New Pendant Light

I have been looking for a cheap pendant light cover that I could live with in my home for about 4 months. Our old one was dated and ugly. (Sorry, no before picture.)

Last week I found this tutorial and decided to give it a try. When I told my husband what I wanted to do he thought I was crazy and that it would look awful, but I convinced him to let me give it a try and we could keep it or go back to the old, ugly cover if my DIY attempt failed.

After a couple of shopping trips I collected the list of supplies. This past Friday a bunch of my girlfriends were getting together for a Ladies Night In to craft and hang out. (We're a wild bunch, I tell you.) I took along my supplies and got to work. For the most part I followed the instructions in the tutorial. I found it was easiest to do as the author did and put the glue on my gloved hand and run the string through the glue as I wrapped it around the ball. The tutorial says that it will take one container of glue but I used nearly two. It also said I would need 900ft of hemp string, but I only used 400ft because the globe was already looking pretty full and I wanted the light to be able to escape easily.

I did make one other small change. My pendant hangs from a 15 foot (at least!) ceiling and I didn't want to have to borrow a ladder to climb all the way to the top to detach the electrical wires so I could put the pendant kit through one of the small openings in the ball. Instead, I left an opening at the top of the globe that would fit just the plastic piece that the light bulb would screw into. I put the new hemp globe over that plastic piece, then I took a metal ring that was holding on the old glass pendant cover and screwed it on so that it was holding my new hemp globe in place. I put the light  bulb back in and called my skeptic husband to come look at my work.

He approves! I get to keep it! I must say I am really proud of myself for deciding to give this one a try and figuring out how to make it work with the pendant kit I already had hanging from my ceiling. I love the change it makes in our entryway. What do you think? Do you like my new pendant shade?

For Sale

How in the world do some people manage to get so much done in a day?! Honestly, I feel like my days must have 5 less hours in them than the days everyone else lives. What other explanation could there be for me still having 5 hours worth of work to do when other (read: more rested) people are going to bed?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that our house is on the market and we get calls for showings with sometimes as little as 30 minutes notice. I guess we could turn down the appointments, but we really want to sell our house so we take every appointment that comes our way.

Keeping a home showing ready (or 30 minutes of mad rushing from showing ready) at all times is no small task. Add in a three year old boy with tons of energy and it is exhausting. I feel like I spend my days planning how long it will take the washing machine to run and if I'll have time to switch the wet clothes to the dryer before our next showing? Will there be time to run the dryer? It is in the kitchen and a bit noisy and makes the room feel humid so I don't want it running during the showing. What about folding and putting all those clothes away? At what point of the day can I squeeze in nap time? If I have to wake up Evan from his nap in order for someone to come in and see the house will I have time to put him on the potty or should I put a diaper on him and run out the door? What about snacks? I just vacuumed two days ago, do the floors look like they need it again? Has anyone forgotten to flush a toilet? Leave the seat up? What will we do while someone is looking at our house? Go for a walk or run errands? Oh, it's a 100 degree day? A walk is out... the pool? A neighbor with air conditioning that won't mind a visit? Oh, and did I mention the toys that get spread out around the house while I am cleaning the bathtub or scrubbing floors?

So I'm venting. Listing a home for sale is hard work!

We recently found out that our neighborhood is not approved for FHA loans. Our condo association has too many homeowners late in paying their condo fees and as such FHA won't approve loans in our neighborhood. Also, anyone with conventional loan financing will need to have 20% to put down or they won't be able to get a loan either. Frustrating! I found out yesterday that we have 7 homeowners who are one month late in paying their fees. If they pay up we will be within the guidelines set forth by FHA and they will be able to approve loans for purchases in our neighborhood again. All our association would need to do would be reapply for "approved" status. We are VERY hopeful that this will happen soon! The likelihood of a buyer with 20% or more as a down payment is slim and we are one of four homes on the market in our neighborhood.

We are anxious to move. More on that in the next post. For now I leave you with this picture. See? Isn't it a beautiful home? If you are local and are looking for a place to buy or know of anyone looking might I suggest our little corner of the real estate market?

Alright, here is a picture of the inside too.

And this one.

Exhausted, but hopeful.

