Help Feed My Kids!

The "Craft Bug" has bitten me and I've got the fever....the fever to CREATE!!!  And apparently the fever to make some side cash!  Here recently I've discovered my hobbie of creating, whether it's painting, decorating, sewing, organizing, what have you.  It truely makes a difference in one's life to be surrounded by beautiful objects, and what greater joy to have beautiful things in which you have created with the talents given to us by our Heavenly Father! 

Here are a few scarves I've created and that I have for sale.  If anyone is interested in getting their hands on one of these custom, hand-made Infinity Scarves, let me know and I can get some info over your way!  They are great for casual wear or to dress up an outfit.  Light enough for spring/summer, yet functional enough for fall/winter to shield your neck from the wind.  I'll be working on more scarves, as I have recently gotten my hands on some new fabric!  I'm thrilled with the fabric choices and hope you are as excited as I am! 

"Sylvia"-$20

"Sylvia"-$20

SOLD

SOLD

"Lois"-$20

"Peggy"-$20

"Mary"-$20

"Elizabeth"-$20

"Sally"-$20



All Ya Need Is Love

I started typing about cliques, and ended up deleting what I had started with.  And here is what is left... 

As I'm approaching my FABULOUS 30th BIRTHDAY (I'm sooo owning my age), I can't help but to observe my surroundings, and when I say surroundings, I mean the people around me, and think to myself...."Where do I fit in with these people"?  I feel I mesh well with my coworkers and we are all pretty much like family with one another. 

My own family?  We love one another.  We have our dysfunctional moments.  I can't wait to spend Eternity with them!  I just need to be able to be the "REAL DEAL STEF" around them.  That would include being just as goofy and upbeat around them as I am with my friends and coworkers who I see on an everyday basis.  Maybe I'm a little more closed off to my own family than I would like, which is so dumb cause my family is so open and goofy to say the least.  I'll definitely work on that!

  School doesn't really apply to me since I'm not a student anymore, but I guess I could apply "school mom" title here.  I defintely feel more of a connection with the teachers and staff at my daughter's current school than I did with her pre-school.  Now this situation is a "no brainer" seeing that her preschool was 40 mins away from where I live and work, due to her father's douchebagness, but we won't get into that. 

 Sooo...onto the next grouping...church.  I love my church friends!  Here I am a single mom of two kids (ages 5 & 6), attend Sunday School with other singles, and then finish up with a class full of amazing women from the whole congregation.  I don't know if it's because I exclude myself, or cause I work full time, or because of my schedule with the kids (50/50 custody), or because I'm not married, or because I am not approachable (which I don't think is the case), but I am just at this weird in between spot where I can socialize with the singles, but.....(I don't even wanna say it, but here goes...) may feel a little left out from the awesome mommy group and not know how to fit in with all of the moms there.  THERE!  I said it!  It's out in the open!  Have at it! 

I'm not looking to receive anything from this post, but one thing that I DO NOT want from this is an outpouring of bull crap, insincere sympathies.  I see these sassy girls, with not a hair out of place, stylin & profilin', while doing their daily mom duties alongside a multitude of other moms in the same boat. I'm jealous!  THERE!  I SAID THAT TOO!  Who knows, maybe they are jealous of my time at work and the ability to "escape to adult conversation" for a bit.  NAAHHH.  They have the other moms to talk to about stuff like that. 

After writing all of these thoughts and feelings, maybe the real meaning behind this post is not about groups of people and cliques, but more so, the want of feeling a sense of belonging and love.  Everybody wants to be loved and wanted.  I do know that no matter where my place is within society, my most important place is within my own family, and even though it's small and without a husband, it's NUMERO UNO!

I just need to stop worrying about who found and made what on Pinterest, during their cute mommy/baby playdates and focus on how to get to where they are.  Number one step would to rely more on our Heavenly Father.  He knows our hearts and our wants, and I need to completely turn that over to Him.  He knows that I want a hunky, sweet, Preisthood-holding man as a husband, to be able to be a stay at home mom and raise my children and to give them warm meals throughout the day, with endless sides of hugs and kisses.  Right now a "warm meal" consists of a warm can of raviolis (and an endless side of hugs and kisses) due to not enough time in the day, but Pinterest is helping me find faster meals!  ;-)  I promise I won't bring up Pinterest again....BUT, I will say it's FABULOUS!!  

