Health Happiness Hamstrings

One picture, one object, many meanings

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:30:00 +0000

Sorry for the burry phone picture, but when Bean and I were waiting outside the office for Mr. Man to give her a kiss I noticed this cherry blossom tree. I realized how many memories and associations I have with this object. Before I get I into the sentimental meaning of the tree, yes, I know the tree itself is a metaphor, it was a kick in the butt reminder that we are creating memories with Bean and that is what is important. It isn't the stupid little things that get in the way and annoy you.

So the the memories/associations:

~Growing up there was a cherry blossom tree in the front of my childhood home. I remember sitting in my parents office and seeing the beautiful cherry flowers outside the window. I also remember getting so excited when the buds formed. When I would come home from college in the spring time I remember being disappointed if I missed them at their peek or thrilled to see them finally come in. I remember how annoying it was when the blossoms feel to the ground and made a royal mess. The goop they made was impossible to get off your shoes.

~A big association with cherry blossoms is Washington DC. This is where both Mr. Man and I went to college. Where we met and feel in love. Where I got and got fired from my first job. Where we got engaged. Where Mr. Man got accepted into graduate school. Where we made the big decision to pick up and move to Chicago. In other words where our family began. We adopted our first "baby" Aish (a yellow tiger) cat at a shelter where we both volunteered. This is where we first planted our seeds as a family.

I could go into details of every childhood memory where that tree is associated and all the things in D.C., but that defeats my main the purpose of the post. The point is....it is amazing how in one moment, looking at that one tree, one I must have looked at thousands of times, a flashback of memories and associations came to me. I left a better person being able to reflect on where I have come and reminding myself of who i want to be.

With that, I will say good night. Sleep well my friends.

Passion for Pinterest

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:55:00 +0000

Just a quick Sunday post. We had a WONDERFUL weekend which I will post on later this week. Did some Spring cleaning in preparation for exciting things in the near future. You should SEE the amount of garbage Mr. Man and I threw out and the amount of clothing we are donating.

Not sure if any of you have hit the Pinterest train yet, but I am HOOKED. It is SUCH a great way of keeping track of what you love and what you want to remember on the web. Wanted to share a couple of things that caught my eye this week:

Source: smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Wave tutorial ~ one I can even do

Source: littlemissmomma.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: carrotsncake.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: designerbagsanddirtydiapers.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: poopwhisperer.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: pinkpistachio.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: withtwocats.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Source: misszoot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Our happenings the last couple weeks ~ A droid phone photo dump

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:58:00 +0000

~ Finally figuring why a lollipop is so much fun
~ Fun with Poppy, Nanni, Mommy and Daddy at the farm- you ate maple syrup candy for the first time. One of Mommy's favorites
~Bubbles on a warm spring day. We went to the path where Mommy and Daddy used to take walk when they were first Married
~Celebrated Purim in style by wearing you ladybug costume

Bean….How can I get mad at you when…..

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:02:00 +0000

Miss Bean,

How can I get mad at you when sometimes you do the darndest (not sure if that is a word) cute things. These days you are REALLY testing my nerves. While I LOVE that you want to be independent you think you can do more than you can. I know my job is to guide you and allow you to have space to be free, I am a control freak and am learning step aside. When I intervene it is for your safety.

So, for the darndest cute thing. I was supposed to sleep at my Nanni’s and Poppie’s house tonight since I am watching Uncle Brian’s presentation early in the morning. I wanted to prep you for the fact that I wasn’t going to be there. So when we were lying in bed watching your new favorite, Curious George, I told you that Daddy was going to put you to bed you tonight and I would see you later in the day. You took one look at me and said “Mommy no kiss me?” When I told no, Daddy would give you a kiss and check you before you go to sleep you gave me this look and said NO!

How could I forget these moments. Good news is Mommy will give you your kiss tonight since we figured out how to make it work.

Love you my little lady!