~Genelle

Yeah, so I stink as a blogger. A ton of things have changed in my life since the last time I posted. Obviously. When does life NOT change over the course of nine months? I have a bunch of things on which to update you.... not that you are even still here after nine months of radio silence on my end, but I figured I should write it all down for my own benefit at the very least.

Over the next few weeks I'm going to try to update more regularly and cover the following topics, all of which have significance in my recent life.

• Listing our home for sale
• Long distance moves
• Thyroid disorders and why they stink
• Adrenal Fatigue
• PCOS and fertility issues
• Weight loss efforts
• Salt and iodine
• Potty training a three year old
• Crafting - my stress buster
• Gluten-free recipes
• Paisley Peach Designs plans - relaunching and building up the business

For now, I'm going to set this to post and get myself to bed. I have fallen into a bad habit of staying up too late and then dragging from tiredness the next few days. I really need to nip the late nights in the bud for the sake of my health and sanity. A sick, exhausted wife and mother is no good to herself, her husband or her children. In my case only one child, but he still needs me to be operating on all of my cylinders.

Good night!
~G

Nonnie's All-Naturals

Just this weekend I learned about a great new start-up company owned by the sister of one of my good friends. Natalie is the mother to adorable little boy Talon who has some health issues that make it necessary for their family to eat gluten and dairy free and also to avoid many additives. She has created her own house cleaning products, 100% soy candles and has recently added a line of homemade, organic pie fillings to her inventory! I just placed an order for both her pear and apple pie fillings as well as a peach and ginger scented soy candle. Her prices are very reasonable at $5.00 for the pie fillings and $12 for the candles. I'm so excited to receive my order and bake up some pies while I burn my yummy scented candle!

Natalie just started a Facebook account for her company. Please visit Nonnie's All-Naturals to learn a little more about her company and message her if you'd like to place an order. 

Disclaimer: I have not received any free product from Nonnie's All-Naturals nor am I being compensated in any way for using the space on my blog to let you all know about her company. I'm just excited about this new company and thought I'd share the news and help a fellow mother get a start with her new business venture. Any opinions expressed are completely my own.

 Thanks for reading!

Yummy, HEALTHY Dessert - Pecan & Grape Yogurt Salad

I don't know about you, but I'm always on the lookout for dessert options for my family that are healthy and still delicious. While making dinner tonight I was munching on a few pecans I found in my pantry. I realized that if I chopped the nuts and combined them with some fresh grapes it might make a tasty combo. I tried it and it was! Then I got to thinking that I should try to make some kind of dessert using that combo. I've heard of similar desserts using a pudding or whipped topping type base that the nuts and fruit are stirred into. While that sounds delicious, I really wanted something healthier. I can't eat dairy or sugar right now, but my husband and son can and this dessert was really for their enjoyment so I decided to use some homemade, plain yogurt. I made this yogurt just last night from our raw cow's milk so it is really fresh and delicious! I also added a touch of real maple syrup to sweeten it up. I served it with dinner and both Josh and Evan loved it! They both had seconds. I guess that's a win!

Recipe

Ingredients:
Bunch of grapes
Pecans (or other nut), chopped
Plain yogurt
Maple syrup

The amounts of all the ingredients are based on  your taste so add as much or as little as you want. Remember that the amount of yogurt you use will determine how "soupy" the consistency of the dish will be so keep that in mind as you are determining how much you want to use.

Just mix everything together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Asian Style Chicken with Pineapple Fried Rice

I'm making dinner tonight for a friend who recently had a baby. I remembered this last night at dinner. Today I looked in my freezer to see what was available and decided on chicken something. Yes, you heard that right. I had NO IDEA.

After a trip to the gym, lunch and then putting Evan down for his nap I got started. I knew I wanted to chop the chicken into chunks to make it cook faster so I started to work cutting the boneless, skinless breasts into one inch cubes. As I sliced I started to think about cooking the chicken in olive oil and Italian spices, but changed my mind when I realized that I had a pineapple that needed to be eaten. I quickly switched gears and decided to cook the chicken in Braggs liquid aminos (sort of tastes like soy sauce), with coconut oil, ginger, garlic, sliced onion and a bit of pepper. For the last 10 minutes of cooking I added some cubes of pineapple. I'm pairing this with rice cooked in water and pineapple juice, then sauteed with more pineapple and peppers in coconut oil and a dash of Braggs liquid aminos. Makes me wish we were having more than just leftovers for our own dinner tonight!

