Vallery Gallery Crafts Finally Takes Off!

Years ago, I was at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. In the gift shop I saw recycled button pendants, and after that I started acquiring buttons, bails, glue, etc. My kids were still pretty small and I didn't have the time, energy, or space to try making them.

Just recently I managed to build a workbench for my crafts, and ever since the button pendants have been my obsession. I made eight and listed them on etsy. I aldi sold two to a friend. Then I made a button pendant out of a woman's very old buttons. I mailed it to her to remember her mother. I'm completely addicted. I'm not sure how I can get more sales on etsy, but my niece just told me she'd be willing to take a bunch to a summer festival and sell them for me! I'm so excited! I've been making at least one a day if not more.

I'd love to approach a shopkeeper in Geneva, and ask if they'd be willing to sell a few. The buttons, I don't know what's so addicting about the buttons to me. What were they holding together? Or up? Were they attached to a kids shirt? Woman's coat in the 50's? The mystery of the buttons is what makes them so much more fascinating to me.

So I received a jar of buttons back when I first wanted to make the pendants. Then recently I've ordered more button lots from Etsy. I've also had a bunch of bails since then as well. Add in a tube of E6000, and my newly constructed craft bench. I'm having so much fun!!! I don't mind that the garage door broke. Then the door isn't constantly being opened and closed. Kind of a blessing in disguise.

Check it out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/vallerygallerycrafts

I plan to also sew more rice pillows and sell those on etsy too. My niece has requested I also sell capes for the music festival. I don't know if I'll attempt capes but I'll definitely be making pendants, and also button pins. I can't wait!

I LOVE Sundays!

I have really grown to love Sundays. I used to hate them when I was working because it meant a tense day before going back to work. In the last few years it didn't really mean much to me when Cop Dad used to work patrol and his two days off rotated through the week. Now however, it means a relaxed day at home (usually), since he is a tactical officer and works afternoons Monday through Friday.. Some Sundays Cop Dad watches the Bears and hangs out in the living room and the kids climb all over him. He says he stills prefers that to going to a bar or somebody else's house. He likes to lay around and hang his leg over the back of the couch and snack at his own leisure. I try to plan a date night when I can but our Sunday childcare is no longer as available as it once was.

So, with Cop Dad working afternoons during the week, he is home with us in the mornings. This is nice because we can eat breakfast and lunch together but there is usually so much buzz going on in the mornings trying to get everyone fed, washed, dressed, fed again and then Campbell dropped off at preschool, that it's not as relaxed and laid back as Sundays. Saturdays are often the day hubby picks for a side job in the evening.

Anyway, this is what I love about Sundays. I decide on a nice meal (not really anything too fancy or expensive), but something delicious and complete. Then I like to make a dessert too. I do not feel like it's a chore, I sincerely enjoy cooking and baking. Making a special Sunday meal to me is fun and enjoyable. So many people do not sit down together to eat most of the time or at all. It's so nice. My mom was big on this and I get it now. That she did that for us now means more to me than I ever thought it would. Cop Dad's parents were divorced young and so he really never had this except when he went to Grandma's house a few times a year. I hope to continue this tradition through life even when our kids have kids and can hopefully join us. I even like it more than restaurants!

So today I have a modest little menu plan. For dinner I plan on making Beef Stroganoff with egg noodles, salad, and whole grain rolls (from Aldi). For dessert I am making pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies. The dough is made and chilling and I will bake them after dinner. I am so nerdy, I've been happy about making this all week, as I am most weeks. I wanted to invite grandparents over to join us but everyone was busy.

Do you have any meal traditions or days of the week that are more special than others?

Drive By Blogging

I know it's been forever. Maybe you still read me, maybe not. Maybe you just stumbled here from someone else's blog. Either case, I am ready for a little drive by blogging. Even my blog pals from way back when do not get the full scoop on "that other social networking site." Just some things I've been up to or thinking of doing, etc. Here goes...

