One day I was spending time on Pinterest {imagine that} and I ran across an idea I immediately loved…

Photo compliments of www.savvysugar.com

A savings jar!

The idea was that every time a person comes along a $5 bill, instead of spending it they are to put it into a savings jar.  Then after a predetermined amount of time {say a year for example} you access the jar to see how much money is in there…and then spend it on something you want. A $5 bill was chosen, I believe, because that is an amount of money that does not put such a gigantic dent into a person’s budget that they will miss it.

I admit…I was immediately hooked.  Now, I’m not one that carries much cash at all, so I wondered if I would really even be able to pull this off.  But I’m happy to say that I have so far.  Somehow I’ve come across an unexpectedly large amount of $5 bills recently!  I’m in my first month and I am already thrilled at how many $5 bills I have stashed away {even though I’m trying not to count them!}. I even find myself stashing the occasional $1 bills in the jar.

What am I going to do after my year, which is scheduled to end February 1, 2013? I am not sure.  I’m not one that usually splurges on myself all that often.  I know I’m going to give some to charity.  But other than that, I have no idea… but I’m excited to dream and plan and save…

Do you have any rainy day funds?

Forget cups.  Post pregnancy your cups shrink and your muffin top runneth over.  Like millions of other gals on this planet, I had a baby, my second one, we called him Speed, or Sam, (depending on which day you catch me), and I refer to him as #2, because having two kids totally blew my mind and I have dubbed them in order of their birth because that is the quickest way to remember them, without calling them the dog’s name, cat’s name, my husbands or anyone else…  A massive brain fart that happens when you’ve added to your brood and your brain capacity can no longer cope with adding one name to your name directory.  But unlike millions of other gals, I griped about being knocked up far louder and longer than anyone cared for, but, if I cared about that fact, I wouldn’t be me.

When Speed was born, he wasn’t 68 pounds.  He was only about 7.  Where on earth is the other 61??  Oh yeah.  ALL OVER MY FAT ARSE.  And today, 6 months later, it’s still hanging from the bones of my upper arms (my wings) and spilling/running over the top of my jeans (muffin top).  I’m officially (unofficially) re-naming this blog:  My Muffin Top, Runneth Over.

I’m inspired to write this particular post, because somehow, without diet or exercise and consuming an unusually large amount of clearance priced Christmas Pretzel M&M’s, I managed to squeeze my  thunder thighs and buns with ham and extra mayo into a pair of my pre-pregnancy pants, my regular size 8.  (It’s not pretty though, and I can NEVER wash them, for fear of shrinking)

I had to lay down on the bed, take a deep breath in to zip up my jeans, then breathe in, harder, again, rock myself back and forward to get up off the bed and then hold out each side of my jeans to “tuck in” my muffin top.  Mr. Price is amused, chuckles with me at my ridiculous attempts to stretch a pair of jeans into “publicly wearable format”, but then totally loses his composure when I begin my “Jeans shrunk in the wash and the dryer, lunge-squat-splits-on-the-floor dance”.  I’ve never been sexier.

None of my embarrasing-for-most-folks behavior, would deter the unstoppable Mr. Price or any male for that fact (Not that I’m on the market), for still wanting to “get in my pants”, because, Mr. Price, like every other male, is just thrilled every time they have sex, that they are actually getting to have sex.  That’s how I think about men.  That’s the box I put them in.  Soooooo, I’m never stressed about showboating my “wobbly bits” in front of my Blue-er eyed half.  But back to my muffin top…

Courtesy some user named "Zennabug" on Photobucket. I couldn't be bothered to re-create this genius myself.

At this point, if you’re wondering “where I’m going with this?“, so am I.  “Stronger” just came on by Kelly Clarkson and I’m just now back to my seat after dancing too vivaciously and singing far too loudly in my office so people would accidentally on purpose hear what I think is my awesome singing voice.  Ahem…  Muffin top.

It’s ironic that while pregnant, my belly button sees it’s first sunlight, then, buries itself so far back into my excess fat (that I’m saving for a mini egg-less day), that I get at least two knuckles deep when sticking my finger in, to clean the ancient cavern in the shower.  My belly button retreated faster than a chicken on biscuit day (inside joke) while post pregnancy, it’s a shame my muffin top won’t do the same.

