It's My Life

Happy Halloween I have linked up:   Amanda's Books and More Blogger Broadcast Nanny to Mommy: Wordless Wednesday Linky Momma T and Baby E etee2k[dot]new Busy Working Momma Create with Joy Everyday Morning

This post is proof positive that not all things work out for us crafty type people. We suffer set backs. I thought I had this one whipped but I found out otherwise. This past weekend we had a trunk or treat among friends. It allowed us to make homemade goodies. I attempted to make two of my childhood favorites: Popcorn Balls and Caramel Apples. The last time I made Caramel Apples, the caramel slid right off the apple. I assumed it had to do with the wax on the apples. So this time I took extra time to soak the apples, wash them twice, and dry them well. I used about everything I found reading other blogs (lemon juice, baking soda, detergent, and  a vegetable brush). I used good old fashioned Granny Smith apples. I think they are the best for caramel apples. The combination of tart apple and sweet caramel is a home run in my ballpark. I did not make my own caramel. I unwrapped a lot of caramel cubes and melted them with a little bit of water. After they were dry, I wrap...

Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year. A few years ago my husband started making homemade root beer. It has "cool man thing" written all over it. Homemade Root Beer  4 gallons Water  4 pounds Sugar 2  fl Oz Root Beer Extract (My Husband likes to use about 3 ounces) 5 lbs Dry Ice You need  a large container. We have an old orange drink cooler that has a spigot on the bottom. Add the water, the sugar and the root beer extract. Stir it well until sugar is dissolved. When all the kids are gathered around put the dry ice into the sugar/water mixture. It will immediately start bubbling and creating fog {The kids love this part!} To prolong this excitement The Husband puts  the dry ice in small chunk by small chunk. We let it bubble for about 20 minutes. I should provide a warning: dry ice will burn you if you touch it. So make sure you use gloves when handling it.

When I was a little girl, I remember visits with my cousins. We lived in the Midwest, they lived on the West Coast. They always made jokes when they came to visit. You know the type of jokes they made;  you have running water,  you have electricity,  you don't have cable TV {we did not have cable TV!)  what kind of music do you listen to.  Of course, these we were young kids poking fun at each other and no harm was intended. But what was clear, was the perception that our live were simpler than theirs. That we were "old fashioned." That maybe we were not quite as "sophisticated" because of where we lived.  I do not think my cousins are the only people who harbor such beliefs. Several of my friends and I have discussed stereotypes we have encountered when we tell people where we are from. Just because I live in the Midwest does not mean I am not educated, well- read, knowledgeable, well-traveled, or sophisticated. With this in mind,...

I am not sure where this month has gone.  What I do know is that I have been a very bad blogger this month. I have been very busy making our Halloween costumes.  I would normally post my progress on here but my friend Meeghan declared our costumes a contest and that makes them top secret. Don't worry I am days away from a big reveal. I have also battled the crud. Every member of our family has been ill.  So, thankful we are beyond that! I have also just been feeling...boring lately. I keep hoping it will pass. Like one day I will wake up and feel creative again. But it just has not happened. While feeling boring, life has continued. This is my attempt at catching you up on our lives!   We said good-bye to baseball the beginning of this month. We had a great season!  (Can I admit I already miss the baseball moms!) First Friday! Finally my co-worker and I were not training on first Friday and we were able to antique over lunch! If you are...

I visited my mom last weekend.  When I walked in her home I noticed she had a bowl full of Presimmons.  I immediately opened one and started drying out the seeds. An old wives tale is that you can predict the severity of the winter by the shape inside the seed. I did the same prediction   last year . {It was not very accurate.} I cut open several seeds. They all had the same shape. A spoon. According to the wives tale, that means we are going to have lots of snow. Snow! It is not very scientific. But it sure is a lot of fun!

I keep telling myself that set backs are common on a weight loss journey. I honestly have no idea if they are or not. But I keep telling myself that they are. I started a weight loss program in May. I stopped tracking my food and weighing in August. This week, I decided to jump right back on the bandwagon. Here are my stat's: Starting Weight:                 203.2 pounds  Weight at Last Weigh In:    191.0 pounds Current Weight:                 191.2 pounds TOTAL LOSS:                    12 pounds I am pretty excited that I have maintained my weight for the past two months.  Things that worked this week: 1. I just started being aware and following the program. Just like that. I think we all suffer set backs. How we react to those set backs is what is important.  2. I increased my water consumption. When I ...