totally see my boys losing the water bottle and then trying to jam it back in and wreaking the whole gift. While in Meijer grocery shopping I saw these cute little cups....perfect! Here is the final outcome.

All three together

I am happy with the outcome and can't wait to give them to the best teachers!

My One Word - Change (update)

In January I picked one word to be my word for the year. I choose CHANGE. There were several things I wanted to change in my life. One thing I wanted to change was my grade point average. In high school I was for the most part an honor student but always felt I could have done better. After almost 7 months in school I am currently holding a 4.0 GPA!!! Another thing I wanted to change was more "me" time. I have sacrificed for years between family, friends, and life style choices. Now don't hate me when I say this, but I decided to change, and become a little more selfish. I was always trying to help others, and always saying yes to others. This year I took a step back, not that I don't want to help others, or say yes to others, but I think I learned to say "how will this affect you and how will this affect your family." If I found that saying yes meant sacrificing time with my family, or something that I wanted to do on my priority list I have learned to say no. I also wanted to change my diet and exercise. I can say I have made some minor changes but I need some bigger changes to happen there. My relationship with my husband has changed. Changed for the good. I think we have learned to appreciate each other more and we have had some of the best talks. My favorite time is sitting with him on the sofa just talking after we get the kids in bed. We have had so many great talks that I have logged in my memory banks! The biggest change is yet to come (I'm so close to telling).......to be continued!

My one word for 2012

CHANGE

That's my word. So many things in my life need to change and I need to change them for me. Sorry if that sounds a little selfish but this year I need to stop putting so many of my efforts into everyone else and take care of me a little better. I have started a pinterest board to remind me of my word thru out the year. You can see it here

Here's to a Happy New Year!

Thankful

Everyday in November I will post what I am thankful for. I have seen this many times but I feel I want to do just to remind me how blessed my life is:

Nov1: I am thankful for my husband. He is a wonderful man.
Nov 2: I am so thankful for my kids. They have brought so much joy to my life and I am truly blessed that they were brought into my life. I could not imagine life with out them! Love you boys!
Nov 3: I am thankful that my husband is employed. Just over a year ago he was laid off from his job of 9 years and it was the scariest moment in my life. I believe things happen for a reason and now he is more than happy with the job he has moved into.
Nov 4: I am thankful for my dog Hazel. She has been my companion since my journey with Ron started. It is hard to watch her age.
Nov 5: I am thankful for the marriage I have. My husband and I are really a team, best friends, lovers, and at times annoyances to each other. It makes our marriage strong!
Nov 6: I am thankful for my Aunt. I really don't know what I would do with out her. She always gives me a helping hand. I am so lucky to have her!
Nov 7: I am thankful for coffee! I really don't know what I would do with out it!
Nov 8: I am thankful for my mother in law. I'm so lucky to have such a loving, caring mother in law. I know so many who don't get along with their mother in law but mine is the best. She loves me and my kids and everything about us! Happy Birthday Mom!
Nov 9: I am thankful for bad days. Yes I know. Sounds silly right. But today I am having a bad day. This helps me realize and be thankful for the good days.
Nov 10: I am thankful I was born on this date!
Nov 11: I am thankful for my father in law. He is a sweet, wonderful man and is so good with the boys. I see so much of Ron in him. He loves me like I am his own daughter. Happy Birthday Dad!
Nov 12: I am thankful for my little brother in law. I am so lucky to have such a great relationship with him. He makes me laugh so much and brings so much joy to my heart!
Nov 13: I am thankful for sleep. Oh boy did I need it today!
Nov 14: I am thankful for my best friend Carey. She is truly the definition of a real best friend in every way!
Nov 15: I am thankful I made my decision to go back to school and get my BA in Elementary Teaching
Nov 16: I am thankful for the feeling I have when my house is all clean and in order. Nothing beats that feeling.
Nov 17: I am thankful for my Dad. He is my hero and always will be!
Nov 18: I am thankful for my Mom. She is such a strong woman and sometimes I don't know how she does it.
Nov 19: I am thankful for the team effort me and my husband have. We really do work well together (most of the time).
Nov 20: I am thankful for the time I got to spend with my Dad today. It was wonderful!
Nov 21: I am thankful I made it thru my first week of school!!! Hopefully reaching all points!
Nov 22: I am thankful for that all the necessities in my life are provided for me and that I never have to want for simple life necessities.
Nov 23: I am thankful for Christmas shopping. I love trying to find gifts and imagine what there face and reaction will be to it. I love it when I find that perfect gift for someone that they really wanted!
Nov 24:  I am thankful my families live close and I was able to spend time with both sides of the family!
Nov 25: I am thankful for Black Friday! I love getting up early and shopping.
Nov 26: I am thankful for my neighbors Ron and Tanya. They are really great neighbors and that is so rare to find good neighbors now a days. We may not always get together do to our schedules but we really do appreciate their friendship
Nov 27: I am thankful for Christmas music. There are so many memories that are brought back to me every year I hear them. I love seeing my kids now sing them.
Nov 28: I am thankful for the joy on my kids faces when we do our family holiday traditions. They love them all and I am so thankful I am able to share those traditions with them.
Nov 29: I am thankful that I get to spend the holidays with my family every year. There are so many that have to miss holidays because they are out defending our freedom. God bless them all!
Nov 30: I am thankful for my friendship with my friend Mike.  I am so proud of all his accomplishments in his Navy career and the man that he has become. Today he is being deployed :( Stay safe Mike and I will see you when you come home!