My muffin top is a cruel reminder of the pointless $29.95 that is automatically debited from my account each month and goes directly to a gym that is so far away and almost impossible to find clean gym clothes to wear to go to and it’s so cold outside I don’t want to get sweaty and then cold, because then that’s a cold stanky sweat and it’s grosser, because that kind of cold stink sticks to your skin.  I’ve now re-named my gym pants to my “watching repeat episodes of family guy on the couch” pants.  Or my “season 4 marathon of 30 rock on Netflix, baked cheeto full length black leg napkins”.

Muffin top, rolls, cottage cheese, why do all these seemingly horrible references to to severely un-toned areas of your body have to remind me of DELICIOUS FOODS??  CRUEL CRUEL WORLD.

Exhibit called #2 "Adorable Fat Rolls" Cute for baby, not for mama.

At least love handles remind me of what you do when your driver takes a 90 degree turn to the right at mach 5 speeds,grabbing the “oh shit” handles.  Except with the love handles, it’s what you grab when well, if you’ve got something to grab on to, because, well, otherwise, it’s just going to flap in the wind while you’re doin’ it.  If I had any more “love handles” I’d be able to accommodate a bus full of people on an unexpected sudden suicidal sharp right turn by the driver.

So, “how am I going to wrap up this blog post?”  Just like this.  I’ve got muffin top, and just like when I was pregnant, what am I going to do about it?  Absolutely nothing.  Except, gripe. Maybe I might get the slight inclination to exercise or go to the gym when it’s a tad warmer out, or maybe hell will freeze over, but I’m more likely to just complain about it to everyone, forget about it, and go on.

I’m starting to like my muffin top, it’s kind of an affectionate term to me now, it reminds me of a delicious carbo loaded food I love, which is mostly likely, exactly how I got it in the first place.  SO, muffin top, welcome aboard, meet love handles, fat rolls and cottage cheese, may you all enjoy this body together because when I think of you and how you look, awkwardly displaced about my body, I think of delicious foods.

DELICIOUS foods and NOMS.

Now, where are those mini-eggs?

If you want a happy-go-lucky cheerleader-type post for today, stop right here.  This ain’t it, Playa.  But it’s not THAT bad either, I don’t want to totally turn you off, it’s just that these ten songs aren’t from the “walking on sunshine” category and there’s absolutely no jumping, high fiving or ear to ear grinning going on.  These are the epitome of “angst” songs (brings it back for a few of us..) and perfect songs for when you just wanna roll about in a ball of selfish “why me?” introspect.  Have a bad day at the office and wanna kick the dirt and shove your hands in your pockets on the way home?  Download these.  Not feeling the love, or love troubles, down on your luck?  Come to the dark side, let it seduce you, have a drink, go to bed and try again tomorrow.

I also did you a favor, created this playlist of grooveshark.com and shared it with you, so sign up for grooveshark for free, and share my playlist.

or copy this link:  http://grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Feeling+Bad+For+Myself/65776517  And in no particular order, I present to you….

10. Weezer – say it ain’t so

Your Drug is a heart breaker – my love is a life taker…  seriously.  I love this band for this song and many others, they’re also really big in Japan, I’m serious, that wasn’t a back handed David Hasselhoff he’s-big-in-Germany type joke.

9.  Ben Folds Five – Evaporated

No playlist is complete without some Ben Folds Five.  I’m just sayin’, I won’t hear it otherwise.  The first note played on the piano, you know this is perfect for one of your bad days.  NOW, if you’ve been dumped,  on the flip side when you wake up tomorrow, download “song for the dumped”  It’s not depressing at all, it’ll totally get you in the rebound mode.  You go girlfriend.  <snaps fingers in “Z” motion channeling Stella gets her groove back>

8. Counting Crows – Raining in Baltimore

If it starts out with a slow piano chord, followed by more solo piano, it’s depressing.  You’re gonna need a bigger glass with that bottle.

7. Johnny Cash – Hurt

I told you this list was depressing.  Can’t take it?  Ok, go listen to some WHAM!  Go cheer up, skip the rest of the list, but come back when you want to open that bottle of Whiskey… by yourself.