~Mommy

Hello again

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:47:00 +0000

The week before New Year's Mr. Man wrote a wonderful editorial about his "aversion" to New Year's resolutions. To him the stress of making and keeping them caused him to not commit at all. One thing I love about him is his ambitions. That being said, he tends to make declarations on New Year's that he can't achieve or ones that he could only keep for a small period of time. What does this do...create one disappointed non-committal New Year's eve maker (if that makes any sense). Okay, while this might be a round about way to say this, I am known for that, THIS defines my blogging hiatus........

I was concentrating my blogging more on pleasing an audience I wished I had instead of being true to me. I was missing out on the very point of why I was doing this. It's for things like:

-remembering that Bean gracefully jumped (she called my name out and I went in like normal to have her run in my arms) of her crib at the end of November 2011

-that gims = raisins and jak = jacket and moy = more

-that on February 5, 2012 Bean declared that she no longer wanted to wear diapers and a WHOLE new stage began. Her first taste of control......boy has this been interesting.

-things like while at the the doggie beach Bean saw a miniature bulldog and said dad look a pig. To confirm her declaration when asked what animals she saw later she said dogs and a pig.

My mom had a baby book where she had my firsts this is my modern day way of documenting our life. The good, the bad and what is in between. This is my reality the way I see it and what I experience.

If I establish, keep or maintain a following, I would be proud. If there are people who enjoy my ramblings I appreciate you as an audience, but as Mr. Man explained....I am no longer making any "New Year's resolutions". I am just going to blog.

I'm back

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:29:00 +0000

After a WAY too long hiatus I am BACK!!!!!! Stay tuned....... Can't wait to fill you in on life these days!

The Messier THE Better……that is the way I roll

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:28:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but to me there is NOTHING better than a toddler’s face FULL of food. Mr. Man’s pants is a close second, but I didn’t get a picture of that . The other night while having dinner Bean gave us an epic example. These pictures do not FULLY express the extent of the mess, but the idea is clear. I like to call it “me and my pasta” and that night they were made for each other:

I always wanted to bring up a foodie. It has had its challenges especially as she has gotten older, but there are days where she is truly adventurous. Who would ever have thought she took bussel spouts and eggplant off of my plate when I never ate a brussel sprout until I met my husband. LOVE IT!!!!!!

Frito-Lay Perfect Pairing Party

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:07:00 +0000

After a FABULOUS weekend, I am SO excited to begin the week by telling you about the Frito-Lay perfect pairing party I attended. It was simply amazing to sit around the table with other mom bloggers feasting on tasty dips and crunchy Frito-Lay chips. It was truly the “perfect pairing.” This was especially true since Miss Bean had playmates to keep her entertained. That being said, here is the story behind my dip with the recipe included and some details from our wonderful adventure:

Origin of the Health, Happiness, Hamstrings Dip

When TheMotherhood approached me to create a dip for the Frito-Lay perfect pairing party my goal was to choose a recipe that had meaning. July has always been a special month for our family. Not only does it signify summer, but it is Mr. Man and my anniversary and my birthday. With that in mind, I decided to use a recipe from a “cookbook” that is truly an original. This book will some day go to Bean and was created around the time Mr. Man and I were getting married. At my bridal shower, I was given a book containing recipes from all the guests who attended my bridal shower. The recipe I am sharing is from that “book” and there is NO better chip to use as a vehicle to scoop the dip than Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips and Frito Scoops. Not only are Tostitos Scoops! made with corn, healthier oils and salt, but one-ounce serving of tortilla chips have less sodium than a cup of plain yogurt. In my book that is ONE great chip!

Since Bean and I were also travelling a distance for the party creating something that was easy to transport was key. This dip had a Mexican theme and was colorful. With the different layers and vegetables on top it was very appealing to the eye. Another great place to find your own inspiration to create a perfect pairing is the Frito-Lay website. This is where I initially started to get ideas before for my final dip choice. I hope your family enjoys it as much as our.

Taco Dip

Ingredients

2 cans bean dip

Scallions, chopped

3 tomatoes, chopped

6 oz ripe black olives, chopped

8 oz shredded cheddar cheese

3 medium ripe avocados

1 cup sour cream (I use light)

½ cup mayo (I use light)

1 package Taco seasoning mix

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

You will build this dip up in layers. I would suggest a trifle dish which would show off the layers the best.