· I am absolutely loving all this cool, cold, sunny, rainy, awesome Midwestern fall weather we are having. I love rain and storms and leaves, and sweatshirts, and cool rooms and triple blankets. Not to mention the beauty of all the leaves, fallen pine cones and acorns.

· Been doing a little more baking lately. I happen to LOVE baking. The summer time is so hot here and not really the best time to heat up the whole house with the oven. I have been making brownies, oatmeal/white chocolate/cranberry cookies. I would like to find a great recipe for peanut butter with peanut butter chips and a milk chocolate drizzle or dip. Been enjoying having my family eat real treats over store bought roll ups, or cookies, etc.

· There has been some very odd crime wave in pd town lately. Lots of OT=good $$. Lots of stress, goofed up schedules and sleep=not good. Prostitutes, home invasions, substantial retail theft operations from Chicago, I could go on, that is what has been happening lately. Daddy is stressed or gone or sleeping, all making my job harder and more stressful too.

· Cop Dad and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary last week. We have been together 13 years, but were engaged five years while we both finished college first. What an amazing ride this has been. Laughter, tears, ups, downs, babies, kids, a dog, an apartment, a house, several jobs and a career change and career leave. We are still best friends...most days anyway. We are pleased to have stuck together and weathered the storms together. I got flowers, I was hoping to go out to eat for a little date night but times are tight and other things are coming first on the priority list.

· I lived without a dishwasher for a full week. I am by no means pampered or frivolous at all. However, if you are used to having a dishwasher and do most of the housework (especially married to a husband with a crazy schedule), and suddenly don't have a dishwasher...everything kind of starts to get much harder to keep up with. So the anniversary money for dinner date, was now going to go towards a dishwasher (my idea, and so worth it). I asked around, then looked around, then looked online, then decided to check Craigslist. I found two that looked promising. They both e-mailed back and were available. I went with the newer looking one still connected being sold by a dentist out of the dentist office break room. $100 later, some help from my fil, and much lifting, disconnecting and reconnecting (all by yours truly, alone) we are back up and running. Thank you Lord for making dishwashers! It is a much higher quality dishwasher than what we had, it looks like it has been run maybe 20 times before. And not a moment too soon. As I was putting away my first load of dishes from the new washer, my thumb cracked open and I was bleeding on the Scooby Doo plate. Dish pan hands! Gasp!

· I have not been able to get to the trail much these days now that Little Buddy is in preschool. It's lots of chaos and rushing around here in the a.m. It takes two of us to get everybody fed, washed up, dressed, and keep laundry and dishes, etc. going in the background, then fed again before all hopping in the van to drop him off. I keep thinking it will get easier and I will eventually be able to leave Cop Dad to do it by himself, hopefully?, soon? Little Buddy loves preschool though. Even more so, he loves his cuddle and movie time with me when we get home and little sister goes down for her nap.

· I have been working on freelance graphic design for the last couple months. My best friends (who just moved to Arizona) younger sister lost her job at a title company. She then decided to become a print broker out of her home. She needs design help, she knows me, I have time (kind of, but barely), so it keeps me connected to my design/art skills, and I get to make a little money on the side. So far I have been working on business cards for several different places, a flyer, a discount postcard. I am capable of doing all kinds of things from invitations to signature frames to save the date magnets to ads to cards. I love to do the personal fun jobs but those come along only every so often. Feels good to be working on design projects again!

· I can hardly believe the Little Munchkin is about to turn two soon! Where has the time gone? She's a little gem though. She's really bright, feisty, and tough! She does not miss a beat at all. Little Buddy will be five at the end of January. They are definitely a handful right now. Lots of squawking and screaming (girls sure like to scream!) and fur flying when they can't share. Oh sweet exhaustion! Does this get easier and when?

· Ok, so I know I did not post anything about this. I lost 40 pounds since last November. Then I went up another eight. My body seems to want to hover right here despite what I eat or don't or how much I move or don't. My goal? Another 40 pounds starting in January. Next summer I need to have surgery and I need to get rid of more of this baby weight. Can't wait!