6. Radiohead – Karma Police

5. Tori Amos – A sorta fairytale

At this point, if you got this far without reaching for the razor blade …  (totally kidding)  you’re probably thinking “Man she really got this depressed playlist thing DOWN, Becca needs to double up on her therapist appointment this week.”  But you’d be wrong, this playlist is cathartic for me.  Turn that smile upside down, you use more muscles when you frown.

4. Billy Joel – And so it goes

My favorite “Uptown Girl” Piano Man woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

3. Alice in Chains – Down in a hole

Everyone was anxiously awaiting a band reunion on this one until Lane Staley OD’d and put himself in a hole that’s six feet under.  Dammit.

2. Cake – Friend is a four letter word

1. Fiona Apple – Shadowboxer and/or Across the Universe

I don’t think it would be possible for Ms. Apple to sing anything that wouldn’t be interpreted as depressing.  I think she could do a cover of ‘Walking on Sunshine” and it would make you want to, at the very least, lay down on a bed somewhere and contemplate your existence.

This wouldn’t be a “Becca Ten Things Tuesday” if I didn’t break the rules right?  Get some Back to Black by the late Amy Winehouse.  I missed Eric Clapton, “Tears in Heaven” and Hootie and the Blowfish “Let her Cry”.  I didn’t want to make you cry, but if you felt like it,  add these two songs.  Me, I’m going to drown my sorrows where I usually find them, at the bottom of a bottle and then Party Rock my way out for another tomorrow.

Word to your Mother.

Written by Dawn.

I had hoped to have this posted before the Christmas holiday but with 2 boys’ birthdays in December, a busy work schedule and the holidays, well I got behind. BUT, better late than never…especially because it can be used outside of just the Christmas holiday.

I have always loved pictures…for as long as I can remember.  So maybe it only makes sense that I would eventually fall in love with taking pictures…including getting very serious about it.  But with all that comes lots and lots of photos.  And I hate to just have some of them I love so just sitting on my memory card or computer.  So I really wanted to find a way to display them…lots of them…without taking up a lot of space.

And at the same time, I’ve also been trying to find a way to display the beautiful Christmas cards we have received.  Since so many of them now are flat it’s hard to display them on a counter or table.  In my head I imagined some type of wire.  I searched the internet and found some with a wire and then I adapted on my own.

What you’ll need:

1. Wire
2. Screws
3. Mini-clothes pins
4. Nail
5. Hammer

While I was out shopping for the ornament I discussed the other day I found all the above 1-3 materials at Hobby Lobby…and all for under $5.00 total.

I just eye measured the area of the wall I wanted to use.

I then took the nail and lightly tapped it into the wall.  I then removed it.  Then I took the screw and screwed it in the small hole created by the nail.

Once this was done, I tied the wire around the screw.  (In hindsight, I would have bought longer screws because I had a bit of a tough time keeping them in the wall…until I pounded them in with the hammer after the wire was attached).

I then did the same thing with the screw on the other side of the wall.  And then linked the wire to that screw…

After I attached the Christmas cards, it looked like this…and I LOVE it…

Now that the holidays are over, it looks like this…

Oh, and an added bonus to this? I had tons of leftover materials.  After seeing Andrea’s display she has always had for the kids’ artwork, I’ve always wanted something similar.  So, I created this in their bedroom…

Jackson has shown this to everyone who has come into our house.  He is SO proud to show off his work to them.  Carson is too, as some of his work is displayed on there as well.  The only thing I would have done differently? I would have done it sooner.

And we have plenty to do another wall or two, if we ever decide to do another art or picture wall.  Plus, I love how we can easily change pictures or artwork in a few second’s time.

If you are looking for an inexpensive, function and adorable way to display holiday cards, pictures or artwork…I highly recommend this display!!

Are you still scrambling for a last minute Christmas gift? One that doesn’t cost a lot of money but comes from the heart? If so, I’ve got the perfect one for you!

