It's Monday

I had a wonderful weekend!

Not only did I get a chance to play with my new toy (my cricut incase you missed that post) and I got to hang out with my two favorite boys. I cant say I was unbelieveably productive besides my usual chores on Saturday goes.

I dont know why I feel so refreshed and like I had a wonderful weekend.

Maybe it was the fact that I turned my dinning room table approximately 45 degrees south and it feels like I moved the world and rearranged my entire livingroom.

(no seriouslly I did this and I couldnt belive what a HUGE difference it made.)

Maybe it was that we took my son on his very first fishing trip.

Well it was more like walk down to the harbor for about an hour none the less he was soooo happy and so was daddy.

Maybe it was that I found a chandelier for over my dinning room table at costco for $50. It's not exactly what I had in mind but hey it's 50 bucks!

I have a question though... the light fixture hangs approximately 25" from the ceiling and we have a tall pub style dinning table. How low is too low to hang a chandelier?? Anyone? Anyone know?

Don't forget that tomorrow is another edition to Thankfu Tuesday so get ready to share what you are thankful for.

And one last thing, today I'm participating in XmasDolly's Monday's Music Moves Me.

Today's theme is songs from your fav group.

I really dont have a fav, I have a lot that I enjoy so I think I'll share ONE of my fav singers and ONE of my fav songs. This one reminds me of my grandpa and I'm feeling particularly nostalgic today.

{Aloha} Flashback Friday....

Whew! It's Friday and we survived another week!

You would think Friday is my fav day of the week but it's tomorrow since we get to sleep long enough to get up when its lighted instead of still dark outside AND I get to spend the day with my fav boys :-)

Well.... to celebrate Aloha Friday I'm going to do a few things.

I just love how Marie over at The Things We Find Inside

has a flash back to the 80's Fridays. I just LOOOOVE the 80's. Listening to the music totally brings back memories of watching night tracks! Do any of you remember night tracks?

I used to hold my stereo up against the speaker of the tv and record the music onto cassettes and make mixed tapes! Haha Love it!

Our poor children will never know what thats like, you know I dont even have an Ipod. I refuse, Im stuck in the 80's!

Anyway... so here is my flash back song for today

And if that aint great enough...

More Than Words has a totally Rad (notice the 80's word hehe) Friday Photo Flashback linky party.



How fun is it going through old photos.. pre digital camera days.

So here's my photo

I honestly dont even remember the year, it must have been around 1987.

Thats me and my cousin Jon at the Honolulu Zoo.

How's my hair? LOL!

And for the GRAND FINALE...

Since it's Aloha Friday how about a cocktail!

Last night we had a Hoe Down brainstorm meeting and we have been having little ice breakers to start the meeting. If you dont know what Hoe Down for Hope is you can find out a little {here}.Last night's topic was 'what's your fav high ball?'

There was a theme of vodka and martini's going on... lemon drop martini, dirty martini, cosmos, lychee martini.... and one of the women shared a new drink she was introduced to.

It's Coffee Patron. Have you heard of it yet?

 

She suggested serving it chilled in a martini glass.

Sounds yummy and warm and cozy, especially with these chilly nights weve been having.

Personally I try to stay away from Tequila (Tequila makes her clothes fall off - Just Kidding!!!) I do love my Passion Fruit Margaritas.

Cheers to everyone on this Aloha Friday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kids... You gotta love them

I saw this over at Life, Crafts and Whatever and I just had to share it will all of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Thanks Jennifer for sharing!


Thinking about having kids? Do this 11-Step Program first!

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4

Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.
Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Happy Humpday and a {GIVEAWAY}

So this past weekend, I packed up my cricut and my laptop and spent some time with my friend Becky who gave me some lessons. It seems pretty easy to do so why havent I cut anything with it yet?

I need some mama time alone to play with my machine hehehe.

When we got home I had to unload everything again.

Becky on the other hand had these fabulous bags that carried everything.

Why is it that I sold my lap top bag at my last garage sale?

(actually it was too small for my laptop and not quite my style)

But... CSN Stores has a new fab laptop messernger bag that would come in mighty handy!

I think this is sooo cute and girly isnt it?

I like the pink one as well and that its the messenger style

This green one has a great strap so you dont get sore shoulders.

You all know CSN Stores right?

Who doesnt? With their fab products, great customer service and thousands of items to choose from their over 200 stores.

I got my patio umbrella there and my copper star... just to name a few of the times Ive shopped there myself.

Why am I telling you this? Because the great people over at CSN Stores is once again generously giving one of my readers a $40 gift certificate to spend at any one of their over 200 stores! Yay!

Ok so the details...

*Mandatory Entry*

1. Go {here} and tell me what item you would pick if you win
(doent NOT have to be the item you choose if you win)

For Extra Entries:
2. Become a follower of From the Heart. If you already follow let me know.