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (I used three large breasts)
Onion, chopped or sliced
Fresh Ginger, about a 1 inch chunk from the root, peeled then pressed through a garlic press
Fresh Garlic, 3 cloves, put through a garlic press
Black Pepper, to taste
Braggs Liquid Aminos, to taste (I used appx. 1/2 cup)
Coconut Oil - 1 tbls, maybe a bit more if you like the coconut taste
Water
Pineapple cubes (as much as you like)

Throw everything but the coconut oil and pineapple in a baking dish and stir until the chicken is well coated with the spices and Braggs. Throw in the coconut oil in one spot. (It will melt after it heats up and disperse through the dish.) Add water so that it covers the chicken about halfway. Bake at 400 until done. In the last 10 minutes or so of cooking throw in the pineapple chunks and stir.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Brown Rice, cooked according to package but put a little pineapple juice in the water too (I pressed a few slices in a lemon press to get the juice out.)
Coconut oil
Pineapple chunks
Pepper chunks
Braggs Liquid Aminos
Black Pepper, to taste

Saute pineapple and sweet pepper chunks in coconut oil until they just start to soften. Add in rice, Braggs and pepper and saute until the rice is hot and everything is mixed. Easy!

Sorry, no pictures again. I'm in a rush to get my friends this meal so Evan and I are headed out the door with no time to stop for pictures.

Taco Crockpot Chicken Recipe

And I use the term "recipe" loosely... I rarely measure ingredients, but rather tend to throw a little of this, a dash of that into a pot and turn it into dinner. Hopefully that doesn't throw you off if try to copy a recipe. Just add the ingredients to your "taste" and it should turn out fine.

Taco Crockpot Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken (Any type, but whatever you use boneless, skinless will be easiest) - I used boneless, skinless thighs.
Chili Powder
Minced Onion
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Cumin
Red Pepper Flakes
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Water

Put the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Throw in the spices until you feel like there's enough flavor on the chicken. (I warned you!) Add water until it almost covers the chicken. Stir. Set the crockpot to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high if you have less time. (Not sure how long it will need on high so just make sure to check to be sure the meat is cooked before you dig in if you choose to use the high setting!)

When the chicken is done you can shred it (It practically falls apart anyway!) and put it on a salad or put it into taco or tortilla shells with other taco type toppings and enjoy! It's also great if you serve it with a little cilantro lime rice (just cook rice and then refry it with cilantro, lime juice and salt thrown in. Yum!)

I ate mine on salad with a little olive oil and lime juice as dressing and Josh had his on a tortilla with various toppings.

For Josh's lunch the next day I threw some of the chicken into a lidded dish with leftover rice, frozen corn, chopped onions, raw milk cheddar cheese, salsa and homemade plain yogurt (made with raw cow milk) instead of sour cream. He said it was tasty!

If you give this recipe a try I'd love to hear how it worked for you and what you thought. Oh, and feel free to ask me any questions you might have too.

I want to be a blogger...

But I'm so darn inconsistent with my posts!

My mom asked me to post my recipes that I usually create on the fly. I have a habit of telling her about them and rattle off the ingredients and instructions when she isn't in a position to write it all down. She suggested I post the recipes on my blog and she'll just copy my recipe the next day. Basically, we'll be eating the same menu, but she'll be one day behind me.

I'm not very good with meal plans... I like to have lots of ingredients on hand and create the meals at the last minute. Normally it works out fine, but every now and then it backfires on me and I don't feel like being creative. Then we eat out! (So I guess it doesn't really backfire. :) )

My next post (coming as soon as I can type it out) is a recipe for Taco Crockpot Chicken.

Stay tuned.

Why I Love Being a Mom of a Boy - Almost Wordless Wednesday

I get to discover things like this and it makes me smile.

Isn't my kid creative?

Better Late...

