7th Grader

I now have a 7th Grader. I can't believe this is where we are. It seems like just yesterday that I was walking her into Kindergarten. I start counting the years until college and they are few. I am not ready this. She could be driving in 3 years. Lord I will have to get meds because I just can not imagine being at home with her out in a vehicle driving on the road....

Oh I gotta stop I can't handle that kind of thinking.

She still doesn't like getting a picture taken unless it is her idea.

Texting her friend on my phone as fast as she can while we wait in the drop off lane to make sure they meet up first thing.

I had to snap those pictures any way I could.

She had the best day ever even if she looks totally grumpy here.

This is what she had picked out the night before. I think she ended up changing 3 times. She did iron her shorts though. Proud of that

Backpack all ready to go

This will give you a idea of where her mind is lately!!

Boys Boys Boys

My niece started 1st grade this year and her teacher mailed her students Jitter Glitter to put under their pillow the night before the 1st day to get rid of any jitters they have about starting school. She put it under pillow and told her Momma that now she was ready for bed. I sure wish I had known about Jitter Glitter. I think she is going to have a great year with a great teacher!

50 States Bucket List

I found this blog post today. This has always been a dream of mine also.

50 States Bucket List

It is a dream/goal of mine to visit each of the 50 states Here is the list I have so far. If it's crossed out, that means I've been there done that.

What's one thing you consider a "must" in your state or a "must" that you've done in another state?

• Alabama
  • Mobile: Visit USS Alabama
  • Dothan: Peanut Festival

Alaska

• Denali: see the Aurora Borealis, visit Denali national Park & Preserve
• Take an Alaskan cruise
• Whale watching
• Mendenhall Glacier

Arizona

• Grand Canyon

Arkansas

• Ozark: visit Wal-Mart Country- I live Walmart country   
• Hot Springs National Park
• Little Rock: Clinton Library
• Murphesboro: Diamond Mine

California

• San Francisco: Alcatraz
• Hollywood/Los Angeles: see the Walk of Stars, visit Rodeo Drive
• Carmel: This was the site of a romance novel I read once and have not forgotten 
• Sequoia National Park
• Misc: visit beaches up and down the cost, drive up (or down) Highway 1, Glory Hole at Lake Berryessa

Colorado

• Copper Mountain:
• Visit the Four Corners
• Denver
• Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs: Pikes Peak, mesa Verde, Durango, Estes Park

Connecticut

Delaware

• Wildlife Refuges

Florida

• Orlando: Walt Disney World
• Panama City Beach: swimming with the dolphins 2008 
• Destin: Family Vacation 

Georgia

• Savannah: Visit the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low (founder of Girl Scouts)

• Hawaii
  • Honolulu: Pearl Harbor
  • Oahu: Sacred Falls
  • Maui
  • Kauai

Idaho

Illinois

• Chicago: eat at Giordano's, River boat architecture tour

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

• Loretto: Makers Mark Distillery (for the hubs)
• Bowling Green: Corvette plant
• Lexington: Kentucky Horse Park

Louisiana

• New Orleans: Garden District, French Quarter, beignets at Cafe DuMonde

Maine

• Acadia National Park

Maryland

• Baltimore (we are travelling here in October, so I'll keep you posted!)

Massachusetts

• Boston: Freedom Trail, Boston Common, Public Garden, Union Oyster House, Little Italy

Michigan

• Wyandotte/Detroit: Motor City Casino, eat at Slow's BBQ

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri \

• Branson
• St. Louis
• Birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Precious Moments Museum at Christmas

Montana

Nebraska

• Omaha: antique shopping

Nevada

• Las Vegas: See the strip

New Hampshire

• Pittsburg: Moose Alley, Rte. 3

New Jersey

• Atlantic City
• Hobokken- another site in a book I read as a teen

New Mexico

• Cloudcroft
• Albuquerque
• Visit the Four Corners

New York

• Brooklyn: Coney Island
• New York City: all of your typical sites, shopping, Broadway

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

• Cleveland: visit the rock and roll Hall of Fame and Museum
• Sandusky: Cedar Point

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City: visit the OKC Memorial

Oregon

Pennsylvania

• Pittsburgh: eat at Primanti Brothers
• Chambersburg: eat peaches

Rhode Island

• Provincetown: Dip your toe in the most northeastern part of the US coastline

South Carolina

• Myrtle Beach

South Dakota

• Keystone: mount Rushmore
• Black Hills: Crazy Horse Memorial
• Sturgis: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Tennessee

• Memphis: Graceland
• Nashville : Opryland
• Dollywood
• Smokey Mountains

Texas

• San Antonio: River Walk
• Fort Worth: Stockyards
• Six Flags
• IKEA

Utah

• Visit the Four Corners

Vermont

Virginia

• Williamsburg

Washington

• Seattle

Washington DC

• Smithsonian Institution
• Holocaust Memorial Museum
• All the sites

West Virginia

Wisconsin

• Milwaukee: Home of Happy Days (for me anyway)

Wyoming

• Yellowstone National Park

This has really brought about a desire to travel. We haven't taken a vacation this year and I am thinking we need a road trip to see the fall foliage and visit a few of the close states.

Where have you been or want to go?

Edited: Scott has been to : Arizona, Arkansas, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Iowa, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky.

Happy Traveling!!!

GO HOGS!!!

Here in Arkansas we love our Hogs!

