CHATTY CHICA

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-10T21:30:00.000-06:00

School Gala on April 10th

2010-03-10T21:28:00.001-06:00

I am the co-chair for our school's annual gala - the largest fundraiser of the year. This year is our tenth anniversary! It's a lot of fun but a lot of work too! This year we've decided to ask the classrooms to submit projects or baskets that the class has worked on. Some of the projects are really fun -

One of the 8th grade classes is putting together a scrapbook of all of their years at the school

One of the 2nd grade classes is making a cookie jar and putting in cookie recipes that the kids bring from home

The 5th grade classes are embroidering quilt blocks and making two quilts

Missy's 4th grade class all brought in bags of their favorite chocolate. Then they did a writing assignment describing their favorite chocolate. I made a scrapbook that has a picture of each kid and his/her writing and a little clear envelope that says what their favorite chocolate is.

We usually raise about $45,000 each year at the gala! I hope we do that well this year!

Finishing the Basement?

2010-03-10T20:23:00.002-06:00

Today I had a contractor come over to talk about finishing our basement!! We built our house 8 years ago and have had an unfinished basement. Buddy is starting high school next year and since we live really close to the high school, I have a feeling a bunch of his friends might be hanging out at our house. I really don't want them in my family room and kitchen!

If money were no object (ha ha) we'd put a small kitchen down there, built ins and a bathroom with shower. What I'm hoping is that we can at least afford to finish the walls and ceiling and put carpet in, but the other stuff sure would be nice!!

Scrapbook Shopping

2010-02-04T08:31:00.002-06:00

Last night I had a great time with a friend - we went out for Chinese and then went to several scrapbooking stores looking for prizes for our next scrapbooking event!

We had an $80 budget - it's so much fun shopping with someone else's money LOL! We found tons of great deals! My favorite was a 8x8 paper pack that included punch outs and really fun colors. I got one in Mango and one in Pear. They were only $1.99 each!!

I also got a new cutter. I haven't been happy with my new Fiskars cutter so I decided to buy a Cricut brand. I think I might be returning it - when I got it home, I realized that you have to lift up the blade holder every time you want to cut something. The other cutters I've had have had a swivel blade holder that is much easier to use. I had a coupon and the cutter was only $5.99, so maybe I'll just keep it!

I'm looking forward to our scrapbooking day on February 13th!

High School Tour!

2010-01-28T21:46:00.001-06:00

Today was the day! Buddy and his classmates got to tour the high school that they will be attending in the fall! He had a BLAST!! He said he can't wait to go to high school. I really think he's ready for a change. He's been at the same small Catholic school since Pre-K. I know he's going to do great in high school, but at the same time, it'll be just a little bitter sweet that he'll be leaving our beloved Catholic school. Good thing we'll have Missy there for another four years!

Sound of Music Train Station

2010-01-19T18:46:00.000-06:00

Over 14 million people have watched this YouTube video, but it's one of my favorites, so I thought I would share it here. Enjoy!

Online Games

2010-01-18T18:18:00.001-06:00

OK, I admit it - I'm addicted to playing games online. The kids even bought me a Webkinz for my birthday so I could have my own account and play games on there (that has expired, though, so if I want to go to Webkinz, I have to go to one of the kid's accounts). I really like completing puzzles at Jigzone. I've also been playing games at Pogo and Facebook lately. I don't know why I have so much fun doing it - I know it's harmless, but it sure is a waste of time and once I start it's hard to stop! I could probably get a lot more done around the house if I would turn the computer off for a few hours a day!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-06T22:40:00.001-06:00

Teens Making Good Choices

2010-01-05T16:49:00.001-06:00

Something happened with several boys at school recently. They decided that it would be a good idea to steal items from the Scholastic Book Fair. I found out about it from a friend, and assumed that Buddy wasn't involved because I hadn't been notified by the school. When Buddy got home that afternoon I asked him about it. He was reluctant to tell me, but in the end, I think he shared most of what he knew. I asked him where he was when the stealing was happening. He said he was with his friends A and J. I asked him how he knew about it and he said he knew because his friend, R, said, "Buddy, take something." But Buddy just told his friend, "See ya" and walked away from the situation. I was so proud of him! I told him he made the right decision. Later I asked him why he had chosen to walk away, and he said, "Why would anyone want that junky 99 cent stuff anyway?" LOL. I was really hoping to hear, "I know stealing is wrong, Mom", but I'm sure deep down he knows that stealing is wrong and that's why he made the decision to walk away, not because he didn't want any of the items that were available to steal.

