Suze Is Back, Alright! (duh, duh nuh nuh nuh nuh, duh, nuh nuh nuh)

Whoever gets the title song reference wins a prize! (not really, but you'll be LOVED by me)

 

Well it's been a long 4 months away from blogging, but I think it's about time I get back into the habit. We've had a crazy 4 months. Here's what we've been up to:

• Finalized our two older girl's adoptions
• Vacation in the Tri-Cities and the WA/OR Coasts
• Back to school for all 4 girls

Doesn't seem like much, but it was a fun summer for us and I can't wait to go on vacation next year!

However this season is my favorite one! I LOVE Autumn and all of the fun and excitement it brings. Back to school, Halloween, two Thanksgivings (CAN & US), my birthday, etc... Seriously this is my FAVORITE time of year.

BTW Have you discovered Pinterest yet? It is like every blogstalkers dream worst nightmare! Okay it's both. I find myself spending a lot of time on there. But I have gathered a lot of great ideas from it, so I justify it in every way.

Today I made these for my big girls: (camera phone pics - sorry!)

I got the idea from here. I saw it on Pinterest and thought it would be a GREAT idea to build a better relationship with my two older ones. Because they're adopted they still have "mom issues" and what better way to bond and attach to me, than to become pen pals! I LOVED the idea and I got right onto making them.

I just cut out some pretty paper and made a title and their name using Microsoft Publisher; a little Mod Podge to glue and seal it all up and voila! I put a letter inside to start. It says:

 Dear ______,

Would you like to be my pen pal? Instead of mailing letters to each other, we can keep them here in this notebook. I think it would be a lot of fun! 

I will write to you and then leave the notebook on your bed. Then, when you want to write me back you can begin writing on the next page and leave the notebook on my office desk when you are done.

You can write about anything! It can be funny or serious. About life, friends, boys, church, whatever! Just write about anythnig that is on your mind!

I am so excited and I hope that you are excited too!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Write back soon!

On the back I also put a quote that I liked, that I also found on Pinterest (seriously LOVE that site!)

Changing Lives ~ One Person At A Time

Who'da thought my blog would do someone any good?

Well it just so happens that it did just that.

I posted this a while ago about my new blender and how even my girls love healthy smoothies. Well after reading this post, Cheryl over at ThatGirlIsFunny.com made a comment:

So first, I was like, "brussel sprouts with grapes? yuck!" Then, I saw your kids enjoying it and I had to stop to reconsider. Isn't it funny how our point of view changes so quickly when we see someone else do something that we thought was unlikely or impossible?.... I've been having trouble adding in enough fresh vegetables lately. You've given me new resolve to try making smoothies at home. Wow! What if your post actually gave me a way to get my 5 servings of veggies every day? I have some carrots - I'll see what my regular blender does with them. Here's to good health! :D ....What if I really made eating brussel sprouts a habit? If your little girl liked it, surely I can manage it? I'll accept the challenge (gulp - or should I say slurp?)

....OK, I just made my first smoothie! I think your blender probably is more powerful than mine. But I managed to make a carrot-apple-cranberry juice smoothie! Now, need to go shopping for brussel sprouts, broccoli and oranges. I think you may have solved a my "not enough fresh veggies" problem. Thanks for showing your kids enjoying their smoothies. That worked to put me in action. Look at you, making the world a healthier place, one heart at at time :D

So after reading that, I felt pretty darn good about my post and how it might've changed just one person's life. I didn't really take her seriously. I mean, no offense, I didn't know her personally and how was I to know she was serious?

Well she was. She even wrote a post about it here.

I'm so glad that I can eat healthier by using my blender to add more fruits and veggies into mine and my kids lives. I'm especially glad that I was able to influence even one person as well.

(*tear!)

Show Your Stuff Off!

I joined in the "Show Off Your Stuff Party #20", today over at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

PS I'm #95 on the link list.

Suze ~ The Blog Stalker

I stalk quite a few blogs.

Some I find from stalking other blogs.

Most of these blogs are about crafting, sewing, DIY, cooking.

They inspire me and allow me to dream that "someday I'll do that project" or "bank that one in the idea pot".

Well about a month ago I discovered the ultimate blog.

A girl named Ana and her obsession with furniture.


***Flashback to the past.......


I took a semester (well part of a semester, cause I moved early that school year) in 10th grade of woodworking. It was something that I wanted to try and I ended up loving it. It totally freaked me out (all those power tools and their POWER) but at the same time I loved what you could create with wood. I love the smell of lumber and to this day, one of my favorite smells, is a "home store" lumber section. Anyways since my woodworking days in highschool, I always knew that one day I would do something with wood.


***Back to the future.......

Knock-Off Wood is a blog dedicated to people who dream of expensive furniture from over priced catalogues/retail stores, but can never afford it. Actually it's more of a, "why on earth would you EVER pay for something like that, when you could build it yourself", kinda blog.

The blog author, Ana, is a stay-at-home mom and with a wonderful talent for looking at a piece of furniture and being able to not only making it look exactly like the original, but also making up the plans for everyone in the world to be able to make it themselves.

She has totally inspired me to do exactly what she's done and that is create.

As soon as I'm back on my leg again, I plan on creating something that she's designed. Well at least it will be on the list of things I'm going to do.

Dan's being very supportive in this and he's ordered me some books on woodworking. What a hunk! Thanks again Lovey.

Anyways right now Ana's celebrating her 1 millionth hit on her blog. She's only been blogging for just over 100 days and her blogsite has been hit over a million times. Can we say genius?

She's giving away a $50 gift card to either Lowes or Home Depot if you leave a comment on her post.(Make sure you say that I referred you, cause if you win, then I'll get a Gift Certificate too!) Check out her site and be inspired, like I've been.

Also check back in the future for my own projects that I've built. The first one I plan on doing is this bench for my entry way. To think I was going to spend about $200 at Cost Plus World Market for one. I just couldn't justify it, but it was exactly what I wanted for my entry way and couldn't find it cheaper any where else. Well now I plan on building my own. Stay tuned!