SOLD

Well, as you may or may not know, Alex has been wanting a new truck ever since I met him 3 1/2 years ago. In 2007, he ALMOST bought one, but then decided not to and we got engaged instead... awwww! Last month Alex FINALLY got a new truck (see blog below.) So as of today the Red Ranger has SOLD! We've had it listed on Craigslist for over a month and have met some very... well... interesting people, but no sale! Luckily, today we found a buyer! Hooray! So the Ranger is gone.... it's bitter sweet I suppose. I mean it's Alex's first and ONLY car he's ever had and for me it represents our first date...the truck he drove EVERY single weekend back and forth to Tacoma to come see me during our time apart. It was a good truck... lots of memories, but it was time to move on. We think the Ranger found a good home and even better we got full asking price! :o)

Farewell Rangaaaaaa.......

PET PEEVE!

One thing that has been driving me crazy is all of these “Expectant Mothers Parking” signs that have been popping up ALL OVER!

*First Point: Pregnant women actually NEED to walk. Exercise is GREAT for them! Also, if you are planning on going in and walking the entire mall can't you walk a FEW extra parking spaces?

*Second Point: Being pregnant is NOT a handicap! Period. You are pregnant not disabled and if for some reason you can't walk that distance because of a troubled pregnancy than just stay home. Think about your baby and don't push it!

Third Point: If stores REALLY want to help out women....drum roll here...... make special spots for women with toddlers and babies. Don't put these spots next to the entrance, put these next to cart depots so you can get your child in and out of the car and cart safely and return your cart without having to leave your child ALONE!

In all seriousness how pregnant do you have to be? 1 week? 3 months? 9 months?
Who watches to make sure only pregnant women park here? 90% of the time douchebag teen boys park there anyway.

Duh!

Rate My Space!

Okay, so I am totally a member of Rate My Space on HGTV and I am always open for suggestions on what to do to make my house better! Someone suggested that I "glaze" my rocks on the front of the house to make them look wet. I LOVE when they look wet, I mean c'mon I purposely hose them every time I water the plants and grass to go give them "that look!" So long story short I researched.... and researched some more.... and FINALLY found some stuff to do it! Yesterday I hauled my butt up to Home Depot and bought the stuff and I spent a few hours last night "glazing" and a little while today "re-glazing" and here is the finished product!!!!
I am still not sure if it really did anything....but whatever I tried! Here are some pictures!

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

It's Been Awhile: Here is Our Update!

Sorry guys it's been almost a week! This not having a job thing has actually been keeping me really busy! I made a complete list of EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING that I want to get done around the house. From little things like sewing up the comforter that somehow got a tear in it, to deciding that I want to paint the outside trim of the house! I want to get some stuff called "Wet Look" it put of the outside of our house where the rocks are to give it that always wet look! I may work on that today!
Beginning today Alex works another 7 day straight schedule (2-Midnight, of course!) Luckily, I am not working right now, so I can spend every morning with him until he leaves at 1:30'ish, but if I was working I have no idea what I'd do- I would seriously NEVER see him! We are hoping that his schedule will be changing once he reaches his 500 hours and he's done with the training of the grocery department. We are keeping our fingers crossed!
Let's see what else..... Alex ended up getting the 4th of July off! Whoo Hoo! We are TRYING to plan something fun, but have no idea what. Also, July 10-12th we are camping with my family and then our "secret" trip that Alex has no clue about. All I know is that he will LOVE IT and boy will he be surprised! :o) Hmmmm... like 36 days until Las Vegas! I am so excited! It's my first trip there and I cannot wait. Not too much else to report! That is kind of the low down for right now....
Thanks for checking in! It means the world to me!

....cookie disaster... enough said.

So I had GREAT aspirations of using some cookie stencils that I got as a house warming present, but....





They didn't turn out so good, but they sure taste GOOD! :o( (see Below!)





also I learned that if you have this kind of counter top....





Do NOT use it as a work station! There was FLOUR, DOUGH, and everything else stuck in the cracks and it took me forever to clean it all up! Whew....

I am going with simple Banana Bread tomorrow instead! :o)

Oh the Agony!

Just when I committed to electronic tasks and to do lists on my iPhone- save a tree right?- I find these lovely and free downloadable lists from Baca Creative! Oh the agony of not being able to use these! Can I cheat just this once?
Aren't they pretty? I love lists. The only thing better than a good list is crossing off a task once you've completed it. Call me crazy but the shear joy of looking down at my crumpled piece of paper with my cat scratch notes and a crossed out "completed task" makes me {swoon}.

It was so hard for me to commit to an electronic to do list. Honestly I hate it. Just not as much fun. Once you complete a task, it just gets deleted. Goes away into space. No fun crossed out, wrinkled page to look at with a feeling of accomplishment. Boo!