This weekend my sister and I painted a Razorback on burlap for our front door.

This will hang on my front door during the football season or at least until we get into Fall and I make a new Fall wreath.

I have spotted these selling for $45 around the craft fairs.

I have no idea what it cost me but it was much less than that.

Photo 1 - Luckily my MIL had drawn a stencil for the outline of the Hog.

First thing we did = cut out burlap big enough for some over lap.

2nd = brushed both pieces (cut front and back) with starch.

3rd = trace the hog onto the burlap

4th = paint the red. I mixed a couple different red acrylic paints that I already had.

I had printed out several images from the web to look at while we painted.

We also had one that my MIL had made to look at.

Last part = hot glue both sides together leaving a opening to stuff plastic walmart/dollar general bags into it to fluff it up. once you have it as full as you want hot glue the opening closed.

I took wire and pushed it through from the back side and then wrapped some of it around a pencil to keep it from coming back through the burlap when you hang it up on the door.

I added several different ribbons and tulle to the wire hanger to dress it up.

This was my first attempt. I call it Little Hog and i have it hanging in my office at work.

I plan to make some smaller ones to give out at Christmas as ornaments.

Scott has already requested I make a few of the door hangers for friends of ours for Christmas too.

I am glad I have gotten back my crafting bug!!!

I have a chair make over I will show later in the week. It turned out so cute and was super simple to do.

Later Gator!!!

Room for more

I have noticed these boards all over blogs and Pinterest.

I took a day of vacation this week for some R&R this is what I call relaxation.

CRAFTING

I bought a large bulletin board, linen type fabric, batting, and knobs at Hobby Lobby. I cut the batting to fit inside the frame and used some fabric glue to hold it down. I then covered it with the linen and stapled to the backside. I placed upholstery tacks every 2 inches around the board. I couldn't use the drill to make holes because it kept pulling the fabric, so I used a large nail to make the pilot hole and then pushed and turned the screws on the knobs then tighten with nuts on the back side. The fleur and love hangers I used screws and nuts that fit the holes. Scott will have to cutoff the longer ones that stick out on the back so that it will hang flush against the wall.

I love it and now I can see all my chunky necklaces and actually wear them more often.

My next project a Burlap Razorback.

I will post if it works out.

Are you dying in this heat?

I am soooooo ready for fall and cooler weather!!

Later Gator

BEST CAKE MIX EVER

Have you tried this new cake mix?

This makes the best cupcakes I have ever eaten.

There is a problem!

It is only sold at Target in my area.

I have looked everywhere and then I got on the

Pillsbury site locater.

Only Target.

The sad thing is Target NEVER has what I need.

Coco and I went last Sunday to get another

mix.

Guess what?

They were out.

I could do a few posts on the times I have been

disappointed when looking for something

at Target!

Anywhooo if you can find this mix at your local

Target I highly recommend it.

Get the Pink Lemonade frosting too

and throw on some sprinkle frost.

COFFEE

Do you drink coffee?

I didn't until about 5 days ago.

Scott and I had been talking about how we didn't like coffee when most "grown ups" like it. You know when everyone is having coffee and you ask for tea or coke or something. I sorta didn't feel grown up not partaking in such a widely popular drink. Scott just wanted something to help him wake up in the mornings before work and something about his strongman workouts or something or other.

Friday at work I walked by the coffee machine and saw there was still some left and the hazelnut creamer sitting there and it just lured me in. Like a drug.
I was making myself a cup when my coworker walks by just as I am pouring in the creamer. Did I mention it is Hazelnut creamer? She says "whoa what are you doing" I said "making myself a cup of coffee". She laughed and said I think it is more like a cup of creamer with a little coffee.
I didn't give a care, that stuff was the creamiest stuff ever.

I thought about it several times over the next 24 hours. Like a light bulb I had the brightest idea. Fathers day is Sunday. So I start looking online at prices of Keurig makers. Belk has a sale....
Woo Hoo how fast can I get there. So I get there a pick out this Mini Keurig that is red so it will match my kitchen, super score. Oh yea this is a gift for Scott. I scour the shelves for the perfect box of little cups for the maker. Since it is for Scott and he likes French Vanilla Cappawhatever I am thinking of him again.
I get to the counter and ask for every coupon and discount they can use. Belk is great at giving you discounts or coupons if they have them. Finally all said and done I walk out of there with a Keurig for less than $70 bucks.

I think I got sidetracked here. My point of this post is CAN YOU GET ADDICTED TO COFFEE AFTER 1 CUP?

Seriously I made a cup for the drive to work and then kinda had a desire for it several times today. Got home at 6:30 tonight and made myself another cup.

It's crazy! What do they put in this stuff?

Maybe that is why my Mom and Sister drink it all day long!!

I may just need a 12 step program!

In my mind I am justifying it with even with the creamer it is still a lot less calories than Coke.

That's my story and I am sticking to it!!!

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day

To the best Daddy in the world. I am so grateful to be doing life with Scott. He is our Strong Man in every sense of the word.

I am also a thankful for a wonderful Father-in-law that has always treated me like a daughter. He raised an amazing boy and is always a phone call away for anything we need. Just like spending today at my house helping Scott with our 2nd bath remodel.

Missing my Daddy on this day too. He is celebrating today with our Heavenly Father!

Happy Fathers Day to all the great Daddy's and Single Mommies doing it all!