tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40242667915709086002024-03-13T20:13:07.187-07:00i heart andy grossthe real, random, and sometimes misguided, but always thoughtful musings of a 30-something wife, mom, and teacher....Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-87032782620339936292012-02-24T00:41:00.001-08:002012-02-24T00:41:00.781-08:00Time to SHINE {Pass.It.Forward}Ever wanted to change the world? Ever wanted to do something that made a difference? Ever wanted to change lives? Ever met <a href="http://www.myshineproject.com/" target="_blank">Ashley</a> from the <a href="http://www.myshineproject.com/" target="_blank">SHINE Project</a>? She wants to change the world, make a difference, and change people's lives. And she does it. And she wants others to do it, too.<br />
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Today is a HUGE day for the SHINE Project as Ashley is announcing her newest project and website. This project is simple: <em><a href="http://spreadtheshine.com/index.php" target="_blank">Pass It Forward</a></em>. By giving forward, you can give back. <br />
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Here's the best part...there's a pass it forward card. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-pMOiypksxei9LGR6Zxjf4Rr-THzInkguG2THcVD8g9B04G3lPjkrvJNIxpFElKKLkbDGxUpbQQ2DaeO4GI-TfLeGXKcZnAfbA0KatQ-T__H4xen6AVsOdocVg2apvE4bfrVH4LFNIX1/s1600/SHINECARDback(1)new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476px" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-pMOiypksxei9LGR6Zxjf4Rr-THzInkguG2THcVD8g9B04G3lPjkrvJNIxpFElKKLkbDGxUpbQQ2DaeO4GI-TfLeGXKcZnAfbA0KatQ-T__H4xen6AVsOdocVg2apvE4bfrVH4LFNIX1/s640/SHINECARDback(1)new.jpg" width="640px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back view of Pass It Forward card</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's how it works in Ashley's own words....<br />
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<em>Pass It Forward was designed to get people to do little things, everyday, that makes an impact on the community around them. Pass it Forward is designed around a card. Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when they give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....</em><em><br />
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<em>Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing. <strong><u>From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.</u></strong></em> <br />
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Doesn't that sound cool? And easy to do? It's like a virtual pat on the back when you register your card and see where and how it blessed others. Here we are, you and me, with the opportunity to dig our hands in and spread the shine! We can make this happen. We can bring a little shine to people. And we can see just how far our shine will go. To say I'm excited about this project is an understatement!<br />
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As one of the bloggers announcing this project, I will be getting my very own <a href="http://spreadtheshine.com/index.php" target="_blank">PassItForward</a> card in the mail very soon. And when I get my card, I'm gonna spread the SHINE! Then I will come back here and share with you all what I did to PassItForward. <em>Awesome sauce!</em><br />
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I know you are now as excited as I am, so, go now, do not pass Go, do not collect $200 and find out how you can <a href="http://spreadtheshine.com/index.php" target="_blank">PassItForward</a> and spread the shine, too!<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-4603958018024397072012-02-21T06:45:00.000-08:002012-02-21T09:08:04.833-08:00Oh, How Time Flies {David Day}I can't believe it's been 4 years.<br />
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Four years since I pined for a baby to love and care for. Since I longed to be a mommy.<br />
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Four years since I first met that sweet baby. Since we met eyes for the first time and I held his chubby little baby body in my arms. It felt so good and so right to wrap my arms around him.<br />
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Four years since we brought that precious boy to our home. His home. Since we bought a crib and clothes and pacifiers and bottles and everything we thought we needed for our new little bundle. <br />
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Four years since mommy and daddy woke up several times each night to bottle feed a hungry little baby. Since we rocked a fussy infant and gave him all the love we could muster. And then some.<br />
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Four years since the first bath in his new home. Four years since his first smile in his new home. Four years since we first cuddled and slept beside each other.<br />
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Four years....<br />
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And now, we have an energetic, percocious 4 year old. And more memories to be made....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYwC4SqbUuxaOVpqRXHp7UsIbEOnz2Vr4oRvhYl0xTK0sjsmL-v0dn0r5G8Hc8PGyDf6kGppF3y9H8FpdOgVSFjzOyokwmRZu2Hdub3HbFO8le0sWrbGP5NvQf1xXRJMbthcDvnjs65db/s1600/100_2117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRYwC4SqbUuxaOVpqRXHp7UsIbEOnz2Vr4oRvhYl0xTK0sjsmL-v0dn0r5G8Hc8PGyDf6kGppF3y9H8FpdOgVSFjzOyokwmRZu2Hdub3HbFO8le0sWrbGP5NvQf1xXRJMbthcDvnjs65db/s640/100_2117.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home just a few days. About 4 months old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNsNeUrur_JdCCDROVBntAionbHPPFsHVlaOMhS6vr5J232MyKSKf0_T5eL7jOKbd796ldowtgkmTH4ceXXZSljrSlBCu7suhHWt2-XCYYvAIxn7tVeomS_EvWgP3Ej-KqEz_ieqaiN0O/s1600/IMG_4712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNsNeUrur_JdCCDROVBntAionbHPPFsHVlaOMhS6vr5J232MyKSKf0_T5eL7jOKbd796ldowtgkmTH4ceXXZSljrSlBCu7suhHWt2-XCYYvAIxn7tVeomS_EvWgP3Ej-KqEz_ieqaiN0O/s640/IMG_4712.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adoption Day! 2 years old</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRBjL48DiVyw49IHZb6At6CK2Sm6X9uoyuELYpe4iLkEWa8q4fGmFiRk8Oe3PMaz5bOyHw4BmF28FnV1N_0g73B6DwZJ6wQCNyhJhUKYj6irxqg5QfxFdoDZSosWiVIB_TEqc5ZCTHL0o/s1600/IMG_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRBjL48DiVyw49IHZb6At6CK2Sm6X9uoyuELYpe4iLkEWa8q4fGmFiRk8Oe3PMaz5bOyHw4BmF28FnV1N_0g73B6DwZJ6wQCNyhJhUKYj6irxqg5QfxFdoDZSosWiVIB_TEqc5ZCTHL0o/s640/IMG_0432.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyday misadventures. 4 years old</td></tr>
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<em>Thank you God for this blessing I call my son.</em><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-81958601884034645782012-02-14T18:58:00.000-08:002012-02-14T18:58:35.431-08:00Nature's Candy {Happy & Healthy Valentines}<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div align="left">In an effort to be completely honest here, I'll admit I'm no picture of health. But, being a mom, I try me darndest to make healthy-er choices for my son. Besides, I think he's wild enough without the added assistance of sugar. Can I get an <em>Amen,</em> fellow moms?! With this in mind, my inspriration for this year's valentines was born.</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayj3mfarHrJyA-PS_8r_0YdmeHEiSwz8KauRL-jqHt1x2Eauu_7WLLfmfbsYK1iV7EPtYKLli3tmwpqmYx7y5MLA0aetNwXyCSUoxWdfQdwwxKqMSXrQlAl95idC2ujFqYbH7CX2y5VVK/s1600/IMG_0802.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="427px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhayj3mfarHrJyA-PS_8r_0YdmeHEiSwz8KauRL-jqHt1x2Eauu_7WLLfmfbsYK1iV7EPtYKLli3tmwpqmYx7y5MLA0aetNwXyCSUoxWdfQdwwxKqMSXrQlAl95idC2ujFqYbH7CX2y5VVK/s640/IMG_0802.JPG" width="640px" /></a> </div>I found this idea on Pinterest, but never pinned it, and can't find it again. Sorry, if I could, I give the proper props, I would. <em>Anywho,</em> I made these cuties <em>(pun intended)</em> for my students and for my son's classmates. I designed the tags using Picnik online photo editing site and printed them out on cardstock. I dropped the little fruits into the treat bags (found at Wal-Mart) and tied on the tag with twine. <em>Voila!</em> Couldn't have been easier. I liked that not only, they weren't a sugary nightmare, but that they were more fun than a store-bought valentine. <br />
And, now, it's time for me to eat all that chocolate I won't let my kiddo eat. Can't let it go to waste, can I?!<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-5968066492866086452012-02-07T18:52:00.000-08:002012-02-07T18:52:44.265-08:00On Text Messages and GraceAin't technology grand? I have the world at my fingertips with my cell phone. At any moment I can comminucate with someone and not even have to talk to them. Gotta love text messaging. That is until you accidentally send a text to the wrong recipient with a message you wouldn't want them to read.<br />
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True.Story.<br />
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Today I got one of those messages. My first thought was, <em>Oops. That was not meant for me</em>. My second thought was, <em>Glad I didn't make that mistake!</em><br />
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At this point, I had a choice. I could A) respond in a snarky manner; B) not respond; or C) respond kindly and gently.<br />
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As I learned in collge, <em>if in doubt, </em>C<em> out.</em><br />
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The whole communication fiasco had stemmed from a misunderstanding. I sent my reply and quietly said a prayer. I prayed for grace. Grace <em>for</em> me, and grace <em>from</em> me.<br />
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In the time it took me to pray, the texter responded. And grace abound.<br />
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I am so thankful that I chose to be graceful. And when I don't choose grace (which as a broken, sinful human, is most of the time), I am thankful for God's grace.<br />
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<em> </em><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-31080953290979473912012-02-06T05:03:00.000-08:002012-02-06T05:03:00.179-08:00Suds-n-Duds {Homemade Laundry Soap and Other Adventures in Cleaning}<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div align="left">It's hard being a domestic goddess. I should know because I have been one lately. It's my other job, right after wife, mom, and 4th grade teacher. Really, I do not know what has come over me. The new me is dreaming up cleaning schedules to clean one or two parts of the house each day, and planning meals, and making her own cleaning products. The new me has even missed watching some episodes of <em>Real Housewives of Beverly Hills </em>and <em>Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood</em>. Don't tell the old me, she'll be mad!<br />