As you heard previously from Andrea, Rebecca had the great idea of organizing an Annual International Ornament Exchange, with friends from both the States and Australia making a homemade ornament for someone else.  I agreed to do it.  However, after I did I wondered what I got myself into.  I wondered (1) what the heck I’d do and (2) when I’d find the time to do it.  I procrastinated because I just couldn’t come up with anything.  Eventually I turned to Pinterest…and there I found something I thought I could make.  And I was right.  It ended up being very easy…a bit time consuming but very easy.

What you need:

1. A styrofoam ball
2. Buttons
3. Ribbon
4. Push pins

Yep, that’s it.

I came up with the “hook” part of the ornament on my own.  I couldn’t find any Christmas buttons I liked so I went with a pastel-ish mix.  And then decided to coordinate those with a thin pink ribbon.  I measured out enough ribbon to wrap the ball, including leaving enough to make a good sized loop to hang the ball on a tree branch.  I started at the bottom and pinned a button over the ribbon…

As you can see from the photo above, I also secured the ribbon on 2 places on the sides initially.  Then I moved to the top of the ornament…

Daisy Fuentes, please contact me for my royalty check. Thanks!

I actually ended up creating the loop and then having a bit extra I secured with a button and pin down the side.

I then just randomly placed buttons around the styrofoam ball.  I found it even as a nice stress release.  Jackson had a great time helping too.   I am sometimes a perfectionist when it comes to these things so the ornament was organized, even if looking random…

Just continue until the ball is covered….

Overall, I was really happy with how it turned out.  And it is definitely something I will do again.

Thanks to Rebecca for this great idea!! I had such fun and enjoyed stretching my creative skills.

Looking for a last minute purchase for a baby, toddler, or cool kid in your life? Look no further.

I contacted Kayla at Bows, Hats, and More about making a couple of hats for a couple of special little baby boys in my life (surprise is out of the bag… dang). I wanted UK hats and didn’t see any in her shop. Within a few hours, she literally had them made and was sending me photos of them to see if I wanted to move forward with the purchase. I immediately bought them. I mean, who wouldn’t? Kayla was awesome to work with, the hats are adorable, and she shipped the items incredibly fast. If you need a gift idea, this one is for you!

Happy Friday!

I have been wanting to do an Advent Calendar with Jackson now for the past couple of years. I wanted it to be creative. I looked and looked but couldn’t find exactly what I wanted.  So, I’m sad to say I did nothing.  I really think he would have really gotten into it this year.  So I will tell you I was thrilled when my friend Maria sent me this link, telling me she knew I’d love the Advent Calendar.  And I completely do. It’s so me.  I love Random Acts of Kindness and I want to do an Advent Calendar so this is the perfect mix!! I got the link too late this year to implement it but I am definitely implementing it next year. I cannot wait!!

Thanks to Maria for sharing and also for TSJ Photography’s willingness to allow me to reprint the post.  Enjoy!

***************

random acts of christmas kindness :: advent 2010

I am so incredibly excited about our Advent activity this year!  And … given that I creatively “borrowed” our Advent activity last year … I think it’s only fitting I borrow from my “SHEro” again this year {get it? not HEro, but shero?}!!

And can I just insert here … that because I came out of stalking hiding, Katherine and I have gotten to know each other and are now friends!  She’s an amazing woman, mother, wife, photographer and overall creative genius!  Not to mention, a very giving and caring friend!  I feel blessed to call her friend …

Anyway … when she posted this, I immediately asked permission to borrow it.  It was just too wonderful not to!  And just as I suspected … our family has already been incredibly blessed because of it!

I didn’t have much time to pull it all together, so here’s my version of “RACK :: Random Acts of Christmas Kindness.”

And here’s how we do it … the night before … we pull the next days activity and talk about what we’re going to do.  I’ve included a scripture verse on each card as well, and we also talk about what the verse means to us.

As for activities … I borrowed some of Katherine’s, but we also came up with some of our own.  So far, one of my favorites was paying past due library fees for five people.  I’m also looking forward to our nursing home visit to hand out treats and drawings, read, and maybe sing.

One of the funnest parts of our activity is leaving a card letting the recipient know they’ve been “RACK’ed!”  Feel free to download a copy of the card here.