1. At the base will be the bean dip.

2. Mash avocados with lemon juice salt and pepper.

3. Mix sour cream, mayo and taco seasoning.

4. Chop scallion, tomatoes and olives. Spread the veggies and shredded cheese.

Serve with Frito-Lay Fritos Scoops and Tostitos Scoops.

Details From The Adventure:

So Bean and I packed our bags and headed to the Bayside to meet several other mom bloggers

including (right to left) Lisa from New York Chica, Suzanne from Mom Confessionals and Kimberly from Foodie City Mom. We ate chatted while feasting on burgers, hot dogs, pasta salad, but most importantly fabulous dips.

These included (going clockwise): Mango Peach Salsa with a kick, Guacamole, Seven Layer Dip, Taco Dip, Mango Peach Salsa, and in the middle Spinach Dip. Of course we used Frito-Lay chips to scoop up these creations. As I said, above a highlight of our adventure was the kids to keep Bean entertained while I munched. She played with the water tables as the older kids had a ball on the jumpy castle.

Bean still talks about her new partner in crime:

Now for a giveaway. Frito-Lay is kind enough to give away three coupons for free Frito-Lay chips. Now you can either use my fabulous recipe OR go to the Frito-Lay website and try some of their awesome creations.

Thank you Frito-Lay and TheMotherhood for the wonderful opportunity. Bean and I had such a wonderful time.

Disclosure: Thus post was sponsored by Frito-Lay and TheMotherhood

Thank you for the simple things………

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:23:00 +0000

It is so easy to get wrapped up in the silly things in life, but when I look at the face below, I realize what matters. I think my lack of blogging was due to the fact that I felt I didn’t have anything significant to say. Some of the blogs I read have such inspiring stories, tidbits, and insight. I guess I was feeling inadequate……..but Tuesday was my birthday and I have made a declaration to be myself. If you read my blog that is what you are expecting. So to my readers……I promise to give you what you came for……ME. While every story may not be a declaration it is life as I know it. In the end there is nothing wrong with that.

I am going to end this post with a new tradition I added to Bean’s nighttime routine. After a visit with Grandma and Poppy where they went to visit my Aunt my Mother-in-law told me about a song my Aunt used to sing to my cousins to remember the names of the family members. I LOVED the idea and created my own. Bean ADORES the song and makes me sing it multiple times before she goes to bed. I even added her kitties which she gets a kick out of.
So, tell me about some of your nighttime traditions you cherish.
Also, stay tuned for my Frito-Lay party I did with some other mom bloggers this week through theMotherhood.
~Lauren

Life Just Got Easier & Healthier Because Of Healthy Choice ~ So Can Yours

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 09 May 2011 16:19:00 +0000

Health, Happiness, Hamstrings readers do I have a FABULOUS program to tell you about. Not only will this program make your life a little easier (at least in my opinion) and healthier, but the research findings are quite interesting.

As you know, from previous posts, I have been working with TheMotherhood and was thrilled to participate in a program with Healthy Choice. Healthy Choice has conducted a 30-day study where participants replaced 10 meals per week with a Healthy Choice meal for either lunch or dinner. They have found, as part of a reduced calorie diet, eating Healthy Choice prepared meals can lead to more energy and feeling healthier. Other findings from the study that peeked my interest include:

Participants in the study lost an average of six pounds and trimmed their waistlines by about one inch. Improved the quality of their overall diets by increasing dietary fiber, reducing saturated fat intake by 50 percent and consuming 30 percent less cholesterol and sodium.
As Americans look for ways to make simple, positive changes to their diets, incorporating a ready-to-eat, pre-portioned healthy option, such as Healthy Choice, is a simple way to be more healthy conscious, lose weight and improve quality of life.
Portion control is key to successful weight loss. Healthy Choice takes the guess work out of this fundamental fact. With 70 varieties that are fewer than 400 calories you are provided with positive nutrients such as whole grains, fiber, protein and antioxidants.
Brands with “healthy” in their name are held to a higher nutrition standard by the FDA. Healthy Choice is the only major brand in its category that can all 100% of its products “healthy” as defined by the FDA. This means each meal must be:

Low in fat
Low in saturated fat
Controlled in sodium and cholesterol
Supply at least 10% of the daily value for three beneficial nutrients (calcium, protein, fiber, iron, vitamin A or C)

We were then asked about three healthy choices our families have made for a healthy lifestyle. The three that we have implemented include:

One meatless meal a week: Every week we have one meal that is all vegetarian based. One thing that has been fun about this choice is the new things we have tried. I have come to love tofu and my daughter now adores beets. When we go to the famers market I challenge myself to try one new vegetable or use a vegetable in a different way. I love asking the farmer for suggestions.
Since the weather has finally nice my daughter and I take a walk, however long or short, after dinner. It has become a tradition and she runs to her car (the little push toy car) after she eats and chants “outside, outside” after she eats her dinner.
We are starting to bring lunch instead of getting it out. Thank goodness for Healthy Choice. This is where this study comes in and makes my life easier.

The review:

Healthy Choice gave us the opportunity to review two Healthy Choice meals. I tried the following meals:

Golden Roasted Turkey Breast:

The meal was VERY flavorful. How fun…..Thanksgiving in May. I really liked the green beans which were perfectly cooked. Kind of silly, but I was so happy to know I had the dessert waiting. LOVED the portion control aspect of the meal. The cranberries in stuffing made me smile. On to dessert, which was tasty. It was a nice compliment to the dish especially since there were cranberries in the stuffing. I actually went and got a spoon to finish the sides of the try for the dessert. My ONLY complaint was that there was less crumble than I hoped for, but I am a berry fan so it didn’t really bother me. Best of all……………..No guilt finishing and cleanup was a BREEZE!!!!! For a busy mommy that is key.

Honey Balsamic Chicken:

I could smell the aroma immediately which made me excited to dig in. I was thrilled that ALL the veggies stayed whole including the asparagus and tomatoes. The tomatoes really impressed me that they kept their shape. The sauce was nice and thick and there was enough left to dip the potatoes in. This was a VERY flavorful dish.

I will be purchasing both of these again. Nice thing about these Healthy Choice meals is they are pretty accessible. Make sure you pick some up to day and get your self on track. I know you will be happy you did especially since Healthy Choice makes it so easy.

Enjoy this beautiful day!!!!!

~Lauren

****I was compensated by Healthy Choice and TheMotherhood to do this post****

Wonderfully Wordless

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:43:00 +0000

Ever since Mr. Man has opened the second paper spending time together as a family, especially during the week, has been difficult. By no means should you see this as a complaint, since he is doing this FOR our family, but it makes the day we spend together even MORE important.

Last Saturday, which I mentioned in this post, we spent a wonderful day an hour away from where we live. All we did was laugh, play, laugh some more, and had fabulous food. It was so nice to get out of our surroundings and focus only on US. THIS is when memories are made…..what a wonderful day we had.

While I intended to make this post wonderfully wordless I had to add a few details on our adventure and what it meant to me. Now for the wordless part:

The picture that is one of my favorites is the one in the middle with our shadows. How cool is that!!!!!! Have a fabulous day.

~Lauren

Dr. Oetker Pizza Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 09 May 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day. Mr. Man, Bean and I spent the day with my family and his parents attended the celebration. Mr. Man and I are very fortunate that are parents get along and genuinely enjoy each other’s company. More on Mother’s Day in another post.

Now on to the good stuff….. I don’t know if you remember, but back in February the TheMotherhood invited me to I participate in a virtual conversation sponsored by Dr. Oetker. As part of the discussion I was fortunate to test two of Dr. Oetker’s Ristorante frozen Pizzas. Mr. Man and I decided to test Ristorante Pizza Spinaci (spinach pizza) and Ristorante Quattro Formaggi (four cheese).

From the very second I opened the packages I was impressed with both pizzas. The spinach pizza had spinach that was whole leaf, not chopped. The cheese looked like it was grated on with quality mozzarella. When I opened the four cheese I loved that I could actually tell that there was four different cheeses. On both pizzas the toppings where spread nicely and it looked like care was taken in putting the pizza together. It didn’t look like someone threw the ingredients on.