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<em><span style="color: orange;">Update: I'm now all caught up on my fave shows. Just in case you were wondering, or concerned. Thank you OnDemand!</span></em></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">With all this cleanliness (as you know, it's next to Godliness) going on, I thought I'd share my secrets that I found on Pinterest, <em>of course</em> (not so secret). You can be a domestic goddess, just like me!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Here's the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841022952/" target="_blank">Homemade Laundry Soap</a>...</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">You need the following ingredients, all available at Wal-Mart in the laundry aisle. The cost is about $11. I already had the large box of baking soda on hand at home, so the washing soda, Borax, and Fels-Naptha only cost me 7 bills, dawg. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeAkg41_3nNMDD6XB-6FLOIriVJImKG9J_i5JEtBvdT-JpbGQ_-6PS0FgUoir23XvpUSRod_sGtpL-0Bu1d3Eh02XBl7dN7QiT6F-FpcmsygHDPvL_zSDnoagY0K34wUa8dtpDT8gsCo_/s1600/IMG_0565.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="427px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeAkg41_3nNMDD6XB-6FLOIriVJImKG9J_i5JEtBvdT-JpbGQ_-6PS0FgUoir23XvpUSRod_sGtpL-0Bu1d3Eh02XBl7dN7QiT6F-FpcmsygHDPvL_zSDnoagY0K34wUa8dtpDT8gsCo_/s640/IMG_0565.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOq1sAPoKvY6FpvM-JtoJyZNGHDJw2PETLcLkqXbgKDPPzHjGGfiBmaZ8J3bX06QAoCaGpjpls-Wl6b7RChvm5v0c04q0WmIe-CJsRcw2ALuOQAFgtQcB1k7fYTKgLW5kA4qYgKAzIqFbm/s1600/IMG_0564.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOq1sAPoKvY6FpvM-JtoJyZNGHDJw2PETLcLkqXbgKDPPzHjGGfiBmaZ8J3bX06QAoCaGpjpls-Wl6b7RChvm5v0c04q0WmIe-CJsRcw2ALuOQAFgtQcB1k7fYTKgLW5kA4qYgKAzIqFbm/s400/IMG_0564.JPG" /></a> </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6Yk-pa4p3-JMx6w2LuXazERM9T3aC9tiM8fD424UexB3G4YShs9HposMcfbH1jbbgt0r81uGtSZYfnX7bWicnv2fILayIR79AC_4ZTtMSqOY-A3Xv12K1wyI2dt2YSgNYqAc4ALzMran/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6Yk-pa4p3-JMx6w2LuXazERM9T3aC9tiM8fD424UexB3G4YShs9HposMcfbH1jbbgt0r81uGtSZYfnX7bWicnv2fILayIR79AC_4ZTtMSqOY-A3Xv12K1wyI2dt2YSgNYqAc4ALzMran/s400/IMG_0568.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgklFAhCoh4JP7eXYfJB_Sh9_ur6RUa5W7TlMrtIuSGV2ltQ-cfJaD7Kz3oQGKOoVCl3BRkYiQZALk2-LsNHcbFcRdrjrHdiL3NRsjiYQfJNEZ2zjATXPWX4RWcyzTYCl3excy3pMC82V1/s1600/IMG_0569.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgklFAhCoh4JP7eXYfJB_Sh9_ur6RUa5W7TlMrtIuSGV2ltQ-cfJaD7Kz3oQGKOoVCl3BRkYiQZALk2-LsNHcbFcRdrjrHdiL3NRsjiYQfJNEZ2zjATXPWX4RWcyzTYCl3excy3pMC82V1/s400/IMG_0569.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaHz2dx25T0oWuWjOwD1PsE21do1Tn2uWKjEsSzPd5s1_rT6-6cQsZvUTQYPA8wpB-HJRgeQP1kxWn7QLOII8nswOzn4_hdwx-TqsT3QMMks4gaToagjVcYJAW52GwIW8V7hyRMvODlF7/s1600/IMG_0573.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaHz2dx25T0oWuWjOwD1PsE21do1Tn2uWKjEsSzPd5s1_rT6-6cQsZvUTQYPA8wpB-HJRgeQP1kxWn7QLOII8nswOzn4_hdwx-TqsT3QMMks4gaToagjVcYJAW52GwIW8V7hyRMvODlF7/s400/IMG_0573.JPG" /></a> </div>Grate the bar of Fels-Naptha with a cheese grater. You can also throw it in the food processor to break it up a bit, but not necessary. Add 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of washing soda, and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Stir it up, as Bob Marley says. Use 2 tbsp. per load.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HIWxHf4YIr5V0spsYJIHLKVfp2oOiTnnX6QCYe77ya5qSE9lgJYohRUmRpqhY9BXPLw5zwELM0J9O8dXkZMn2cvsXiJ5dZjbDO84ZtxpOBMcnxB7AKq_UUN2gb_wnv7z-0MvNDhnvUmk/s1600/IMG_0581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HIWxHf4YIr5V0spsYJIHLKVfp2oOiTnnX6QCYe77ya5qSE9lgJYohRUmRpqhY9BXPLw5zwELM0J9O8dXkZMn2cvsXiJ5dZjbDO84ZtxpOBMcnxB7AKq_UUN2gb_wnv7z-0MvNDhnvUmk/s320/IMG_0581.JPG" width="213px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't worry, you'll make more than this.<br />
We've done a few loads since I made this batch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0jc9W4PSvBa1KhyMbDIF5FObv_5vwOpHabATIUxyXiPay46NXsIEbj47EziW2ycXYKiTklguk_OVNDTZPDDYE9pCbIo1-chgabQ-TaAA5XqMh_NHMns-H1fW8yCvrMEvCOgrYM3e-n5i/s1600/IMG_0583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0jc9W4PSvBa1KhyMbDIF5FObv_5vwOpHabATIUxyXiPay46NXsIEbj47EziW2ycXYKiTklguk_OVNDTZPDDYE9pCbIo1-chgabQ-TaAA5XqMh_NHMns-H1fW8yCvrMEvCOgrYM3e-n5i/s320/IMG_0583.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks a bit like shredded cheddar cheese in white powder. If you don't like such big chunks of soap, put the grated soap into a food processor to break it up a bit. It still gets the clothes clean either way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This recipe doesn't make a ton, but at just 2 tbsp. a load, it'll go far. Next time, I'll double or triple the recipe. The great thing is, I will only have to buy the Fels-Naptha (only $.97 a bar). The sodas and Borax will last me a <em>long </em>while, making this very inexpensive.<br />
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It gets the clothes clean (which is the point), they smell fresh, and not too shabby on stains.<br />
<br />
And, speaking of stains, I'm still trying to get through my last bottle of OxyClean stain remover spray. But, when that bottle is empty, my next project is <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841027107/" target="_blank">homemade stain remover</a>. Stay tuned.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I also recently went homemade with my all-purpose spray cleaner. I LOVE this stuff. I use it mostly in the kitchen, but it's great on glass, furniture, and in the bathroom. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841022934/" target="_blank">Homemade All-Purpose Spray Cleaner</a>....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FQtvo742ZFzwTmQxWXe1sV5RLdey1KnwqphOzYwKrxWGQkm0kxg72Q3tQ9FjNCkNaF4sYaGVJk561fOKKKM2Zx8z9Zz2VoKD45Qc-viJwS_oXLFK60zBN8KwOSWOXtbjXJQFF2PTkUYJ/s1600/IMG_0585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FQtvo742ZFzwTmQxWXe1sV5RLdey1KnwqphOzYwKrxWGQkm0kxg72Q3tQ9FjNCkNaF4sYaGVJk561fOKKKM2Zx8z9Zz2VoKD45Qc-viJwS_oXLFK60zBN8KwOSWOXtbjXJQFF2PTkUYJ/s640/IMG_0585.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
One part vinegar, one part warm water, and a few drops of tea tree oil (or any scent of essential oil, although the tea tree oil has some disinfectant qualities that I like). Put it all in a spray bottle and you're ready to rock and roll. This is livin'!<br />
<br />
The vinegar is really cheap at less than $2 for a gallon size jug (found in the cleaning aisles at Wal-Mart). The tea tree oil is pricey ($10 for a small bottle), but you only use a few drops, so it lasts a while. Plus I use it for soap making.<br />
<br />
<br />
And for those tough to clean areas that need a little extra, this little magic potion will change. your. life. <br />
<br />
Homemade Non-Abrasive Scrub<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwuvRaHngQSz8-abcIqrYZRucFMMenChDp5h66RJEmTnSaF63_QkJbyWCvBrCYoec9Ls7bUFbO10G3svTvGrngOXjkqLvZUp6KDPIaHUa3zVUBv82r8snXzVvCIkZMt9rfJOU_EyLBhqL/s1600/IMG_0589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426px" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguwuvRaHngQSz8-abcIqrYZRucFMMenChDp5h66RJEmTnSaF63_QkJbyWCvBrCYoec9Ls7bUFbO10G3svTvGrngOXjkqLvZUp6KDPIaHUa3zVUBv82r8snXzVvCIkZMt9rfJOU_EyLBhqL/s640/IMG_0589.JPG" width="640px" /></a></div><br />
Some baking soda (now you know why I keep such a large box on hand) and some hydrogen peroxide. Mix whatever amounts you need in a small bowl to make a paste. Use your hand or a sponge and rub this stuff on whatever and it's like <em>buttah</em>. I used the concoction on my glass-top stove. So clean. Not a scratch. <em>Hallelujah!</em> It's amazing on bathroom sinks, too, to get off any soap scum. My blender got some new life breathed into with a quick cleaning with this stuff. Looks like new, I tell ya. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, there you have it. I may sound like a real granola, but I'm lovin' the homemade cleaners! I call it being <em>light</em> green. <br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-65221820132446698052012-01-30T20:46:00.000-08:002012-01-30T20:46:28.654-08:00Pinterest Made Me Do It {Cooking Edition}<em>Pinterest has changed my life.</em><br />
<br />
If you live on this side of a rock, you can relate to the above statement. The change for me has been threefold:<br />
1. I waste a lot more time than I did before I found Pinterest. Or it found me.<br />
2. I have a rich fantasy life that consists of an amazing wardrobe, an impeccably decorated and perfectly organized home, a sharply dressed and photograph ready child, and a variety of incredible craft ideas that would keep me busy for the remainder of my natural born life. And all of this is organized within several cleverly named boards that house thousands of pins. And more await....<br />
3. I have cooked more in the past month than ever before. If you listen closely, you can hear my husband singing praises.<br />
<br />
In all seriousness, Pinterest has been my inspiration, muse if you will, for a plethora of things. From painting without sanding tutorials to how to make homemade liquid hand soap. It's the instruction manual for my life. If it's been done before, it's been pinned.<br />
<br />
I have pinned, I have made. <br />
<br />
The biggest inspiration has come in the kitchen. Here I would like to share my favorite recipes I've tried so far. You'll thank me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841076745/" target="_blank">Coconut Custard Pie</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841094385/" target="_blank">Balsamic-Garlic Encrusted Pork Tenderloin</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841043873/" target="_blank">Parmesan Baked Fries</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874841040395/" target="_blank">Homemade Granola Bars</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874840948733/" target="_blank">Paula Deen's Twice Baked Potato Casserole</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/152629874840938227/">Pumpkin Lust Pie</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ah, Pinterest. My waistline will not be shrinking with your dominating web presence taunting me with new delicious pins each day. Oh, but you taste so good!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">NOT the end. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-68333563295083073262012-01-26T16:58:00.000-08:002012-01-26T17:01:10.521-08:00When Shopping Trips Go Bad<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">I use to pride myself on having a good shopper. My kid has always been a champ at rolling the aisles or racks in a cart or stroller. Of course, there were the occasional grabs from the shelves or pulls of the clothes racks, but all in all, he rocked at shopping. A real mother's dream I tell ya!</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">Until. Now.</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">Perhaps with age (his being a little over 4) comes wisdom, but as of late, shopping has not been fun with this little charmer. Let me re-phrase that, it's been <em>torture.</em> He's smart enough to know that he can really rock momma's world if he disrupts the shopping. It's button-pushing at it's finest, folks. </div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRBjL48DiVyw49IHZb6At6CK2Sm6X9uoyuELYpe4iLkEWa8q4fGmFiRk8Oe3PMaz5bOyHw4BmF28FnV1N_0g73B6DwZJ6wQCNyhJhUKYj6irxqg5QfxFdoDZSosWiVIB_TEqc5ZCTHL0o/s1600/IMG_0432.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="267px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRBjL48DiVyw49IHZb6At6CK2Sm6X9uoyuELYpe4iLkEWa8q4fGmFiRk8Oe3PMaz5bOyHw4BmF28FnV1N_0g73B6DwZJ6wQCNyhJhUKYj6irxqg5QfxFdoDZSosWiVIB_TEqc5ZCTHL0o/s400/IMG_0432.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the <em>high point</em> of our Target trip.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">If he's not throwing a temper tantrum, he's throwing stuff out of the cart, or kicking me, or wanting to get out of the cart, or standing up in the cart, or screaming to be held, or hitting customers as we roll by, or saying he needs to potty right in the middle of grocery shopping after we've already made one trip to the restroom. <em>Ugh.</em></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">I know some of you can relate. And, I hope this is just a phase and it ends. Soon. I can't take much more. A girl's gotta eat and have clothes, so no shopping is out of the question. And, almost as much of a nightmare as shopping with Crazy Preschooler! </div><br />