If nothing else, I hope that with the ramblings that I've said spoke out for someone else, other than myself.  Our Father in Heaven does want the very best for us and wants each of us to be happy beyond belief, so I just need to remind myself of that more each day!  We all need to be reminded more often that we are loved!

 

Love you all!! (Even the Haters)!!   XOXO

 

That's What Friends Are For

Everybody needs a friend or multiple friends that make them laugh! I'm not talking a chuckle here or there, but more so "I think I peed a lil from laughing so hard" kind of laugh. I am blessed to have many friends and family like this that surround me in life.

My good friend, Jill, I met at church and now we work together, as well as live an apartment building away. She gets me and I get her. We laugh our friggin' heads off during every friggin' conversation we have. The conversation may start out serious, but it will definitely end with a laugh. Life is just so much sweeter with laughter. Jill is the one who is responsible with getting my interest peaked in nutrition. She is doing really good about only using fresh produce and organic products. Earlier tonight we went for a walk, and the topic of our pasty, white skin came up. I told her that we need to go get airbrushed with a tan and she quickly aborted that idea since it wasn't natural. After googling "natural self tanners", I came across a recipe to make your own self tanner using teabags. Smart, eh?!? I thought so! I immediately got excited and nudged her (ever so innocently) and said, "We can just teabag ourselves!" SKKKKRRRTTTT!!!! WHAT?!? WHAT JUST CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH? Too late to take back, we just laughed it off and moved on! I laugh at her enima stories and she laughs at my crazy remarks. Together, we laugh at the world around us!

Now on to the 'Ode to Friends....

Not only are friends great to laugh with, but they also help keep us sane. Laughter is the medicine of life, so GET TO ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING!!

Me and Kacie at her Bachelorette Party

With my gal-pal, Jamie Lynn

Your my girl, Chels

My sisters from two other different misters! Kim and Beth are my life-long BEST FRIENDS from wee ones days. Kim and I have known each other since kindergarten and Beth and I have known eachother since well, FOREVER! We can go months on end without talking and pick right back up where we left off.

My cousin, Samantha (I call her Heather. Her name is Samantha Heather, and started going by her legal name once this brave chica joined the Navy after high school. But to me she is still Heather.) She is not only family, but also one of my best friends! We have been known to laugh so hard to put her into an asthmatic attack. Gotta keep our eyes on her so she doesn't just hit the ground in the middle of a good, funny moment.

Thanks again to all of you beautiful people who contribute to these horrid laugh lines around my mouth! Love you all!

Blogging Just Got Easier

I know I'm a little behind the times but I just uploaded the Blogger app to my phone, so expect more blog posts from me. I know you guys are AMPED! I am!!

Get, Get, Get, Get Yo Fresh On! Who's That Chick?!?

I have recently been inspired and quite impressed by one of my best friends who is participating in a 40 day juice fast.  She has recently upped her 40 day goal to 60 days!  Watching her transform from day one of the fast has really gotten my wheels turning.  It's like any other "life gamble" that we are afraid to start until we see the results of others around us who try it first.  Jill has tried it, is doing great, feeling great, looking great and has made me want to do the same.....but maybe on a different scale. 

Last night, Jill came over and we watched a documentary on Netflix called "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" about a man who started a juice fast after his health started to decline and medicines were no longer able to help with his ailments.  His results were so amazing, that he started spreading the word of "juicing" and the remarkable impact it made on his life.  The outcome was so amazing, it left me with my jaw dragging the floor.  Weight loss is one factor, but the health benefits are a whole other ballgame!  People are able to leave their prescription drugs behind after getting their health on track.  Luckily I'm not on any prescriptions, but if I were, that would be a MAJOR BOOSTER to get me going.  Just think for you guys on pills, what it would be like to not have to take those drugs, with the whack side effects, anymore!  AHHH-MAZING! 

Although I am in fairly good shape, I want to only go up, not down.  I have decided to get started on green smoothies and to replace the CRAP that I'm eating and that is breaking down my body, with fruits and vegetables that have been placed here for our good!  Once I decided this, I realized I didn't have a weapon to help me conquer this goal.  This problem received a solution real fast as I hopped onto qvc.com and ordered the best blender ever (or so I hope the people in the ratings were telling the truth)!  My weapon of choice.....my magic wand....my go to awesome deal of the day with Easy Pay (QVC lingo)??  Well none other than this baby....