· So much more is smoothing out on the home front. This was a rough stormy patch the last few years. Glad to be out of that! The kids finally sharing a room really helped, because that meant Cop Dad and I were sharing a room again. Worked out a lot of the kinks, and got on the same page with so many things. Makes such a difference. The first official family vacation this summer really made such a huge impact on our family and our marriage. I wish we could do that every year! Enjoying calmer waters...

· Hitting a dry spell with friends lately. My best friend moved to Arizona. My other very good friend went back to work full time (she's miserable, but she had no choice). My lifelong pal is prime breadwinner for her family and works full time, tutors, and is in school for her Masters so she can eventually teach. I am hoping that Little Buddy makes some nice friends in preschool with at least one or two normal, nice parents (not belonging to the twenty something party club scene). Oh I have made two other really nice friends, they are a little older which is FINE by me. Talking about a cheap-o girls night next Friday night...?

· Now I am going to have to hit the shower. It's 11:03 p.m. Between my ripeness and the farting dog laying behind my chair, it's a little more than I can bear. Good night! Thanks for stopping by.

Ch-ch-changes! Time May Change Me, But I Can't Trace Time...

Ok, I am back. I am really excited about this and I can't even begin to tell you how much I missed blogging. Why I get so caught up in Facebook is beyond me. Not nearly as fulfilling as my blog. Here I connect to people who have similar interests. Facebook, I'm connected to old people from high school (they find me, I keep trying to hide and delete them, but they find me), relatives (many of which are fine and nice, but several are very toxic, and get all bent out of shape if I post too much about how much I love my husband, or my "look what I did" posts), then there are of course some very nice mom friends who I can relate to and vice versa. Still, I always feel limited and annoyed on Facebook so here I am, back on my cozy old blog.

I have been doing pretty good. Well, not really. We just came out of some crazy storms, but I'm happy to report we are bigger, better, stronger, and improved. Indeed. Anyway, I now have an almost two year old and an almost 5 year old. Needless to say, I have my hands very full. In between that and being full time wifey and doggy owner and working on freelance design jobs, I'm busy. Though I always try to keep deleting things and freeing up my life as best I can so I can enjoy this chapter of being a sahm as much as I can. After all, I worked very hard to get here and this is what I always dreamed of. I embrace it, and sometimes curse it, but I truly love it. I am going to be working on my blog here and there. I want to do a complete remodel but I also have laundry, and organizing, and meals, and shopping, etc. Pardon my dust. Please leave me a comment and let me know how you've been, I haven't even begun to start reading up on all the blogging I missed yet. Missed you guys!

*Oh yah, and if you don't see your blog in my list, please leave a link in your comment. I somehow deleted some blogs I wanted to keep, when I was cleaning house.

Silent Sunday

Happiness 101

So my LEOW pal Natalie from over at Martin Enterprises decided to award me with the Happiness 101 Award. Not sure if thats because I am just bursting with so much happiness or maybe because she just hopes that I take some time to reflect and share the things that I'm happy about. Think I did this not that long ago but my list is always changing as I'm sure most of yours are too. Here goes:

1-Little Munchkin has been sleeping really well. Thank heavens! What a difference sleep makes. FOR EVERYBODY!!!

2-This Sunday Cop Dad and I will be going on a long overdue date night. Not sure how it will go but we will give it a shot. It's been about 7 months since the last one.

3-Started drinking coffee again. Last time it bothered Little Munchkin too much so I waited til now because the books and LC's said age can make them less sensitive. Feeling human again, I get so much done and mommy is so much happier with her coffee.

4-Going to start making recycled button necklaces. I am asking people for old buttons. I saw these cool necklaces at The Morton Arboretum Store and thought, 'I can do that!' Now just trying to get my materials together to start making them. Then I was going to try to sell them on Etsy maybe give a % to a police charity? Dunno, just brainstorming for now. Maybe I can sit in the garage after kids go to bed, make necklaces and listen to some music and reconnect with my inner artist? Just thinking about it is making me happy :)

5-Will be hitting the gym starting tomorrow. It's been forever. I used to go daily and it made such a difference mentally and physically. Had to stop with pg, then it's like been impossible to go and get shower and do all my other duties. Now, we are going to try again. Amen!

