blog worthy....

How do you know if something is blog worthy? I surely can't tell half of the time. Oh, I know I like to write the tutorials and recipes and picture taking.  But how much of me, telling you, about how cute my boys are, can you take before you tune out? How many times can I tell you "we went swimming today" before you hate me? My sister has a pool, by the way, that's the only way to go if you need some cheap fun for the summer...have your sister get a pool!



It's been really hot here for the last week. And when we haven't been swimming, we've been slackin' in the house. I've been making these while we watch the Spectacular Spiderman for the umpteenth time...

crochet flowers about 3.5 inches wide

I'm going to offer them at all the shows I'm doing this fall! I've been making them in some fun fall colors. You can pin them on your blouse, purse, headband, scarf, where ever. How about on your new check book cover?;)



I've got a few of these made up and they will be for sale shortly too! I love them!

I'm really excited to share all of this with you guys, but I think I'm going to enjoy the last few weeks of my summer vacation! Both boys will be in school this year and I'm counting down the hours until I get a whole morning or afternoon to myself! (I don't know which until we find out which preschool class Bo is in)

I'll still be posting, just not every day like in the winter. Maybe once a week. I hope you are having a fabulous summer too!

I finished my quilt!

I got it done! I'm really excited about it too!



These were the blocks I had the flickr group make...remember?



I used a black with tiny white pin dots for the binding. I machine stitched it on. I am not patient enough to hand stitch it. It would have never been finished if I had tried!





I'm going to use it for picnics and park outings. Bo is especially excited to have a picnic on it. He's been asking non-stop since I got it done:)



I backed it with a twin sized sheet from Target...where else:)?



Happy picnicking:)

homemade moon sand = fail

I've seen this recipe all over the web lately. Both the boys are obsessed with the idea of moon sand. Well, they are obsessed with really any toy, gadget, or expensive thing they market towards kids during Saturday morning cartoons. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to try it.



The recipe I had called for 4 cups of sand, 1 cup corn starch, 1 cup water. I thought maybe the koolaid would color the sand, but it didn't. Maybe because ours was yellow? I don't know.



Adding the cornstarch. I didn't have quite a full cup. That might have been our problem.





The boys lost interest pretty quickly after the mixing point. The sand didn't hold together like moon sand is supposed to. Maybe store bought moon sand is the same way? Because we all know it never works quite like the commercial says!



We would have been better off just to add some water. That's what it ended up like, wet sand...



As you can see, there is no shortage of sand here! The "moon sand" was soon integrated in with the regular sand.

Whatever...win some, lose some. At least it was just a little sand and cornstarch and a pack of gross koolaid:)

hunky dorey

I have heard a couple of people say to me lately, "you just do so much". My UPS man, every time he sees me says "Heather's got it together". And I must add, I see him on a weekly basis...his name's Paul.

This might be a shocker...but I.do.not.have.it.all.together. I truly hope that I never sound braggy or prideful. I get really sick of people that do that. "Oh, look at me" type of attitudes. Friendships have been ruined over that.

My kids fight and scream, my house can be a disaster, my husband is mad cause I fixed "crappy" vegetables again. Things in my life don't go the way I think they should go every time. My husband and I fight and disagree. And if I wait long enough, my husband is usually right....I will deny ever saying that, by the way.

I just don't really feel the need to share all of this junk with you here at my blog on a daily basis. There's definitely other women in the world that have had two boys that fight. Other women that have had husbands that don't like to eat vegetables. Other women that can't keep their house cleaned up and other women that would like to be skinnier...live in a bigger house...be happier...and so on.

some chives from my garden

But if you really wanna know my "get it together" secrets that seems to be working the last few weeks...oh, you are going to hate this (cuz I hate it)...

GET UP EARLIER

There, I said it. I get so much more done when I get up earlier. Today I got my run in before the boys ever got up. The house is straightened up from last night, so I rewarded myself with a little internet this morning.

ok, next tip...you're going to hate this one too. It's hard (well, sometimes).

BE NICE TO YOUR HUSBAND (and kids)

No, really, just try being genuinely nice. Put their needs before yours without complaining and just watch their reactions. I admit though....this one takes a long time to see results.

QUIT COMPLAINING

I bet you can count more blessings than hardships if you really tried. I am not saying that terrible things don't happen. It's just that most of us don't have terrible things happen to us. And the more you focus on the good things, the better your attitude is.

FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE TO DO...AND NO, INTERNET DOES NOT COUNT!

I find so much comfort in sewing and doing crafty things that it's just a way of my life now. I've also taken up running. Let me tell ya, I have nothing to brag about there but at least I'm doing it. I am proud of myself for that.

Ok, I hope that was at least some motivation for you!

sisters

I got to take these little beauties pics last week.







So sweet and cute! Thanks Stacy for letting me come out!

Happy 4th!

Hope you all are having a great 4th of July!

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: paperandpigtailsparty.com via Eryn on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Tami on Pinterest

heaven in a pan

I have always loved Reese's Peanut Butter cups. Always. They are the first candy bar I pick out at the gas station or grocery store line. Twix is a close second though. Maybe it's because you get two in a pack?

Well, Matt and the boys had been asking for cookies but it's so hot and it's a lot of work when they scarf down all the cookies in about 5 minutes flat. I came across this recipe for no-bake peanut butter bars. I thought I'd take a chance.



Whoa! I love these bars! They do taste like Reese's. The chocolate is my least favorite part so these hit the spot. Check out the recipe I used here. These would be good for a Fourth of July Picnic. But you'll have to keep them cool. They would melt just like the real Reese's!