Mother's Day

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day and felt appreciated and loved by their children!  I was happy to be able to host two very special mothers who are loved and appreciated beyond measure and hope they enjoyed their day.

As I've stated many times before, I'm not the most crafty, but try to do things here and there.  So, here are the little things I made for the moms...little votive candle holders.  Pretty easy, but not perfect - hey, that's handmade for you! :-)

Simply using a glass item of your choice (votive, plate, paperweight), choose decorative paper (scrapbook paper works fine) and adhere using ModPodge. A ribbon border completes the item and helps to hide any uneven paper cuts (if you are like me and never perfect even with an Exacto knife). Pretty easy!  My votive holders had rounded edges, though, which made it just a bit harder to keep the paper flat all the way around, but overall, it is a pretty simple project and the results are cute!

Crafting and Snacking on Cinco de Mayo

Snacking is something I do often...crafting, not so much.  But, I'm doing both today, so everything's just great!  I had turned the page down of a craft in a magazine about two years ago and kept saying I was going to try it, but never did. So, this week, I pulled it out of the drawer and thought, there's no time like the present since Mother's Day is this weekend!  As usual, mine has not turned out how things look in the magazine pictures, so I will have to add a few accents to try and make them look better.  I'll wait to debut them until after Mother's Day since they are little gifts! :-)

So, while I was crafting, I was snacking on these AMAZING cookies I found.  And, let me just say, I have a major sweet tooth and am pretty judgmental when it comes to cookies and sweets! These are even organic, of course, since I'm trying to eat that way as much as possible now.  But, they are so great and I just have to share.


Back to Nature Peanut Butter Creme Cookies - they have no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors and no hydrogenated oils.  How great is that?! And they are really good...which means they don't taste healthy at all! :-)

Now, I'm off to try and make a bit of a festive meal for Cinco de Mayo...including some organic black beans, of course!

Have a festive night!

Peyton

Helium Balloon

My husband has called me a helium balloon (in a loving way, of course) more than once over the years and sometimes I'm slightly offended, but most often, I have to admit it's true.  I am all over the place at any given time, floating from spot to spot, and although I seem to think and hope no one notices, that "nickname" must mean they do.  I am most times quiet and reserved around people I don't know well, but if I'm very comfortable with you, watch out!  I will ramble from subject to subject and at times I am unaware that I'm not even finishing a sentence before my mind is off to something else and I've expected you to move along with me without giving me the look of, "weirdo - finish your sentence."

Lately, my mind has been SO all over the place, I haven't even been able to focus to write a blog entry.  So, it makes perfect sense that I just out myself now and admit to my difficulties at focusing for long periods of time.  Whether you know me or not, please do not hold this personal fact against me.  In situations where I have to be productive, I know how to channel this mental challenge and still be very productive.  When I don't necessarily have to be "performing" for anyone else, though, my mind runs rampant--so much so that sometimes it is easier for me to zone out and create a "tabula rasa" or blank slate within my mind so I don't become overwhelmed...I just erase it all for a little while.  Then, I enjoy a Diet Coke and some chocolate to help my mentally induced headache.

So, I have one of those today!  And, I heard this weekend how good cherry cordial M&M's are, so thought that would be the perfect "medicine."  I was so excited because I just knew Walgreen's would have them - Walgreen's seriously has just about any random thing you could ever need.  So, I made a special trip since I had to get a new toothbrush anyway and literally looked down the candy aisle three times to make sure I didn't just miss them.  But, no cherry cordial M&M's.

Of course, these are now a must-have since I couldn't find them and I have actually (and, embarrassingly but admittedly) looked online for them to see who may have them.  Looks like they're a freakin' limited edition item around Christmas.


Ugh! Time to float away...

Random Things

After all, that is the point of this blog! 

So, I added another word to my list this weekend...brisket.  That just does not sound appetizing to me in the least. In fact, it sounds disgusting.  So, brisket is now on the list.

In the meantime, I am left over with some ham from Easter (not complaining), but trying to think of different things to do with it is not my forte.  However, dinner tonight will be a ham and bacon quiche, thanks to good ol' Southern Living.  Normally, I am annoyed because I don't have all the ingredients to make Southern Living recipes on a whim and when it requires a sudden trip to the grocery store, I quickly change to pb&j's for dinner!  But not tonight!  I have everything on the list and am excited to make something delicious out of the leftovers.

As I'm baking, I'm thinking how I have not been good in doing my "Thursdays of Thanks." I haven't really been good at doing anything except trying to make the dog treat business work!  But, I am thankful for many things, especially in April.  So many celebrations of the births of some of the most important people in my life! And for that, I am SO very thankful.  More to come on that.

I hope everyone had a beautiful Easter weekend and a happy Monday!

P

Do Not Use These Around Me

In my strange, strange mind, for as long as I can remember, I have kept a running list of words I just don't like.  They're not necessarily bad words, but to me, I can not stand hearing them in any way.  I add to this list at least monthly, coming upon a word that hits me wrong then saying, "that's going on the list!"

Here are just a few of them in no particular order (some you may understand why, some, maybe not):

*molest
*puss
*penetrate (they use this in football all the time and it just makes me cringe)
*ooze, oozing (any form of the word)
*hairy (when describing a situation...sick)
*scab
*phlegm
*willies (as in "gives me the willies")
*flesh, fleshy
*chunky
*navel (I prefer belly button! and in the sense of an orange - eww! although I love the oranges!)
*goiter (ever since the Seinfeld episode and Elaine's face seeing the goiter...I just imagine it being horrible!)
*fondle
*brilliant (when people from America say it like they're from England.  Makes me mad! So, now what was a great word has gone annoying in my book.)
*worm, wormy
*squirm (makes me squirm)
*goat cheese
*friction
*titillating
*putrid
*leatherneck
*giblet
*fester
*belly (even though I prefer belly button, I don't like belly by itself)
*moist (in describing anything other than a cake)

You get the idea...

Eating Organic?

I have never been a very "green" person, by my own admission, but lately I have heard of so many people in their 30s (ahh, my age group) coming down with a variety of cancers.  Maybe it's just we're more aware, hearing about them more and so many are being detected at earlier ages now?  Whatever it is, I am scared!  I know we can not control how long we are here on this earth, but if there is anything small I can do to try and keep my body healthy as long as possible, I really want to start (hoping it's not way too late). 

Our generation has grown up on so many fast, processed and preserved foods and most of them taste oh so good.  But, in realizing all these individuals at younger ages having cancer, I am apt to change my diet (laden with many preservative-rich foods, fast foods, diet sodas...).

I am researching to find what's best and what's not, because step in to a "health food" or "organic" store and your grocery bill can literally triple if you're not careful.  I'm determined to figure out the most important things to buy organic and local (when possible - like fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk, meats) and then change the extracurricular food choices, too, all the while not budging on my grocery budget.

We have a great store nearby, Native Sun, which houses wonderful items and has a great selection, so I'm looking to spend more time familiarizing myself with items and brands to really get the best things for the money.

I know I am way behind the eight ball on some of this stuff, so if you have any insights, recommendations or other information, please share it!

Procrastination

I own the crown.  Yes, I am the queen of it.  I procrastinate pretty much everything, sometimes to my benefit, sometimes to a fault. 

So, obviously I have procrastinated when it comes to this blog, but seriously, how many people are noticing?  (Now, don't let me offend those few of you who do actually enjoy reading my random thoughts!  That really does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated.) So, for the two of you, I am back today. :-)

I have been so busy NOT procrastinating at least one other thing, though, so that is a good thing.  I have been so excited to work on "my company" - Southern Inspired Treats (SIT).  Some of you know how much I love my dogs (past and present) and since quitting my "career job" in 2010, I have wanted to dabble around in trying to bake dog treats and start from the ground up with this little business.  Sounds easier than it actually is, as many of you know!   Getting appropriate licensing from the state and the county is almost impossible; testing out treats and figuring out what the dogs like is a bit easier (since most of them are not very picky and just want whatever you will give them!); finding affordable, yet cute ways to package my items is somewhat in the middle of difficult and easy and finding people to actually buy things from you is intimidating!

The good news is I have so many wonderful friends and family who are supporting me and helping me out!  Most of them dog lovers, too, but some of them just wanting to see this go well.  I am so thankful for that support and encouragement because there have been many days when I have said, "this is going to be too hard," and "what am I thinking?!"  But, so far, so good!  A few orders in, I am loving it and really hoping it grows!  And, needless to say, Amos and Sophie are gaining weight.  For Sophie at 4.5 lbs. soaking wet, this is okay.  For 10-month-old Amos, weighing in at over 90 lbs., this is maybe not so okay.

So, while I've been holding off writing on this blog, I have been trying to keep this one going and moving forward!  I would appreciate you all taking a look and letting me know your thoughts and ordering something for your dogs or recommending to your friends with dogs.  I am excited too, because in April, that blog will have an entirely new look, more branded for Southern Inspired Treats.

Well, I've got to do laundry now.  I've put that off long enough!