6-Want to go back to church. Haven't been there forever either. Before it was like everything/everybody was fighting my want and need to go. It's just plain necessary for us. Makes us happy!

7-Getting projects done!!! I Got flexible drain pipe laid in front by new driveway by myself. Then replaced tub spout cause the old one was leaking tons of water down the drain when you flipped the shower switch on. Hot water ran out really fast and water pressure was low. All good now! Also just trimmed hedges in front too. They were ridiculously huge. Done!

8-June is raise month! Can I get an Amen?!?! We are so tight. Which is fine but gets harder when you have more expenses. This is a big increase in the steps, no mansions or trips to Rome just ease of paying for life expenses. More peace of mind. Hallelujah!

9-Got a new sprinkler and 2 boxes of popsicles. Filled up the kiddie pool and can now sit under the umbrella with Little Munchkin on the blanket (she can sit up now!!!) and watch Little Buddy. Bring on summer!

10-Tango is cured! Finally! Long story short. Tango had bad smell, major hair loss constantly, always scooting butt around (Ewwwww!) Thank God we don't have carpet! Big scabby, bloody sores around mouth and reocurring bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. F-O-R Y-E-A-R-S!!! Our vet just kept telling us that some dogs were like that. But he wasn't like that the first few years we had him. AND he said that he may want to surgically remove part of his lips so it didn't keep getting infected?!?!

Switched vets. Found two problems in less than 30 minutes. Two major infections!!! Our old vet never swabbed him for anything! He has been on meds for the last month. Got rid of plastic bowls. Changed food. He is better than he's been in years :) Poor doggy, bad old vet, bad owners, good new vet, happy us! All problems are gone!!!

11-Sweet baby moments, funny toddler conversations, brotherly/sisterly love, playing in the yard, walks, exploring nature, opening windows, cooking on the grill, zoo, forest preserve excursions, eating anything on the deck, dancing in the kitchen with Little Buddy and making baby laugh, talking things out calmly with Cop Dad, watching the garden grow, watching birds & bugs & critters with Little Buddy, talking to another mom and realizing I am not a weirdo but totally normal, I could go on. Doesn't take much, I'm easily thrilled!

12-Almost forgot, bedtime is getting easier. Little Munchkin sits in her Bumbo and watches me get big brother ready for bed. No more crying and screaming. Ugh, so glad that she's grown out of that.

Thanks Natalie! Feel free to take this and run with it. Award yourself or someone that would appreciate it.

Dear Loser Letter: My First Loser Letter: Dear Vintage Car Driver

I read these Dear Loser Letters over at A Sense Of Humor Is Essential and they are always hysterical and creatively written. Martha likes to make a negative thing funny so she writes Loser Letters to people that piss her off in life and then posts them. I think it's brilliantly therapeutic. I never have enough time and quiet to write a few at a time like she does but I did think of one that I thought was pretty good. Maybe you can relate? Here goes:

Dear Vintage Car Driver,

I understand your love for owning a vintage car. It really looks like you put some work and money into fixing up your retro auto. I also understand that you like attention on the road so you drive around your vintage car so that the whole world can see a car of yesterday that looks like it just came off the assembly line. I also understand that this was quite possibly the car that you wanted way back when you were in high school and never had back then. It's very impressive. I can also appreciate many things vintage (cars, houses, furniture, etc.) because they are from a time gone by and life gets very boring with everyone having the same new things these days. You have definitely made my day more interesting by driving your vintage car on the same road as me. Thank you.