<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-59953247838978319762012-01-23T20:17:00.000-08:002012-01-23T20:17:33.228-08:00NOT the Mac-n-Cheese in the Blue BoxNot there's anything wrong with the Kraft brand macaroni and cheese. I like myself some Kraft every now and then. I especially love to eat the bites in which the cheese powder has not been all the way stirred in, so you get an extra cheese-y <em>(is that cheese?)</em> bite. <br />
<br />
But THIS stuff, it's <em>good</em>. And it's one pot <em>(well, plus a colander, a spoon, and a pan if you want to add bacon). </em><br />
<br />
I've actually tried two different recipes for this dish and read a bunch more. I've kind of compiled elemetns of all of them and created this pasta, cheese-y masterpiece....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Momma's One-Pot, Not-the-Blue-Box Mac-n-Cheese</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 cups <span style="font-size: large;">uncooked </span>elbow macaroni</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 1/2 cups <span style="font-size: large;">milk</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 cup grated <span style="font-size: large;">cheese</span> <em>(can be a combination of whatever you like, however, if you use a hard cheese, like parmesan, use it with a soft easier-to-melt cheese, too.)</em></div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 tsp. ground <span style="font-size: large;">mustard</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 tsp. salt</div><div style="text-align: center;">1/2 tsp nutmeg</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 tbsp <span style="font-size: large;">butter</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">bacon</span> crumbles <em>(optional)</em></div><div style="text-align: center;">toasted bread crumbs <em>(optional)</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rinse uncooked macaroni in a collander and drain.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In a medium saucepan, combine macaroni, milk, butter, salt, mustard, and nutmeg. Cook on MEDIUM until simmering. Stir often.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Once the mixtures simmers, turn heat to LOW and cook for 15-20 more minutes or until milk is nearly completely, stirring frequently.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Once milk is absorbed and pasta is soft, add cheese <em>(I used 1/3 cup parmesan and 2/3 cup colby-jack)</em> and stir. Turn off heat, cover pot, and let sit for 5 minutes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">After 5 minutes I added crumbled bacon and stirred it in. Then I topped with toasted bread crumbs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I cooked the bacon while I made the mac-n-cheese, then crumbled it when it cooled. With a little of the bacon grease still in the pan, I added some bread crumbs (I had garlic & herb - it tasted yummy!) and stirred them over a MEDIUM-LOW heat until browned.</em> </div><img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-85272456579930969972012-01-16T05:42:00.000-08:002012-01-16T06:15:18.566-08:00Operation: Kitchen Revamp {Part 3}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><em>If you missed the first two parts of this series in which I did some really awesome things in my little kitchen, click </em><em>on</em> <em>the photos below.</em></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2012/01/operation-kitchen-revamp-part-1.html"><img border="0" height="200px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOYcQyx8qlYAS93pPhWLeUr1jlwyXjWjpnMauEl9iHfq2uVVFfbhRleX4NVYUXaYG7YeV0HFw-8ulqMKgxbBVE0Gv2ikJdKURVbLaGgARgvQb5ynV8uW1BYTd4jwHpCFOnu3bQNqVsG7W/s200/IMG_0059.JPG" width="133px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2012/01/operation-kitchen-revamp-part-2.html"><img border="0" height="133px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ3na-7UnjWz_XGaV1ZEWyJIer_WYIuNDvN3zvSfGQt05HtLA6_rz8pOPtCvFkmdcrmWXrvzCrxqIUynETJKBAllpwmmBRXNsiJm_8n2NgrH8abIZzuOmVlM9fzcJS_JjiQEq_jUasQJE/s200/IMG_0112.JPG" width="200px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">So, to top off my newly redone table, and to coordinate with with my made-over bookcase, I needed some placemats. Not just any placemats, monogrammed bunting placemats. And to go with my placemats, I needed some cloth napkins. Not just any cloth napkins, monogrammed flour sack napkins. Here's how I made both....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Supplies:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><u>For the placemats (makes 4)</u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Cotton fabric, about a 1 yard (back fabric)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Cotton fabric, about half yard of each color (front fabric)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><em>If you want all your placemats to be fronted in the same fabric,</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><em>then you would need 1 yard of the front fabric.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Fusible fleece, about 1 yard</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Scrap fabric pieces (for the bunting design and monogram)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Heat-n-Bond, sewable </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Thread, white and black</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><u>For the napkins (makes 8)</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">4 flour sacks (available in the kitchen department @ Target or Wal-Mart</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Fabric scraps (for the monogram)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Heat-n-Bond, sewable</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">White thread</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Red thread (or any contrasting color thread)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">First, I chose my fabrics. I wanted one fabric (grey polka dot) for the back side, and 2 different colors for the front (2 yellow and 2 aqua). <em>We only have 3 in our family, but I made four placemats so we have one for a guest. I made two yellow and two aqua, and all four are backed in grey polka dot.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">I cut all 8 pieces (4 front, 4 back) into 19" x 13" rectangles. Using a half inch seam allowance on all sides, this will yield a finished placemat that measures approximately 18" x 12". If you want to adjust the size of your mats, go ahead. You can make them larger or smaller.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><em>I don't have any photos showing this, but you will also need fusible fleece for padding the mats. The four pieces of fusible fleece should be cut one half inch shorter than your fabric on each side. So, if you use my measurements, your fleece would be 18" x 12".</em></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHdYhEV8XZZ2FQMkIDM_iF7T9ysLn89U9O6vU-ZOJKgP49iTwhv8p3PyFjjOjb81Ytkq69R1ApaUFBz6TcQdakHyqNj9GmBDs0EtFrTx5nRZqsbcjVWvxe2cfNdDJ58Sj3X5KcZOWtdhH/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzHdYhEV8XZZ2FQMkIDM_iF7T9ysLn89U9O6vU-ZOJKgP49iTwhv8p3PyFjjOjb81Ytkq69R1ApaUFBz6TcQdakHyqNj9GmBDs0EtFrTx5nRZqsbcjVWvxe2cfNdDJ58Sj3X5KcZOWtdhH/s400/IMG_0037.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">Using the scrap fabric, cut out the triangles for the bunting and each monogram. I used 7 triangles for each mat. I used the Heat-n-Bond to adhere the triangles to the mat and then stitched around each with white thread.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">I also adhered the monogram on each mat and stitched around the letter with white thread.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">Then I used black thread to stitch across the mat, going over the top of each triangle. This was the string for the bunting banner.</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySfyo7pVOGEcxPQG8yXRx-PqMzCLFou1dZ1FSAHnqWw0Va-Da4ObQpXjUgFCru7Ww8O39bScmAlnhDSV9GZUOlAkHlUNljiwJgSRfcYc0cXNA13xG3O04ZrleaeDvJtSuyFVoZfD4wxmI/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySfyo7pVOGEcxPQG8yXRx-PqMzCLFou1dZ1FSAHnqWw0Va-Da4ObQpXjUgFCru7Ww8O39bScmAlnhDSV9GZUOlAkHlUNljiwJgSRfcYc0cXNA13xG3O04ZrleaeDvJtSuyFVoZfD4wxmI/s400/IMG_0071.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNecVPHb1MBNQri5IQ9AWL9lRmila2RizRB4FAhlkQsghTZ3UAVnpM6_DpfV_JCkRS2yMb10SqMXtbkJ7_6fVdX-bU4v9wgGOpDjPA7SbrxlKNQkEcqmub3MxIM-YGuhJe7ECGK9lq0mE/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNecVPHb1MBNQri5IQ9AWL9lRmila2RizRB4FAhlkQsghTZ3UAVnpM6_DpfV_JCkRS2yMb10SqMXtbkJ7_6fVdX-bU4v9wgGOpDjPA7SbrxlKNQkEcqmub3MxIM-YGuhJe7ECGK9lq0mE/s400/IMG_0067.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1UU_UWq6xst7nAjZqKQcZQCJg1zkTJFnHTIsgf-sbkn0WSY8hZ_7v4TSU-5eO_dY3G-AeiaezeFYPVF0nMnInTmWcLWagTjkeyGJHuNwvzAFxZVXR8A9uLmljHz6lhXXp1Y-Fz_Fgp1y/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1UU_UWq6xst7nAjZqKQcZQCJg1zkTJFnHTIsgf-sbkn0WSY8hZ_7v4TSU-5eO_dY3G-AeiaezeFYPVF0nMnInTmWcLWagTjkeyGJHuNwvzAFxZVXR8A9uLmljHz6lhXXp1Y-Fz_Fgp1y/s400/IMG_0101.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had three of each letter: one letter for each mat, and one letter for each napkin. </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAD4huXV3K6MlDHObf0fSAnXnoZSIT1FvGvVBkfnm3FZQ3S4E_xuz_XYfGJJT5uBvzOvYjKiGZI_Qtp_SqToh7RbYMYGj40R0VskF2yWq_hH7iyUF8Y9o25GIeKYSmqd5jw4R_jqkwTWz4/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAD4huXV3K6MlDHObf0fSAnXnoZSIT1FvGvVBkfnm3FZQ3S4E_xuz_XYfGJJT5uBvzOvYjKiGZI_Qtp_SqToh7RbYMYGj40R0VskF2yWq_hH7iyUF8Y9o25GIeKYSmqd5jw4R_jqkwTWz4/s400/IMG_0103.JPG" /></a> </div>Sorry, but I don't have any photos showing the rest of the process. Sad face.<br />
<br />
Iron the fusible fleece (according to product instructions) to the wrong side of the back fabric.<br />
<br />
Place front and back fabrics, right sides together and pin. Stitch around with a half inch seam allowance. Be sure to leave a 3-4 inch opening for turning. Turn mat right side out. Press. Stitch around entire mat, making sure to stitch the opening closed.<br />
<br />
I also stitched three wavy lines (somewhat mimicking the banner's wave) to "quilt" the three layers together.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQqOKbZ0W84IYMJ1ZfWVtN3kBQbm4_TQfz-qABKI_7sdxz9Wff2SivVU5ULzZCOfEfCYO6-jJijj7TJP82XdSAeL1Ti1GfzQoNVfWNJKmKZCN3nbqW157a_IAtbkoDFXt3a5PZAEcyU0A/s1600/IMG_0296.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQqOKbZ0W84IYMJ1ZfWVtN3kBQbm4_TQfz-qABKI_7sdxz9Wff2SivVU5ULzZCOfEfCYO6-jJijj7TJP82XdSAeL1Ti1GfzQoNVfWNJKmKZCN3nbqW157a_IAtbkoDFXt3a5PZAEcyU0A/s400/IMG_0296.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4WvViW_krAAsKUYzIyKvMCzihc36i9ChSPlajPvLl0SZ17w8xt7QSa0igWmlK25w0EYVMbp4MTQ58_LEFgFoM8jMbZuxEa2nxIam8mFwlYVWW8DemMXEXpU-emiNcGchAZF4qhyphenhyphenHvs6E/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4WvViW_krAAsKUYzIyKvMCzihc36i9ChSPlajPvLl0SZ17w8xt7QSa0igWmlK25w0EYVMbp4MTQ58_LEFgFoM8jMbZuxEa2nxIam8mFwlYVWW8DemMXEXpU-emiNcGchAZF4qhyphenhyphenHvs6E/s400/IMG_0297.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI4lKe9A8G1woX3myGrSeLKR40L8LWmaJkp-qkBwl-UrTpZuVacFPq9tBaAV-jn-uotKfDLXSxlQXdDr4kld-Su8hdItgJt2wUHtgZH5-GLuM8gDE81YyLPmCh1rEDVAleoH_Q83rCRYn/s1600/IMG_0300.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI4lKe9A8G1woX3myGrSeLKR40L8LWmaJkp-qkBwl-UrTpZuVacFPq9tBaAV-jn-uotKfDLXSxlQXdDr4kld-Su8hdItgJt2wUHtgZH5-GLuM8gDE81YyLPmCh1rEDVAleoH_Q83rCRYn/s400/IMG_0300.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4pIPwQmWOfp_ZW4-4kMF516N1BwCWX6Ra8uK1_bQ2DQVw_7h36gO3Gd1Et4kkCLb96vS6v6DoYPjU-SBi6RHOytDMTw6k2GOmOtNUXowEZXvBBsg_1XDr6g9sRd37XuC5ROtEa9C2Mbc/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4pIPwQmWOfp_ZW4-4kMF516N1BwCWX6Ra8uK1_bQ2DQVw_7h36gO3Gd1Et4kkCLb96vS6v6DoYPjU-SBi6RHOytDMTw6k2GOmOtNUXowEZXvBBsg_1XDr6g9sRd37XuC5ROtEa9C2Mbc/s400/IMG_0305.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
And now for the napkins....<br />
<br />
I used some white flour sack towels from Target. They come in a pack of four for around $4. Each towel will yield 2 napkins.<br />
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I trimmed all the finished edges of the towel and cut it into fourths. You will have 16 squares that measure about 14" x 14".<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKyPG6UdquHLH0j0VeCrs9tR-pLEy3ZlzknqUC0KSSEOORRfXDKWXO6MQLaP6yFilNMSBMYfwgMfPG2BgFbNOFhP3QtcRlDVST4B-gl4sU4DrjGw63dYN4CFzM85FzHnbpCZfiWGzedyD/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKyPG6UdquHLH0j0VeCrs9tR-pLEy3ZlzknqUC0KSSEOORRfXDKWXO6MQLaP6yFilNMSBMYfwgMfPG2BgFbNOFhP3QtcRlDVST4B-gl4sU4DrjGw63dYN4CFzM85FzHnbpCZfiWGzedyD/s400/IMG_0083.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<em>I like the idea of unfinished edges, so that how I did mine, but if you want finished edges, you'll have to sew right sides together, and then turn it before top-stitching.</em><br />
<br />
<br />
My kitchen has red in it, so I used red thread to top stitch around the napkin. You can use whatever fun contrasting color matches your kitchen, or use white! Put two squares together, there's not really a wrong or right side, and stitch around.<br />
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I did two laps around the square, so it looked like this.....<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGNqpEHPCgGHy3KxLMqJZquZ07OMcxW6Z2Yl_QcOtbDFH-AHNBvU94YtXYLqFacNeyVNAlQyC6fIEtO2nx_EkwK6kQRAJkyGiEP_0aX7BlYCDoLKGxu_bD8NBXlmuo48eXhR6sn7w9i0y/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGNqpEHPCgGHy3KxLMqJZquZ07OMcxW6Z2Yl_QcOtbDFH-AHNBvU94YtXYLqFacNeyVNAlQyC6fIEtO2nx_EkwK6kQRAJkyGiEP_0aX7BlYCDoLKGxu_bD8NBXlmuo48eXhR6sn7w9i0y/s400/IMG_0079.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;">Using the Heat-n-Bond, iron the monogram on the napkin. Stitch around the letter with white thread. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1yv05WIVRCZTByemoYdetd9DE4qQhNyftSN8SAvreUP2dTKHWzPWeOXvreHpOu20UDtjrUHMty8hg5dkn6x6X8jP-i9GnqgR3rGwVNeY4ASFQ0Gmics2gbhBJ7gt79AUKs9EFNe4gAdK/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1yv05WIVRCZTByemoYdetd9DE4qQhNyftSN8SAvreUP2dTKHWzPWeOXvreHpOu20UDtjrUHMty8hg5dkn6x6X8jP-i9GnqgR3rGwVNeY4ASFQ0Gmics2gbhBJ7gt79AUKs9EFNe4gAdK/s400/IMG_0105.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
Here's the finished napkin.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaRgb07j0mzg2LMxvmfw4yDYnmmV-5ktg7piSMFHGCBWLZ61STOrapLNlbpHlouGdavwE1QJgejbxyioZRe6MonF2nuIxP3qT4PcLdLIKElbFWE5smziALHNQhC0XUuWlgBxOQy3ZpPqc/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaRgb07j0mzg2LMxvmfw4yDYnmmV-5ktg7piSMFHGCBWLZ61STOrapLNlbpHlouGdavwE1QJgejbxyioZRe6MonF2nuIxP3qT4PcLdLIKElbFWE5smziALHNQhC0XUuWlgBxOQy3ZpPqc/s400/IMG_0313.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
And the two beautiful pieces together....<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEVy2g3uJ5XGzu4VmhwFu46Aa_SpzhK202Q-elBiiy0yhN2V-L79CTtogLY7Qj0HW-KDsSRHDuyzDclCOictuGtqrN5LUlLdn6q7sWGDhVonhL_xwq_aw4vAB2XINTF46ISytUzs1pdBF/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEVy2g3uJ5XGzu4VmhwFu46Aa_SpzhK202Q-elBiiy0yhN2V-L79CTtogLY7Qj0HW-KDsSRHDuyzDclCOictuGtqrN5LUlLdn6q7sWGDhVonhL_xwq_aw4vAB2XINTF46ISytUzs1pdBF/s400/IMG_0308.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
And when we're not using them, the mats and napkins go into this cute little wire basket (found on sale at Wal-Mart) until the next meal. The can holds a few pieces of chalk and a rag for erasing our drawings on the chalkboard table. The mat under the basket (with the heart) is for a guest.<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpMrEl2Fzm6b1s2YlSJEC9ZTnqe7fJbb7ITzOA2snBqFHTIlv-6a3rUc5yvU8pQKpALbcaFgTQYwS5Fi0n3T0MBGaqWyybZQb1SpCnyWPkONHSAZ9It2s0VbavUZOJjHVgFWrAmNcUDQs/s1600/IMG_0322.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpMrEl2Fzm6b1s2YlSJEC9ZTnqe7fJbb7ITzOA2snBqFHTIlv-6a3rUc5yvU8pQKpALbcaFgTQYwS5Fi0n3T0MBGaqWyybZQb1SpCnyWPkONHSAZ9It2s0VbavUZOJjHVgFWrAmNcUDQs/s400/IMG_0322.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<br />
<br />
And there you have it. Three little projects that revamped my kitchen. I love them, and I hope you do, too.<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-18302325543730220162012-01-13T19:57:00.000-08:002012-01-13T19:57:48.465-08:00Operation: Kitchen Revamp {Part 2}<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><em>If you missed Part 1, in which I transformed an ordinary bookcase into colorful kitchen awesomeness, read about it </em><a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2012/01/operation-kitchen-revamp-part-1.html"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, although I featured the bookshelf makeover first, it wasn't actually the intial victim in the kitchen revamp.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Meet our kitchen table....</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijiWDhahvwOwroE53niXVPEQc4hqWbKN7NKTNy0gGnyq1b0Xc70uPSwCgkBkRxRLe1bUUBbQK2SQqvQ3Fprj-lySxWUkeQvFBCzCY40AZs7ooS93m8gFozPh195NRrSNdJ_g8qNQLmJqiT/s1600/IMG_3406.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijiWDhahvwOwroE53niXVPEQc4hqWbKN7NKTNy0gGnyq1b0Xc70uPSwCgkBkRxRLe1bUUBbQK2SQqvQ3Fprj-lySxWUkeQvFBCzCY40AZs7ooS93m8gFozPh195NRrSNdJ_g8qNQLmJqiT/s400/IMG_3406.JPG" /></a> </div>More specifically, meet the lovely discolorations on our kitchen table....<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo0zXhm9r-7brEowLy_aIVq021kv7tD-ncpnmE-DR16Dl1wXQWaL9OE1Hq13hciq7c9k1kNwbdXUGviQHEDKZ3YnKNSi60FN103CreoXOlTElLlFK9UN4pnlrFMiA3V1bBBQ32ZFU6PT-/s1600/IMG_3409.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvo0zXhm9r-7brEowLy_aIVq021kv7tD-ncpnmE-DR16Dl1wXQWaL9OE1Hq13hciq7c9k1kNwbdXUGviQHEDKZ3YnKNSi60FN103CreoXOlTElLlFK9UN4pnlrFMiA3V1bBBQ32ZFU6PT-/s400/IMG_3409.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhBX-n7RSr8miXMz8VVCkPxaFCP3BmKiUm3si-1fnR1R8kN3dF8u4DiRaKRMu5Jiaa2hhK1wnsKvHGJfnKVro81PPXayOgn9B2YyUH0Xra8nZNkWk0w5p26x-6B8F0LfeQTMlk1ZxWOJf/s1600/IMG_3412.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhBX-n7RSr8miXMz8VVCkPxaFCP3BmKiUm3si-1fnR1R8kN3dF8u4DiRaKRMu5Jiaa2hhK1wnsKvHGJfnKVro81PPXayOgn9B2YyUH0Xra8nZNkWk0w5p26x-6B8F0LfeQTMlk1ZxWOJf/s400/IMG_3412.JPG" /></a> </div>I didn't really want a tablecloth, so there had to be another option. And, like a cartoon lightbulb above my head, the idea came to me...CHALKBOARD PAINT! Who wouldn't love that. It's fun and interactive. Like a dinner show at every meal.<br />
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So, I went to work. Here are my supplies. The chalkboard paint is readily available at your local home improvement store, but they do keep it under lock and key with the spray paint. You also need a high-density foam roller.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-bhX3Cqc1SP9HX9WdGDimlTXGMg9-LIvxZVHbm2mUkls9cr0QLKvvsM4SbfqL484IxPKdtYqHdj6MmYUnDM3YkAZyMjlr-m0apEvPDEmiP3IoIHqWaYpmyIRGwaiAedwPQgYzl9Tz8NM/s1600/IMG_3414.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-bhX3Cqc1SP9HX9WdGDimlTXGMg9-LIvxZVHbm2mUkls9cr0QLKvvsM4SbfqL484IxPKdtYqHdj6MmYUnDM3YkAZyMjlr-m0apEvPDEmiP3IoIHqWaYpmyIRGwaiAedwPQgYzl9Tz8NM/s400/IMG_3414.JPG" /></a> </div>Since I was only painting the top of the table, the prep and painting were super easy. I cleared it off, rolled on a couple of coats (drying a few hours in between, according to instructions), and we were ready to draw.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJADENcZPnaeEAxUXqlRNn7t8xxeJ1aECku_7B09TBVqvNRjZqloBl0S_GcophcbKoKm-xP3FzRx0OYPHYK5Izqw_pAbxujHFzy6NQVcY_7FUYmbgUC5WCnyjdZI4vivFMo-VZjQiYV3H/s1600/IMG_3418.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJADENcZPnaeEAxUXqlRNn7t8xxeJ1aECku_7B09TBVqvNRjZqloBl0S_GcophcbKoKm-xP3FzRx0OYPHYK5Izqw_pAbxujHFzy6NQVcY_7FUYmbgUC5WCnyjdZI4vivFMo-VZjQiYV3H/s400/IMG_3418.JPG" /></a> </div>Well, not just yet. Again according to instructions on the can of paint, you must allow the paint to cure for 3 days, then "condition" the writing surface by coloring over it entirely, then erasing it. (This is to ensure better erasing after writing and drawing).<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2QtHI-UsuJfRTJXwkta3kbmkzhyg4nIHszjThVrMbcI7U3H2Dd0J_Fo1yVFAMSuMYKJFKGxjz_BLrvRn5OX0W6_Ca9eNqnIyDlSbs1x9X_Wf-BqO0fLqCpr2G78p7qYI5kDadRaTksve/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2QtHI-UsuJfRTJXwkta3kbmkzhyg4nIHszjThVrMbcI7U3H2Dd0J_Fo1yVFAMSuMYKJFKGxjz_BLrvRn5OX0W6_Ca9eNqnIyDlSbs1x9X_Wf-BqO0fLqCpr2G78p7qYI5kDadRaTksve/s400/IMG_0108.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORv79TYusKAODweRqe5QK4YATK4_9Yl_tTM-eVOjTA22yUWIQ6tatp4F-g4f6b2Yg6IsD3PGSIeiajhAwEALNaeumLqWtMR3x_JDZBYKGodooP8y5Cod4HY6ihkJiCi3X5oypJZufEnfe/s1600/IMG_0109.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhORv79TYusKAODweRqe5QK4YATK4_9Yl_tTM-eVOjTA22yUWIQ6tatp4F-g4f6b2Yg6IsD3PGSIeiajhAwEALNaeumLqWtMR3x_JDZBYKGodooP8y5Cod4HY6ihkJiCi3X5oypJZufEnfe/s400/IMG_0109.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV05FBxNzsGudsIBejxkUkjdpjve8uFTSB4z5gUq35IzaeEiD43NMhHg9L5EiSuWmuQZXH3uQgrPc-Nk-6pZfVZacIapwzBlvqwETYkvK9diNHlw97ILraCL5TK0Jac6RA-0Y8bXYv4YOk/s1600/IMG_0110.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV05FBxNzsGudsIBejxkUkjdpjve8uFTSB4z5gUq35IzaeEiD43NMhHg9L5EiSuWmuQZXH3uQgrPc-Nk-6pZfVZacIapwzBlvqwETYkvK9diNHlw97ILraCL5TK0Jac6RA-0Y8bXYv4YOk/s400/IMG_0110.JPG" /></a> </div>I did this process, but was kinda of disappointed with the look of it. It had not erased very well, and was, well, kind of chalky looking. After our first meal, with greasy fingerprints and all, I wiped it clean with a mild kitchen cleaner and wrote on it without the "conditioning". (Which the instructions said needed to be done after every time the surface was cleaned. Not really reasonable for a kitchen table that would be cleaned at least once a day.) Anywho, I found that the chalk erased just fine without the conditioning step and I liked the way it look, too. Less, chalky, and more flat black.<br />
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Here's the finished product (after my intial conditioning process)....<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ3na-7UnjWz_XGaV1ZEWyJIer_WYIuNDvN3zvSfGQt05HtLA6_rz8pOPtCvFkmdcrmWXrvzCrxqIUynETJKBAllpwmmBRXNsiJm_8n2NgrH8abIZzuOmVlM9fzcJS_JjiQEq_jUasQJE/s1600/IMG_0112.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQ3na-7UnjWz_XGaV1ZEWyJIer_WYIuNDvN3zvSfGQt05HtLA6_rz8pOPtCvFkmdcrmWXrvzCrxqIUynETJKBAllpwmmBRXNsiJm_8n2NgrH8abIZzuOmVlM9fzcJS_JjiQEq_jUasQJE/s400/IMG_0112.JPG" /></a> </div>And, here is my little man breaking it in....<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfK5zXQrDaXj6xAC_vyVkpKA4VYA39Iq9ASzHMcSyRnaWMbOblFZxovB0qE3pq5XHTP1e_UbIuwxbnaa5wwxQofhwF-drNE-Kys20tVID0OzujsDAVmapifRy86H3cRhDszKrr2xr_F9v/s1600/IMG_0115.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgfK5zXQrDaXj6xAC_vyVkpKA4VYA39Iq9ASzHMcSyRnaWMbOblFZxovB0qE3pq5XHTP1e_UbIuwxbnaa5wwxQofhwF-drNE-Kys20tVID0OzujsDAVmapifRy86H3cRhDszKrr2xr_F9v/s400/IMG_0115.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8d8yE_F2Cef3O82dcAXbO2a6QZe9gxsHc3RTiVZAKQx40uyUw5rKrM0XFMe14fffVEAC5LZn9fmjJnQAWmjhBBQKBEEH8z4Nzluu64thsZLDUmsgGEGgn6IJjaXCxuy2nHgA4k6TieVW/s1600/IMG_0119.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8d8yE_F2Cef3O82dcAXbO2a6QZe9gxsHc3RTiVZAKQx40uyUw5rKrM0XFMe14fffVEAC5LZn9fmjJnQAWmjhBBQKBEEH8z4Nzluu64thsZLDUmsgGEGgn6IJjaXCxuy2nHgA4k6TieVW/s400/IMG_0119.JPG" /></a> </div>I adore this table! It's going to be super fun and easy to decorate for each holiday by drawing a fun picture or writing a cute message. Or, my little man can entertain himself with some chalk and his imagination while momma cooks up supper. The other day the hubs even used the table to write me a grocery shopping reminder.<br />
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Okay, so there's still one more installment of the kitchen revamp to come. Stay tuned....<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /><br />
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-60892186948293474752012-01-09T20:25:00.000-08:002012-01-09T20:25:06.725-08:00Operation: Kitchen Revamp {Part 1}<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div align="left">So, before the easy-livin' of my Christmas break came to a screeching hault, I got a wild hair to buy some new furniture for the family room. New furniture meant I needed to rearrange the existing furniture, which, in turn, recreated a furniture arrangment dilemma involving a bookcase that was too big. Long story short...new family room furniture = kitchen getting a face-lift. It's a slippery slope, I know.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">The guilty party is pictured here:</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbntJ3I02toIIDjUOusldndDWtO8nDyKWb707SNs0SThmplRm8XL8BVxLo9dAohF-3YPZnxytn3FrKWiw1UWnGd6leT7sy6oM8QnL6aQV_BhDiUKXyCBnBdBsjiqwHx-4C3OSOcQyeTW0/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbntJ3I02toIIDjUOusldndDWtO8nDyKWb707SNs0SThmplRm8XL8BVxLo9dAohF-3YPZnxytn3FrKWiw1UWnGd6leT7sy6oM8QnL6aQV_BhDiUKXyCBnBdBsjiqwHx-4C3OSOcQyeTW0/s640/IMG_0041.JPG" width="427px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I began de-tchotchke-ing the shelves pre-photo op.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>I decided "Big Oak" (as I like to call this bookshelf) needed a new home. While we currently had a small, black book shelf in our kitchen that housed some cookbooks, dishes, and kitchen what-not, "Little Blackie" was not cutting the mustard. <em>Kitchen pun intended</em>. "Big Oak" was about to get a new name and a new home. "Little Blackie was on the way out.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9NqqbrcRXT9VWCWR8vdfq1OZOS1OxOiT7zQ4Gff6r-yyYYS3jdlOuwOcHP_lySw5JjWsGxrXS4rBRsZJK4aUyqW1HqltnNgss2n7Oh-F3qJoETzMjKA8vKwkVa_LscMctTsEdkCpleXv/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9NqqbrcRXT9VWCWR8vdfq1OZOS1OxOiT7zQ4Gff6r-yyYYS3jdlOuwOcHP_lySw5JjWsGxrXS4rBRsZJK4aUyqW1HqltnNgss2n7Oh-F3qJoETzMjKA8vKwkVa_LscMctTsEdkCpleXv/s640/IMG_0049.JPG" width="426px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's "Little Blackie" looking all small and pitiful.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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My kitchen is white with some splashes of red. My first inclination was to paint the bookshelf black. It is, after all, the color of the current piece in the kitchen, not to mention, the color of our kitchen table and chairs. My next thought was red. It was a natural possible choice because I had decorated my kitchen with red. However, I was not feeling either of those hues. I needed more. The final choice was a toss up between yellow or aqua. Both perfect color compliments to red. Both colors I loved. With encouragement from my BFF, it was decided. AQUA! Without hesitation, I got myself down to the closest home improvement store and picked out a delightful little shade of the blue-green hue from Martha Stewart. (Apparently Home Depot won't be carrying Martha Stewart Living paint any longer, so it was on sale, BIG TIME).<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbcAOGOsgSal2RoW2z1i1YlJbnh7rZvuw_xPmHE8gUNLjlPbMIrXMr6KoT1-Fd4nuiIns-Lz8giELJFs0RHlzzb8AudabQygRo2tEoRHJP_NAKRjlpP0w3ziN0HCSat2bKRBYrNp5yh9_/s1600/IMG_0042.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbcAOGOsgSal2RoW2z1i1YlJbnh7rZvuw_xPmHE8gUNLjlPbMIrXMr6KoT1-Fd4nuiIns-Lz8giELJFs0RHlzzb8AudabQygRo2tEoRHJP_NAKRjlpP0w3ziN0HCSat2bKRBYrNp5yh9_/s640/IMG_0042.JPG" width="427px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepped for paint.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHMjBI5OCX-d7DRHvH2lPM5o3tdwBvzC5o8vQhTgO4BXpx_ZIz3Nke-yJwogDAUR1dNGNikxhTrdujxnlSn9r73wqmHbE7HgEkEmOSjv2eWqBbAxXw9kOWNk_FQLGU9HJGiOcJjnMFW0_/s1600/IMG_0043.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHMjBI5OCX-d7DRHvH2lPM5o3tdwBvzC5o8vQhTgO4BXpx_ZIz3Nke-yJwogDAUR1dNGNikxhTrdujxnlSn9r73wqmHbE7HgEkEmOSjv2eWqBbAxXw9kOWNk_FQLGU9HJGiOcJjnMFW0_/s400/IMG_0043.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the color. Ain't she pretty?! It's called <em>Lagoon</em>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8W-qdpAas66s-8OKMZaHvx6D3UCxnBKqEA7xWellsTVmwmmXoidPP6u5rUnpSG3MYmTQxifbw_Hv-WHwAbdvpJYK4aQaqruVVxHlBUyWeJFV7kx_LKN0EKqcP0gRk1_7ZLRjMJ8Mlcsn/s1600/IMG_0047.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8W-qdpAas66s-8OKMZaHvx6D3UCxnBKqEA7xWellsTVmwmmXoidPP6u5rUnpSG3MYmTQxifbw_Hv-WHwAbdvpJYK4aQaqruVVxHlBUyWeJFV7kx_LKN0EKqcP0gRk1_7ZLRjMJ8Mlcsn/s640/IMG_0047.JPG" width="427px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coat #1</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And here is the finished product. "Big Oak" is now "Big Aqua". I love her and all her aqua-ness. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOYcQyx8qlYAS93pPhWLeUr1jlwyXjWjpnMauEl9iHfq2uVVFfbhRleX4NVYUXaYG7YeV0HFw-8ulqMKgxbBVE0Gv2ikJdKURVbLaGgARgvQb5ynV8uW1BYTd4jwHpCFOnu3bQNqVsG7W/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOYcQyx8qlYAS93pPhWLeUr1jlwyXjWjpnMauEl9iHfq2uVVFfbhRleX4NVYUXaYG7YeV0HFw-8ulqMKgxbBVE0Gv2ikJdKURVbLaGgARgvQb5ynV8uW1BYTd4jwHpCFOnu3bQNqVsG7W/s640/IMG_0059.JPG" width="427px" /></a> </div></div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKaHV26bzEJblnj1SYhpP-l48kv7kNoMjLVgxr1uPKcRAvWWpFNLvcQdiGAr4c2OyJyh7WmD8jc_23a1lkSDefFT1BZtcpBbB2pX81SWQsdWnXl8bY9XvzknWB28Xr7JNNR_HZXjzKZb/s1600/IMG_0060.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHKaHV26bzEJblnj1SYhpP-l48kv7kNoMjLVgxr1uPKcRAvWWpFNLvcQdiGAr4c2OyJyh7WmD8jc_23a1lkSDefFT1BZtcpBbB2pX81SWQsdWnXl8bY9XvzknWB28Xr7JNNR_HZXjzKZb/s640/IMG_0060.JPG" width="427px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK47VY6pimx23INSXRYAM2___eVHVuXNamq_VlcxlBHgdR1k2CpZJs1LiI_gPLMU6K4BpAIOOCEeB6phnHrgcH1e0cmXo3LqviDkAPyZ8rv0Yf6-laA6AW6iArMVcoTKH2OZkvuDzWchH5/s1600/IMG_0061.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK47VY6pimx23INSXRYAM2___eVHVuXNamq_VlcxlBHgdR1k2CpZJs1LiI_gPLMU6K4BpAIOOCEeB6phnHrgcH1e0cmXo3LqviDkAPyZ8rv0Yf6-laA6AW6iArMVcoTKH2OZkvuDzWchH5/s400/IMG_0061.JPG" width="400px" /></a> </div><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dtl2ZfV28QVXyw_CycdtOCiThBQRej4_-9TKriCMDD3rwNnhO_Gvk1BNq1-GjDQo_HWKJ75qcZszcoW7rAeNVHUAOktMdI7WJbj36rwhyphenhyphenyA8hS_WqorBcK0mNaPTA5-bLfeVEcYsx87h/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Dtl2ZfV28QVXyw_CycdtOCiThBQRej4_-9TKriCMDD3rwNnhO_Gvk1BNq1-GjDQo_HWKJ75qcZszcoW7rAeNVHUAOktMdI7WJbj36rwhyphenhyphenyA8hS_WqorBcK0mNaPTA5-bLfeVEcYsx87h/s400/IMG_0062.JPG" width="400px" /></a> </div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;">So, to recap:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXCqiBfWhxHt0BJKlNrfdgdAqNP6V_SZSeY46cct3otMsfcNinWFa0MV76sgpZpeZI7J-nApGK1YPBTWYlAd5CYhNCMNxJsS4dWfs1Gq5wonk-yQV-2ohyQT1lyhQI7jfSQ4FL107GzHD/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 82px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 64px;"></a> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9NqqbrcRXT9VWCWR8vdfq1OZOS1OxOiT7zQ4Gff6r-yyYYS3jdlOuwOcHP_lySw5JjWsGxrXS4rBRsZJK4aUyqW1HqltnNgss2n7Oh-F3qJoETzMjKA8vKwkVa_LscMctTsEdkCpleXv/s1600/IMG_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9NqqbrcRXT9VWCWR8vdfq1OZOS1OxOiT7zQ4Gff6r-yyYYS3jdlOuwOcHP_lySw5JjWsGxrXS4rBRsZJK4aUyqW1HqltnNgss2n7Oh-F3qJoETzMjKA8vKwkVa_LscMctTsEdkCpleXv/s320/IMG_0049.JPG" width="212px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEFORE</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXCqiBfWhxHt0BJKlNrfdgdAqNP6V_SZSeY46cct3otMsfcNinWFa0MV76sgpZpeZI7J-nApGK1YPBTWYlAd5CYhNCMNxJsS4dWfs1Gq5wonk-yQV-2ohyQT1lyhQI7jfSQ4FL107GzHD/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="212px" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AFTER</td></tr>
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</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much better.</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stay tuned this week for <em>Operation: Kitchen Revamp Parts 2 and 3</em>....</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: 0% 50%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioybvqsv-DS6j2mFSfo5N18RYa8-0f8oVCoH_caoA5xDjKAj2s6CGvk29DPY7cm2hmpyYWP31m8BNL-p_EKjTdqtlB9xpcdWQl3k8f7uSr5gyxJWUN-GKvrHJCmv_plj8EHNVpATUGZKMF/s1600/IMG_0051.JPG" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-51630508041195549552012-01-02T18:39:00.000-08:002012-01-02T18:39:23.585-08:00Bucket List: 2012My friend Brandi told me what her great grandma used to say..."Whatever you spend your day doing on January 1st is what you'll spend the whole year doing."<br />
<br />
I guess that means choose wisely. <br />
<br />
I'd like to think that if the first day of the year goes well, you're sure to have a banner year. If that's the case, then my year will be great!<br />
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I've made a few resolutions, but I'd like to think of them as more ideas or plans. Seems less oppressive when you call them by a different name. I shared two of my <a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2012/01/my-triumphant-return-to-blog-take-2.html">resolves</a> on the blog yesterday. The rest of my "bucket list" for 2012 goes like this:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><em>Attend another Queen Bee Market with the bestie</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Be a better momma, wife, teacher, person </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Have a booth at a craft show or market and sell the awesome creations my BFF and I create</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Disneyland</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Make/do a even small percentage of things I've pinned on Pinterest</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Kick my soda habit</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Take my photography to the next level</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><br />
</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Spend less</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Give more</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Make and use more "natural" cleaning products</em></div><br />
There you have it. With my <a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2012/01/my-triumphant-return-to-blog-take-2.html">previous two life suggestions</a>, that makes an even dozen on my bucket list for 2012. I'm excited about what the year will bring. I've got a wonderful family, awesome friends, and a great, big, gracious God. Who could ask for more?!<br />
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Meanwhile, back at The Headquarters (aka: my home), I've got fun projects in the works. Stay tuned....Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-40067905495830593492012-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:002012-01-01T19:19:05.770-08:00My Triumphant Return to the Blog (Take 2)Happy New Year!<br />
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To quote LL Cool J, "Don't call it a comeback. I've been here for years."<br />
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No, really, I know I have been absent for a while. I tried to make a return in the fall, but as we can see that was an epic fail. However, now I'm back in my element and I've made some New Year's Resolutions. One is to be blog-present. Even if it's just for a quick hello. Because, really, who doesn't love when someone says hello!?<br />
<br />
To kick off my blogging of 2012, I'm going to introduce a New Year's Resolution within a resolution. {Whoa, mind blown}. One of my other resolves is to do a Project 365 (or 366, since it's a Leap Year). I will take and post one photo everyday for the entire year. You can go to my other blog and read about Project 365 <a href="http://sugarlandphotography.blogspot.com/2012/01/project-365-day-1.html">here</a> and check out my Day 1 photo.<br />
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In regard to <em>this</em> bloggity-blog, there will be some awesome posts to come in the new year. I've got a few tutorials up my sleeve, maybe some fashion, and just more about my general awesomeness. <br />
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Here's to a fabulous 2012!<br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-39720720171288782472011-09-28T00:03:00.000-07:002011-09-28T17:47:46.989-07:00To My Son on His Birthday<em>My dear sweet David, I will always love your birthday because it marks the day you entered this world. I wasn't there when you took your first breath, but I prayed for you. I didn't get to change your first diaper, but I wanted you. I didn't get to take you home just days old, but God had a plan for me to be your mommy. You see, your birthday is not just a special day for you, it is also <u>my</u> day. It is the day I got to be your mommy. It is the day that you would forever be mine. It would be the day that all my dreams came true. You changed everything for me. Some moments have been hard and some I wish had never ended. Every good and bad and every moment in between have been worth it all. I thank God for you and for making me your mommy. You will always be my baby....</em><br />
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<em>Happy 4th birthday my sweet boy!</em><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-9341178259170142452011-09-21T19:35:00.000-07:002011-09-21T19:35:07.983-07:00My Cup {Heart} Runneth OverI'm full of emotion today. <br />
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I have been very pensive about my son the past week or so. His birthday is coming and that always makes me thoughtful. I not only remember what a big boy he's becoming as he turns a year older, but also that his birthday marks the day he became our son forever through adoption. <br />
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Today I visited his school and observed him (through one way windows...if he had seen me, there would be nothing to observe!) as he interacted with his peers, sang songs, did little dances, and was just a cute little boy at preschool. He has come so far in the past year since he has been at his school. He's doing and saying things he couldn't do before. Part of it is that he's getting bigger, but a lot of it is that he has an awesome teacher in an awesome preschool program. My little boy is growing up! The same chubby baby I held for the first time one Thursday afternoon in the local CPS office. He was prayed for and God was faithful.<br />
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After the visit to David's school, I did a little check on Facebook. Two different status updates from two separate friends brought tears to my eyes. <br />
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One friend posted about the 15th birthday of her twin sons whom she lost at birth. Today was their birthday. Fifteen years ago she was overwhelmed with joys of birth and pain of loss. All on the same day. Now, this beautiful, strong, loving woman has a very active pre-teen. But, she also longs for a sweet baby girl to call her own. We spent some time last week talking about foster care and adoption. Two things very close to my heart. And hers. My heart ached for her today as I could only imagine the heartache she must have been feeling. However, because she has the hope of Jesus Christ, she knows she will see her babies again one day and never have to let go of them. <br />
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Another friend posted how she met her 3rd child today. You may remember my friend <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">Lara</a>. I have mentioned her before on the blog, but more recently <a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2011/09/inquiring-toddler-minds-and-prayer.html">I asked for prayers</a> for her family as she and her hubs were going to Uganda to adopt a precious boy from an orphanage there. She and Jon arrived at the orphanage and were escorted over to their new baby (really he's an adorable 4 year old!) Read about it <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/2011/09/meeting.html">here</a>. But, fair warning, you will need some tissues as you read Lara's account of that morning and their meeting. Again, God's grace is evident as people all over the world (literally) prayed for this little boy and this family, and for them to be united. My God is big and faithful. <br />
<br />
The circle of life. Two angels are in heaven and two boys are hugged tightly here on Earth. God's grace and faithfulness are evident. Matthew 19:14 says, <em>Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”</em> Those twin boys will celebrate this birthday in heaven and their sweet momma will join them one day. Another promise is made: <em>I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him (1Samuel 1:27).</em> My son and my friend's son, and many others, are prayed for every day. <br />
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My heart is full. <a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2011/09/if-grace-is-ocean.html"><em>I'm sinking in an ocean of His grace</em></a><em>.</em><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-90998308659183537952011-09-19T21:18:00.000-07:002011-09-19T21:19:07.591-07:00Inquiring {Toddler} Minds and a Prayer RequestSo I read recently that a toddler asks an average of 437 questions a day. If this is true, and I am sure it is because I read it on the internet, my kid is above average. Waaaay above average. I think he is able to be such an overachiever mostly beacuse he likes to ask the same question more than once. Like nineteen more times.<br />
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Here is an example of what I hear....<br />
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"Where's Daddy?"<br />
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"Am I going to school today"<br />
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"Is the bus picking me up?"<br />
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"Can I have a snack?"<br />
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"Can I watch <em>Calliou</em>?"<br />
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"Can you start it from the beginning?"<br />
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"Can you get me dressed now?"<br />
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"Where are you going?"<br />
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"Are you done?"<br />
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"Is is time to go now?"<br />
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"When is Daddy going to be home?"<br />
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"What time are you picking me up?"<br />
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Mulitply each of those questions by about 20, and we have covered the first half hour of my day. To say he's curious and inquisitive is an understatement.<br />
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Now it's my turn to inquire of you...<br />
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I am asking for prayer for my friend <a href="http://thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">Lara</a>. She kissed her two little baby dolls goodbye for a little while as she departed on a flight for Uganda this morning. She and her husband are traveling there to bring home her third babydoll, a precious boy they are adopting from a Ugandan orphange. I am asking for prayer for Lara and Jon as they travel across the world, for their two children being cared for by loving grandparents here in the U.S., and for their soon to be third child, A. If you are mom, you can imagine how difficult it is to leave your babies. As she follows God's calling, Lara is clinging to these words from Matthew 10:37-38....<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em>Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.</em></div><div align="left" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You can read more about Lara's righteous and radical journey <a href="http://thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">here</a>. Please lift this family up in prayer.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-48095666752030197272011-09-18T09:17:00.000-07:002011-09-18T09:17:26.951-07:00If Grace is an Ocean....<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The lyrics are from a song we sang in church this weekend.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><em>We are His portion and He is our prize</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><em>Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes </em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><em>If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking</em> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llsgkavNWs1qhsynvo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272px" rba="true" src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llsgkavNWs1qhsynvo1_500.jpg" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://realliferomcom.tumblr.com/post/6377490006/if-grace-is-an-ocean-were-all-sinking">source</a></td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As we sang I contemplated those words...<em>If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.</em> No one wants to be sinking in the ocean. Or really any body of water for that matter. But, to be sinking, drowning in the grace of the Father, I'll take that.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I don't remember learning how to swim. I was very small when my parents had a pool built in our backyard. According to my dad, he tossed me in the water, and I began swimming. I had just always known how to do it. My brother, too. I cannot remember a time when I didn't know how to swim. We swam in our pool, in neighbor's pools, in the pool at the Country Club, in the ocean. I grew up swimming. And now that I'm a parent, I have been tasked with teaching my son to swim. It's not as easy as my dad made it out to be. There have been moments in the pool when I am trying to get little David to paddle a few inches on his own, and when I let go, I can see the panic in his eyes. He's sinking and he's scared. </div><br />
It's not like that with God. Our Father is not teaching us how to swim. To swim through His grace would be to take it for granted. Our Father wants us to sink like a stone. But there's be no gasping for breath, or panic, or fear, or flailing. I'm sinking in His Grace right now. I'm in over my head in grace. Grace is suffocating me. Thank God for that.<br />
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So those lyrics really hit it home for me. I really understand (the best I could being a sinful human) what grace is. It surrounds us, covers us, envelops us, takes over us. His grace abounds. It's like an ocean and we are sinking in it. I am sinking in His grace when I lose patience with my son and my husband. I am sinking in His grace when I hold that grudge that I need to let go. I am sinking when I make selfish decisions with my time, money, and comfort. I am <em>always</em> sinking.<br />
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At the same time, I need to allow others to sink in MY grace. If God's grace abounds for me, my grace should abound for others. Let me pull them under with me, let me be gracious so that they may feel God's grace, too. Lifeguard, be darned! Let's all sink in grace! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em>And oh, how He loves us so </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Oh how He loves us, </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>How He loves us so </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>He loves us, </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Oh how He loves us, </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Oh how He loves us, </em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Oh how He loves.</em> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">He loves me so deeply that He wants me to sink in His grace. I'm in over my head in His love and in His grace. I'm sinking....</div><br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-82693756625571791392011-09-11T07:36:00.001-07:002011-09-11T08:11:09.828-07:00It's Been 10 Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/tnlPX2_b4GA/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnlPX2_b4GA&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tnlPX2_b4GA&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
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Ten years ago I met some friends for coffee before I began my day teaching kindergarten. It was only a couple of weeks into the school year, and my very first year of teaching.<br />
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When I arrived at the coffee spot, one friend told us an airplance had flown into one of the Twin Towers in NYC. I was in disbelief. Literally. I did not believe him. I thought he was making it up or he was going to make some kind of joke. We were on the west coast, thousands of miles away from what was happening. We went about out business, drinking our coffee, making conversation. <br />
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It was about 25 minutes later when I got to school and heard more. Now I realized it was real. As other teachers arrived at the private Christian school we gathered in the tiny office, listening to the news on the radio, crying, praying. The decision was made to continue with school that day. We felt that families, and, mostly the kids, needed the stability and comfort of routine.<br />
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When the kids got to school they already knew what was happening on the other side of the country. They told me what they saw on the news. They asked questions. I tried to answer so their little 5 year old minds could understand. We prayed. <br />
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I have another classroom full of students this year. They are 4th graders. They are 10. They were just coming into this world when the tragedy of 9-11-2011 took place. We will talk about the events that day. I will answer their questions. We will pray. <br />
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I only witnessed the events of that day from afar, but I will never forget.<br />
<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-42199030130399100792011-09-05T09:31:00.000-07:002011-09-05T09:49:29.444-07:00The End of Summer {and End of My Unscheduled and Very Long Hiatus from Blogging}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It's Labor Day weekend. The official end of summer. Unfortunately, here in Yuma, it's nowhere near the end of the heat. Triple digits are a reality until Halloween. Seriously. <br />
<br />
The official end to MY summer came about a month ago when I started back to work. It was a week and a half after that when I saw those sweet faces for the first day of school. So far, so good on the first 12 days. Just 168 to go. Really, though, I'm teaching 4th grade this year (after 5 years in 2nd grade) and the group of kids I have (just 19!) are sooo awesome! This year is gonna be EPIC!<br />
<br />
To sum up my summer and my goings-ons while I was absent from blogging....it was great!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HEDrPoASh6UpxzDu25Z1oRKEcqBUmCc6ZEbi0YtJSEN-kE5obmCYH5Jd-9zetMOXOZ3TjAj-HyiexsMnynCXMXny8yvuZWEgtcNEm3VkiizVaL26vQumXJ3fVnnhU47hV3ETBbN7HfAd/s1600/IMG_9784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HEDrPoASh6UpxzDu25Z1oRKEcqBUmCc6ZEbi0YtJSEN-kE5obmCYH5Jd-9zetMOXOZ3TjAj-HyiexsMnynCXMXny8yvuZWEgtcNEm3VkiizVaL26vQumXJ3fVnnhU47hV3ETBbN7HfAd/s400/IMG_9784.JPG" width="266px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David and Mommy went to Disneyland in June.<br />
We hung out with my aunt, uncle, and cousins for a mini family reunion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJTvYfUbZ-QNwA_8dFiV8efQvoOg-Xbr2b0W3e4i3A7rGfK7C-BNsnN0q-KWFCjAIdAJWCzvAMlJ3DoCjL_wBEPYBKEOTRKzzE_o54s_6rYHIhsim0pW7OWmcbdPhftSTL9t-TbBNqjqE/s1600/IMG_9873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtJTvYfUbZ-QNwA_8dFiV8efQvoOg-Xbr2b0W3e4i3A7rGfK7C-BNsnN0q-KWFCjAIdAJWCzvAMlJ3DoCjL_wBEPYBKEOTRKzzE_o54s_6rYHIhsim0pW7OWmcbdPhftSTL9t-TbBNqjqE/s400/IMG_9873.JPG" width="266px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rented a cabin and the 3 of us enjoyed the cool air and pine trees of the Mogollon Rim in central AZ. The boys fished A LOT!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv2O6zQZi50ZDs-77Ss_C0y3LmWSs_SK3Hwkf2bdkhKDQt0aESpSX9O4nRhR5qSFyj2-1ngdLcRovi0HreU6zRfhR-18-yJYLG29pg-SGw6uLvh_GRgDXwnI3R93SNzO2pHbEM6lZjfh8/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFv2O6zQZi50ZDs-77Ss_C0y3LmWSs_SK3Hwkf2bdkhKDQt0aESpSX9O4nRhR5qSFyj2-1ngdLcRovi0HreU6zRfhR-18-yJYLG29pg-SGw6uLvh_GRgDXwnI3R93SNzO2pHbEM6lZjfh8/s400/IMG_0006.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Momma made some feminine hygeine products, zipper pouches, and bought some undergarments for girls in African orphanges. I wrote about it <a href="http://www.iheartandygross.com/2011/07/girls-only-project.html">here</a>.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXfGx7BejJJHiDB_KT_-K24dG37S42eNfiHZL7Rwv5LHPGq4z-jLtKLsOuam7mAPztbUOAUiLTZ_UUUCaRmNaXlqT2CvAg359TBCvgdzxsu3Bq1JxY8jIL7uFihRAeYxcyQmvaqqaxkyF/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXfGx7BejJJHiDB_KT_-K24dG37S42eNfiHZL7Rwv5LHPGq4z-jLtKLsOuam7mAPztbUOAUiLTZ_UUUCaRmNaXlqT2CvAg359TBCvgdzxsu3Bq1JxY8jIL7uFihRAeYxcyQmvaqqaxkyF/s400/IMG_0435.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">I started collecting change for <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/">The Shine Project</a>.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhJDfreTOI_B7_sxcBbo49if6aQDXbhfXzRYcasQshssmouGUip-_smyXh8Pyb86fz5ZfA9vorrcGDoqigup0vsK8mn8cjjBdZjNzQeL1bZ0VdpqFz36ELma04NdGvlUCsKGHd0Y95Cxc/s1600/quest-03-1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhJDfreTOI_B7_sxcBbo49if6aQDXbhfXzRYcasQshssmouGUip-_smyXh8Pyb86fz5ZfA9vorrcGDoqigup0vsK8mn8cjjBdZjNzQeL1bZ0VdpqFz36ELma04NdGvlUCsKGHd0Y95Cxc/s400/quest-03-1280.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>I got a new ride. Yes, it's a minivan, but don't call me a soccer<br />
mom just yet. I rock out to Sex Pistols and Social Distortion<br />
while I'm cruising the streets of Yuma, taking my kid to gymnastics<br />
class and going grocery shopping.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFzkFr6KUjA9t-kRUXBGLNKEDJWAAmvOXM-VgIk3LiUIwHJGQH7dLJ6nP8HaRRORY0cu36o9K0GAr1Vg3K-Kee1jCVkURgibQAmgaMGevzP6blN704mP0YGXIwidUBvkSpUsWrSn_S__a/s1600/QBM.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFzkFr6KUjA9t-kRUXBGLNKEDJWAAmvOXM-VgIk3LiUIwHJGQH7dLJ6nP8HaRRORY0cu36o9K0GAr1Vg3K-Kee1jCVkURgibQAmgaMGevzP6blN704mP0YGXIwidUBvkSpUsWrSn_S__a/s400/QBM.bmp" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect end to a perfect summer.</td></tr>
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There was a lot of stuff in the in-between, too. Such as river float downs, BBQing hot dogs in the park as an outreach with my small group, movies with my tiny boyfriend, and afternoon naps. Except for the extreme heat, I love summer! But, I'm not all that sad to see it end. It's the start of a new season (soon), the beginning of a new school year, and cooler temps are right around the corner. And, here's to being back in the blog world. It's the end of summer, and my hiatus is over. <em>I'm back, baby!</em><br />
<br />
Happy Labor Day. Happy end to summer.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="post signature" border="0" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-85932279653930669732011-07-28T12:40:00.000-07:002011-07-28T12:40:17.724-07:00Pocket Change {The Shine Project and CHANGE 4 CHANGE}I'm over the moon for <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/">Ashley</a> @ <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/">The Shine Project</a>. She's beautiful inside and out. Ashley and her huge heart wants to motivate people, give back, pay it forward, serve others, <span style="font-size: large;"><em>change the world</em></span>. <br />
<br />
Ashley created The Shine Project Scholarship Fund and is encouraging people to collect change in a jar (<em>um, how easy!</em>) with the <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/p/new-how-you-can-help.html">CHANGE 4 CHANGE </a>campaign. All money raised goes to help inner-city high school students pay for college. Her goal is to get 100 people to pledge to collect $100 by October 2011. That's 10 grand, folks. All for kids to go to college. As a teacher this is near and dear to my heart. And it is even helping students in my own backyard, Arizona.<br />
<br />
Also, check out Ashley's adorable <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/p/shine-necklaces.html">necklaces</a>. One dollar from every necklace sold goes right into The Shine Project Scholarship Fund. Look cute and donate money. <em>That's what I'm talking about!</em><br />
<br />
Here's my jar. You can do one, too. Change in a jar, it's that easy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-MYftf1GknqzRchWiGEObhniymKl4cyf43ZfhMJjA4CaKlPvyk_tm61u4Hn_HSqkFYiUQ1rDJlfeqmW2zsCzCbeEupKK4TRHgD_XWls-o6VY119nNkT0ifevfX_FF8qnZhcYdtX12TXI/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-MYftf1GknqzRchWiGEObhniymKl4cyf43ZfhMJjA4CaKlPvyk_tm61u4Hn_HSqkFYiUQ1rDJlfeqmW2zsCzCbeEupKK4TRHgD_XWls-o6VY119nNkT0ifevfX_FF8qnZhcYdtX12TXI/s400/IMG_0433.JPG" t$="true" width="266px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3EN01rYMBPeVTh2CntRdKalUmTk0KFTD_w47-rYoekJ7PSTua-wUdJrSRF3rSWWpjS2h2Y0rIfLHSaBR5R_cvyJ2dtyI3lCQiaL-Ndyl9Yc17clUU7fKHGFTNqoy3GeA8Ssc5sOlwKmV/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3EN01rYMBPeVTh2CntRdKalUmTk0KFTD_w47-rYoekJ7PSTua-wUdJrSRF3rSWWpjS2h2Y0rIfLHSaBR5R_cvyJ2dtyI3lCQiaL-Ndyl9Yc17clUU7fKHGFTNqoy3GeA8Ssc5sOlwKmV/s400/IMG_0434.JPG" t$="true" width="266px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXfGx7BejJJHiDB_KT_-K24dG37S42eNfiHZL7Rwv5LHPGq4z-jLtKLsOuam7mAPztbUOAUiLTZ_UUUCaRmNaXlqT2CvAg359TBCvgdzxsu3Bq1JxY8jIL7uFihRAeYxcyQmvaqqaxkyF/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsXfGx7BejJJHiDB_KT_-K24dG37S42eNfiHZL7Rwv5LHPGq4z-jLtKLsOuam7mAPztbUOAUiLTZ_UUUCaRmNaXlqT2CvAg359TBCvgdzxsu3Bq1JxY8jIL7uFihRAeYxcyQmvaqqaxkyF/s400/IMG_0435.JPG" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
Read more about the amazing <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/">Ashley and The Shine Project</a> <a href="http://ashlemieux.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br />
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P.S. - Right after taking these lovely photos, my CHANGE 4 CHANGE jar was accidently knocked off the table and subsequently broke into a million pieces upon hitting the tile floor. Sad face. Not to worry though, I fished out all the monies (3yo speak for 'money') and placed them in a temporary container. Today's assignment: find another perfect wide mouth jar!<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-8814125540136809482011-07-26T21:38:00.000-07:002011-07-26T21:38:40.985-07:00Girls Only ProjectMy friend Lara over at <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">The Farmer's Wife Tells All</a> is a mom of two lovelies and is expecting another from Uganda pretty much any day now. She has a huge heart for the widowed and orphaned around the world and she recently came up with an awesome project to help young orphaned girls with something most of us ladies may take for granted.<br />
<br />
In much of the developing world disposable sanitary products for menustration are not practical or just not available. Some girls even use trash during their periods, or they miss school all together because they have nothing to use. Cloth pads are a desparate need for these young women. This is what Lara's <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/2011/07/girls-only-project.html">For Girls Only Project</a> is all about. She is trying to get cloth pads (in addition to bras, panties, and some other essentials) into orphanges and remand centers in Uganda. Lara is recruiting her friends, family, anyone, and everyone to make pads and/or make donations to put kits together for the young women. The plan is to put 5 cloth pads, 3 pair of panties, and one bra in each kit. You can read more about Lara's project <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/2011/07/girls-only-project.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Well, when she put the call out for help, I fired up the ol' Singer. Using fabric I had in my stash (fleece and jersey knit for the padding and 100% cotton for the lining) I whipped up 20 pads. Also using fabric scraps I sewed up 4 zipper pouches (for girls to keep their cloth pads in). At Target I found cotton panties on sale (8 pair for $8) and some bras on clearance ($3.50-3.98). All told, I spent $36 to make 4 kits (panties: $12, bras: $16, zippers for pouches: $8). Doing the math, that's only $9 per kit (making drawstring pouches would make it even less expensive). Not really a whole a lot for a young girl's comfort and hygiene. Four kits may not sound like a lot, but it will help. Lara's friends have stepped up and many more supplies have been donated to make the kits for this incredible project.<br />
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Here's the bounty I am donating....<br />
<br />
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Read all about this project, her adoption journey, and more on <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">Lara's blog</a>. <br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-9821776320627166552011-07-25T05:13:00.000-07:002011-07-25T05:13:00.233-07:00Potty Training Makes Me Cry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greenbabyguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/potty-training1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271px" src="http://greenbabyguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/potty-training1.jpg" t$="true" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://greenbabyguide.com/">source</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I feel like I've been potty training for a year. Actually, I think it has really been that long. <br />
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My guy is turning 4yo in a couple of months and I just felt this pressure to have him potty trained by his birthday. Tired of buying pull-ups and thinking underwear would be the push he needed to do this thing, I went cold turkey...underwear all day, pull-ups only at night. I bought a bunch of undies and some cheap (only $4 at Old Navy!) elastic waist, easy-on/easy-off shorts and I was good to go! David knew how to use the toliet, plus he had a little potty that we kept in the family room. Now it was getting him to use either one. On his own. Without us making him to do it. <br />
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We were 2 weeks in. I was already tired of the laundry, trips to public restrooms (4 times during one movie!), the laundry, the laundry, and the laundry. Stress level was high. He had some success with a sticker chart. We were on chart number two (no pun intended) and seemed to have hit a brick wall. <br />
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On Saturday morning the two if us were watching Sesame Street, sitting on the couch. I got up to go to the kitchen when I realized we were both sitting in a large wet spot. Urine. While I was removing the covers from all the couch cushions, he made a huge puddle on the tile floor just feet from the potty. When he went to his room to get new underwear he made another puddle in his bedroom. That's 3 puddles in 8 minutes, all within a few feet of a potty or a toliet. I sat down on my cover-less couch. And cried.<br />
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Thank God for good friends, and veteran moms. My bestie called in the midst of the pee-pee chaos and had some wisdom for me. As an outsider she was able to see what I couldn't. This situation was stressful for mom and toddler, and there would be no training of any kind if it kept up. She told me what I guess I knew in the back of my head...that he wasn't ready. It didn't matter that he would be 4 soon or that other people may think it was weird or wrong for my kid to still be in pull-ups. I needed to do what was right for my child. i was pushing him to be potty trained and he was pushing right back.<br />
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There it was. I had a couch in disaray and two urine puddles to clean up. I wiped away my tears of frustration, put that kid in a pull-up and fixed us some lunch.<br />
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Now it's on his terms. He'll do it when he's ready. I just hope he's ready soon. I am tired of buying pull-ups!<br />
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Thank God for good friends, slipcover couches, and tile floors. <br />
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-31688105006719830662011-07-15T07:08:00.000-07:002011-07-15T07:08:39.823-07:00S.O.S. {Your Help is Needed!}Hey lovelies, I want to elicit your help today. My real-life friend Lara @ <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/">The Farmer's Wife Tells All</a> is doing a <a href="http://www.thefarmerswifetellsall.com/2011/07/girls-only-project.html">Girls Only Project</a> today and needs our help. Follow the link over to her awesome blog and please consider helping!<br />
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Happy Friday :)<br />
<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-71156670177783442632011-07-12T06:38:00.000-07:002011-07-12T06:38:00.883-07:00It's Good to BEE Queen: Queen Bee Market...Again!I'm going! Who's joining me?!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" /></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024266791570908600.post-42707498854320800782011-07-11T11:38:00.000-07:002011-07-11T11:38:22.319-07:00Eight is Not Enough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkiPeRdmrH_Zg_sk3VMV6bGfLYUf6BCTWQwJe8E2TZiT3Wf3Xxm_CnDeC22b4bGXLpZ1VP4fPv0DXSC0Q0ckt1x6Fx4qxI-57rCoSYLBkksU0DYc7q64BWh1KTUbu_kECYuq9LsTy_oer/s1600/OurWedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkiPeRdmrH_Zg_sk3VMV6bGfLYUf6BCTWQwJe8E2TZiT3Wf3Xxm_CnDeC22b4bGXLpZ1VP4fPv0DXSC0Q0ckt1x6Fx4qxI-57rCoSYLBkksU0DYc7q64BWh1KTUbu_kECYuq9LsTy_oer/s640/OurWedding.jpg" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
Eight years ago on this hot July day I said the words, <em>I do</em>. Never would I have guessed that those two little words would have taken me on this crazy adventure...<br />
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I would have never known the glamourous and fast paced lifestyle of Yuma, Arizona.<br />
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I would have never experienced discovering the beauty and wonders the Grand Canyon State has to offer with my hubs. (including the Grand Canyon itself)<br />
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I would have never known the joys of parenting our sweet boy together.<br />
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I would have never known what it's like to be a hunting or shooting widow for days on end.<br />
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I would have never seen a large dead elk in the bed of a truck, or it's meaty treasures frozen in my freezer.<br />
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I would not have a javelina skull adorning a wall in my bedroom.<br />
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I would never have tasted cream cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapenos. Yum.<br />
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I would never have laughed as you try to be in charge. We know who really runs things 'round here.<br />
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And, I would never change any of it.<br />
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Thanks for the adventure. I love you something fierce, Andrew Gross. Here's to many, many more.... <br />
<br />
<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa450/laurendgross/signature-2.jpg" />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00947935345834357846noreply@blogger.com0