Every day is an adventure with teens and tweens!

Snow Storm

2009-12-27T15:01:00.002-06:00

Well, the big snow storm that I wrote about in the last entry didn't happen. At least it didn't happen like we expected it too. It snowed on Wednesday night and off and on on Thursday. Thursday night was supposed to be the big snow, but we woke up on Christmas morning to RAIN - yuck! So our big snow storm has turned into one big crunchy mess. Our driveway is extremely slippery and the roads are so noisy as you drive around town on all the slush that is now ice. It really isn't that much fun.

The kids had a great Christmas - they got what they wanted and are happy! I'm looking forward to having a week off without school and activities. We're heading to central WI to see hubby's nephew and his family on New Years weekend - they have a 3 year old and an infant, so it should be fun!

Three Days Until Christmas!

2009-12-22T08:03:00.001-06:00

I think everything is ready - the tree is up, the gifts are purchased, wrapped and under the tree. The kids have their Christmas parties at school today and then they're off until January 4th. I'm looking forward to the break.

We're supposed to get a snowstorm on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so my mom and sister may not be coming to visit. They only live an hour away but if the roads are bad they'll probably stay home. My mom is 81 and she doesn't like driving (or riding) on bad roads. Oh well - we'll see what happens.

We might go skiing this weekend - if we get snow on Thursday and Friday we'll definitely have enough snow to have a good time skiing.

Gifts for Husbands

2009-12-19T20:14:00.002-06:00

Why are some people so hard to buy for? My husband is one of them! He doesn't really need anything. He wants things, but everything he wants it too expensive (which is similar to everything *I* want LOL). But back to the things I can afford - he just doesn't really need anything that he uses on a regular basis. Take workout clothes - he's a workoutaholic, but he doesn't need another workout shirt. I can't buy him new running shoes because he's very particular about what he buys.

So far I've bought him the two things he's asked for - a new pair of jeans and some aftershave. That seems kind of wimpy. What should I do?????

Break the Cycle of Failed New Year's Resolutions with New Book, Achieve Anything in Just One Year

2009-12-19T20:13:00.001-06:00

This is a sponsored guest post written by Jason Harvey on behalf of Achieve Anything In Just One Year. Post powered by Sponzai.

On January 1, more than 100 million Americans will make a New Year’s resolution, according to a University of Washington survey. By March, however, most resolution-makers will already have broken their newly minted promises.

In his new book, Achieve Anything in Just One Year: Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals (Amazing Life Press, $29.95, http://www.amazinglifepress.com/), Jason Harvey provides a blueprint for personal success that can make 2010 the year that resolutions become reality.

Most resolutions fail because people try to change too fast and accomplish too much all at once,” said Harvey, a Certified Life Coach. “My book is about learning how to make small daily changes and be your own personal life coach.”

The most common resolutions - to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, spend more quality time with family, etc. - are also the easiest to break. “The truth is, we set ourselves up to fail by making resolutions that are sweeping and unrealistic,” explained Harvey.

The resulting cycle of making and breaking promises is self-defeating - so how can individuals make resolutions stick? Achieve Anything in Just One Year equips readers with the tools to:

Be truly committed.Don’t just go through the motions - act like you’re making a promise to your company, or to your best friend.

Be specific. A resolution like “I want to lose weight” is easier to ignore than “I want to lose five pounds by March.”

Set a deadline. A timeframe equals commitment and helps quantify success.

Avoid overwhelming yourself. You may want to lose weight, quit smoking, achieve moderation with martinis and cut up your credit cards all at once, but let’s get real. Focus on a limited set of goals and plan on taking stock mid-year.

Change one thing at a time. Recognize that change is hard. Wait to achieve one goal before starting on the next.