What I do have a problem with is not the car itself, or the job you did to make it beautiful and rumble down the street, (but you could take the revving down a few notches pal). What I do have a problem with is that you seem to have forgotten to update the exhaust system. Now that I got near you without the recirculate button pressed on my heat/ac, my car has filled up with unfiltered car exhaust! You know that it's 2010? Maybe in the 70's (or whatever year your car is originally from) there were no laws about air pollution and perhaps it was not mandatory in all 50 states to have an appropriate exhaust system on your car. That was then, this is now. That is why most people like new cars, they are cleaner and run cleaner than cars like yours from "The Good Ole' Days." Now my baby and my 3 year old and I have to breathe in your leaded gas fumes as well as your unfiltered car exhaust. This is very unhealthy for anyone to breathe, not to mention the other hundreds or thousands of cars and drivers that you will pass as you drive this car.

Basically we are in a no win situation here. I have to go the same direction as you . . . . . for a real reason. Like I have to get groceries or take a child to the doctor, etc. I'm not just out cruising like you. So my car is filled up with stinky polluted air but I pressed the recirculate button so no more exhaust will come into my vehicle or our lungs. But I tried to open my window and then what did I get, more stinky polluted air. So we are trapped in here with all the windows rolled up with no choice but to breathe your car's pollution. So I (as well as numerous other drivers) have become prisoners of your vintage car, as well as your selfishness. I can stop looking at it or even change lanes but there is still the toxic exhaust that's already in my car and in our lungs, PLUS I get to hear your stupid engine revving at every stop light. ALSO, perhaps that song that you have cranked loud enough so you can hear it over your engine revving was your favorite so long ago when you were in high school? It wasn't mine though, and I'm sure I can speak for all the other drivers who are also closing their windows and rolling their eyes too. No amount of cranking Elmo will help at this point so we don't have to hear "More Than A Feeling." Which WAS actually a song I used to like.

I believe that you must want to torture everyone. As I tried to speed up a little at the last light to get a little bit ahead of you to get ahead of the fumes and the tunes and the revving, you thought I wanted to race you and so you sped up too. Maybe this is a fun daily activity for you but not for me. I just want to get away from your car. I am both lightheaded and have a headache. Thank you Lord, my street. Finally. Good bye Mr. Vintage Car Driver.

Signed,
A Way-Too-Considerate Mommy

The Wee Garden

I have wanted to put a little garden in for a few years now. Seems as though I was always working on the plants and weeds and rocks and filling low areas rather than doing a garden. Earlier this spring I told Little Buddy that we could plant a few cucumber plants this year, maybe we could even have a little garden. So when Cop Dad asked me what I wanted to do for Mother's Day, I told him I wanted to work in the yard as a little family project and make a garden. We started with nothing more than 2 old railroad ties. I thought we could recycle them and cut them both in half. Then dig out the sod from the area that all four halves of the railroad ties would make. Then we could fill with some good dirt and raise the level a little higher than our actual yard (which gets standing water in many spots). Well the sawing of the railroad ties was a real chore. Then we created a square and measured out the spot to remove the grass. Then we took all that perfectly good sod/grass and laid it out in a very low spot in our yard to fill it in. Then we were off to Menards. We picked up beans, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, zucchini, strawberries, LOTS of top soil, some really good garden soil to mix with the top soil, and chicken wire. They were out of cucumber so I just picked that up today at Home Depot this morning. I bought plants. They were cheap. One year I will start from seed but with a baby and toddler, this year would have to be plants which are sooooo much easier.

It went pretty well, though Cop Dad had a hard time ripping out perfectly good grass in our little yard. He was also very hesitant about laying the sod strips/chunks in the low area where we always have water and no grass grows. I did my best to convince him that the sod would do fine and anything would be better than the small pond that we get in that spot regularly. Where the dog likes to dig and jump around . . . . . when it's muddy . . . . . of course.

Our garden is so tiny but the work involved, wow! Little Buddy was so excited. Cop Dad was being a bit of a grump, until I sent him these texts when I was waiting in the car with the kids. "Quit whining!" "Make the most of the day!" "We love you!"

That was all it took. He snapped out of it. He said, "Man, why am I so crabby?" I said, "I have no idea but it's kind of a buzz kill, can you cheer up so we can all have a good day together as a family?" After all it was Mother's Day and his mood and attitude affects each of us, no matter how much I let it roll off.

