That's Life!!

Everyone has different ways of "learning" life lessons. For me I've realized it takes big things to happen before I open my eyes. For instance speeding tickets helped me learn to slow down. All the horrible natural disasters around the world made me realize the importance of being prepared for anything. More recently my hubby's bro is going through the dreaded "D" word in his marriage.

This in particular has made me realize the true importance of family. Most of you I'm sure have noticed a MAJOR lack of posts around here. I don't have an excuse other than I've been spending every moment I can making memories with my family. I hope to be able to find a nice balance between crafting and (my most important role) Mom. Thanks for being patient with me while I get my groove back!!

It's FINALLY Summer!!!

I'm so excited that summer is finally here in our neck of the woods!!
We have been enjoying all things summer at our house. The blog has been neglected this week because I have been spending some fun in the sun time with the kiddos. We have been swimming, eating popsicles, had sleepovers with cousins, and the most fun thing we did was go to the drive in. I have lots of fun things coming up to post about! In the meantime I hope you all are having a super fun summer too!!

Hoo Are You #3

  It's been a while since I did one of these. I thought it would be fun to participate again. Here are this weeks questions!1.  What is your favorite thing cooked on the BBQ?2. How do you celebrate Memorial Day?3. Do you like your handwriting?4. Do you still have your tonsils?5. Do you unite your shoes when you take them off?

Here are my answers!

1. I can't pick just one! One of our families new favorites is jalapeno and cheese

brats from Johnsonville. They are delicious!! I also really love steak and tin foil chicken.

2. The past few years we've spent most of the day doing yard work. I think Old Mac has to

work this year though which means it will be pretty boring at our house.

3. I HATE my handwriting!! My Dad and Grandpa were both professional sign painters. They would make signs for local grocery stores and flower shops. Needless to say that gene wasn't given to me.

4. I do have my tonsils still. My favorite food is ice cream so as a kid I always wished I needed

my tonsils out. Nobody every told me how painful it was just that they ate ice cream all day.

5. When my shoes make it to the closet they are at least side by side. We have a big

shoe basket in our front room that shoes get tossed into. It's a mess trying to find matching

ones in there. At least they are off the floor though. LOL

Stuck In A Rut

I have always considered myself to be a spring/fall gal. I can't really stand the super cold and super hot. It hasn't been until the past few years that I realized I LOVE summer. I don't know how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but mother nature sure has a sense of humor around our parts. I think the dreary cold weather isn't helping the craft rut I seem to be stuck in. I'm good at coming up with crafty ideas for holidays but the normal months seem to have me stumped. Hopefully I can get my creative juices flowing and have some great things to post. In the meantime I'll be dreaming I'm on that tropical island!

Royal Wedding

By now you are either loving all the wedding coverage or jumping for joy that it's finally over. I personally have loved it and even cried. I know totally lame, no idea what came over me. Poor Old Mac had the day off today. He was a good sport and watched some of the coverage with me this morning. I have a long list of places I would one day love to travel to. Some are more important than others. At the top of my list would for sure be jolly old England. One thing I've realized in my old age is that I really love history. England is FULL of history. I would seriously have one jam packed itinerary if I ever did visit. Even though I may not be British this is a neat moment of England's history that I will be able to say I remember.

Rest in pieces Peep Craft

My little Peep craft that got so much notice in blogging land has been destructed. It's my own fault really. I left it within reach of Little SMac. Although I didn't think so at the time it's pretty funny now! I'm not sure if I should fix it or leave it like it is and laugh. It's never a dull moment here at the Mac house! I love that wild little two year old of mine to pieces!

Go Shorty It's Your Birthday!!

Today is my Birthday. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm turning the big 28. That means that I have two more years before I'm 30. It also means that I've been graduated from High School for 10 years. It doesn't seem like it's been that long to me. Part of my silly head still forgets that NSYNC could possibly ever break up. They were going to be "bigger than the Beach Boys" right?! There is also a part of me that has a hard time acting as old as I am. I still think I'm this young, hip, cool person. Then I look in the mirror and notice all my gray hairs. What?! The young and hip part of myself has a hard time believing that I can already be getting those. Next comes my list of  accomplishments in my 28 years. I'm not at all where I thought I would be. I do have to say that where I'm at now is far better than what I would've pictured. 

Getting older is something I guess we all have to do at some point. Since there isn't much I can do but celebrate I'm deeming it national ice cream day! Go treat yourself to a bowl of  your favorite flavor! I also thought it would be fun to give you some random facts about the grand ole year of my birth...1983.

President- Ronald Reagan
Gallon of gas- $1.23
Oscar winning movie- Terms of Endearment
The Final episode of M*A*S*H aired and was viewed by 125 million people.
Popular songs- Every Breath You Take by Police, Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, Flashdance...What a Feeling by Irene Cara, Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
Most Interesting People- Mr. T, Joan Rivers, Matthew Broderick, and Michael Jackson

HOO Are You #2

I thought it would be fun to participate again in the hoo are you  questions at Night Owl Crafting.

Here are this week's questions

1. Do you make a budget and keep it, or just fly by the seat of your pants?

2. Do you do spring cleaning and if so which month?

3. Are you a yard sale lover and do you have them and go to them?

4. What do you take when you have a headache?

5. Name 3 things that you feel lucky to have in your life!

Here are my answers

1. I am 100% a fan of having a budget. We started a budget when I became a SAHM 2 1/2 years ago. Old Mac is the bill payer in our house. We are lucky in the fact that he gets paid weekly. He has a system down where he pays a few bills each week to space it out. I do the grocery shopping once a week also with a set amount. I do meal planning for a whole week and base my grocery list around the menu. We also set aside a certain amount each week that gets put into an account for Christmas. It took us a while to get used to having one income and doing a budget. It's been sooo worth it though!

2. In the past I haven't done a set "spring cleaning". I've kinda done a little here and there throughout the year. I'm totally doing one this year though! There are some things that are way over due on deep cleaning. My World Made By Hand is kicking off a fabulous spring cleaning series. I will totally be checking it out for tips! I also saw a great idea at Sister's Stuff that I'm for sure making soon. I'm planning on getting started on the spring cleaning in the next few weeks. I want to space it out so I don't feel overwhelmed. Hopefully I'm done by Easter.

3. We aren't usually garage sale people. We did hit up one in our neighborhood last year and scored some awesome Christmas stuff. We are totally planning on going to some this year. I also, like Leslie, hate putting together yard sales. I think they take way too much work. MnM had one a few years ago for dance that was really worth it. I probably should do one to get rid of all our junk but I just don't have the patience.

4. I unfortunately get migraines. A few years ago I was getting horrible migraines almost every other day. I went to the doctor and got put on special medicine that cuts the amount of headaches down. I was also given one for when I did have a migraine. I have no idea what I've done different but I don't have to take the meds anymore and I hardly get them at all. Old Mac swears they are stress related. I guess I must not have as much stress:)

5. The three things I feel lucky for are: my little family, our little house, Old Macs job. Sometimes I find myself having a pity party and wishing for things that I don't have. I would love a new bigger car, new house, and another baby. In the meantime I need to remember just how lucky I really am! (Okay I'm done preaching)

This was another fun week of questions!

Hooo Are You???

Since I don't have any crafty things to link up this week I decided to participate over at Night Owl Crafting in her HOOO Are You link party. She has super fun questions that she asks each week so you can get to know other bloggers.

Here are the questions this week

1. Where do you usually have your thermostat set at in the winter?

2. What room do you tend to put off cleaning until last?

3. Do you like to clean with music on or off?

4. When do you take time to blog?

5. How much time do you spend looking at other blogs a week?

Here are my answers

1. During the day I have the thermostat at 72-73. I can't sleep when it's super hot so at night it goes to about 70. The house has to be on the comfortable/cool side for me to sleep good. I know I'm a weirdo:)

2. I agree with Leslie on this. My poor room gets neglected. My laundry is always the last to be washed and put away. Even decorating gets forgotten about in there because I'm focusing on the rest of the house. I also agree with Leslie if we have people coming over and need to move clutter it ends up in our room.

3. I need some sort of background noise when I clean. If not music at least a TV. One of my favorite additions (that I didn't want) was a TV in our kitchen. I LOVE having one in there when I'm cleaning. If I have on music it has to be something fun like 80's. 80's music makes me happy.

4. I like to blog in the morning after MnM goes to school. If I have a crazy morning it's usually at nap time or just before bedtime.

5. I spend WAY more time then I probably should. I try not to be on the computer for more than 2 hours a day. It's easy to get lost in blog land especially on link party days. That means in one week 14 hours. Wow that makes it sound like a ton.



This was super fun!! I'm for sure going to be doing more of these!!

Movies and Popcorn

I thought it would be fun to take all the movies that were posted for the giveaway and make one big chick flick list!! I was surprised that nobody said the same movies. I can't pick just one favorite I seriously have more like 20. A few years ago I cycled through the same 3 movies over and over. I watched You've Got Mail, While You Were Sleeping, and One Fine Day. I probably have those movies memorized.

One Big Chick Flick List

The Devil Wears Prada
Now and Then
The Notebook
Where the Heart is
10 Things I Hate About You
Love Actually
While You Were Sleeping
One Fine Day
You've Got Mail
Because I Said So
A Walk to Remember
Charly

Some of my favorites that didn't get mentioned are: Sleepless in Seattle, An Affair to Remember,

Somethings Gotta Give, The Holiday, He's Just Not That Into You, Return to Me, Runaway Bride,

My Best Friends Wedding, Sabrina, When Harry Met Sally, and of course The *Twilight* Movies

Since you can't have a movie without popcorn (that would be like Disneyland with no Mickey Mouse), I'm posting one of my favorite popcorn recipes. My sister got this White Chocolate recipe from a lady at her work and it's seriously addicting!! You can add things like M&Ms, sprinkles, drizzle other colors of chocolate onto it. (I like it plain without all the extras personally.)



My fam is CRAZY about this stuff. Old Mac wouldn't even get his hands
out the bowl for two seconds while I took a picture.



White Chocolate Popcorn
1 bag of Orville Redenbachers Simply Salted popcorn
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Pop the bag of popcorn in the microwave. Pour into a large bowl and set aside. Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 secs. Take the bowl out and stir. If not melted do 15 sec. increments making sure to still stir the chips. Once the chips are melted pour onto the popped popcorn. Carefully stir with large spoon trying to not break up the popcorn. Once popcorn is coated cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15 min. Take the popcorn out and ENJOY!!

Well there you go a pretty cool chick flick list with a super yummy popcorn recipe. Get yourself a blanket and tissues and have yourself a chick flick movie night!!

Busy Bee



Romance- Love is in the air and it's pooping on my head.
 Thanks despair.com you always brighten my day :)

 I don't know about you but every time after the holiday season is done I am so relieved that things will start slowing down at our house. Every year I realize that early spring is just as crazy if not sometimes worse than the holidays. I've decided that we are just busy people. Which I like. I LOVE having routines and schedules. Although sometimes it is nice to have nowhere to be and nothing to do. With Valentines quickly approaching on Monday we have a busy little weekend ahead of us. Good news for you it's mostly craft stuff. That means lots of posts in the next few days!! To give you a sneak here is what I need to accomplish:

1. Make the kiddos their Valentine from Mom and Dad.
2. Secret sister gift for dance.
3. Valentines handouts for school and dance.
4. Teacher gifts x5.

It doesn't look like a ton, but considering I only have until Monday I don't have tons of time left. Keep checking back in the next few days I have lots to post AND my little blog turns 1 month old on Monday. I might have a little surprise up my sleeve :)

The End of an Era

If you take a look at the side of my blog page you'll see a few blog buttons I have. Even though I try to be sneaky I think it's pretty obvious the state that the Macs live in. We are a BIG basketball loving fam at our house. If you live in the same state as us or watch sports TV, you know that Jerry Sloan has stepped down as head coach of our Utah Jazz. Old Mac came home from work last night in a not so great mood. I don't look forward to watching the game tonight with him. Let's just say it won't be fun. (Unless of course they win). When I was little my Dad took me on a Daddy Daughter date to Ruby River Steakhouse. The night that we went Jerry and his late wife Bobby happened to be sitting at the table across from us. I remember being so star struck and couldn't believe that I was sitting across from a celebrity (that's what I think of him as anyway). Jerry you will be greatly missed by many people!! It really is the end of a pretty great era!!

Playing Doctor

I told myself when I started this blog that I needed to post something, anything at least every other day. I have been busy playing doctor and have neglected to post anything on the little ole blog. Little SMac has had a double ear infection AND pink eye. Needless to say there hasn't been much time to sit and post. I will for sure be back tomorrow with a super quick, cheap, and of course cute project. In the meantime I'm crossing my fingers (and toes) that the rest of us don't catch what the little dude has!!