The VITAMIX Creations GC!!! This thing does it ALL!  Crushes ice with ease, whips up soups, smoothies (which is why I got it), and YES, even ICE CREAM!  If only it could whip up a casserole for the kids at dinner time, but I guess beggers can't be choosers!  I'll take what I can. 

This mac-daddy of blenders will be shipped out the middle of April, so I should be getting it close to my birthday.  The 30th year of my life shall bring me a blender and good health!  Happy Birthday to me!  I suppose my plan right out of the gate will be to replace 2 meals a day with green smoothies, and hey, if it's going better than I thought, I'll go ahead and replace all 3 meals with the smoothies.  I'm so dang excited and jazzed to get started.  I can't wait to see and feel the results.  As of lately, I haven't gotten been the best about produce intake.  Actually, let me retract that statement and say that I've never really been great with produce consumption, unless it was produce on a burger or potatoes.  EEEKKKCCCCHHH..... The more I think about food and the chemicals, hormones, fat, etc. that is in the "fuel" that we feed our bodies, the more that I want to start putting "Premium Fuel" into this well-oiled, precious machine!  I guess the age thing, may be an eye opener too.  30 years have literally FLOWN by!  I want to be my ABSOLUTE BEST in my 30's and THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING TO BE!  I want to live a long healthy life and this plan is definitely going to be a proactive move in that direction.



Let's raise our glasses and say "CHEERS" to our health!



Thank Goodness One Can Fail At Making Rice Crispy Treats & Still Be A "Domesticated" Homegirl!

Ok, so I'm a little late posting this blog, but HEY.....I've been busy, or so I can tell myself that and make you believe it!  Take it easy on this 'ol gal!!!  I was invited to attend a birthday party for a friend from church, late last week.  There she would provide a chocolate fondue and we, the guests, would bring along "dipables" (I'm pretty sure I just made up that word, but I like it, so it stays)!  Once I heard this yummy news, I knew right away I wanted to bring rice crispy treats to dip into "The Pot of Yumminess", just like at The Melting Pot (which also happens to be one of my favorite restaurants)! 

I hopped online to find a recipe for the, what I thought would be the WORLD'S EASIEST DESSERT, and found one right away that looked "to die for"!  We're talking made with the real-deal mini marshmallows and not the "fluff in a jar" imitation stuff, and mini oreos!!!!!  YES, I KNOW!!!!  I was excited about the mini oreos part too!  I read the recipe and it sounds simple enough, so si senorita, print was the next thing that I did!  My mouth was watering so bad waiting for the stupid paper just to come off of the printer!

After I got off of work, I headed to the store to get the stuff to make the treats and I was sooo proud of myself, since I had enough time to go purchase the goods, go home make them, chill them, and fix my hair before the shin-dig!  I had this in the bag y'all, again, so I thought! 

Step One ("We Can Have Lots of Fun....") of the recipe: Melt the butter and the marshmallows in a large bowl in the microwave...

CHECK!!!!!

Step Two ("It's Just Me & You...."): Mix the Rice Crispies and Oreos into the marshmallow goo

Was I suppose to get this messy making these things?!?

Maybe I failed to mention that this was my first time making these?...But....Moving right along...

VOILA!!!!!  Finished product, or rather, Finished Mess!!  Rice Crispies were EVERYWHERE!!!  Literally, everywhere....all over the stove top, countertops, burners, floor, my hands, on my clothes, and I also spotted some on my face, but I'm not sure how those got there!!!

They looked GREAT from appearance, but felt and sounded terrible when I started to cut into them.  I quickly learned that there were a TON of loose rice crispies that didn't make it into the marshmallow sticky, goo stuff!  Talk about pissed!  That is exactly what I was after being so excited about making them, shopping for the stuff, and going through the motion of actually making these friggin things, all just so they could crap out on me and not work!  Then it was off to PLAN B: Head back to Harris Teeter and buy a pack of Mint Oreos for the dipping party!

So Melissa, if you are reading this, I am sorry that my domesticated, housewife skills failed me on your wonderful day, but boy am I glad that someone else brought some rice crispy treats and also that there were so many more yummy things there than my lame oreos! 

**Lesson learned from this FAIL:   I must be too good for the simple Rice Crispy Treats! Next time I'll stick to something more complicated and challenging that I know I can make, like a Burnt Sugar Candy Bar Cake (made from scratch-OH YEAH BABY!!!)!!!!