The instructions did tell you to put the pizza directly on the grates of the oven. At first I was a little nervous about the method, but it resulted in the most perfect crust. It was thin like the box indicated, but crunchy and delicious. Best part it was done in the EXACT amount of time they promised.

The Ristorante Pizza Spinaci ,also known as spinach pizza, had a lot of flavor. The great thing about it was how the spinach added flavor. Mr. Man , who tends to shy away from vegetables, something we are working on in this house, he said this was his favorite part. The pizza also had the perfect amount of sauce and spinach. Although, if Mr. Man had his way, keep in mind he is a cheese man, he would have wanted more cheese. We will be having more Ristorante Pizza Spinaci in this house.

The cheese on the Ristorante Quattro Formaggi melted beautifully. Like I said above, I was thrilled with the fact that you could see the different cheeses. This pizza had the prefect amount of sauce and flavor. If you are looking for a cheesy pizza this one is for you.

Now for the best news of all is Dr. Oetker is giving YOU a chance to try out their pizza. One lucky reader of Health, Happiness, Hamstrings has the chance to win the following prize pack:

Cooler bag
Pizza cutter
Apron
Dr. Oetker coupons.

All you have to do is go to their WEBSITE and tell me which pizza you would buy with the Dr. Oetker coupons. Comment and you will be entered in the giveaway.

Best of luck!!!!!!! Thank you Dr. Oetker for the wonderful opportunity.

***I was by Dr. Oetker and TheMotherhood to do this post*****

Flashback……..

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:35:00 +0000

This weekend Bean, Mr. Man and I had some FABULOUS family time. More on the day in another post, but I had to share these pictures:

2009

2011

Bean-

All I can say is WOW….you are growing. You are officially a toddler and are almost 2. This beach will always be a place where we have such wonderful memories. Can’t wait for the next trip to this wonderful place. Nice to know it is only an hour away. As you know……it is dear to Daddy’s heart. Boy did we hear LOTS and LOTS of stories. One’s he will tell us EVERY time we go.

Love always,

Mommy

Simplicity…….

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:17:00 +0000

After reading one of my favorite blogs, a blog that warms your heart, and makes you smile, I decided to post some pictures.

Bean, love of my life, sometimes, when people ask me how you, are my response is, you are kicking my butt. Reality, is I might complain, moan, and even bitch, but I would have you NO other way. I am SO proud to be your mommy. Thank you for being you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t change!!!!!!!

Recap On The Kellogg Virtual Breakfast

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:46:00 +0000

As detailed in this post, last week I had the unique opportunity to be a co-host of a virtual breakfast sponsored by Kellogg on TheMotherhood. With several other mother bloggers, we discussed the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines and the importance of a nutritious breakfast .

This talk featured, Sarah Woodside, registered dietitian for Kellogg and Liz Ward, registered dietitian, author and one of Kellogg’s Breakfast Council members. Through a live video feed (which you can view below) the conversation centered around what nutrients a good breakfast should provide, healthy options on the go breakfasts, and how to implement the new Dietary Guidelines into our menus, specifically when it comes to breakfast.

While a full summary is available here, I would like to provide you with some highlights of the discussion:

The importance of fiber was re-emphasized. While I always knew how important fiber was in our diet learned that The Dietary Guidelines lists fiber as one of the nutrients adults and children aren’t eating enough of. According to Liz Ward, “a new study suggests that eating a high-fiber diet - particularly fiber that comes from grain foods like breakfast cereals - just may help you live a longer life.” She indicted that it reduces risk of death from cardiovascular disease. This disease runs in both lines of Mr. Man’s family which hit close to home.
Be aware of labels. Watch whole grain claims on the front and as a rule of thumb, check make sure an item has at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.

I was happy to hear that Kellogg has made the conscious effort to reduce the sugar and increase the fiber content on such cereals as Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks. They indicated these cereals now have 3 grams of fiber per serving. On a side note, when I told Mr. Man this he smiled ear to ear. He is a fan of both of these cereals.