3.  Become a fan of From the Heart on Facebook
Yay Im not on FB! Stepping up in this blogging world huh ;-)
{Sorry folks still working the kinks out of this one - temporarily unavailable}

4. Speaking of laptop bags...Anwser this question in the comments section:
Did you go to college? If so was it an experience you'll never forget?

5. Blog, Facebook or Tweet about this giveaway and send me a link.
(1 entry for each)

Good Luck! Giveaway will be open to residents of the US and Canada from now untill  Thursday Feb 3th and winner will be picked randomly and announced on Friday Feb 4th

Who are You #30



Here are this weeks's questions...

1. Do you wear glasses or contacts, if so for how long?
I got my first pair of glasses when I was in the 7th grade, they were bifocals! I was so embarrased. After I graduated I started wearing contacts and have been ever since.

2. What was your favorite board game as a kid?
I loved candy land and any monopoly

3. What is a word that you use all the time?
I hate to admit it but  I use damnit too much.

4. What is your favorite day of the week?
I love Saturdays! It is my day to sleep in hopefully AND spend the day with my loves.

5. Did you graduate high school from the town you grew up in?
The town I grew up in doesnt have a high school so we were given the option to go West to Waimea HS or East to Kauai HS in Lihue. Most of my friends when to Lihue and my dad lives in Lihue so I went there as well.

Thankful Tuesday Linky Party

My life is busy. We all have lives that are busy and crazy and hectic.

Sometimes we forget to really be thankful for the little things in our life.

My son who now says thank you for EVERYTHING reminds me this.

I'd like to devote atleast one day a week to give tribute to the little things in life that I am thankful for and I challenge you to do the same.

Each Tuesday I will have a Thankful Tuesday were you take just a few minutes to share something you are thankful for. Here are mine for the week:

I am thankful for my husband who ironed my freshly washed curtains.

(and I didnt even have to ask him)

I am thankful for the long nap that my son took on Sunday

Which gave me the chance to spend a little time sewing.

I am thankful for my friend Marisa who really knows me and didnt stop looking for my bday gift when she was told it was sold out.

(yippe finally my OWN copy)

I am very thankful for the time I got to spend with my dearest friend Becky. We not only got to spend MUCH needed time together but she spend the time teaching me how to use my Cricut.

I am thankful that when my son woke from his nap we got to spend some time playing in the backyard. I'm so thankful to be blessed with a heathly happy son.

(even if he drives me nuts)

No matter how much I complain about watering the grass or pulling weeds, I am thankful for a yard that I can call my own and for the gorgeous view to look at everyday.

It's the little things if life that we often forget about.

So what are you thankful for?

So here are the rules...

Link up from now untill Friday.

Tell us what you are thankful for.

Please place my button in your blog post or somewhere in your blog so other people can link back and enjoy in the fun. Plus I gotta show off my swanky new button!

Ready set go....

Day #9 -Toy Organization and Up coming Linky Party .... and...... (GIVEAWAY)

 This was a busy weekend I must say.

One of the projects I tackled this weekend was putting my son's toys into plastic containers.

Yes I know Im going backwards.... way back but I really have been meaning to get it done.

I do appologize that I dont have before pictures. I had to 'borrow' a memory card from an old camera that only had enough memory for 5 pix at a time.

Can you even remember that when cards had so little storage, wow.

Anyway, we had space under our media shelf that we would just throw his toys in and it drove me insane. I picked up these plastic containers from kmart but they were just a tad bit too tall.

We tried moving the shelf up higher but the next knotch was just too high, this is were that totally awsome christmas present comes in that I got my hubby cause Im the best wife in the world.. hehehe

Yup, he thinks Im the greatest :-)

So we used this bad boy to make our own holes for the shelf bracket and voila!

Enough room to put the plastic containers.

But wait!

I still cant stand it. So stay tunned for and update when I cover them with fabric, if I can ever make up my mind what print I want.

Also...

I had some time to think about the little things that we sometimes forget to be thankful for.

Tomorrow I will be hosting a "THANKFUL FOR" linky party.

Please spread the word and come and join me to share about the simple things that you are thankful for.

AND...

One more thing... Im thankful for all of you for sticking around when I go MIA and for my random ramblings so, I'll also be announcing a CSN GIVEAWAY tomorrow as well.

Very exciting!!

Who doesnt love CSN Stores and their thousands of products!!!

I could totally use a laptop messenger bag to tote around my laptop and cricut!!! hehehehe

Thanks ya'll and see you then. Dont forget to make your list of things you are thankful for!

Update on the Wheelbarrow Planter

So a while back I told ya'll about my plans for the Wheelbarrow Planter.

It's been some time now so I figured I'd give you guys an update.

We'll it was touch and go for a little while there but....

We've got some growth!

Ok so I dont know why only the aslyum was the only one that grew. I planted like 4 different seeds!