To Pay, Or NOT To Pay....That is THE Question!!

Tax refunds are here!!  Woohoo!! Time to pay off the debt that I have and boy, was I feeling JAZZED!  That was until Bilal (B as in "Bravo", but sounded more like...like...heck, I was LOST when he made the attempt!  I as in "indigo".  Who says INDIGO?  For real?  Use something like "iPhone".  Something that a southern Stef could understand!  L as in "lemur", but sounded oddly familiar to RENAL. A as in "Alpha".  I did get that one. And L as in "lemur"/RENAL AGAIN!!) picked up the other end of the phone.

As soon as he started talking, I knew right away that this was going to be a LONG phone call!  The kind wear you have to switch the phone from ear to ear to avoid the dreaded "EAR SWEAT"!  He began by gathering my information and to see why I was calling.  With excitement in my voice and a smile on my face (you can hear a smile in someone's voice....go ahead...try it!), I said in my sweet, southern accent, "I wanna pay you and get you guys off my back!" (Oh, YES, I DID!)   I guess he didn't find that too funny, cause like Mr. Roboto, he kept spilling all of these legal jargins in his pretty thick Indian accent.  After quite some time of me having to, for some reason or another, be put on hold for 30 seconds after speaking to him in TWO MINUTE intervals, we finally get all the BLAH, BLAH, BLAH corporate BS that he has to do out of the way and we are ready to take care of business!!!!!  Or, so I thought!!  This was like that song, "This is the song that never ends.  And it goes on and on my friends..."  Except, this was the call that would never end!!!

Bilal, sets up his computer system and was ready to take my payment information.  He asks, "Will this be Visa or Mastercard ma'am?"  His bedside manner was very respectful, but if it weren't for that, I would have hung up on him and tried back another day.  Wait, should I have said "bedside manner"?  I know that you use that term with doctors.  Oh well, Bilal was putting me in enough pain like a doctor would, so I'll leave that term right where it is! I respond, "Visa" (NO, I am not giving out the rest of my card information on here!  Are you NUTS?!?), thinking that we are really rolling along like Ike and Tina down the river and that this conversation would soon come to an end!  Then, here it comes......."Ma'am, the payment department is now closed so I am unable to process a payment tonight."  ARE YOU FRIGGIN KIDDING ME?!?  He continues, "What time would be a good time tomorrow AFTER 12:00 pm for me to call you?  And be sure to answer the phone ma'am as I will be calling at that time.  Please be sure to answer the phone."  Alright dude, I gotchya!  You want me to cater to YOUR schedule (I'm sure so he can get a commission) and yeah, I also get that you want me to answer the friggin phone!  I got that!!  Thanks!!  So for my reply, and yes I did hear him say after noon, I say, "10:00 AM would be PERFECT for me.  An I'll be sure to answer the phone!"  Silence!!!  I started to hear crickets chirp, but literally cause I had my living room windows opened!  Bilal pops up and reminds me that he would not be in until after noon and that he could not process the information before then.  "I guess I'll just have to call back in the morning then, and talk to someone else, because 10 AM is what is going to work for me.", I say.  Bilal quickly pleas with me, "Please ma'am!  Please call back and ask for me.  Have your pen and paper ready.  Here is my number.  Call back after noon."  Just to be nice, I took Bilal's number down.  I did say that I couldn't guarantee anything and gave him the heads up again, that I just might have to call someone else in the morning.  As soon as I got my last breath of my last word out, he starts in again with the pleading, making it sound as though NOBODY else could assist me with this matter!!  By this point, I was so far gone out of the conversation that I  couldn't help but laugh right into his (probably bleeding by now) ear!  Horrible huh?!?  Ahhhh....WHATEVER!!  You probably would have too!  Although, I really shouldn't say that cause most of you would have totally hung up on poor Bilal!  Bless his heart!  He was simply trying to do his job, and I'm not sure if he was a new employee there or not, but by the conversation he was having with a female in the back regarding our conversation, I took it as so. 

So, we shall see tomorrow if Bilal surprises me with a 10:00 AM phone call.  My guess would have to be NO, seeing how many times he stressed to me that he would not be in until 12:00 PM!!  How bad do you want the commission buddy?!?  Come and get it!!!