Notebooks and Friendly Packages


I absolutely LOVE these notebooks.

I could do this.

I think.

:)





And here is a fun, different, and unique way of wrapping packages!

Doesn't this look to pretty to open!

It's a great idea for designing your own notebooks too. I hope to be able to do this some day. When I have more time on my hands.

I imagine sending these little notebooks packaged like this to my far away friends...they would love them. :)

Found at Rakuten.


Chocolate Butterhorn Recipe


















I don't think I've heard of 'Butterhorns' before, but I'll tell you what...

...they sound delish!

And look like they'd be pretty easy to make if you had a breadmaker...

...which I don't, of course.

However, I do plan on getting one in the near future sometime.

And when I do...I'm sooooo making these.

Dough:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 – 4 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoons dry yeast, heaping

Rolls:
1-2 cups chocolate chips, depending on how chocolatey you want them

Combine all dough ingredients in the pan of your bread machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Set on the dough cycle and start machine. When the machine beeps, remove dough from pan and divide it into four equal parts.

(While Crystal’s recipe make 32 larger rolls, I made the same number with about half the dough. This seemed to work better for my kids. Feel free to make 16 larger rolls if you’d rather.)

Roll each part into a 12-inch circle and cut each circle into 8 wedges. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the surface of each wedge. Roll each wedge like a crescent roll, starting with the bottom of the triangle and ending with the point.

If preparing ahead, place rolls, point down on baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, place in freezer bags and store in the freezer until needed.

To bake: Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment or a silpat mat. Place frozen rolls on prepared sheet. Allow to thaw and rise for five hours or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 ° and bake rolls for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.


Recipe and post can also be found at lifeasmom HERE.

YUM-O!



Happenings Lately


I have a Polaroid Spectra that I haven't used in awhile because the film is RIDICULOUSLY expensive, and hard to find anymore.

But I LOVE instants!

Don't get me wrong, I love my DSLR, but there is something so romantic about the fuzzy, discolored photo that emerges instantly. An instant moment captured and ready to share. There is no editing. Flaws and all. Beauty and all.

Surprisingly, this little buddy is pretty affordable, and the film is still pricey, but much less than film for my Polaroid Spectra. I think I'm going to add this to my Wish List. ;P

In other news...

I had an anxiety attack two weeks ago on a Sunday.

The apartment was in such disarray due to my lack of energy. Stuff everywhere. A straight-up mess. I couldn't find anything, and I felt like I was suffocating in the place! I broke down.

Thank goodness for Lowell.

Amongst all the sobs and tears, he kindly suggested we go and purchase a new coffee table that is more suitable for our needs (more space, and something that would look like it fit in our living room), and get some bins to organize all of the papers, and things that had piled up over the months. I went through a bunch of stuff, filled two garbage bags with clothes and things for Goodwill. Went and purchased some paper-weave bins to keep things in some kind of order and not all over the place, and just anywhere. Everything needs a place or I freak out!

We got a GREAT deal on the coffee table since Ashley Furniture by us is going out of business. We made an offer of $100 bucks on a $400 table and got it. Lowell was mad he didn't say lower since the place was pretty much empty! Now we know better when making an offer. Always go lower than what you're willing to pay! DUH!

Here is what the coffee table looks like...(not the exact one, but very similar)...















The printer that I use to print online coupons fits PERFECTLY underneath, and is no longer taking up a bunch of space on top of the table, like the previous table we had. Plus the color matches the TV Stand we have from Wal-Mart and the couch from Ashley we got a few months ago (which I LOVE, btw).

I really wish I had done before & after photos.

There is a huge difference, from not very much change. It's really amazing how one piece of furniture can throw everything off in a room. Even ruin the vibe, and throw ME out of balance. Yes, I'm THAT sensitive. ;)

I'm so lucky to have a significant other that understands what I need, respond quickly to my needs, and ask no questions.

I love you babe!

And then I organized the bookcase of movies, found a place for all my free magazines and samples I get in the mail. I made Lowell move all his video games to the TV Stand rather than the bookcase with all the movies since he never plays them. I bought a pretty Reed Diffuser to sit pretty next to my 'Peace' on top of the bookcase. It looks pretty and I feel a sense of relief when things are in their place and look nice and clean!

Speaking of clean...



It's on the way. :)

And was 50% off. :)

I can't wait till it arrives, and I can enjoy vacuuming!

So excited!

This will be the last big purchase until after we're married.

I swear.


Monday, Schmunday...

Oh boy. It's Monday morning and I feel like doing nothing today but that just can't happen! I have too much stuff to do, and feel like it all needs to get done today in order for the rest of the week to run smoothly. The hamper needs to be emptied, the litterbox needs cleaned, the kitchen floor needs cleaned, the blog needs posts, the dog needs a bath, the coupons need organizing, the socks need to be paired (like that'll happen), and the magazines need to be read. And that is probably only the half of it.

Not sure what I'll start on first...probably laundry and blogging posts.

We got back from the lake house last night, and it was a great relaxing weekend. We are thinking of going back next weekend too. I don't feel guilty for sitting around and relaxing, and not doing anything! There is no running around, and your mind is pretty free of tasks. I love it. I love it there and hopefully we can spend some quality time there this summer!

I wish I had taken some photos, but it rained Saturday, and it just never got the camera out on Sunday. I promise I'll take some, maybe next weekend if we go. Casey might come down to go golfing with Lowell since there are a ton of relatively cheap courses in the area. Kelly might come down next weekend too, and if the boys go golfing, we might go shopping or just relax if the sun is out!

I'm really hoping that we go next weekend.

I'm really diggin' my new work schedule with weekends off.

Two weekends from now is Hog Roast and we want to go, but are struggling with the "what to do with the dog" situation. We could take him with, but he just gets stressed out and has bitten people before. He's just not that friendly to be around a lot of people he doesn't know. And everyone ALWAYS wants to touch him and pet him, etc. So we'll see. We might just go to the lake house Friday night, then go for Saturday during the day, and then come back or something on Saturday night. That way the dog can stay some place he knows. Who knows.

Okay, now that I'm pretty awake, and had a couple cups of coffee, has started the laundry, and ready to get some stuff done...

Good Day, Ya'll!


Bells Of Ireland

I love these flowers for my bouquet and centerpieces. Nothing too fancy, clean and classic. Simple.

That's what I'd definitely like my wedding to be. Classic, clean, & simple.

Greens. Browns. Robin Egg blue.

I was thinking mid-late Sept. '11, but now I think I'd like a late March wedding, or maybe May.

This is already aggravating! :)

I was looking back at the post I did awhile ago when I was dreaming about having a wedding and had no idea that Lowell and I would ever take the next step and was really only playing around, and now I hate everything about it. I hate the pink. The dress is pretty, but not me at all. What was I thinking?! That's what scares me. What if I start planning all this stuff, and then change my mind on half the stuff!

*scared*


The Ring!

I know I promised you guys some photos of the ring and I finally got around to having Lowell email the photos!




















Isn't it just beautiful and so perfect! Yea, I love it. :)


Mini-Pies Galore!

I spend a lot of time on the internet reading blogs from across the web. When I find one that I can relate to, or is useful to me, I'll follow it. The past two days, I've found two different blogs written by two different people who've recently posted about mini-pies. Seriously, two posts in two days about these tiny, delicious-looking mini pies. I will be making them both and giving them a try very soon. Like, this week. :) Check 'em both out!





































Delicious, right?!?! I can't wait to surprise Lowell with some of these on Thursday! They both seem so easy to make!

Peace...(and pies!)...

A woman should have...

My mom sent me this in an email yesterday, and I just loved it!

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

enough money within her control to move out
and rent a place of her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

something perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..

a youth she's content to leave behind....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .....

a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ....

a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...

eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..

a feeling of control over her destiny...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to quit a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend without;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

when to try harder.... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

that her childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

what she would and wouldn't do for love or more....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it.....

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .

whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table..
or a charming Inn in the woods...
when her soul needs soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...

What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...