So, we got everything done and Cop Dad was acting very proud of our garden. Yeah! Little Buddy was really excited too. He just wanted to walk in the dirt and dump things in the garden. Oh no! So we had to lay some ground rules. Think he gets it now. He wanted to see the garden last night after it was dark out and was getting ready for bed. Too cute!

I know the garden is small but this is good for now. We'll see how it goes. We can always expand later. I also got breakfast from Panera and a nice card and iTunes gift card too.

Bake Of The Day: Old Fashioned Brownies

This recipe used to be on the back of the Diamond Walnuts a very long time ago. They don't even have the recipe on their website. Too bad! It sure is a keeper. My mom and I have the recipe copied down from back in the 80's/90's. I have improved it by covering the top with chopped walnuts AND chocolate chips. My mother just does the walnuts and does not like the chips on top. I think it adds a different texture (I'm totally a texture person) and even more chocolate flavor to an already extraordinary brownie. What kind of brownies do you make? Are you even a brownie person? Or is there some other goodie that you bake often. I almost never buy cookies or candy etc. But we always have ingredients in the house to make something. That is how it was when I grew up and I do the same thing. This way, you have to work for it AND you know what goes into it AND you don't waste the calories on some sub-par bakery item from the grocery store. BTW, this recipe uses real EVERYTHING: butter, eggs, flour, baking chocolate, etc. Cop Dad never objects and Little Buddy calls them "Bownies." Tee! Hee!

Old-Fashioned Brownies (Diamond Walnuts)
3-1 oz squares unsweetened Bakers Chocolate
1 stick salted butter
(melt these 2 ingredients together and set aside)
(I usually throw them in a pyrex measuring cup and microwave for 5+ minutes on 30 percent power)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
(mix these 5 together)
(then add the melted chocolate and butter)

Pour in a greased 9x9 pan. Top with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Bake for 40 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Check middle with toothpick.

Drive By Blogging

Just some useless tidbits from what's going on in my world. **Warning: May need some toothpicks for your eyes :)

· We FINALLY got our new driveway this week. I have taken before and after pics which I will post soon. I just love before and after pics of almost any type. I just stink at remembering to take them. Never imagined that asphalt could make a family this happy :)

· Little Buddy got his new custom made bed from "the grandmas" (grandma B does woodworking for a hobby). It is awesome. Though I am still a bit worried about the vapors from all the stain and polyurethane that we are all breathing in. Really beautiful bed but really strong smelling. Hope this passes soon!

· Trying to start solids with Little Munchkin but I don't think she's ready yet. She keeps pushing it out her mouth. I sure know she wants it though as she is like a hungry baby bird with her mouth open wide for the spoon but out it comes. She must be getting some though as her diapers have certainly changed. Sorry, TMI.

· Not too happy that my least favorite aunt has been showing up these days. I mean, already? At only 4 months PP too. Boo!

· Been having plenty of playdates with friends. Hooray! Feels wonderful to be able to just open the back door and let the kids run wild in the sunshine and fresh air and explore the back yard. Now if I could just get them to stop trampling on my nicer plants. Ooh, and also loving the mom chat :)

· Little Buddy is in the 98th percentile for height AND weight! Wow! Not sure how he got that big? Cop Dad swears it's cause he got over 2 years of breastmilk. I tend to think it's because of all the GMO's and hormones in meat, etc. Oh, and both of us are by no means thin and lanky people (though I wish). He resembles the kindergarteners that walk past our house on their way to and from school in the middle of the day.

· Stressing about potty training. When will he want to to do this? He can do the pee but has no interest cause there are way too many other things going on. Then I am so busy with baby that it's very hard to keep making him sit down every 30 minutes and try. Ugh! I wish I could be a better mom in the potty training area.

· Little Munchkin is now becoming more flexible with being able to go a little longer between naps and being able to not scream and be frantic in a store, car, etc. She's a very easy baby, I cannot complain. I am very excited for her to crawl and sit up and eat solids on a more regular basis. Then we will be a little more free to go to a restaurant or go on a date, etc.