The best nutrients in the morning would be a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and a healthy fat. In their (Kellogg’s) opinion an ideal breakfast could be Kellogg Mini Wheats, milk, and fruit.

Also, think outside the box. It doesn’t have to be what we Americans define as traditional, but make sure it has a protein, carb, and health fat to keep you fuller for longer.

An interesting fact I learned was cereal and milk provided 10 key nutrients for those in the United States and cereal ranks most nutritious choices when it comes to snacks.
Some totally, and I mean TOTALLY awesome initiatives that Kellogg has been working on include the Kellogg “Fiber Tracker” (tells you how much fiber you should aim to eat each day based on gender and age), meal plans (which can be found here) and recipes.

While I ALWAYS knew that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, this virtual breakfast with Kellogg gave me a new focus. I realized the importance of fiber and why I should make good decisions first thing in the morning. By making small changes, like adding some high fiber cereal to my normal yogurt in the morning, I am not only benefiting my body by refueling it, but I may help to live a longer life. Amen to that!!!!!! No complaints here.

I would like to thank Kellogg and TheMotherhood for this wonderful opportunity. Readers, I hope you got as much out of this talk as I did.

As promised, here is the video of the breakfast that you can view again:

This video is provided by TheMotherhood and is the virtual breakfast sponsored by Kellogg.

Disclosure: I was compensated by Kellogg and TheMotherhood to write this post

Happy Easter!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:43:00 +0000

From our family to yours….wishing you a very Happy Easter!!!!!

(Please excuse the dishes in the background of the picture~we declared it a lazy weekend.)

An Aspiring Artist!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:10:00 +0000

One of Bean’s favorite activities is arts & crafts. Only problem is, I don’t always have the patience to deal with a toddler and her need to be an artist. But, on the days I have that extra cup of coffee the motivation seems to flow. In the end, it is such a pleasure to watch her explore and interact with the world around her. I forget that everything is new to her and it is so import to allow her to use all her senses.

I am so excited to share some pictures of our little Bean as she becomes an aspiring artist. Boy did this little girl LOVE watercolors.

Also, I participated in the Kellogg Virtual Breakfast at TheMotherhood yesterday. Hope all who attended enjoyed this informative and thought provoking session. Please watch for my recap blog post.

On that note, enjoy your day!!!!!!!!!!

Cuteness to Share!!!! Reminder of Kellogg Virtual Breakfast Tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:42:00 +0000

Just a quick post……

Wanted to share a cute picture I received in my email this morning. This was taken at my Great Aunt’s house.

Also just a reminder tomorrow at 11am EST is the virtual Kellogg breakfast at TheMotherhood. Please visit this post for more details. You can join the breakfast tomorrow by going here.

Have a great rest of your day!!!!!!!

Mark Your Calendars' Kellogg Virtual Breakfast THIS Wednesday!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:24:00 +0000

Health, Happiness, Hamstrings Featured on Tatertots & Jello.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 01:38:00 +0000

I am SO excited to announce that Health, Happiness, Hamstrings has been featured on Tatertots & Jello. The spring wreath that I posted yesterday was included in Jen’s Great Ideas - - Spring Wreaths {1} post. It TOTALLY made my day. When I saw my wreath, I did a little happy dance and Bean started laughing hysterically. What a GREAT way to end my night. You can see my little feature by clicking here. Please join me in my happy dance. Would have gotten this on video, but Mr. Man said I was being a dork.

Jen, thanks for making my night! What a wonderful surprise. So thrilled to be adding a I was featured on tatertots & jello badge on my blog.

It’s Official Spring is FINALLY Here!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 02:54:00 +0000

NOW it is official. Spring is here!!!!!!! Many of you may be shaking your heads since the official day of spring is March 21st, and today is March 25th, but in my book it is now Spring because I have finished my Spring wreath and it is hanging on our door.
It came out SO much better than I imagined. My original thought was to do an interchangeable wreath since I loved the concept, especially since it would be great on our wallet, but when I thought to do the Spring sign I nixed that thrifty idea. Wait, you have no idea what I am talking about since I didn’t even share my creation with you. On that note, drum roll please, I present to you my wreath for Spring of 2011:

I am so proud of this little beauty, if I must say so myself, since I used many techniques. The whole idea originated from the wonderful wreath made by the fabulous Myra of the casabelala project, who did a picture perfect Ruffled Burlap & Jute Wreath with interchangeable embellishments. My GOAL was to have a ruffle, but for some reason my wreath had an0other plan. I am in no way complaining since I LOVE the way it turned out, so did Mr. Man. He was so excited to come home and see this beauty on our front door.
This post is not a step by step although I will give you the links to the tutorials I used when making the flowers. I will give you the instructions for the spring sign I added at the bottom. Also, one thing I learned from this wreath is a straw wreath is VERY hard to wrap. If you are planning on doing ANY type of wrapping, other than a fabircl, I highly suggest using a different form.
So, on to the parts of the wreath. I will start with the left:

For the multicolor flowers with the buttons I used this tutoral from NatSprat. Now I will warn you, there are MANY tutorials out there for fabric rosettes and this by far is my favorite. The green flower was made, kind of, using this tutorial from lemon tree creations. I say kind of because the sewing machine didn’t behave so I kind of had to fudge it. Still came out cute.

On to the left side:

The pink flower and the multicolor flower both with buttons were made by following this tutorial. This by far was the MOST fun to make. Will be using this to make Bean some clips as well as onsie’s. If you follow her directions they come out perfectly. The other two flowers are yoyo’s. I used this tutorial by Heather Baily. Please, if you are looking to make a yoyo this is THE tutorial to use. She explains why you should plan on using a short versus a long running stitch as well as gives you ways you can use yoyo’s in your projects.

Now on to the

sign. This was my little creation. Best part, you DO NOT need a di-cutting machine, because I do not own one. All I did was use MS Word and found a font that would be easy to cut out. I spelled out Spring in all capital letters, made it a big enough to print where I was happy with the size on the wreath, printed it out and made a stencil on cardboard. I then took my fabric used some fabric glue, glued the fabric to some more cardboard and used the stencils to cut out the letters. There you have it, a spring sign without a di-cutting machine. Hey, Mr. Man, if you are reading thins, add di-cutting machine as a possible gifts for me. Hint Hint!!!!!!!

Lastly, I used some coordinating ribbon to hand up my wreath like this:

When I cut the ribbon I made sure I had extra on top to tie a bow. To ensure the ends didn’t fray I used a match and sealed the ends. This was a suggestion I read in a post from Little Miss Momma. Worked PERFECTLY. Thanks Ashley!!
So, welcome Spring glad you finally decided to come. Even if you bought us some more snow.

Forgot to add this last night. Will be linking to:

Decided to link to Chic on a Shoestring Decorating:

Mr. Man WAS Freezing 4 a Reason

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:58:00 +0000

Hi guys! So it has been a very active couple of weeks and:

you will be seeing a bunch of posts soon. Need to catch up on what has been going on in Htothe3 land. Some crafting, some family time, and probably some randomness. The biggest post will be about the redesign.
This post will MAINLY include pictures. That being said, bare with me it was for a good cause and I am very proud of Mr. Man for what he did.

On to the ~~pictures~~ I mean post. =) This Saturday Mr. Man, my fabulous hubby, jumped into a VERY and I mean VERY cold lake to raise money for a charity. There is a 10 year old little girl in our community who has Cystic Fibrosis and every year her family has a fundraiser to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. At the event participants raise money by getting sponsors to sponsor them to jump into the lake. Thank goodness you can still attend without jumping. Bean, my mother and father-in-law and I were land lovers cheering Mr. Man on as he took the plunge.

Mr. Man, I am so so so proud of you. Thank you for representing our family and raising money for such a wonderful cause. You are THE best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here are the pictures. Hope you enjoy them.

My Baby Holds Her “Baby”~A Glimpse Into a Personal Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:32:00 +0000

Besides Mommy, Dada and more, one of Bean’s FAVORITE words, these days, is baby. Now, I have to give her credit, at times she uses this word correctly, identifying a baby at a trip to Michael’s or at the grocery store, but other times, not so much. Either way we, and I am referring and Mr. Man and myself, can see the brain waves in action.