Imagine all the fun I'd have with these lovelies? Every addict has to fall off the wagon once right? I can rationalize anything and have officially convinced myself that this is okay. Off to download...

Lady Bug Cupcakes

Ingredients

Makes 24

* Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes
* Swiss Meringue Buttercream
* Green, red, and black gel-paste food colors
* 7 ounces marzipan
* Cornstarch, for work surface

Directions

1. Tint buttercream green with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small multi-opening tip (#233). Starting at the center and moving outward, pipe rows of grass on top of cupcakes: With tip on surface of cupcake, squeeze bag, then release while quickly pulling up to form 1/4-inch-long blades, making some slightly longer than others.
2. Form ladybugs: Divide marzipan in half. Working on a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, tint one portion red and the other black with gel-paste food colors. Form a 1/2-inch ball of red marzipan for each ladybug body, and a 1/4-inch ball of black marzipan for each head. Flatten the red ball slightly into an oval shape, and press the head onto the body. Pinch off black marzipan to make tiny balls for the spots, and press onto the body. Repeat to make additional ladybugs with remaining marzipan. Place one or two ladybugs on top of each frosted cupcake, gently pressing them into the buttercream grass. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature.

Home Tip

Did you know that your mattress needs to be flipped four times a year to keep it at optimal performance? Especially true if you and your hubby are different heights and weights and I'm assuming most of us are.


Label a small piece of card stock with January & April (see picture one), laminate with self adhesive laminating sheets and pin to your mattress. Do the same on another piece of card stock labeled with July & October (see picture two). When the corresponding month arrives, flip your mattress so that the month is at the foot of the bed. Easy Peasy!







Martha would be upset with me that I am two weeks late in flipping my mattress!

It's really over... or is it?

Well summer is here and school is out! Oh.... waittttt maybe I am speaking too soon... I HOPE I am speaking to soon, but the reality is that I am probably done teaching until September 9th. Officially Vancouver School District is not out until the 17th and Evergreen on the 18th, but those are all half days I am pretty sure they won't be needing subs.
It's been a good year of teaching... maybe I great one. I have met some of the most inspirational teachers (I don't need to name them because if they are reading this they'll know who they are) and I have learned so much.
I went into this year of subbing being fairly opened minded, but at the same time fairly naive. I thought because landing a long term substitute position the year before in Tacoma after student teaching was so easy for me that it would be the same here in Vancouver. WRONG! The year started out S....L....O....W I don't think I worked a day until the end of September, but when I did I was on a role. I was lucky enough to establish a relationship early on with a certain school and I was there most of the year. The great thing about my job this year was that I worked when I wanted and I was home when I wanted. It was totally flexible.
April 2009 I was invited to interview for Vancouver SD and Evergreen SD for potential jobs for next year! I interviewed and felt GREAT about both of them and then BAM budget cuts.... teachers being laid off! Greattttttt! So what does this mean for me, you ask? Well it means most likely another year of being a substitute! Honestly.... that is not what I want at this stage of my life. Of course I want my own classroom and of course Alex wants to continue up the ladder as his job as well. I just have to remember to look at where we are with what we have! Even though we aren't where we want to be in our jobs we ARE getting there! I mean c'mon we bought a new car and a home and are debt free! (oh well that 30 year mortgage doesn't really count right??) lol....
What I am really trying to get at is that I think it's important to be happy with where you are in life. I desire things that friends of mine have... babies for instance... traveling the world for instance....super hot new cars... wink wink, but then again I here from people that they desire what I have... marriage....college degree.... a house. I think that the bottom line is that we are ALLLLLL going to get there and some people are going to do somethings before others, so we need to accept that, encourage our friends and loved ones, share in their excitement and accomplishments!
Sooo I think I may have gotten a little off topic, but these are the things that are going through my mind, so I thought I would share! Oh... so what am I doing this summer now that I am unemployed? Why THANK YOU for asking....! :o)
Being a WIFE and SIMON's MOMMY! Doing house work, baking, cooking, cleaning, year work...and whatever else I might find to do! Oh....scrap book my wedding after over 10 months!!! Oh yeah don't think that I have not applied for TONS of summer work... the jobs just are not there! Boo!
Anyway...so for now fingers are crossed that I will get that call that they want me this fall for a full-time job and if not another year in the crazy world of substitute teaching!!!

In the shopping cart... Seriously?!?

Okay so I REALLY have to vent....


Getttttt ready!


Why oh why do people feel the need to bring their dog to the grocery store? And much less put it in the shopping cart that I put MY food in??? I just find it SO disgusting!
I was at Fred Meyer today and I see this lady pushing around a shopping cart with her little straggly dog in the main basket. I mean this dog was dirty, greasy and honestly looked sick. Is it just not common sense that it belongs at home and NOT in a cart that I put my PRODUCE in? My goodness....Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww