Heart Sisters: Be The Friend You Want To Have

I submitted an application and was invited to become part of a book launch team for Heart Sisters: Be The Friend You Want To Have and was asked to give a book review.

A little about the author… Natalie Snapp lives in West Lafayette, Indiana -- which holds a special place in my heart because it's my hometown! She is a lovely, down-to-earth mom, friend, and just an all-around amazing woman.

I'm going to be very honest and transparent here… I had the pleasure of hearing Natalie speak about "Heart Sisters" about a year ago at a ladies luncheon at one of my own Heart Sisters' church. I'm not going to lie, that day was monumental for me. Not only did I meet this amazing woman (and her mother, who is equally as amazing!), but it was the day I woke up and realized changes needed to be made in my life.

If you've read previous posts in my blog, you know that I have severe fibromyalgia. It doesn't define me, but it has forced me to make some lifestyle changes. I've had to pull back from lots of things, and with that came some health changes, some friendship changes, and just life changes in general. It's been a very trying couple of years - both physically and emotionally. And please let me be the first to say -- I'm far from perfect. In fact, I'm very imperfect. I've been a good friend, and I've been a bad friend. I'm really working on the latter because I did a lot of things wrong. Sometimes life situations change people -- and I will be the first to admit, I've changed. To me, I feel it's for the better. To others, they may not feel the same. All I know is that I've done what I needed to do for ME.

The Heart Sisters book touched on so many things that I was struggling (and still do struggle) with. Natalie had been through issues with friends in the past as well, and discovered that a book on how to navigate these waters didn't exist… so she wrote one. And wow, has it ever been helpful!!

Through counseling and this book, it has been reinforced over and over… and Natalie states it perfectly in Chapter 2, "Until we 'get right with God', we'll continue to spin our relational wheels and live with frustration and confusion." She also says, "it wasn't until I made my relationship with Jesus the #1 priority above all else that I began to realize my other relationships were lacking a certain depth I didn't even know was missing." I cannot agree with this more.

My journey of faith has had it's ups and downs over the years, but the past couple, it has really been stepped up. I found a church that I have been searching for, for what feels like all of my life, and for the first time ever, I feel like a soul on fire. And that's an awesome feeling, friends! My priorities are right where they should be. God, family, friends, and whatever else comes next.

After hearing Natalie speak about Heart Sisters, and hearing about the 3 Inner Hearts, which she also talks about in Chapter 3: Inner (1-3 most trusted friends), Middle (4-6 friends that you "do life with"), Outer (Season of Life friends), and Heart Potential (on the outside of "outer" (acquaintances) -- I was able to evaluate some relationships that I could feel weren't quite right.

After some issues arose with some friends that shook me to my core, it was suggested in counseling that I set boundaries…and Natalie talks about the very same thing in Chapter 6. She states, "boundaries are not unkind, boundaries are not un-Christian, boundaries are not ungrateful, boundaries are not unhealthy. When we place boundaries around unhealthy relationships, we're guarding our hearts." Yes Yes Yes! After some evaluating, I realized that I had some unhealthy relationships where boundaries had been crossed, trust had been broken, and there was a lot of hurt. I'm not going to say that I was perfect in any of this, because I'm not -- hurt feelings sometimes cause us to say and do things that we wish we could take back. We're all human, and sometimes our feelings get the best of us.

All of this left me thinking how grateful I was for the core women I have in my life…my Heart Sisters. My inner hearts. The ones who give encouragement, unconditional love, are God-centered, the ones I trust with my life, and the ones who are positive to their cores. They are the ones who can read me like a book and know when something is wrong…sometimes even before I know that something's wrong. They know my actions and my thoughts, and call me out when something's not right…like when I became extremely negative, when I acted like a jerk, and when I was depressed. These women pulled me aside, and I listened. In Chapter 4, Natalie says "Heart Sisters turn on the lights and stab you in the front so darkness is defeated." Just, yes.

There are so many things that spoke to me in this book -- I mean literally, I think I highlighted over half of the book! I could go on for pages and pages telling you about this book, but I'll spare you. I will say this, I wish a book like this had existed when I was younger! Friends are integral in life. Heart Sisters are such a blessing. And after reading this book, I was able to realize that some friends are/were for a season of life, some are Heart Sisters, some are mentors, and some are acquaintances. I was able to learn the difference between a clique and a tight-knit group, as well as the quality of friends over quantity. I was able to set boundaries with friends. I learned about being a peacemaker. I learned about Super Seven Sisters. I just learned… a lot. I'm ashamed to say that it took me until my 40's to learn some of these things!

Every woman needs to read this book not only for herself, but to share with their daughters…or those who are aunts to young girls…or mentors…or friends…or, or, or… you get the point. I cannot recommend this book enough!

With the risk of sounding corny, I believe that Natalie came into my life for a reason. From the moment I heard her speak, she spoke on so many things that were going on in my life. I had major friendship issues. She led online bible studies that spoke to me like a loud-speaker. This book has been part of a healing process for me, and now being able to share the book with you all, it has just all come full circle. Things happen for a reason, friends! I would just like to say thank you, Natalie, for having this vision, and seeing it come to fruition!

If you'd like to read and experience this book, you can find it here. If you are lucky enough to have Heart Sisters of your own, these books make excellent gifts.

I'd like to share (from Natalie) a spectacular giveaway going on right now! Check it out!

One lucky winner will receive a "Girl's Night Out" - includes a $100 Visa card, mani/pedi kit, fun summer polish, a clutch handbag and a camera.

You can enter by going to my Facebook Author Page (www.facebook.com/AuthorNatalieSnapp) and clicking the "Girl's Night Out Giveaway" tab. Follow the directions and voila! You're entered.

If you would like to share, the mobile friendly link is:http://prmo.me/5cM4qm

Boys will be boys...

This isn't going to be the "boys will be stinky boys" post that you might expect. This one has a little twist.

The back story:

So, yesterday wasn't a good day. The day started out with fibro pain & horrible fatigue, but I knew I needed to get several errands done - they needed to be done, and there was no putting them off. So, I contacted a friend to see if she wanted to ride along. I hadn't seen her in forever, and I knew if I had someone else along, my motivation would be much greater to get out of the bed that had accepted me as it's own.

I picked her up, we ran (okay, drove) all over the greater Hamilton County area, got our errands done, giggled, caught up (because it had been forever since we'd seen each other), had lunch, and I dropped her back to her home. I went home and crashed. My pain level was climbing quickly, and the fatigue… it felt like I had 50-lb weights attached to every limb of my body. I needed to rest.

As I was driving my friend home, my husband tried to FaceTime my phone. Now, I'm barely coordinated enough to talk on my phone while driving (ask anyone who has witnessed this!), so FaceTiming was out of the question. At a stop light, I texted him that I would FaceTime him as soon as I got home. Well, that never happened. FaceTime wouldn't connect on either end, so we resorted to a text conversation. Normally, that would be fine… but I really needed to hear his voice, and I just needed to really talk to him, y'know? It had been a day, and he's my one & only that can talk me through some specific things…and I needed him to do that. So we texted, and he still managed to talk me down, and I was grateful.

As the afternoon led to the evening, the fibro was kicking my hiney. I was driving the boys to their bible studies, and I cracked. I broke down. I started crying. I think the boys have only seen me cry maybe three times in their lives. I am not one to break down in front of people - I just don't. I can usually keep it together, but I just couldn't yesterday. Everything hit me at once & this was the result…which completely confused the boys. They didn't know what was going on. I mean, why would they?! When asked what was wrong, I gave them a vague Cliff Notes version. How they reacted was very true to their personalities.

Thing 1 responded in a very calm & cool manner, and the kid gave some sage advice. "Mom, you need to talk to someone you really trust, and they will guide you in the right direction, and can maybe help with a coping strategy." All of this from a 15-year old. (he's going to make a great husband!)

Thing 2 was very quiet & didn't say anything. I knew he was processing things, as he always does.

I dropped them off at their respective places, ran an errand, went home, cried, prayed, and felt better.

I picked up Thing 2 from his bible study first. He came out to the car, checked my expression to make sure I was okay, then smiled. He got in the car, gave me a hug, and said, "Mom, I prayed for you tonight." And my heart swooned…and my eyes started to fill up. This time, it wasn't because everything hit me at once…it was out of pure love. (he's going to make a great husband, too!)

I picked up Thing 1, and as he was walking to the car, he checked my expression as well, gave me a 'thumbs up', and climbed into the car.

So, in the midst of the chaos that we're experiencing right now, we are truly a team. As I was feeling every emotion known to man, I had two boys that were looking out for me. I hated that I broke down in front of them. They are feeling tons of emotions with their dad being gone right now, too. But as a friend said to me, "You're human. You have emotions! Sometimes they need to sneak out." And, she's right.

When you tend to stereotype boys, you think they don't have or show emotions. But that's just not true. These two have such beautiful hearts, and are very caring -- each in their own way. My pride in and for them is bursting right now! In all the ways I've failed, or at least thought I failed, I did two things right…and I could not be more proud of them!

And you know what? Today is a new day, and it's amazing what some sleep can do for your outlook on things.  :)

Wondering on Wednesday

I have a blogging friend who shares pictures every Wednesday with the title "Wondering on Wednesday".  She always finds funny things going on around her house & snaps a picture.  I decided to borrow that title today.

This morning when I was opening up the curtains in Thing 2's room, I happened to look out the window to find this...

First, please excuse the quality of this picture -- it was taken with my cell phone, and it's not super clear.  But second, do you see the handprint??  

All day long, I've been scratching my head, trying to figure out 1) how the hand print GOT there, and 2) WHYYYY is there a handprint outside of his window??!!  Was he trying to escape?!  

So, I asked Thing 2 when he got home what this was all about.  His answer?  "Mom, whenever it snows, I always grab the snow to see if it's 'snowball quality'…"  Ahhh, yes.  Snowball quality snow.

And, there you have it.  And in case you were wondering, the latest snow we had was NOT snowball quality.    

Big Pharma

In light of my last post, I thought I'd continue with the Fibromyalgia journey.  And a journey is just what it has been.

After doing a ton of research, I went to my doctor.  You see, the side-effects of my medication were (to me) outweighing any good it was supposed to be doing.  Whenever I'd call the doctor's office with a new "ailment", it was considered a side-effect of the medication.  And many times there was an offer of another prescription to alleviate said side-effect.  Had I gotten every prescription filled, I would've had the meds list of a 90-year old!  It was reaching the point of ridiculous for me.  I was too young to feel as old as I did, and as rotten as I did.  The bad days far outweighed the good, and my energy level was at an all-time low.  Horrible depression kicked in, which was ironic, because the medication I was on was in fact, an anti-depressant that was highly used for Fibromyalgia pain.  But with the depression, things started to spiral -- and not in a good way.

In the process of side-effect after side-effect, relationships started falling apart.  You see, when you're a hermit, people tend to think you're avoiding them… which couldn't have been farther from the truth.  When I don't feel well, I curl up in a ball and pretty much hide from the world.  Not because I want to, but because when I hurt, I hurt everywhere.  I can't be touched, and every single thing jumps up & down on my last nerve.  I will have the TV on, but the volume completely down…simply because I can't stand the noise.  So when I had a friend offer to come & sit with me, it was a beautiful gesture, but one that would've made me completely crazy.  How do you politely say "I'm sorry, but you being here will make me miserable, but…thanks anyway"??  So you see, this is how relationships can fall apart, friends & family included.  Which makes depression spiral even more.  You see people living their lives, and you're not able to live yours the way you want to -- so you just crawl back into your shell.  It's a vicious cycle.  I had to, however, be selfish and take care of myself.  I had to take back charge of my life!

Back to my doctor… after wanting to prescribe more & more prescriptions to alleviate side-effects, I asked him if I could just get OFF of the medications & see how things went.  Because in all honesty, I didn't feel anywhere near as bad before I started taking the Fibro meds.  He was very much against it.  BUT, he wasn't the one that was living inside my body, I was.  And I couldn't take living like that anymore!  I thanked him for his opinion, but asked him how I could get off of the meds.  Begrudgingly, he counseled me on how to titrate off of the medication, but with a side order of "when you come back in here begging to be put back on the meds, I'm not going to say 'I told you so' (but he would've)".  This was not one that you could just stop taking cold-turkey.  And boy, he was right.

If you want some light reading (insert sarcasm) sometime, Google "Cymbalta Withdrawal".  It's the stuff that nightmares are made of.  I'm not even kidding.

So on July 1st, I started my titration down off of the medication.  The first week wasn't so bad.  The second week was worse.  The third week was hell.  The fourth week was PURE hell.  The fifth week was a little better than hell.  The sixth week was okay.  The seventh week was doable.  The eighth week was good.  I had been on the medication for just a little over a year, and it took me eight weeks.  E-I-G-H-T WEEKS to feel somewhat like myself again.  For some people who had been on the meds for years & years, it takes them months & months & months to get back to normal.  I would have to say the "brain zaps" were the very worst.  The only way I can describe a "brain zap" is that it's like having a jolt of electricity shot up into your brain -- only you never know when it's coming.  Sometimes it would be in rapid succession, and others, just one at a time.  And it would sound like a cymbal crashing in your ear at the same time.  Add on the extreme nausea, and wow, I was a walking party.  A walking, exhausted party.  The nausea would hit between 2-3 pm, and would last until the next morning.  During this uber-fun time was our vacation, as well as my birthday.  Try scuba diving with "brain zaps"… not fun.  For my birthday, my husband surprised me by renting a convertible for me.  And I was so excited for it!  However, he had to drive it home from dinner because I was so sick.  Nothing like hanging your head in front of the a/c vent because you're afraid you're going to hurl all over the interior of this beautiful car!!  And when plans change and you can meet a best friend for a birthday cupcake (because you have extremely low blood sugar), and when plans change from a lake house location to a hotel, and your 3 best friends take care of you -- and enjoy your convertible (because your husband rented it for you for the entire weekend - because he's just THAT awesome!) in the spurts where you feel somewhat human…and the best friend who texted you daily, and the cousin that texted you daily… those times are golden.

Only a handful of people knew about me going off of the medication.  Why?  Because if I didn't succeed in coming off, I didn't want to look like a failure.  And these were people that I trusted with every bone in my body.  I now know what a drug addict must feel like.  As awful as I felt while ON that medication, the withdrawal symptoms were so vile, that it crossed my mind multiple times to just get back on it so I wouldn't have to feel the way I did.  And what a vicious, horrible cycle that would've been.

I know many people who have had great success with taking Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia, or for depression, and I'm happy & grateful for them.  I, however, am not a success story, and that drug to me, is the devil.  There is a time & place for "Big Pharma", and I'm coming to realize, it's just not always for me.  Please, don't get me wrong… if I'm really sick, I'll take the medicine!  But when it causes more problems than it's helping, well, it's not for me.

Want to know what side-effects I had while on the medication?  Better sit down…
          Weight gain, brain fog, memory loss, hair loss, headaches, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, rash, swelling, pain, panic attacks, extreme thirst, low blood sugar, tremors, neuralgia, sweating, fever, insomnia, excessive fatigue, …and these are just the ones that come to mind at the moment.  Or, what's left of my mind!  It's very scary to me that this medication completely wiped out parts of my memory.  I don't recall a lot from the year I was on this medication.  And the year prior to that, while I was on two other medications, was nearly the same.

So, after I had completely detoxed off of the medication, I began to realize how "not myself" I had been for nearly two years.  I had energy again!  My pain was still there, but not as intense, and not so constant.  It was manageable.  I wanted to be social again.  I wanted to go out & DO things with my kids -- things I had been unable to do.  I felt like "me" again!

I started eating well.  I started exercising again (when I could).  I began meditating.  I utilized massage therapy & acupuncture.  I began using essential oils daily - for everything.  I reevaluated relationships.  And I gained my life back.

I owe my strength to God, because He was the one who got me through everything… I literally owe everything to Him… His faith never left me.  My gratitude for my husband & kids is unmeasurable.  My parents were paramount in my recovery.  The friends & family that stuck with me and didn't turn on a dime were & are invaluable.

All this to say that what this entire process boils down to is trust, and mine was shaken to its very core.  Trust your gut.  Trust your intuitions. Trust your journey.  If things don't feel right, they probably aren't.

I have to trust that my doctor had my best interest in mind, however writing extra scripts wasn't the solution for me.  I had to trust that I knew my body better than he did, since I was the one living in it, and saw it crumbling.  I had to trust those closest to me to help pull me through the best & worst.  I had to trust that taking care of myself from the inside out is what was best… and so far, that has been proven to me.

This past year has been a journey of trust.  One I choose to never repeat, and one I'm still reeling from, but I will get there.  My journey for 2015 is PEACE.  I've got to make peace with the past year in order to trust again.  Does that make sense?  While it sounds weird to say that I'm grateful for bad things that happened this year, I am.  Why?  Because it opened my eyes to so many new things.  Holistic healthcare.  My faith.  My relationships.  My well-being.  My journey.  Myself.

Trust = Peace.  Peace = Happiness.  Happiness = Journey.

I know not everyone will understand this journey, and that's okay.  It's my journey!  I hope you all can find your own, too!

J

Wow, it's really been a while!

So ya, it's evident that I've been pretty lax with blogging. Seems like I go in spurts, but I'm chalking that up to being a busy mom of 2 kids with busy schedules and the fact that I'm their shuttle service!

The biggest thing that's happened over the past year is that I was officially diagnosed with (severe) fibromyalgia.

 What is fibromyalgia? 

  Fibromyalgia (pronounced fy-bro-my-AL-ja) is a common and complex chronic pain disorder that affects people physically, mentally and socially. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome rather than a disease. Unlike a disease, which is a medical condition with a specific cause or causes and recognizable signs and symptoms, a syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend to occur together but are not related to a specific, identifiable cause. Fibromyalgia, which has also been referred to as fibromyalgia syndrome, fibromyositis and fibrositis, is characterized by chronic widespread pain, multiple tender points, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbances, fatigue and often psychological distress. For those with severe symptoms, fibromyalgia can be extremely debilitating and interfere with basic daily activities.

I encourage you to click on this link to learn more about fibromyalgia.  It's really important to educate yourself on issues such as these, especially if you know someone, or have a family member who suffers from this.  

Fibromyalgia is a cruel & frustrating syndrome.  I feel like I've aged about 20 years just in the last year.  After trial & error periods with medications…trying to find something that works, losing half the hair on my head (it was literally coming out by the handful), not being able to give/receive hugs or wear some clothing because my skin hurts so badly that I want to scream, not remembering things because my memory has all but left me, not being able to attend my kids' activities, not being able to exercise often due to pain, not being able to get out of bed somedays simply because my pain level is too high… it goes on & on.  I'm a virtual shell of the person I once was.  I'm usually a very outgoing person, and over the past year, I've turned into a really awesome hermit.  I really have to give serious props to Mike & the boys.  They have really stepped up to help when it was/is needed.  They are my ROCKS!!  I literally don't know how I'd get through all of this without them.

I'm not writing this to elicit sympathy, in fact, I'm doing the opposite.  I'm writing this to help educate people!  Fibromyalgia seems to be one of those syndromes/diseases that falls under the "it's all in your head" category.  I'm here to tell you, it's NOT in my head!  I had a family member tell me that doctors diagnose people with fibromyalgia when they can't figure out what's wrong with them…and my mouth dropped open.  That family member witnessed me in the midst of an awful, debilitating flare, and quickly apologized.  That's just the thing, many people don't understand it, so they're quick to sweep it under the carpet -- as are many doctors.  

I wake up each morning never knowing how I'm going to feel.  That makes it very hard to plan things!  I hate having to cancel plans.  It has also made taking pictures very difficult.  I've really pulled back with the photo biz for a while.  After trying to get through a shoot with hand/arm tremors and half of the pictures being too blurry to use, I realized that I needed to stop.  It's not fair to my clients to not have quality work, or to have me reschedule on them due to a flare-up.  That has been a very difficult decision for me, but one that I know is right.  Photography is a passion for me, but I feel like maybe life is taking me in a new direction now. 

Because I have many days where it hurts to do just about everything, I have taken to researching fibromyalgia.  I have been looking into a more holistic approach for pain relief.  I have such a severe reaction to pain meds, that there is very little left that I'm able to take (and let me just say, Advil doesn't even touch the pain).  I've tried acupuncture, and had some success with it, and need to start doing it again.  I've also been experimenting with essential oils to treat my symptoms.  Why?  Because I really don't enjoy keeping CVS's pharmacy in business!  I don't like taking pills if I don't need them.  

I've been able to treat individual symptoms with different essential oils with some success.  I've been using doTERRA essential oils since before Christmas, and I love them!  To feed my oils habit, I became a consultant.  Check out my website!  Jenni's doTERRA Website  These oils not only help me, but they've helped Mike & the boys, too!  I'm really trying hard to watch what I put in & on my body.  I'm "going green", if you will.  :)

I've had many people approach me with "miracle" ways to relieve my pain.  While I really appreciate people wanting to help, what works for one person most likely won't work for another with fibro.  There is no magic pill.  There's no magic diet.  There's no magic exercise.  It takes a lot of trial & error.  Little by little, I'm finding my way…but as I'm learning, it's going to be quite a journey!  

I feel like I'm rambling.  Sorry!  This is a subject I've wanted to blog about for a while, but just haven't. I hope it gives a little insight to what I deal with on a daily basis.

Love & hugs,

Jenni

Do you ever feel...

overwhelmed?  Crazy (okay, crazier)?  Under appreciated?  So exhausted that you can't even sleep?

Ya, me either.  I'm trying not to whine.  

Okay, I'm going to whine.

I'm not having a banner day.  But don't we all have those days?  I'm having one today.  Well really, I'm having one of those weeks, and I'm not sure why.

Well, maybe I know why...

I wish I was still in Arizona.  In the sun.  With my cousins.  With a mimosa in-hand.

Can I still be battling jet lag?  For some reason, my not-so-spring-chicken-like body just isn't recovering like it once did.  Of course, being able to actually sleep would really help things... but, that would make things too easy.

I'm missing my husband something fierce.

I'm trying to adjust to the boys' soccer schedule.  Would it be too much to ask for all siblings' practices to line up on the same day/time?  Who's with me??!  ;)  I know that's an impossible feat, but wouldn't it be great?

I've been cleaning my house, and while you can tell, you can't tell as much as I'D like.  For unknown reasons, I decided to get into some small detail stuff -- y'know, the things that no one else will see except for me?  Ya.  It's easier to focus on little things like that instead of 5000 sq. ft. of a looming-laundry-filled-needing-to-be-vacuumed-dust-bunny-ridden-messy-kitchen house.  I'd love to think that by now, you could eat off of the floors.  Although, I wouldn't recommend it.  I'm not mopping until Saturday night.  Eat at your own risk.   

June Cleaver, I'm not.

In my mind, I picture Peg Bundy... minus the big red hair.

Thing 1 is being Confirmed on Sunday.  This is a big milestone, and one that I couldn't be more proud of him for accomplishing.  But, Mike won't be here to see it.  That makes me sad.  Thank God for technology... our church is providing a live-stream, so he can log on half-way across the world to see his first son Confirmed.  That makes me happy!  I just wish he'd be sitting beside me though.  He would squeeze my shoulder when my eyes would tear up, and then I'd pretend to have just yawned.  What?  I'm not crying. (sniff sniff)  He knows me too well.

We have family & friends coming in for Thing 1's Confirmation.  Nothing makes me happier than sharing this day with family & friends.  So, I'm having an Open House after church to keep the celebrating going.  Hence, the extra cleaning.

I have decided, as my friend Val put it, to outsource my cooking duties.  With everything else going on, I have realized that I don't have the time to cook what I want to cook for Sunday.  Thank you, Kroger, for your deli trays, veggie trays and fruit trays.  You just made my life 12x easier.  Yes, it's more expensive than doing it myself, but you know what?  My time is worth $$, too!  My friend Rachel is making Thing 1's cake because she's awesome like that.  Her cakes are amazing.  Is it wrong that I'm more excited for the cake than the actual food?

Okay, I got all of that out.  I feel better now.

I've decided that as soon as everyone leaves on Sunday, I will change from my nice dress, straight into pajamas.  I will then hold down the couch until it's time to go to bed & start all over for another week.  ;)

Spring Break!

The boys & I just returned from our Spring Break vacation.  And wow, what a vacation it was!!

This vacation was much needed for many reasons.  It was our "half-way" point during Mike's deployment, it was a time to be spent with family, it was a time to relax, and it was a time to change the scenery from our everyday lives.  And, I think we accomplished all of those scenarios!!  

The boys & I flew to Arizona to stay with my parents at their winter home.  As the always-appreciated extra bonus, we also get to see my grandparents, aunt/uncle, as well as another uncle.  Little by little, my dad's family is moving out west -- and into the same retirement park!  

We had planned on going out all along, but this year, other family members joined in, and it turned into quite the family reunion!  I think the last head-count ended up being 30 people all together.  And while that number sounds high, that still wasn't even everyone!  However, getting that many people to one destination is quite a feat -- and a special one at that.  Both of my parents come from large families -- my dad being one of 5 children, my mom being one of 6 children -- and those children had children, and those children had children... I love big families!!  Yes, it can be chaotic sometimes, but it's a good chaos.  

I digress.  Here are some things I took in during our week away:

1.  All diets go out the window when your grandmother loves to bake, bake, bake; and your parents/aunts/uncles love to cook, cook, cook.  I mean, who am I not to partake?  

2.  It's always 5:00 somewhere.  Even at 8 in the morning.  

3.  Some days are meant to be spent either in your pajamas or in your bathing suit.  Or both.

4.  The game "Draw Something" is addictive.  And I may be responsible for a few family members going to Draw Something Anonymous meetings...

5.  Laying out in the sun with cousins & cocktails is mandatory.  Oh, and so are Real Simple & US Magazines. 

6.  Cousins are your first friends who love you and completely understand your crazy family members!  

And our kids getting to know each other & hanging out like we did when we were younger is priceless!!

7.  The "Game of Things" played Beyers-style is the BEST. GAME. EVER.  Pair that with margaritas, and well, the game took on a whole new meaning.  I think my face & stomach still hurt from laughing so hard!!!

8.  Having grandparents who are 90 & 94 years old is amazing.  I only hope that I'm half as active as they are when I reach either of those ages!

9.  The Grand Canyon really puts things into perspective for you.  Just when you think you're big in this world, stand next to the Canyon.  You become very aware of just how small you are.  You also become very aware of how few fences/guard rails there are, and become an instant nervous wreck & hold onto your children for dear life!!  Another observation... I was amazed at how eerily quiet it is at the canyon.  Aside from a random person talking next to you, all you hear is the wind blowing through the trees.  The view, the quiet... if I could sum it up into one word, it would be "amazing".  

10.  Visiting one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" with your children & your parents is a kind of special that you just can't put into words.  It's a moment in time that I'll never forget.

11.  Visiting Sedona and climbing a small mountain with your children is one of the best feelings in the world. 

12.  Meeting an old friend for lunch makes you realize that some friends really are for life.

13.  No matter how old you get to be, staying with your parents makes you feel like you're a kid again.

14.  I get sappy & nostalgic when I'm low on sleep, jet-lagged and still in a partial food-coma.

Here's hoping we have more trips like this one!!!

Jenni's "Wicked Good" Clam Chowdah... and yes folks, it has BACON!

In college, I babysat for a family for several years.  The woman had so many wonderful cookbooks, and when the kids would nap, I would look through them & drool.  So instead of drooling each week, I started taking index cards with me & got some of these great recipes down on paper!

Over the years, I've tweaked this "chowdah" recipe until it suited our family.

After posting that I was making this for dinner the other night, I had several people ask for the recipe.  So, I decided to make this my first "food blog"... complete with pictures.  And after taking pictures, I realized that my kitchen has really crappy lighting!!  ;)

Recipe:
4 cans of minced clams (you can also use chopped clams if you want bigger pieces of clam)
6 strips of bacon, chopped (I use kitchen shears to cut it up)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups clam liquor (liquid drained from clams) + 1-2 cups water
2 cups diced potatoes
1 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 cups milk
2 cups half & half
*Instant potatoes

Here's what to do:

1.  Drain clams & save liquor (again, the liquid in the can -- the word "liquor" kinda throws me).

This is from 4 cans, drained.  It didn't quite equal 2 cups... so add water to it to make 2 cups + an additional cup of water.

2.  In a stockpot, fry bacon until lightly brown.

3.  Add onion & saute until tender.

As if bacon alone doesn't smell the best... but bacon AND onions frying?  Heaven!

4.  You can drain some of the bacon grease, but I would leave some... just for extra flavor.  No, this isn't the most heart-healthy recipe, but man... does it taste good!!!

5.  Add clam "liquor" & water, potatoes, seasonings & clams.

This is actually more than 2 cups of potatoes - but who wants to waste diced potatoes??
Not this girl!

If you ever learn anything about me, it's that I really don't like to measure things.
This is my version of a teaspoon of salt!
(This probably explains why my baking isn't quite as successful...ha!)

6.  Cook for about 15 minutes at a low boil, or until potatoes are tender.

7.  Add milk and half & half.

8.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

*You may want to add some instant potatoes to thicken the soup, if you prefer more of a "chunky" style.  


*You can also fry up some extra bacon & crumble on top of your bowl of soup, because really, is there ever a case where there's too much bacon??!


*Obviously, season your "chowdah" to your liking.  Also, you can always add more water or milk to stretch it out to serve more.

Serve with crusty bread & enjoy!

The power of girlfriends...

on any given scale, cannot be measured.  EVER!

I had an action-packed girls weekend this past weekend.  And man, was it ever needed.  It had been much too long since I had spent quality time with these girls.  And I was so lucky -- I got to split my weekend between two sets of precious friends.  My husband was all about me multi-tasking/killing two birds with one stone.  Yay!

Somehow, the moon & stars all aligned (thank you!) and off I went.  I was so stoked that my girlfriend, Tammy, was able to ride with me.  We got to start our party just a tad earlier than anyone else!  Hooray!  And, we ended up starting it even earlier, thanks to Mother Nature.  Mother Nature seems to have forgotten her meds here lately, and it seems that she can't quite make up her mind which season we're in.  One day, it's spring.  Another, it's stone-cold winter.  One of my friends coined a new phrase, and I love it.  We're in "Sprinter" season right now.  It's perfect!  Anyway... Tammy & I ended up heading out just a smidge early, because Mother Nature decided to drop some sleet/ice/snow our way.  Snow doesn't bother me in the least.  Bring it on!  I've got 4 wheel drive, and I don't drive like a maniac when the weather's bad (now, when it's nice, that's an entirely different story.  HA!)  But throw sleet/ice into the mix, and ya, I'm not a fan, nor do I want to drive in it.  So, we got the "heck out of dodge" before the worst hit.  And, the roads were bone dry to where we were going.  YAHOOO!

Part 1... consisted of 3 awesomely-wonderful ladies (Amy, Gretchen & Tammy) that I've known since High School.  We all bonded over Geometry tutors, cheerleading, and just being fun.  We've seen each other through just about everything.  And what's weird is that all of our second kids were born within weeks of each other. Seriously, we couldn't have planned that if we tried.  It was fate.  I seriously don't know what I would do without these girls!  We can just look at each other & know what the other is thinking.  And that right there is scary seeing as what some of our thoughts are!  LOL!

Each time we get together, we do our standard "girls weekend" picture.  There is a particular order we are all in, and the hoops we jump through to GET this picture is hilarious in itself.  You'd think that after all of these years, we'd just bring a tripod or something, but no.  We do it ourselves.  Tammy, who has the longest arms (long arm of the law), always pulls the trigger.  And many times, either she or Amy gets cut out of the picture.  Gretchen & I have tons of shots of us.  Mwah ha ha ha... it's planned that way.  HA!

Amy, Gretchen, me, Tammy

We even attempted to lay down for one.  (Y'know, so no double-chins were anywhere to be seen.)  What we learned, however, is that hair goes everywhere, and we basically have to all lay on top of each other for everyone to appear in the picture.  So ya, that one never made the cut.  The looks on our faces, however, were priceless!  Essentially, we turn into 12-year olds when we're together.  Simple words said set us off into hysterical laughter, and fart humor is what we speak.  And most importantly, we plan our time together around food, because y'know... it's ALL about the food!

We set up shop in a hotel, made sure to have tons of snacks (i.e. pretzel/peanut butter M&M's, Twizzlers, and Munchies chips - perfect combination of sweet & salty), and as an added bonus, when Amy checked in, she was notified that she was "Guest of the Day"!  "Guest of the Day" equals free breakfast & snacks for all in your room.  SCORE!!!  It was fully documented with pictures that Amy was indeed, kind of a big deal.  Those pictures, however, were sworn to NEVER be posted.  Mainly because we made Amy an entire "Guest of the Day" super-hero costume.

The restaurant we picked for dinner was literally right next door to our hotel.  Which was a good thing, seeing as how there was a snow storm outside.  We stepped outside into the take-your-breath-away bitter cold & ran next door to the restaurant.  Ah, warmth!   We eyed up the drink menu & ordered up.  Tammy & I opted for a martini sampler, each a different "theme".  One of Tammy's martini's had an edible flower come floating it.  The girl (and I say girl, only because she looked 12, yet had to be 21 to serve the drink) who delivered it said, "oh, and there's an edible or-chid in this one."  Or-chid.  She pronounced it Or-Chid.  Really?  We all said "orchid", and she said, "oh, I've never heard of it."  Huh.  Really?!

We proceeded to drink.  Laugh.  Laugh more.  Eat.  Take pictures (which again, will never be posted).  Eat dessert.  Laugh, and well, laugh some more.  After stuffing ourselves silly, we decided to head back to the hotel.  Not because we were too tired, but because it was so cold & snowy, we didn't want to go anywhere else!  We opted for some coffee to stay awake.  Okay yes, we were tired (yet none of us would admit it - hence the hipster coffee at 11pm), but because these get-togethers happen so infrequently, we wanted to soak in every minute.

We decided to watch "Bridesmaids" because Gretchen hadn't seen it yet.  But we watched it on my 13" laptop.  Not ideal, but we still laughed hysterically anyway.  We slept.  We got up (much earlier than intended) and went down for our FREE breakfast!  And we had lots of cawfee tawk.  We made our plan for the rest of the day -- which included shopping, shopping and of course, eating.

As we had all discussed, we didn't have a ton of $$ to spend, but we were determined to shop anyway & keep each other in check.  And of course, we found tons of cute stuff.  Cute stuff that was 50% off of clearance price!  It would've been a crime NOT to buy it!  These girls enable justify "girl math".  Y'know, if you spend another $25, you get all this cool free stuff??!  That's "girl math".  Girl math = new boots, handbag & jeans.  Boy math = no boots, no handbag & no jeans because "it's too expensive".  And as we all agreed, we could've looked in the mirror to see how these things looked on us, but we had 3 mirrors looking right back at us.  Three honest mirrors.  Three honest, awesome mirrors that we can't live without.

We had lunch, and fatigue was starting to hit us.  We decided that in the future, we'll have to start incorporating naps into our weekends & plan around them.  Hmmm.  Are we getting older?  Or smarter?  ;)  We seem to forget that we're no longer 20 & can't stay up all night without paying for it.  Lol!

After lunch, we had to part ways.  Always sad, but we always come away with so many funny memories.  Y'know, the ones that make you burst out laughing when no one else is around because you just thought about it again?  The ones that your face & abs STILL hurt because you laughed so hard?  Those memories are GOLDEN!!!

Part 2... consisted of staying with one of my soul sisters from another mister.  This girl & I, seriously, share so much in common, it's weird.  But weird in a good way!  Cory & I have also known each other since high school -- we were Varsity cheerleaders together.  I was a year ahead of her in school.  As we got older, our paths kept crossing.  Not long after I got married, I ran into her, of all places, at the bank.  I didn't even live in town anymore, but had gone in because I was back visiting & we still had an account. We exchanged information & were glad to see each other.  We ran into each other again several years later because we were both selling "Southern Living at HOME".  We really connected this way, and have really kept in touch ever since.  A couple of years ago when my husband was deployed over the summer months, we spent a TON of time together.  She lives literally 3 minutes from my parents' house, and our kids get along well.  Since the kids & I spent a lot of time at my parents' that summer, we hung out most of the summer.  It was then that we learned exactly HOW much we had in common & it was freaky!  She's someone I can be completely goofy with, and someone that I can talk to about anything, and she's always got great advice.  She's always perky, happy & positive.  I LOVE that!  And did I mention that she's super-talented?  Holy schmoly.  Whatever that girl touches turns to gold.  She's amazing with a sewing machine.  I mean A-MA-ZING!  Clearly, she's a great friend.

We talked when I got to her house.  I always hang out in her sewing room when she works.  We talk, laugh, and solve the world's problems.  I decided that I wanted to shower before we went out with other friends that night.  So, being in "girls weekend" mode, I had no concept of time.  I must've gotten in the shower a little after 5.  I got out, dressed, and peeked my head into her sewing room & asked what time we were leaving.  It was 5:21.  She says, "Oh, 5:30".  My hair was dripping wet, and I had smeared makeup across my face from the shower.  Awesome.  I think I recall screaming & then running back into the bathroom.  I literally had the hairdryer in one hand, and was trying (key word being TRYING) to apply makeup with the other hand.  And not well, I might add.  I decided to just do one thing at a time & hope for the best.  I think I made record time, as I was make-up'd, hair dried and fully dressed by 5:37.  It was at that frenzied moment that I met a new friend.  Her name is Tekoa, and she is completely beautiful & AWESOME!!!  We all rode together & picked up another friend, Amy H., on our way to the restaurant.  Amy is an amazing mommy & equally as awesome.  I met her last year by taking her family's pictures, and we've stayed in touch since then.  She's a lot of fun!  We met 2 other friends at the restaurant, Amy P. & April.  Amy P. (I know a lot of Amy's, have you noticed?) also went to my high school, and was also a year behind me.  We honestly didn't know each other well in HS, but have gotten to know each other the past couple of years... FB is mainly responsible for me finding my long-lost "dork twin"!!  We both have more blonde moments than we care to mention, and well, we just "get" each other.  She's amazingly awesome.  This was the first time I met April.  She's SO MUCH FUN!!

We all bonded over drinks and chips & salsa.  I mean really, does it take much else?  I'm just going to state for the record that "Girls Night Out" can be very informative.  I'll just leave it at that.  LOL!  I've never met a group of women that clicked more than we all did that night.  It was as if we'd all known each other our whole lives!  I'm sure the people sitting around us were more than entertained.  I love that through good friends, you meet new ones.  Ones that I hope to keep forever!

Tekoa, me, April, Cory, Amy P., Amy H.

Nights and weekends like these are SO needed.  It's not that I don't enjoy my husband or offspring, but you need girlfriends.  Girlfriends make you get the "rock hard abs" workout by laughing, not sweating.  ;D  Girlfriends empathize.  Girlfriends don't judge.  Girlfriends ROCK!

The moral to this gouge your eyes out long post is this... while your spouse may be your best friend, nobody gets you like your girlfriends.  The power of them is indescribable and unmeasurable.  They are essential.  They are awesome.  They are amazing.  They are, my girlfriends.


I feel incredibly blessed.  I have amazing friends... and these were just 2 of the many groups I have.  They are all so different, but all so equally important.

Thank you, Amy, Gretchen, Tammy, Cory, Tekoa, Amy H., Amy P. and April, for an amazing, much-needed weekend.  You all are ROCK STARS!!  

Chomping at the bit...

So, it's January.  It's time to reflect on all of the "resolutions" I sort of made.  After taking care of myself (sinus infection queen), taking care of Ryan, and trying to get back into the swing of a routine... I'm failing miserably.  I'm trying not to beat myself up... KA-POW!  Easier said than done, right?

In the interim, I'm surfing the 'net.  Getting ideas for new meals, organization ideas, craft ideas, fashion, you get the picture.  I should just set my home search engine page to, you guessed it, PINTEREST!

Last week, I did hold true to the trying a new recipe.  In fact, I cooked ahead, and tried a few!  My freezer is slowly getting stocked, in hopes to make my life a little easier... one step at a time.  (more details & pictures of that to follow on another post)

But, with January comes organization, right?  I found the BEST blog:  iheartorganizing  This woman has it ALL together -- I want to be like her when I grow up!  Anyway, I'm gathering ideas from her, and am hoping to put them into action.  And as I do, I'll share them.  Why?  Because if I say that I'll share them, that means I'll actually DO them.  And my house could definitely use some attention this way!  Especially after the holidays...  I'm in the "holiday hangover" stage right now.  Because everyone has been "sickly", I'm still taking down my holiday decorations.  My kids are in mourning because they're coming down.  I, on the other hand, am doing my own sort of happy dance - simply because I'm more than OVER the holidays.  It was nothing short of a circus, and a stress-filled one at that.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family, the food, the visiting... but it all happened so close together, that we were considering installing a revolving door in place of our front door.  I digress...

I want desperately to have one full week where:
1)  No one is sick. (myself included!)
2)  When I don't have any appointments to get to.
3)  When I'm caught up on all housework -- HA!  Okay, that one is a pipe dream.
4)  I can concentrate on one of these organization/craft ideas.
5)  Someone doesn't have a day off of work/school.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my family... but when they're home, it throws me off-schedule, and then I feel like I'm 'off' for the rest of the week.  (that was a little bit of a whine on my part -- sorry... just speaking the truth!)

Until then, check out the blog attached at the bottom.  I promise, you won't be disappointed!!

New Year, New Goals, New Me

So, it's 2012.  New Year is a time for new beginnings!

Did you make your New Year's Resolutions?  I did.  Kind of.  I know the new year is about starting fresh.  But really, can't we do that anytime of the year?  I feel Madonna-esque... like I'm constantly doing it, constantly trying to re-invent myself.  At any rate, I've jotted down a few things of which I hope to improve upon this year.

Jenni's Resolutions:
1.  Stop putting time & effort into relationships where I receive nothing in return.  I've had this in place for about the past two years, and it has been amazing!  It has opened up my eyes immensely as to who really should be in my life & who shouldn't.

2.  Stop being a door mat.  I can be feisty in my own ways, but also love to please people.  In the end, it's ME who pays for the nights where I get no sleep because I'm up doing things for other people.  Granted, I always enjoy helping people (who doesn't?) -- but I'm going to be better about saying NO, and being taken advantage of.

3.  Gaining confidence.  It's easy to look at someone else & be intimidated by them.  They're smarter, they dress better, they have it all together, they're more talented.  But, looks can be deceiving.  Everyone is fighting their own battle.  Many times, what things look like on the outside aren't any indication of what's really going on inside.  I'm going to stop letting "outward appearances" intimidate me.

4.  Trying new things.  I'm in a rut.  Food-wise, routine-wise, life-wise.  I'm a creature of comfort, and find it hard to step outside of my comfort zone.  That's going to change!  Well, I'm going to "try" to change...  Pinterest has opened my eyes to SO many new things!  New recipes, new ways to decorate, organization... anything you can think of.  I even have the kids onboard for trying new things!  The other night, we all got on Pinterest and looked for new meal ideas.  We were ALL practically drooling.  So, I'm making it a point to try a new recipe each week.  I'm even considering blogging about it -- for the 3 people who actually read this blog.  Hi Grandma!  ;)

5.  Business Building.  I want to grow my photo business, but want to be smart about it at the same time. I realize I'm only one person, and again, love to please people.  But what I learned this past year is that while trying to please everyone & take as many pictures as I could, I ran out of hours in the day.  Between sports, spouse's erratic work schedules, my free time (ha!) and life... I about made myself crazy.  This year will have an added twist with a deployment, which will leave me as a single parent for a little over two months.  That being said, I need to set a fixed amount of pictures that I can take each week/month & leave it at that.  I will not travel as much for shoots (due to lack of childcare), and I also need to raise my prices so I'm not working for peanuts!  I love what I do, but my time is worth money as well.

6.  Be more crafty.  I have an entire closet full of craft items.  It mocks me each time I open the door.  "Remember me?  I'm from trip #46 into Hobby Lobby when you picked me up thinking you'd whip me out in a couple of hours..."  My sewing machine has a nice layer of dust on it.  My scrapbook bins have dust on them.  My paints have dust on them.  Again, I blame Pinterest.  So many craft ideas.  So little time...  ;)

7.  Decorate my house.  See #6.  We've been in this house a little over 3 years, and I still haven't painted all of the walls.  It still looks like we just moved in!  Oh well.  Baby steps, right?

8.  Read more.  Whether it be for learning or for pleasure, I LOVE to read... yet I hardly ever take the time to do it.  Michael Crichton is my favorite author -- I devour his books, and was so sad when he passed away.  I got his new book "Micro" for Christmas, and have started reading it.

9.  Laugh more.  Live more.  Love more.  I'm going to try not to take things so seriously.  I'm going to try to step out of my comfort zone.  I'm going to try to spend more quality time with my family.

10.  Find my own happiness.  One of my very best friends has this quote in her house, and I need it as well.  We all hold the keys to this... it's just finding the right one.  Do you ever feel like you have the janitor key ring & you can't find it?  Ya, me either.  ;)

11.  Blog more.  Both for my business and for me.  I'd like to become a better writer.  This is good practice.  ;)  Add this to my new culinary adventures (whether they're flops or fantastic), others can come along for the adventure.  Maybe I'll add some craftiness in there as well.  And organization?  Well, that's ALWAYS a work in progress.  I wasn't born one of those people who has it all together.  I'm organized in certain aspects of my life, but would like to be in more ways -- and want things to look "just so".  Maybe if I write about it, it will force me to actually DO it!

12.  Take more Pilates classes.  I truly love Pilates.  I know, I actually pay people to torture me & my body, but man... I love those classes.  My body responds to it.  It strengthens my back.  It makes me long & lean.  I'm not one of those people who loves to sweat, kick things, punch things and leave completely exhausted.  I know, I know... I'm not doing it right then.  I don't enjoy paying instructors to yell at me!  I like relaxed, quiet, slow, painful death... wait, no.  I mean I like a more relaxed pace and a calm instructor.

13.  Run more.  I have to really coax myself into doing this, and I'm really not sure why.  I love how I feel after I run, yet can think of just about anything else to do besides run.  Mike, Ryan & I are signed up for the Indy Mini-Marathon (half marathon) in May, and this of all things, should kick my butt into gear.  We'll see.  Here's hoping my back is on board & gives me it's blessing.  ;)  While on the note of running, remember in #12 when I said I like a relaxed pace & calm when doing Pilates?  I'm the exact opposite while running.  I'm an angry runner.  I have to listen to kick-ass music to keep me going.  The harder & faster the music & beat, the better.  Enter my head-banging teens.  I'm a sucker for metal & big-hair bands.  I can't give them up!  Oh, and rap.  I know, it's weird.  But it's what motivates me.

14.  Take better care of myself.  See #'s 12 & 13.  I tend to put myself on the back burner.  But really, what mom (or dad, for that matter) doesn't?  Take Christmas break for example.  I hadn't felt well for a few days, yet waited so long to go to the doctor that by the time I went, I had strep AND an ear infection with the start of a second one.  Then I let that go (because Christmas & more family visiting entered the picture) when the meds weren't working, and it morphed into those two things with a side order of a sinus infection from HELL.  Three different antibiotics & one steroid later, it's finally starting to clear up... almost 3 weeks later.  The point to this is that between family staying here, facilitating a class party, shopping for Christmas, getting the house ready for more company, cooking & baking up a storm, trying to be everything to everyone, I went down in the process.  I wasn't able to do all of the fun things I had planned on doing with my kiddos.  Why?  I wasn't taking care of myself & my immune system is now all but non-existent!  I need to sleep more, exercise more, eat better and TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!  Easier said than done, I know.

I know there are many more things I'd like to improve upon this year.  Maybe I'll get to those, maybe I won't.  All I know is that I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get to accomplishing ALL of them.  But, I will at least try.

I found this sign on Pinterest yesterday.  I'm seriously going to hang this on my bathroom mirror.  I think I could use these reminders daily.

Here's to everyone enjoying and making the MOST of the new year!

Merry Christmas!

We hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas!

The boys seem to be pleased with their gifts, and batteries are already on their way to needing to be recharged!

We are keeping busy today.  Tomorrow, Mike's entire family is coming, and today is my food-prep day.  We're also doing last-minute cleaning & anything else that needs to be done.  Looking forward to seeing everyone -- but we're also looking forward to being able to completely relax & enjoy our "Christmas Vacation"!

Love to you all!

Jenni

A December tradition!

Do you have any Christmas traditions?  We have several: making cookies, watching "Christmas Vacation" at least 20 times during the month of December, decorating the tree together, visiting family, attending the Christmas Eve church service... but one that was added a few years ago was going to watch some Christmas lights -- but not just any ordinary lights...


There are two houses here in Westfield that put on quite the light show!  They're the crazy houses with the lights set to music.  Great to look at, but I'm quite certain that if I lived next door, I probably wouldn't feel so warm & fuzzy about it.  ;)  While I consider my husband to be our version of Clark W. Griswold Jr. with exterior illumination, these people have him beat times infinity!  


Anyhoo, my parents are here visiting from sunny Arizona.  After going out to dinner last night, the boys & I thought we'd take them to see some Christmas lights.

After going to visit this house over the years, we've found the perfect viewing spot.  If you're right in front of it, you're too close & unable to see all of the lights.  BUT, if you're caddy-corner (yes, that's a midwest phrase) & across the street, you can see everything!  While my video skills could use some work, I'm essentially blaming this one on my phone -- it wouldn't allow me to zoom while I was recording!!  And, please disregard the running commentary in the background.  My kids & my dad were discussing who was going to beat who within our family fantasy football league.  Ha!

 
It's kind of neat because both houses have a different feel to them.  The one in the video has catchier music & is easier to sit and watch a lot of the show.  The other one has more religious music (which is really great), but the traffic gets pretty backed up, therefore not allowing you to sit & watch it as long.  However, as an added bonus, several houses along that street are participating, so as you're having to wind around, you at least have entertainment now! 

Enjoy this little snippet.  I recorded the entire song, but between Facebook, my phone & this website, it will only allow me to show 54 seconds of it. 

Holiday Craziness...

Well, it's here.  The craziness has ensued, and once again I wonder... how did I let this happen??!

Each year, I try to schedule less & less, and yet, we seem to be busier & busier.  How does that happen?  I don't know, but it does.

Once again, I've been so blessed with people wanting their pictures taken!  Business has been great and it's kept me very busy during the "Christmas Card" season.  The people I meet are phenomenal.  I love my clients!!  I just wish I could clone myself -- I'd be able to do more shoots & edit that way.  :)  And can I throw in that I am absolutely LOVING receiving Christmas Cards from my awesome clients?  Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!  :)

So here we are, December 14th, and I still am not anywhere near having my shopping done!  I just finished editing & delivered my last photo shoot before the holidays last night.  Up until then, I'd been editing photos consistently for about 2 weeks.  Whew!

My family's Christmas is this weekend, and I have most everything for that event... after that, I'm kinda hosed.  This next week will be the marathon sprint to the finish line, otherwise known as Christmas.  In the midst of this, I'll have my parents here for a week, Brandon's "Winter" class party, baking, wrapping, and anything else that falls into the "holiday crazy" category!

My parents leave on the 22nd, and we have a 3 day respite.  Respite?  Respite is defined as:

res·pite/ˈrespət/

Noun:

A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant. A short delay permitted before an unpleasant obligation is met or a punishment is carried out.

We have 3 days... however, I doubt there will be any resting involved!  Those days will be running around frantically, doing last-minute Christmas things, doing Christmas... and me doing food prep.

Food prep, you ask?  (This is where you all say "ah yes, she really IS crazy.")  On the 26th, the entire Hoke family will be at my house for their family Christmas.  And I wouldn't be me unless I put on the whole spread...turkey, ham... the works.  There will be 20 of us under one roof... and 14 spending the night.  My sister-in-law, Melissa, and I have already decided we'll have our own "sippy cups" (read: bottles) to nurse throughout the whole ordeal.  ;)  

So there you have it.  My sprint, jog, walk, drag-myself-across-the-finish-line holiday season.  The older I get, the more I want to celebrate Christmas in mid-January.  I mean, virtually NOTHING happens in January.  The weather is yucky (at least in Indiana), and everyone is stuck inside.  And, you get a little breather from Thanksgiving.  And while we're on the topic of Thanksgiving, is it just me, or is the span of time between Thanksgiving & Christmas getting shorter & shorter?  Or is it that I wish I was still a kid & didn't have any concept of time or stress or shopping or or or... ya, that's probably it.  ;)

Happy Holidays!!!

Nothing makes me happier...

than saving money!

I'm all about finding bargains.  I don't like paying retail for things, but if I do, and it's clothing... it's something well-made and something that I know I'll wear for the next 5 years.

In the last few months, I've started couponing (Is that how that's spelled?  It just doesn't look right.) more.  I've got the binder, it's sectioned, and every Sunday I sit & clip/sort/organize my coupons... usually while watching football.  :)

As I mentioned in my previous post, Pinterest has become quite an addiction for me.  BUT... it has opened my eyes to so many ways to help save money!  And well, to help me streamline my life & get more organized.  I know, it's taken me 39 years to only be organized in certain areas, but hey, I'm getting there!

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a site that had home-made recipes for household cleansers.  I gave it a try, and I LOVE them.  My house now smells like Lavender each time I clean my kitchen & bathrooms... not bleach.  I'll share those soon.

So today I'm scoping out more things & I came across a "pin" of homemade Febreeze spray.  I'm certain I had already pinned it, but I checked this one out because well, I was just too lazy to search back through all of my 629 pins.  ;)

The "recipe" couldn't have been easier, and I have to say, I think I'm hooked.  Sorry Febreeze, I don't think I'll be purchasing you in the store anymore.

I have to give credit to the site Fake it Frugal for making my new "discovery" possible!

I didn't have to go out & purchase anything to make this concoction, so I got right to work.

How to make:
1/8 cup of your favorite scented fabric softener
2 Tbsp. baking soda
Hot tap water to fill the bottle

I had an empty 40.5 fl oz Febreeze bottle sitting around, so that's what I used.

I have to say, I mixed this up this morning and sprayed it.  It's been almost 4 hours, and I can still smell it!

Since "Crockpot Monday" didn't happen this week, I thought I'd share something else.  :)

Have a great day!