Since I knew Bean is fascinated by dolls, gravitating towards dolls at play dates, it was time to introduce her to her very own baby. Ironically, for the holidays, Mr. Man’s brother and sister-in-law gave Bean a doll. I had tucked it away, as leverage, to pull out at a time when I needed to grab her attention, or when she was getting tired of her toys. Another motivating factor was seeing the wonderful pictures taken by Kelle Hampton of Enjoying the Small Things of and her absolutely beautiful daughter Nella enjoying her baby. That being said, I warn you ahead of time, this post has a lot of pictures. I wanted to document the introduction of Bean to her very own baby making pictures of this experience important.

I decided the best time to give Bean her baby was when Mr. Man was home. As many of you know, my husband juggles a full schedule. So, I try to include him on moments that I find note worthy. While I knew he may not appreciate this introduction I knew I wouldn’t want him to miss it. As a girl, having a doll was such an important thing to my own development as a female. It was my first taste of being a mommy. So, I present to you a moment in my life I will cherish: my baby holds her fist “baby.”

I hope you enjoy taking a peek at this very personal moment in my life.

~Lauren

Help!!!! How To Dress This Door?

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but lately all I have been dreaming about is Spring. Anything, and I mean anything, that has to do with Spring catches my attention. Since I have been bitten by the Spring “bug” I am totally indecisive on what wreath I am going to make for our front door. I go back and forth on what to choose. Also, since we really don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s day, although this year we are marching in the parade since Mr. Man is a Rotarian, my front door is naked.

That is why I am asking for your help! This door needs some love.

Below please find the wreaths, also known as craft eye candy, that I have I have been admiring and help me figure how to dress this door.

a b

C D

[will adjust to have spring paper]

The votes are open. I am looking for your help. Please comment below.

What will it ???????????

~Lauren

“Oh Happy Day” ~ The Big Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 21:26:00 +0000

In the words of the great Aretha Franklin: “Oh happy day (oh happy day).” All I can say is we have been having a few more of these oh happy days in our household. Mainly because the three of us are finally on the mend. I am crossing my fingers and we are taking a hiatus from tissues and ginger ale.
As I said in a previous post, without tapping into my creative side I really do not think I would have gotten through the last couple of weeks. Might sound silly, but glue all over my hands and cutting felt allowed me to leave my reality and go somewhere else. I am proud to say I have finished a project and have hung it in Bean’s room this afternoon. It was my first wreath I have EVER made and my first REAL project using a glue gun. It is amazing HOW much you can learn from one project.
Well, I am ready to make my big reveal. Here it is:

The tutorial I used was from Our Best Bites, specifically their Valentine Rosette Wreath. I adjusted the colors to match Bean’s room (pink and brown). Originally I was going to put this over her dresser, which you can see in this post but decided to put in over the changing table. The picture that was originally over the changing table (a fabulous HomeGoods find) I moved to another spot and it looks SO much better in its new place.
Back to the details of the project. My initial goal was to give you specifics like EXACTLY how many felt sheets I used, but since I did a terrible job keeping track of instead I have a collage of pictures I took while creating the wreath using her tutorial.

I will also leave you with things I learned and tips I would suggest:

It is easier to make the spirals by first cutting out circles then cutting those into spirals. There is no ONE way to do it, but try different ways until you are comfortable.
I originally rolled the rosettes from the insides out and the outside in. I ended up liking how the rosettes look when you roll them from the outside of the spiral in, instead of the inside of the spiral out.
Use a little glue along the way and glue the final flap at the end on the bottom of the rose. Using the flap to glue the rosette onto the was easier for me.
Instead of spraying wreath with paint I wrapped mine in brown ribbon.
Follow her suggestion of “I did the top part first to make sure it looked good, and then moved around the sides and into the middle.” I didn’t do this and in the end I think this would have made my life easier.

While my wreath might not be perfect I know I have a happy little girl. When I changed her diaper this afternoon all she did was stare at the wreath. It was the most uneventful diaper change I have had in a VERY long time. To me that was the biggest compliment of all.
~Lauren

Will be linking up to: