Category Archives: Home Projects

Relocation

Posted in Home Projects, Moments by

I’m moving on.  Twice…

First after 9 years I am leaving our beautiful family home and moving to a new one in just 3 (very short) weeks!.  Closer to my job, with the bonus of being in a great location complete with a top rated school district.  so YAY for me and YAY for my family!

Second, with the little respect I’ve given my blogging side lately, I’m passing on this domain to another Jane who will be completely awesome and successful in this space!  And on this day where kids are bringing home report cards, I give my blogging course a big fat “F”.    Once I’m settled into my new home, I’m going to work on reviving my stuff here.   Hopefully get more exciting than just some book reviews for y’all!   Meanwhile, keep track of me at my new domain http://www.blogjaneblog.com  I know, I’m not moving far… but still different.  So update your reader and I’ll fill you in when I get back on track.  I have some clean up yet to do, so I’ll be here for a little while longer.

May / June

Posted in Home Projects, Well-Being by

Well I’m glad I didn’t put as a May goal to blog more! because that did not happen!

Here’s what happened in May:

  1. Maria’s Birthday Party – Success!
  2. Watch Silver Linings Playbook. Excellent!
  3. Follow up with Doctor re: fingers – Wasn’t able to get an appt until July 1st, but switched to brand name for my prescription and that worked! Wearing my ring again!
  4. Donate clothes
  5. Charlie’s 3 year book
  6. Run some more…  5K on June 1!  Technically I did run more, but not enough to be prepared for the 5K last weekend…  It all worked out anyways, because Charlie threw up 4 times the night before.
  7. Books Read = 2 – Yes. One. Two.
  8. Plant Flowers

Other things I did?

  • Got braces – yes hopefully for just a year, to correct some shifting teeth.  My teeth weren’t bad, I just don’t know if I could have handled them shifting more.  So if you see me not smiling in pictures, that is why.
  • Finished up my year as a Daisy Scout leader. I’ve stepped down for next year.
  • Bought a juicer and started Juicing. It is fun coming up with different variations as a means to get the good stuff into my body quickly.

Plans for June:

  • Charlies 3 year book.
  • Maria’s 6 year book.
  • Exercise.
  • Clean up landscaping.

Honestly – that doesn’t seem like much but I will actually be stretching myself knowing all of what else is on the schedule (barbecues, family reunion, Chad’s class reunion, Maria’s sleepover with her BFF, swimming lessons) And that also assumes no curve balls,like the stomach bug that 3 of us have experienced in the last 10 days…

April Results & May Plans

Posted in Home Projects, Well-Being by

So I feel like April zoomed right by.  But I enjoyed it, even if I didn’t get all my plans accomplished… I blame it on the snow! Here’s how I did:

  1. Read 2 books.  One. Two.
  2. Exercise at least once – hopefully running outside! Come on spring!  Ran Twice. Yoga Twice.
  3. Date Night.
  4. Girls Night Out.  Twice!
  5. Help Maria choose a birthday theme. – Sofia the First!
  6. Charlie’s 3 Year book.
  7. See if I can get my fingers to stop swelling…  No but I did get to the doctor and am on some new medication.
  8. Sell or donate off the pile of clothes/toys I have in my guest room and basement right now. – Not quite, but scheduled for pickup this Thursday.

So May …

  1. Maria’s Birthday Party
  2. Watch Silver Linings Playbook.
  3. Follow up with Doctor re: fingers
  4. Donate clothes
  5. Charlie’s 3 year book
  6. Run some more…  5K on June 1!
  7. Books Read = 2
  8. Plant Flowers

March Results & April

Posted in Home Projects, Well-Being by

So in March, I made some goals and here’s the outcome:

  1. Read 3 books. Done. Done. Done.
  2. Scrapbooking Weekend (already done!)
  3. Watch Pitch Perfect Watched Twice!
  4. Exercise at least once. (trying to be realistic here)
  5. Take my kids swimming.
  6. Rollerskating with my girl.
  7. Decide whether we are putting the house on the market this spring/summer Waiting!
  8. Sell or donate off the pile of clothes/toys I have in my guest room and basement right now.
  9. Date night. Going to go easy on myself and declare Culvers after school conferences a date.

So decent results. Here’s my goals for April:

  1. Read 2 books.
  2. Exercise at least once – hopefully running outside! Come on spring!
  3. Date Night.
  4. Girls Night Out.
  5. Help Maria choose a birthday theme.
  6. Charlie’s 3 Year book.
  7. See if I can get my fingers to stop swelling…
  8. Sell or donate off the pile of clothes/toys I have in my guest room and basement right now.

What’s your April goals?

Getting Going in March

Posted in Home Projects, Well-Being by

whoa.  February was kind of a killer month.  Lots going on.  As we head into spring, I’m taking some inspiration from Jennie and hoping to get caught up on some things.  But I probably need to set some goals for myself.  Nothing like holding yourself accountable when it’s out there on the internet!

  1. Read 3 books.
  2. Scrapbooking Weekend (already done!)
  3. Watch Pitch Perfect
  4. Exercise at least once. (trying to be realistic here)
  5. Take my kids swimming.
  6. Rollerskating with my girl.
  7. Decide whether we are putting the house on the market this spring/summer
  8. Sell or donate off the pile of clothes/toys I have in my guest room and basement right now.
  9. Date night.

What are your goals for March?

 

Shoe Stretch – a little trick

Posted in Home Projects by

So I bought some new shoes a few weeks ago to wear for my reunion.  Cute little bright coral sandals.  Unfortunately Herberger’s did not have them in a wide width, and they were $40 cheaper there than online.  SOooo, I decided to see if I could have them stretched.  I thought about taking them to a cobbler.  But then I thought, that defeated the purpose of not ordering the wide widths online.  So I googled.  (seriously, how many magazines did our mothers have to read to find all these handy little tricks we can access in a matter of minutes – on demand!)

Here’s what I found:
Shoe Stretching

  1. Take a zippered sandwich bag.
  2. Fill it 1/4 – 1/3 full of water.
  3. Put it in your shoe.
  4. Place in freezer overnight.
  5. The water will expand as it freezes and stretch your shoe.
  6. In the morning, remove your shoe, let thaw a little (just enough to pull the bag of ice out)
  7. Put on your shoe.
  8. Repeat if you need more.

I wouldn’t recommend this for just any type of shoe.  Mine was a leather sandal.  Canvas would probably work too.  Pleather or man-made uppers, probably not. Plus you would also maybe have to worry about them cracking in the cold.  Also expensive shoes, I wouldn’t.  Mine were $23, and I was willing to take the risk.  Fairly certain I will do this again, especially when I find bargain shoes that are just a teensy too tight.

Recipe Collection

Posted in Artsy & Crafty, Home Projects by

I am good at trying recipes. Good at documenting them and pretty good about documenting them on my blog, but have been looking for a way to get them printed. I hate writing them out on cards. I’d rather print them off so I can read them.  But then I end up with sheets of paper and printing them every time I make them. Plus I have a bunch of ones that I am finally admitting are not going to be made again (or ever)…

So now I am taking my favorites and converting them to cute printable 4×6 photo-sized cards.  I had them developed and stuck them in a little 4×6 pocket photo album. Perfect.

Here are a few…

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

Lasagna

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Here’s the link to all the one’s I’ve finished. Feel free to borrow or share. I will be adding more out here too… not done with all my recipes…