· Dying to work in the yard! The "grandmas" have agreed to come over one of these days and play with the kids while I work in the yard and then I can nurse Little Munchkin and put her down for naps as needed. Cannot wait!

*"grandmas": We have a pair of grandmas (Cop Dad's mom and partner). I think I touched on this wayyyyyyy back when I first started my blog. Two, "together," wink and all. Yes indeedy. Just in case you were wondering. Not my ideal, but it is what it is. They love us and the kids and would do anything to be involved and help out. So . . .

I Had A Mind Once . . . . .

Quote Of The Day (With Picture)

(Taken by MV at Silver Lake 04.14.10, Warrenville, IL)

Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. ~John Muir

How Do I Find New Blogs?

I am looking for some new blogs to read and I have no way to find them besides looking at other peoples blog lists. Then I tried blog searches on Google but that doesn't work too well. I like to have a mix of moms and cops wives and crunchy, earthy people, funny people and nature and art lovers. I don't really have that much in common with many sahm's as I am not living in the woods using wool diapers that I knitted myself, I also am not staying at home for any Biblical reason (not that there's anything wrong with that). Like I said, I like a good mix in my list. How does one find all the different bloggers? I have also tried pressing on some of the words on my profile and that doesn't really necessarily bring up what I'm looking for. Any ideas? Oh, and I am very, VERY, down-to-earth so the "Perfect Mommy" blogs are not my thing either. Appreciate any suggestions.

The Woman's Remote

Vintage Humor: Weight & Sex

More Nice Things?

Not sure what I did to deserve such niceness lately but I got yet another gift the other day. This one is from my pal Karen out near Bean Town, MA. Guess she took pity on me after reading my post about missing Samoas from the Girl Scouts this year. I don't have the heart to tell her that I already got a hold of 5 boxes that are long gone. Shh! Don't tell her :) Though she does read this blog so . . . . . . . .

Anyway, what a sweet gesture. She got a hold of a box of Caramel Delights (pretty much the same thing as Samoas but just baked by a different baker), and shipped them with a card all the way to me here in Chicagoland. Thanks KMB!  Miss ya and hope you are doing well!!!

A Funny For Dog Lovers

Why do I think these are so funny? Ugh, and there are a bunch of them in my Youtube favorites. Tee hee!

Very Nice Things

My pal Jen from over at Crickets Eye View brought these to me today as she dropped off my prize for winning her Macro Friday Contest (again). Can you believe it? These weren't even my prize. I won a set of beautifully personalized note cards which I will post soon (but my two shots of them came out very blurry and no amount of sharpening made the blurriness better).

So my whole house smells like fresh flowers, ooh that intoxicating hycathinth! She also picked up a book for mother's from a second hand shop. What a kind soul :)

I met Jen a couple years back when I offered irises on Freecycle. She, like me, is also a nature lover, and gardener and loves to find neat things to do. She is also my neighbor (kinda), who lives just one town over from me. We have kept in touch and even swapped more plants since the irises. Anyway, she has this cool blog which consists mainly of her photography and also books, projects, and thoughts too. She has a contest she runs most weeks on Friday's called Macro Fridays where you have to guess what the pictures are that she has cropped and zoomed in on. It's a blast! I have won three times already. My first two prizes were 8x10 prints of my choice from her blog.

If you love photography and/or possibly trying to guess at what pictures are and dare to try guessing in her Macro Friday Contests, you should stop by her blog! Thanks again Jen!

Live Like We're Dying

Late Birthday Gift

I just received this beautiful Drumm Casserole from my very, very awesome SMIL Leslie. I think she's the bees knees and we have very similar taste in most things. This is made from cast aluminum and can be used to bake casseroles in. It is used and I believe that she found it on Ebay. She has various other aluminum art by Drumm in her house and I am always complimenting it. I think it will be just put in my glass paneled kitchen cabinets for decoration. I love sun faces! Maybe you've seen Drumm art around or own some yourself?