As I mentioned … it’s only been 5 days, but we’ve already been incredibly blessed.  The girls are excited about and loving our daily activities.  In a world so caught up with the “gimme’s” … I’m working double-time to teach my girls that scripture rings true … “it’s far better to give, than to receive!”

I am almost embarassed to write this post and indicate to you where I found this fabulous recipe. No, it isn’t The Pioneer Woman. I find most of my recipes on her blog… but lately I have a new addiction.

As if I have to tell any of you… it is Pinterest. The huge time suck that seems to encompass hours of my time and irritates my husband to no end.

Finally, Pinterest has generated something that even Brad loves.

White Chicken Enchiladas.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Last Thursday, we had a couple of guests over and I was supposed to cook dinner. I was trying to come up with something new… you know, since these guests (Paul and Rebecca) have eaten nearly any meal that I can cook that is worth anything.

I decided to do Mexican and began searching for a new recipe. When I found the White Chicken Enchilada recipe, I thought it sounded pretty good.

It was more than good. It was delicious… it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. It tasted so similar to the chicken chimichangas that I order at nearly every single Mexican restaurant I visit. Delicious.

So, if you are looking for a new one to try, this needs to be on your must try list. It’s worth it. Oh… and it’s pretty simple to boot. After all, even I could pull it off.

White Chicken Enchiladas (As taken from Joyful Momma’s Kitchen)

Rebecca says she isn’t creative. She is always claiming to be unoragnized and to be haphazard at things. I can assure you that she is no more haphazard than the rest of us; that she is just as creative (maybe more so even) and that she is indeed crafty.

The crafty part is probably newer than the other things… but I’m loving this newfound love that she seems to have, because (as all of you know by now), I certainly love all things creative and crafty.

Imagine my excitement when she organized the International Ornament exchange amongst her friends from around the world. I’ll let her fill you in on the details in a later post, but the nuts and bolts of said exchange included a homemade ornament made and sent to a randomly selected person that you possibly do not know, as well as one received in your mailbox. I, being the joiner that I am, reluctantly agreed to this exciting project.

I was only reluctant because it is slightly busy this time of year. However, in my quest to fulfill my obligation to send a homemade ornament to a new friend across the world, I ran across an ornament that I loved… and much to my excitement, it also had a wonderful little video tutorial.

Huge sigh of relief.

Here is the ornament that I created.

And, here, thanks to Pinterest (yet again), is the link to the wonderfully talented lady (Angie) who created the video tutorial.

Happy ornament-making!

I just have to brag on Kate at Sweet Cricket Design for a moment.  Yes, the one I have raved on before… like the time she designed Cilla’s shower invitation :).  Well, she has done it again!!

I contacted Kate a few weeks ago regarding creating a birthday invitation for the boys.  For the past two years they have shared a birthday party since their birthdays both fall around Christmas so planning with open weekends and travel tends to be a problem. Anyways, I immediately thought of Kate and Sweet Cricket Design.  I love to work with her because she is so creative and also so very easy to work with!!

And she delivered!! She gave me exactly what I wanted…I wanted a football theme with a Buckeye twist. And we got exactly that.  Big Brother squealed in delight when he saw it.

(I so wish I could post it here but it has all kinds of personal info on it and I don’t want to Photoshop it out because then the invite would look so different…but trust me…it’s ADORABLE!!)

Another thing I love about working with Kate…is that she just emails me the completed file (after receiving my design approval) and then I choose who prints it.  I have used Vista Print on a couple of occasions, but I’ve been running behind this year so it was great to just be able to save it to a thumb drive and run to a local store to print the invites.  I cannot state enough what a breeze it is to work with Kate!! It is just so easy.

Throughout my blogging tenure I have always tried to highlight small business owners of whom I love to support.  Kate at Sweet Cricket Design is definitely one of those small business owners.  I know I will continue to go to her for years to come.

Luckily for you all, she is still offering her 20% off coupon to her shop as well.  Just enter SWEETHOLIDAY at checkout.  She has ridiculously fast turn around time too…so you definitely still have time to order your holiday cards from her.

PS…Kate doesn’t know I’m writing this post. I was not promised anything in return for this post. It is simply my personal thoughts :).