There are small leafy things in between so I think there just might be some chance yet for the other flowers to grow. Not bad for practically free!

I just kept waiting for my neighbors to come and tell me I "forgot" my wheelbarrow in the yard.

In other news.... my friend Becky is coming over this weekend and she's giving me Cricuit lessons! I'm so super excited I can hardly contain myself, she's gonna be sorry! hahaha

Day # 14 Under the Bathroom Sink

I'm still making my attempts to keep up with the challenge. I'm getting there slowly but surely.

Day #14 was under the bathroom sink, again an area I hardly ever think of. I thought mine was neat but once I really got under there... nope it wasnt.

So I took everything out and vacuumed it up and wiped it down.

I picked up some $1.50 plastic bins up from Kmart. Not the color I want but for $1.50 it was gonna go under the sink so I was ok with it.

I put all my extra hand soap and shampoo my hubby's shaving cream and all of a sudden I realized several things.

(note: the plastic bag will be removed once I get more storage containers - see below)

1. I need to buy toilet paper I'm running low

2. While Im there I need soap as well, that one bar looks really lonely

3. I have a drawer FULL of feminine products that I could put under here now that I've got so much room

4. I could totally free up this entire drawer if I found one of these great containers with drawers in them.

5. I have waaaayy too much half used lotions. I need to promise myself that I will not buy any more lotion untill I use all this up. (BTW, this was just what was under my sink, it doesnt include what I have in my closet or the spare bathroom)



I also really like this idea that Toni did over at A bowl full of lemons

Photo courtesy of A bowl full of lemons

I don's use a dryer but this is a great idea to put my flat iron.

I love it.... or I guess I could put it in the drawer once all my lady things gets moved...

the hubs part deux

Ok so yesterday I bitched and moaned about my hubby and how he sat on his butt and watched tv while I cleaned the kitchen and got ready for dinner.

Such is life right?

Its nice to hear everyone's comments and know I'm not the only one that has days like that.

Last night we get home and what does my lovely husband do... he cooks dinner :-)

And not just any dinner his dad's shrimp scampi recepie.

This coming from a guy who in 10 years of marriage never cooks!!

He has been totally surprizing me lately.

He said that after making the chicken he got more confidence to try to cook and he thought it was fun.

My super yummy dinner.

It was even better than his dad's recepie especially since there was NO SHELL!

I HATE shrimip cooked with the shell on.

Thank you hunny

you have redeemed yourself

It's Blog Hop time again...

So many stinkin darn cute Valentines ideas and crafts!

I better get my butt in gear.

I've just been consumed with my son's 2nd birthday coming up next month.

Go check them all out!

the hubs

We have our days, we all do.

Yesterday was one of them. If I didnt love him so much I would have walked up gave him a Gibbs (smaked the back of his head like Jethro Gibbs on NCIS)

So we get home from working ALL day.

My son is sleeping so I figure its the perfect time to get stuff done in the kitchen without a nagging 23 month old at my feet whinning "I see" or "I cook" or "Mom I try"

Maybe its just the way I think, maybe it's my OCD, maybe I should just let him relax after a long day at work. Well I spend the next hour or so putting the dishes away from the night before, then washing the dishes from our home lunches and then starting dinner all the while he is sitting on the couch watching TV!

That just drives me insane! When do I ever get to just sit around and watch tv?

He knows Im mad at him and then just before I go to bed I ask him to help me pluck out an ingrown hair under my arm. (sorry I know TMI) and he does it without any complaint.

I watched him concentrate and at that moment I forgave him. Its not that big a deal to be mad about anyway.

Then he tucked me in bed, yea he's a sweetheart.

Just dont tell him I told you all!

Who are you? #29

Here are this week's questions!




1. Do you use an alarm clock or some device to wake you up, or do you wake up on your own?
Monday - Friday I need my alarm, which is on my cell phone. Not only do I have one alarm but I have it set at 3 different times 10 mins apart just to be on the safe side
(I'm NOT a morning person)

2. If you could go on any game show, which won would you choose?
This is a hard question. At one point I would have said the Price is Right since I grew up on that show (right before the soaps started) and Bob Barker and I have the same birthday. Maybe Minute to Win it? My hubby likes that show and it doesnt require a lot of thinking hahaha I dont like to think under pressure

3. Do you prefer the weather to be hot or cold?
I am what my hubs calls temperature sensitive. I cant stand hot and I cant handle cold, I need to be a nice 76-78 degrees to be comfortable. But if I had to choose I'd rather be cold then hot. Atleast I could bundle up.

4.What color of clothing do you wear the most?
Black it goes with everything and its slimming maybe I have an inner Kelly Cutrone in me

5. What is your favorite color? 
gosh i really dont have a favorite color i like neutrals greys, browns

Day # 13 The Medicine Cabinet

Ok so I missed a few day but on day #13 I tackled the medicine cabinet.

Who ever thinks of organizing the medicine cabinet? I know I never did and thankgoodness for this challenge!

Here it is in all it's glory.

I got these trays a week or so ago with the intention to clean and organize my junk drawer (day#1)

I took everything out and cleaned the shelves and actually went through all my medications.

Wow good thing I did, I had a TON of expired OTC medications YIKES!!

Remember the Airborne craze? Yea I was sucked in and still had some left.

Doesnt look like its still good, what do you think?

Eww

I put everything back all neat and organized and left the items we use everyday on the bottom shelf.

Wow it looks totally cleaner and not so cluttered.

Guess it goes to show that you dont ignore those spots you dont think about often.

like what you see? please vote for me...

Announcement and Stylish Blogger Award! Yay!

Thank you so very much to Erika over at Oops I craft my pants and the Fairy Blogmother

for my makeover and as you can see I now have a button!

Does that make me an official blogger now?

I feel so official. LOL

So if you like it grab it, I dont mind, infact I'll be very flattered!

In other news...

I received a Stylish Blogger Award from Tina over at Park Avenue Chihuahua
Park Avenue Chihuahua is soooo absolutely adorable, if you are a dog person you're gonna love the cute posts and pictures on this blog!
You have to see her babies they are the cutest, I could just bring Miss Macy Gray home with me!

She also has another blog Another Domestic Diva. Some good recepies and great taste!! She also

is a shoe fanatic, who isnt?! She finds amazing shoes for a great price!


Don't forget to check out her etsy shop as well! It's called Flip Out where she makes really cute flip flops or like we call them here Slippers.

I could lick up those ice cream ones!

And around here... these could be used for a wedding.

Tina Thank you sooo very much! I am sooooo flattered!

You guys have got to check her out ok!

I'm also supposed to share 7 things about myself so lets see:

1. I am 5' 9" tall.... my husband... is about 5' 8.5" tall... unless you ask him were the same height

2. My parents were high school sweethearts. They got married and two years later got divorced. Two years later they had me (does that still make me a bastard?)

3. I am named after the Fleetwood Mac song Rhiannon

Think its unusual? I lived next door to a Rhiannon and my extended cousin's wife's name is Ryanon (same pronunciation different spelling)

4. I have a secret crush on Kevin McHale, I guess its no secret anymore since I told all of you. And I dont even watch Glee

5. I went 16 years without going to the dentist before. I was terrified of going (bad experience as a child) Now I look forward to going and getting my teeth cleaned EVERY 6 months and I never miss an appointment

6. I wear a size 11 shoe. Shoe shopping is a horrendous task!

7. I'm alergic to food coloring :-( you know how many years its been since I've had fruit punch?! And they serve fruit punch EVERYWHERE over here!!!

Now Im passing the award on to:

Elle at SWITCHEROOm

super fab and design on a dime, not afraid of color and she designs blogs too!

Mumsy at Raw Thoughts and Feelings

She is REAL and HONEST and not afriad to blog about it

Toni at A Bowl Full of Lemons

She inspires me and a ton of others to be clean and organized! Go and take her challenge hapening right now!

Heidi at Mommy Tools

She is a mother of 6 yes 6 kids! I give her credit, I feel I struggle with one.

Shell at Things I Can't Say

She tells it like it is, you know you all want to be like her! I know I do.

Jessica at Must Add Fabric Softner
She's a stay at home mom and crafter and she's totally adorable got a great sense of humor!

Darn Kids!!!

Do you ever have those moments where you just think, WTF did my kid do?
I know I do.
Nothing ever horrible or life threatening but there are those stories out there belive it or not.
You see them on those joke emails that gets passed around.

Ever want to share those experiences or see what other people's kids get into to make you feel better about your own spawn?
I just found this blog called Sh*t My Kids Ruined

I had to laugh, then after a few pages I honestly though, seriouslly parents are you not watching your kids for them to get into THAT much trouble?!?!

If this blog isnt funny enough they have made a book as well!!

Here's where you can buy the book!

Sunflower Baby Shower

I have been meaning to share this party with you all for eh some months now.

Now I cannot take any credit for this party.

(except helping to set up and clean up)

My friend is

1) an absolute lover of sunflowers (you'll see)

and

 2) absolutely talented when it comes to throwing a party

She doesnt leave out not one detail.

This is her own baby shower, so cute and sunshining and elegant at the same time.

Chairs were covered and wrapped with bows and sunflowers.

The guessing games were even adorned with sunflowers and their colors.

Who has their own sunflower tiki bar at a shower....

She does!

Not a single detail was left out.

These are adorable centerpieces.

Even the dessert bar had sunflower gingerbread cookies

And sunflower cupcakes

Once again she put on a beautiful party.

And she welcomed her daughter into this world the day before my birthday 12/11