I just discovered the Stats tab on my dashboard! I know, I know... a little late to the game, but at least I found it! While clicking through the stats I discovered that my recipe for an alternative apple pie was one of the featured pies in this post over at www.godairyfree.org. How cool!

Curried Pasta Salad

I've always enjoyed cooking, but since I've been married I've really taken off with trying and even creating new recipes. I'm going to try to post recipes that I've tried and enjoyed on this blog (hopefully with pictures!). Some will be original recipes and some will be things I've seen or read that other people have created, but hopefully all will be delicious! (Otherwise, why would I bother writing about them?)

On Saturday evening I cooked an herb crusted roast (I'll post that recipe some other time.) for our dinner. It's a favorite for our little family and is always met with approval when I tell Josh what we'll be eating. (Makes me feel good that my husband loves my cooking so much!) Normally I bake potatoes in the oven at the same time the roast is cooking, but this time I forgot. Whoops! I looked through my pantry and refrigerator for a good starch option that wouldn't take an hour to cook and settled on pasta. I knew I wanted some kind of sauce to flavor the pasta, but wasn't really feeling a marinara sauce and we didn't have any white sauce in the house. We were completely out of butter (we don't eat it often) so making my own alfredo sauce wasn't an option. I remembered that I had half a tomato, a small chunk of cucumber and a half cup or so of leftover steamed peas in the refrigerator and decided to make a pasta salad. At first I planned to add olive oil and Italian spices to give  the salad a traditional pasta salad taste, but decided instead to spice things up and make it a curried pasta salad. It was a raging success! Josh loves it and has declared it one of my best recipes EVER! Win!

Here are the details if you'd like to try to make it yourself. It's super delicious and over all pretty healthy for you. If you are okay with eating pasta, that is.

Curried Pasta Salad

Wagon wheel pasta - I used half a box

1 medium onion, chopped small
Random veggie leftovers from your refrigerator - I used steamed peas, cucumber, mushrooms and tomato. Olives, zucchini, green beans or peppers would also be delicious additions!
Can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbls. (roughly) Olive oil - next time I might try coconut oil
 1-2 Tbls. lemon juice - I probably used 1.5 Tbls.
Garlic powder - to taste
Onion powder - to taste
Curry powder - to taste
Salt and Pepper - to taste (Catching a pattern here?)


Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer drained pasta to a large bowl and add the vegetables (Stop and celebrate that you've just saved a bunch of produce from going bad in your fridge and being dumped down the disposal.) and beans. Put the olive oil, lemon juice, and spices in a jar and shake until mixed. Then pour over the salad and stir until everything is coated in the dressing. At this point you can refrigerate the salad until you are ready to serve it or dish it up at room temperature. I've had it both ways and can honestly say that I enjoy it lukewarm or cold! It really is delicious any way you choose to eat it! Here's a picture to see if I can tempt your taste buds..

I know I'm not a food photographer. Please forgive the amateur picture. :)

Also, I rarely measure the ingredients in my recipes. I prefer to opt for the "Throw all the ingredients together until it looks and smells good" approach. Obviously I don't do this for baked goods, but for stove top recipes I'm all about winging it!

If you try this dish please comment back and let me know if you liked it and if you made any changes. I'd love to have some new ideas for ingredients to add and spice it up a bit more!

Resolutions - Yeah, sure....

I don't make New Year Resolutions. There, I said it. I prefer to recognize that a change needs to be made in my life and make the change right then. Why wait until January 1st? At the end of 2010 I started mulling over some changes that I felt I needed in my life and made the decision to dive in and make those changes. Coincidentally, the New Year, resolution time, was just about to happen so this year I guess I'm making resolutions. Sort of.

Here's a list of the changes I am striving to make in my life:

1. Spend less time online. (I've fallen into a habit of playing way too many games on Facebook and way to little time tending to my housework and other hobbies.)

2. Get to bed at a decent hour. (I'm a night owl, but I know it's not good for me.)

3. Eat better. Make healthier choices with the foods I put into my body. (I feel like I got off the healthy eating bandwagon about a year ago and I can definitely see the change in my health and weight. It's time to get serious again!)

4. Blog more often. (Part of me really wants to be a blogger. Another part of me doesn't want to bother. I want to give it a shot and see if I like it.)

5. Get in some kind of physical activity at least once a week. (Could be the gym, laps at the mall or a walk around my neighborhood if the sidewalks are cleared of ice.)

6. Try to get my handmade jewelry business off the ground and make a little money from the hobby I love.

7. Reconnect with my inner child and re-learn how to play with toys, pretend and imagine. (Evan is getting to the age where he really enjoys having someone play with his toys along with him. He tries to get me to play, but I get bored really quickly because I just can't get my imagination engaged like I did when I was a kid. This year I want to relearn how to have fun!)

There. Hopefully getting all of this typed out will keep me motivated to keep at these necessary changes until they become my new habits.

Random

I'm one of those people that keeps many tabs open in my browser until I've had a chance to write about them, forward, save, etc., etc. Josh thinks I'm nutso and that it's my own fault when my computer slows down or goes wonky. I say it's the price I have to pay for saving such valuable information. I'm a real martyr like that. No need to thank me.

One of my Facebook friends posted a status update that I really thought was inspiring. I'll copy it here:

On this day, God wants you to know

... that the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang the best. Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you are, work with whatever is at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

How awesome is that?! The day I read this I was feeling pretty down on myself about my jewelry design because I had shown it at a festival and didn't sell a single piece! Many people loved the designs and commented on them, but not one single person made a purchase! I understood that it was more of a family festival and not a craft festival and that most people weren't looking to spend a lot of money, but I still felt pretty down about not making any sales. Then I read this and I realized that the festival was a learning experience. (I already knew that, but this quote really made me think about it.) I didn't have a wide range of prices on my products. Maybe if I had some lower priced items I would have sold some things. I'm thinking that I will try to add some inexpensive (but still quality) earrings, bracelets and necklaces to my designs. That way when I'm at an event like the one last weekend I'll have jewelry to appeal to a wider range of people. I'm taking this bit of knowledge gained as one of those "better tools" found as I go along.

Yummy New Pizza Recipe!

This pizza is TO DIE FOR! (Yes. All in caps. It's really that good!) My friend Stacey and I split a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. Sometimes we get something like just one butternut squash, just as we did this week. Rather than slice the squash in two and each of us only get a small piece we decided to share a meal together. I found this great recipe for Butternut Squash Flatbread with Cheddar and Pine Nuts (Oh, heaven!) and we decided to try it. It was wonderful! We made a few changes to the recipe to customize it to our taste (Read: MEAT). See below for the recipe and a picture that Stacey took of the finished product.

Butternut Squash Flatbread with Cheddar and Pine Nuts
(& CHICKEN TOO!)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced (We added the chicken  because we didn't want a pizza without meat, but if you prefer a vegetarian pizza you can leave the chicken out of the recipe.)
garlic powder, minced onion, onion powder, salt, pepper, thyme, olive oil

1 pound store-bought pizza dough, thawed if frozen (we used Trader Joe's herb dough)
1 pound butternut squash - peeled, seeded and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (we used yellow onions from the CSA)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (we also got these fresh from the CSA)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper (we used fresh ground pepper)
1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Shape the dough into a large oval (we did round pizza shape) and place on a cornmeal dusted baking sheet. (We skipped the cornmeal.)

In a non-stick pan cook the chicken with the olive oil and spices listed on the second line of the ingredients list. When the chicken is done, set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion, pine nuts, thyme 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. (We didn't measure the oil or any of the spices. We just added to taste - we both like LOTS of flavor!) Scatter over the dough, add chicken, and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.

Stacey and I both really enjoyed this pizza. My husband said he enjoyed it and then admitted later that he thought it was the worst pizza he's ever eaten. (????????!!!!!) But then, he's not a big squash fan so you can't base your decision to try this recipe off of his judgment. Evan ate and loved the pizza so that's something. Right?

Loving My Reality

Lately I have been resenting my job as a housewife/mom. Not the loving my family part, but the work part. Ugh! Then I came upon this post through online linking from one blog to another and I am beginning to see it another way. I need to "fall in love with my reality." The author described very clearly some of the things I struggle with. The endless cycle of laundry, cooking, cleaning up from cooking, feeding Evan, cleaning Evan up after eating, changing diapers, disciplining him when needed, taking him out of the house, grocery shopping with a toddler in tow.... I need to stop fighting it and accept that this is my life and see it as a blessing. I GET to do laundry for my family, I'm PRIVILEGED to cook and clean to keep us eating healthy meals and living in a clean house. I'm BLESSED to have a son and to change his diapers, feed him and keep him happy while at the grocery store. (And if you know anything at all about my pregnancy and the struggle that we had to stay pregnant you would wonder how I could even forget that Evan is a blessing. A miracle!)

The next time I start my inner griping and mentally fight the list of things I have to do I'm going to try to remember this post and approach my reality with a thankful heart. Maybe if I change my attitude those tasks won't seem like work anymore, but really be the blessings that they are.

Funny how God has a way of putting a mirror in front of me so that I'm forced to examine my own heart. I'm so grateful that He loves me enough to bring me face to face with conviction.

Strawberry Picking

*UPDATE - Pictures finally added!!!

*NOTE - I've been holding off on publishing this post for a week or more because I want to add pictures. Now I'm worried I'll never post because I'm terrible about getting pictures off my camera. I'm just going to publish now and hopefully add pictures soon. Sorry!*

I'm really making an effort to write more often. I think it's important to have a record of Evan's baby/toddlerhood that is more solid than my memory. I haven't been very good at taking pictures (We have them, just not tons.) so I'm attempting to keep a record here.

This past Tuesday we went strawberry picking with a group of friends. When I first heard about the trip I was excited because this is something I've been looking forward to doing with Evan. Once I started thinking about it I got a little worried that maybe Evan wouldn't behave and that it would be too difficult to try to pick berries and keep an eye on him. (He's been in a bit of a tantrum stage lately.) I decided to brave the trip and we would just leave if he got cranky and I was too stressed. Well, the day turned out to be an awesome experience! I'm so glad I decided to give it a try! Evan behaved so well and he had a blast eating strawberries straight out of the box as I picked them. 

There were many other moms and kids who went with us and Evan had a blast walking back and forth between the different groups of people picking berries. He's such an independent little man! We picked for an hour or so and then all decided to stop and have lunch. As I was loading up the car to drive to the picnic area I left Evan in the stroller on the drivers side of the car while I was loading the strawberries into the passenger side. I heard him start to scream like he sometimes does when I go out of his sight. I finished what I was doing and walked back to the other side of the car. The stroller was not where I left it! It had fallen over and Evan was strapped in, upside down with his face in the grass. He was screaming his head off and I could tell he was scared. Poor kid! I got the stroller back up and took him out and hugged him and the little dude just hung onto me and cried. My heart nearly broke. Once he was calmed down I strapped him into his carseat and finished loading the car and we made the quick drive to the picnic spot. The farm had a nice grassy area between some barns and that's where we ate. I, of course, didn't think to pack a lunch for myself, but had a sandwich for Evan. After eating he went and played with the other kids as they fed weeds to some goats. He LOVED them!

Since we were on a farm there were trucks that would drive by and Evan tried to take off toddling after them whenever they passed. It kept me busy going after him and bringing him back. I love him so much, but boy does he keep me on my toes!

It was a great day and I'm so excited that he was well behaved. I won't be nervous to try this type of outing again! I love my boy!

Here are a few more of my favorite pictures from the day.

You know that feeling when...

Someone links to your blog and you haven't updated in MONTHS? Yeah, me neither. I just won a giveaway from Becca over at The Paro Post and she linked back to my blog so I figured I ought write something here. You know, in case anyone follows the link. I wouldn't want you all to think that I don't write here.... yeah... right... :)

In an effort to update the two of you who haven't given up reading my blog, here's the scoop on what we've been up to.

The G family has been having a busy few months. We decided that we want to try to sell our two level condo and buy an actual townhouse (or even a single family home if we can find one in our price range). We want to have more children (None started yet!) and feel like more space would be important to have before we do that. We could fit another baby in this house, but it would be tight and both kids would have to share E's current room. Doable, but not easy. To get the house ready to list we've done a lot of updates including painting the hallway and two story stairway, sanding and painting the kitchen cabinets (WHY didn't we do this years ago?! They look like new!), putting a new subfloor and flooring in our bathroom, stripping and repainting the front door and a whole host of smaller jobs. We've also ordered new counter top for the kitchen, but it won't be here for at least another week and maybe a bit longer. When you combine all of that with keeping up with housework, spending time with E and each other and the various out of town trips we've taken the spring has just flown by and we are already welcoming summer! Hopefully we'll have the work done in a few weeks and can start looking at homes we'd like to buy once ours is on the market.

I need to get off the computer now. E and I spent part of the afternoon at the neighborhood pool and while he is napping I need to start a load of laundry with our swimming stuff and get his toys cleaned up and dinner started.

Happy Summer! Maybe I'll post again soon. Somebody link to my blog, please, so I'm forced to update!!!

Not Me!

A blog that I read does a Not Me Monday posting carnival and this week I thought I'd join in. Not Me Monday is a place where you can confess something you've done that you're embarrassed about and want to own up to, while denying it at the same time. It's fun!

I know, what could I have done that I could be embarrassed about? It's not like I'm a mom with very little time and little sleep, right? And on that note...

I most certainly did NOT take a nap instead of showering while the baby slept this morning. When we both woke up, two and a half GLORIOUS hours later, I did NOT use diaper wipes to freshen up before heading out to run errands. Nope. Not me!

And there you have it. My mommy confession. I use my kid's diaper wipes instead of showering. But, at least I'm well rested... if only for today.

What did you NOT do recently? Head on over to My Charming Kids and link up your own confession.

Bad Blogger!!!

My last post was on October 30th. That makes it nearly two and a half months since I last blogged! I'm sorry. *hangs head in shame*

I have an excuse. His name is E. He's nearly 11 months old and he keeps me BUSY! That and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years also happened. It's a busy time of year, folks. What can I say?

So what's going on in the G household these days? Now that the holidays are passed and life has returned to normal we are back to organizing our home. We would like to sell as soon as we have saved enough for a down payment on a new home. With that in mind, we are starting to steadily pluck away at our "To Do" list of minor home repairs. I'm also working on decluttering and organizing. In order to help us save for the new house, we've also made the decision to cut our cable. After tonight (or sometime tomorrow, depending on when Verizon shuts us off) we will be cable free. It is a very freeing feeling to know that we will no longer be ruled by our desire to watch our recorded shows on the DVR! I imagine that we will be more productive and spend more time together as a family doing "family" things. Josh and I can play games after E has gone to bed and before bedtime we can all play together. E loves it when both Josh and I get down on the floor and play with him. I'm also hoping that I'll be better at getting housework done without television here to distract me.

Back in November I made the decision to start selling PD jewelry. It has been going well, although, not as well as I had hoped. I really wanted to have six home shows completed before 1/22/10 in order to win a $200 certificate for free jewelry from the company. I can use this jewelry on my display table so that I have more samples to show customers at home shows. Right now, I need one more show. If you are reading this (I don't know how many people actually do read my blog...) I'd love to do a home show for you! Partly, because I need the extra show (I'm being honest) and also because I think doing home shows is fun and I love getting an evening or afternoon away from home!

Well, it's late and I need to get some sleep. I've been burning the candle at both ends lately and really need to be better at getting to bed before midnight so that I can get some good quality sleep before E wakes up at 7am. Before midnight won't be happening tonight, but just because I've gone past my goal doesn't mean I have to stay up any later.

With that, goodnight!

Pedoodles Giveaway

I've done it again. I've entered another giveaway, this time for a pair of Pedoodles baby shoes. I figure that I've been having some awesome luck with giveaways lately and that it doesn't hurt to enter. I'd really like to win these shoes too! If you'd like to enter, although I hope you don't because it will reduce my odds of winning, please go to this post at Mama Needs This and follow the instructions for entering.

So what are you favorite styles of Pedoodles shoes? I really like the Blue Bumper Cars style in their current line. However, they have some new styles coming out soon and I would LOVE to have a pair of their brown, tan and olive suede shoes for E's cute little feet!

For more giveaways on other cute items you should bookmark Mama Needs This or have the blog update to an RSS feed. She has had some really nice products up for giveaways on her blog!