Be realistic. Taking charge of a fitness regimen is a realistic goal, while exercising seven days a week may not be. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment with lofty goals.

The idea is to take daily action that creates a ripple effect in your life,” said Harvey. “By transforming your life with small steps, you can stay motivated, focused and balanced. Best of all, you’ll feel happier about pursuing your personal success.”

Achieve Anything in Just One Year is available to BUY NOW at Amazon.com.

Bad Hair Day

2009-12-08T08:05:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a REALLY bad hair day. I was in a hurry to get ready - of course I had been talking to a friend on the phone before getting ready and didn't get in the shower in time. I rushed to shower and then barely blow dried my hair. I immediately tried to curl it and that's when things went bad! I have naturally curly hair, and after curling it, I usually just run my fingers through it and then use hair spray. But when I ran my fingers through it yesterday, it just flopped all over - ugh!! It was UGLY. But I didn't have time to fix it. I was tempted to put a baseball cap on, since I'm usually the only one in my office, but thought better of it. Good thing I didn't, because a client who I wasn't expecting came in! I should have just let it air dry and had the curly look yesterday - it would have been much better than what I ended up with!

Adoption

2009-12-07T10:07:00.001-06:00

Some of you know that I work at an adoption agency. Things have really changed in the nine years I've been working here, and have changed even more since we adopted Buddy in 1997. I remember when we started the adoption process, there were about 23 different countries that were placing kids for adoption internationally. We weren't eligible for all of those programs based on age, etc., but there were that many programs out there. Now there are a handful of programs at best. The most popular programs right now are Ethiopia, China, Colombia, Nepal and Philippines. It's very interesting to see the statistics of international adoption on the State Department website.

It makes me sad that there are so many kids who need homes who are going to grow up in orphanages because the country isn't open to placing those children in other countries.

Talking to Teenagers

2009-12-05T22:47:00.002-06:00

Buddy and I went to the Minnesota Timberwolves game tonight. Our friend has season tickets and couldn't attend tonight, so he offered the tickets to us. It was a lot of fun and a very close game, but the Timberwolves pulled it out in the end and won - yeah! (I'm not a huge Wolves fan, but it's nice to see the hometown team win!)

Buddy hardly said a word the entire game. He probably knew that I couldn't answer any questions he had and he probably didn't think anything else was that important to talk about. It seems like teenagers don't have anything to say to you or they ask dumb questions all day long (i.e., "Does the dog have ears?) It's very strange but I'm sure I was the same way when I was a teenager!

Laser Vision Correction

2009-11-30T14:34:00.002-06:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Incendia Health. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’ve worn glasses and/or contacts since I was 12 years old. I’ve considered having Laser surgery for many years, but so far I haven’t been brave enough to do it. I have several friends who have had the surgery and have never regretted their decision. Their vision was able to be corrected to 20/20.

If you’ve had laser surgery, here’s your chance to show the world how your life has improved since having the surgery. Abbott Medical Optics Inc., a global leader in laser vision correction, is holding a iLASIK Video Contest for people who have had laser surgery. Here are the details in the “You Gotta See This” contest:

Go to yougottaseethisnow.com and upload a video of something you couldn’t do before you had laser surgery – it shouldn’t take you long to think of all the things you can do more easily now – swim, waterski, come inside from the cold and not have your glasses fog up, kiss your significant other! Then tell your friends to go to the site and vote for your video. Here are the prizes:

$5,000 Grand Prize

First Prize (one in each video category) – HGTV package – a $2500 value

Second Prize (one in each video category) – The Flip UltraHD camcorder – a $199.99 value

I can’t wait to tell my friends about this great contest!

Getting Ready for Black Friday

2009-11-24T09:35:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite things to do on Thanksgiving is to look through all of the ads that come in the newspaper! I can't wait! The funny thing is, though, is that I usually don't look for gifts that I can get for other people - I like looking for gifts for ME!! This year I'm going to look for two things - a really good deal on a laptop and a Kitchenaid stand mixer. I probably won't end up getting either item, but it's always fun to look!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Crochet

2009-11-12T08:49:00.003-06:00

I'm so excited that I'm learning to crochet! Prior to this summer, I knew very little about crocheting - I knew how to do a chain stitch and not much more. A friend got out her crochet hook and yarn when we were camping this summer and showed me how to do a little more than a chain stitch. From there I bought a book that showed how to do the basic stitches. I've already made a scarf for Missy and just finished another scarf for a friend's birthday. It's so much fun!

Now Missy wants me to teach her how to crochet. I don't know if I have the patience to teach her!

Bling!

2009-11-12T08:37:00.002-06:00

Missy is really into bling! She loves being sparkly and always needs the newest up and coming look! Up until now she's gotten her bling at kid's jewelry stores, but now that she's getting older, I think it's time for her to take it to the next level. I found the perfect place for her today - bling bling

I'm sure she'll have a blast picking out all of her new sparkly items! The best thing is that there's a wide variety of prices, so I won't have to go broke buying bling for her!

Sick

2009-10-25T17:39:00.004-05:00

Buddy had H1N1 last week. He tested positive at the clinic, so I know he had it. Now I'm sick and so is Missy. I don't feel terrible, but I don't feel awesome. Missy had a temp of 103.7 yesterday morning. She's feeling a lot better today, but will have to stay home from school tomorrow anyway.

Hopefully it'll pass quickly and we'll all be back to 100%!!!!!

The network underlines a prejudice.

Infant Formula

2009-10-23T18:55:00.002-05:00

With the economy being so terrible right now, I feel bad for anyone who has an infant and has to buy formula every week. Even though I never breastfed and only had a baby on formula for a short period of time (my kids were adopted and came home at 10 months and 13 months old), I’ve always been interested in the breastfeeding vs. formula feeding debate.

I recently read an article that shows that it doesn’t really matter what brand of formula you buy – all formula is subject to the same exactly standards of the FDA, so why not buy the cheapest kind? Walmart’s store brand formula
is called Parents Choice Formula. This brand is also sold at other retailers like Sam’s Club, Target, CVS, and several other places. Parent’s Choice Formula is currently on sale at Walmart – a 15.5 oz. can is only $5.00! They even have a special formula for babies with sensitive tummies and that’s on sale for $5.00 too!

I think this information is especially important to know right now, because the article I read stated that there are changes being made in the Women, Infants, and Children program (known as WIC). As of this month, the money given to families is being reallocated and could mean a reduction of up to 20% in infant-formula subsidies. This is scary knowing how many parents rely on the help from WIC to feed their babies. Knowing that there’s an inexpensive option at Walmart could be very important to these families.

Back into it (again)

2009-10-21T11:50:00.002-05:00

I must be old school! For some reason I just can't seem to stay on top of blogging! I'd love to come here every day and write about what's on my mind, but for some reason I just can't stay committed to it! Maybe this time I will "stick"!!!

Prepaid Credit Cards

2009-08-10T20:39:00.005-05:00

I was thinking the other day about how often I use my credit and debit cards, and wondered how people without credit histories (teenagers, for instance) get by with buying items online, etc. That's when I remembered that more and more people are starting to use some form of Prepaid Card">. In fact, I even got a rebate from buying a new cell phone and it came in the form of a prepaid Visa card instead of a check. How great is that! I don't have to make a trip to the bank and I can start using it immediately.

I think in a couple of years when Buddy gets his first job, I'll set him up with a prepaid card so he can get used to managing his money that way.

La Semana Culture Camp

2009-08-09T18:03:00.002-05:00

As some of you readers know, we are an adoptive family. Our kids were born in Guatemala and we adopted them when they were 10 and 13 months old. One of the things we do to maintain a connection with their Latin American heritage is to attend La Semana Culture Camp each year. This day camp is for kids adopted from Latin America and their families. This year there were approximately 450 kids there between the ages of preschool through high school. Over 150 of those kids were from Guatemala. We are so fortunate to have La Semana a local event for us - it takes place at a Catholic Church about 50 minutes from our house. We usually come home the first two nights and then stay in a hotel the next two nights. It gets tiring to drive home every night, and the kids have a blast staying at the hotel.

You can learn more about La Semana at La Semana