TAG...I'M IT!

I was tagged by Tanja and I liked reading 7 things about her so... Here goes:

1. I am the oldest child... I have two sisters and one brother. I seem to be alittle bossy at times. I am the only member of my family that has moved away from St. George.

2. In my former professional life, I was a high school teacher. I taught English and History... when I started teaching I was 23... 5 years older than my teacher's aide. I taught in St. George for 5 years and then in Boise for 5 years. I quit when we moved back to Utah. ( now that I have exposed that I was an English teacher... don't go checkin' my grammar- I gave that up years ago!)

3. Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year. I actually love the snow. I don't think I could ever move back to St. George because of the weather...TOO HOT! I love having all 4 seasons- especially fall!

4. I love to laugh until my stomach hurts. I think that laughter is the best medicine for whatever ails you! It is my favorite to just sit with girlfriends and laugh all night! I don't do girls night out very often, but I do love it when it happens. I love funny!

5. My dream is to go to 2 movies back-to-back. I would pay for both, but I would be in heaven if I could watch 1 movie and then get a Coke refill and go right into the other movie. My man doesn't love to go to the movies... so we don't go very often, but I am going to do this before the end of the year!

6. Speaking of things I am going to do... I have a 2008 bucket list- Some of the items on this list are: see 2 movies back-to-back, attend a Halloween witches' brew ( in costume), Take Meg to the Nutcracker, Make homemade bread, start exercising again, wash all the windows in my house, attend a cousin/sister retreat, host a holiday party, etc...etc...etc... Just a few- I will keep you posted!

7. If I had a job ( other than being a housemom)... it would be #1- An event planner... getting to plan a fabulous party and spend other people's money...it's a win/win situation #2- Be an Aesthetician- get paid to give facials ( in other words...get paid to pick zits).

I tag...
Collette- Five of Mine
Mindi- Word to your mother
Tammy- Time Flies
Tonia & Marla ( 7 thing for each of you)- Over the Tipsy Top Design
Andrea- Life in the slow lane
Shan- It's my life
Vanessa- You don't know Schmidt

sorry...I hope you all want to play along... I can't wait to read more about you!

Fabulous Fall... just a bit late!

It is Sunday... but I am posting Fabulous Fall Friday- just a lit late!

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away- and there is nothing that says autumn like everything apple! Here are a few of my favorite apple treats!

Wassail is such a warm yummy Fall/ Holiday tradition! Here is how I make it...

1 gallon apples juice

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup lemon juiced

2 cups sugar

15 cinnamon sticks

20 whole cloves

15 whole allspice berries

( if you want it to appear a little redish... throw in 10-20 cinnamon red hots)

Bring to a boil and then simmer. Strain all the spices out and serve with a cinnamon stick. Any extra can be saved in a pitcher ( or the apples juice container) in the fridge to warm up in the microwave upon demand.

Apple Caramel Dipping Sauces-
#1- 8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1 tsp. vanilla
mix together and chill... you could mold this into a ball and then roll in broken Heath pieces.

#2 1 jar of Carmel sauce ( I like to use Mrs. Richardson's)
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
Heath Bar pieces

** Serve both recipes with apples slices!

* Here is my FAVORITE tip for preventing apples from turning brown. Everyone knows that lemon juice prevents the browning, but then your apples taste like lemon/apples. I fill a huge pot with very cold water and about 2-3 cups of sugar. Let the sugar dissolve and then as you slice the apples drop them in the sugar water. You can leave them in there for a while and when you are ready to serve, your apples will look freshly cut for hours.

I am trying to find my motivation!

I am trying to find my motivation...

Do I sound like a famous actor trying to "get into" my next role...well I'm not! I am a housemom that is trying to conquer my next task... and not getting very far! I know I am an adrenaline junkie ( someone who needs urgency to get things done), but lately I have had a hard time getting into doing anything...sure, I have been making aprons and stars and glittering things, but I think all of that is just to try to glitter over other things! What are these "other things"? I don't even know! I just know that something is out of whack and it is probably just me! I need to step back, take a deep breath and work it out! Here is how pathetic I have been... I have been upset about putting some of my Boot Camp weight back on! Last night I watched my DVR'ed "The Biggest Loser" WHILE eating a cinnamon roll! And the worst thing is... I was mad I only had one! That isn't good. Maybe I am tired from my party at Tonia's, maybe I am not medicated nearly enough, maybe I am lazy and just need to suck it up and clean my house, maybe I am just bored! Who knows! I know the post I should be posting is "Thankful Thursday" because there are ALOT of people who have it ALOT worse than I...but we'll postpone that for another day... I know this was probably sad and yucky to read... so sorry. We'll see what tomorrow brings... I might be back on cloud 9... I'm a little crazy... I know!

She has done it again!

SHE has done it again! I just got home from Tonia's Sex and the City party. It came out today on DVD and we celebrated in true "Over the Tipsy Top" Fashion!

We had GREAT treats! Fabulous cupcakes, s'mores margaritas ( pudding, graham crackers and whip cream done up right in a margarita glass), yummy punch..popcorn, M&Ms, etc. etc.etc.

P.S. The napkin had a woman relaxing on the grass with the saying, " I was never meant to work" written on it. LOVE IT!I wanted the girls to feel like they were part of the movie so I brought our version of a pink cosmopolitan martini- A martini glass filled with pink M&Ms, pink whoppers, and even a swirly stick with a little extra bling!
Tonia never disappoints! She had a Sex and the City glitter cup ready for everyone.

The best part... it was a PJ party- so we all showed up in our PJ's to watch fashion, friendship, and a great love story. We all felt so glamorous! It was a great night with fun friends!

Thanks Tonia for hosting another successful girlfriend pinkalicious bash!

A is for Apron...

A is usually for apron... but today A is for Addiction! It has been an apron making day and a half! I had a birthday luncheon for a friend so I made her a Halloween apron and I had such a fun time doing it ,I made another. Below is the photo of the one I kept... sorry I forgot to take a photo of the one I gave away.

I love skulls so... what makes more sense than bedazzling me some for Halloween... well ironing on a rhinestone patch.

( If only glitter stuck well to fabric... notice I said well- I have tried it)

Have no fear... the fabric has a glitter sheen to it so I am going to be OKAY!

This is the little poem that I put on a card with the Halloween apron:

Here’s a little Halloween gift
To help with trick or treat!
You’ll go to the door
And look so spooky sweet!

It will make you look so festive-
In this time of scary things!
A little black, orange & purple-
Don’t forget about the bling!

Nothing’s better than a sassy witch
Who serves up eye of newt!
This will make cooking easy-
And you will look so very cute!

The fun didn't stop there... I went to a fabulous fabric store with my darling neighbor and saw this fabric and a new pattern. LOVED it. We both did- so we both bought it and made it yesterday. We have a church pie-making activity... so we are going to wear them and be TWINS! ( This is the stuff that is making "Seriously So Blessed" a fortune) I even bought a bedazzler ( for real) and I am going to add little rhinestones all over the flowers. Here is the finished project MINUS the bedazzling! It has been a fun few days- I am planning on making a few more, but I first need my man to go out of town so I don't have to worry about the backpedaling.

Sorry about the scary photos... I am photographically challenged! I am going to get it together someday... (promises...promises!)

My own people?

Just before Meg started school we were having a conversation about her going to school all day long... it went something like this:

Me- Meggie are you so excited to be in 1st grade and go to school all day?

Meg: Yeah, Mom I even get to eat lunch there.

Me: I know! I am kindof sad that you are going to be gone all day... I liked it when we ate lunch together... sometimes we ate at home and sometimes we went to lunch. Wasn't that fun? What am I going to do without you?

Meg: Mom... ( looking totally disgusted) You are going to have to get your own people.

I must be pathetic if my daughter is telling me to get my own people and leave her alone. That just cracked me up... but the best part was the sequel to the conversation- It went something like this:

Meg: Mom, I am so tired! I just hate to get up in the morning!

Me: I know it is so hard. I am proud of you for getting up so early and getting ready so well.

Meg: Mom, remember when I was a kid and we hung out all morning long before kindergarten?

Me: Yeah that was fun, wasn't it. But, remember you told me I needed to get my own people?

Meg: Yeah, I sure wish I was one of your morning people... just hangin' out, watching cartoons, and drinkin' Diet Pepsi. Mom, you've got the life!

Kids say the craziest things... Now if you'll excuse me- I have got to take my diet Pepsi and go... Sponge Bob Square Pants is on and I can't miss it!

The Queen of Halloween!

The Queen of Halloween is having a "Spooktacular" giveaway!

Tammy is giving away some fabulous Halloween decor and tricky treats! Here is how you play... Go on over to Tammy's blog and leave a comment for one entry...then post a pic of your favorite Halloween decor and tell her to check it out... for your second entry. I hope nobody plays along because I want to win... The sign has glitter- HELLO! It was made for me! I am excited to check out all the Halloween decor- it will give me a few new ideas!

Fabulous Fall...

There is nothing better than sitting out in the cooling afternoon reading a book and early Fall is the perfect time to get some reading in before the craziness of the holidays. I have listed a few of my favorite reads... things I have recently read ( #3- I've read twice)
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a great read. It is a book that hooked me early and I couldn't put down. A great read. I listened to it on CD and it was AMAZING! The person that read it was great and the plot is really great! LOVE THIS BOOK!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak- LOVED THIS BOOK. It is about a little girl in Nazi Germany that uses books to make sense of the world around her. She steals books as mementos of her life. The strange thing about this book is that "Death" is the narrator- it took me a minute or two to figure this out...but it is a heartbreakingly great book!

This is my favorite book! It isn't a deep read...not something that is going to help you solve the world's mysteries or problems- but a great way to spend a fall afternoon! Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella is the first book in a whole series about the hysterical life of Becky Bloomwood. This is a little bit of British humor that will just crack you up. I am sad that I have already read the entire series...for I would love to be just meeting Becky for the first time. This is laugh out loud goodness!

I hope you really do sit down, enjoy the cooling weather, and open a good book!

Have a great weekend!

I am seeing stars...

I am seeing stars!

I have had so many e-mails requesting information on these Halloween stars that I am going to hang my shingle on my blog. I am now taking orders! The cost will be $50.00 plus shipping for a 16" star. These are so fun to decorate with... hang them alone, in groups, on your door...wherever! I know that living in Utah we all have a "I can make that for cheaper" attitude... I have found that to make them fabulous it requires a great bow with many different ribbons... great if you're making many not so cost effective for one or two. I will allow you to choose between classical ( shown above) and more juvenile ( more purples, greens, cartoony). If you are interested... just e-mail me at thisandthat-amy@hotmail.com. Leave contact information and I will get right back to you.

I hope you get stars in your eyes!

The visions of sugar plums? No...glitter!

One of my very favorite things to do is to have a little afternoon nap if I am totally wiped out. Today was such a day... I knew the kids were going to be home from school in 1 hour and the quietness of the house was too much temptation. I laid down and started to doze... I started thinking about all the things I could glitter... and how much I love spray glitter. Just before I fell from the cliff that makes me jump I found myself chuckling about the time Collette busted me with the glitter can INSIDE my house spraying my Christmas decorations that were already up. The wreath on my door? Sprayed with glitter WHILE on my door. I even love the glitter eyeliner at MAC that comes out every Thanksgiving. I buy enough to last throughout the year. So... in my moment of complete relaxation and utter peace... I found my little evil glitter mind working on my next glitter-fest. I think this is a problem. You know you are ADHD when you can't stop thinking about glitter even while falling asleep. I don't count sheep... I glitter them!

Happy Day Shan!

Happy Birthday Shannon! This is a photo from Halloween 1987... we all dressed up like Hookers and Sarah was Guido the Killer pimp. We all gave her $20 in one dollar bills and she bank-rolled for us all night long. Shannon is the total babe in the front with the silver sports bra ( next to Guido). Lets see... she is a year older than me and I am forever 29... so that makes her...30 today! Yeah! If you look closely you might be able to find the Queen of Blogging...Mindi...on the back row. I am the scary looking one on the far left. Yikes! Happy Birthday Shannon... we've had so many memories in the past! I am glad we have reconnected! Let's have a belated birthday lunch!

On top of the world!

This last weekend we traveled to St. George for a little visit with the fam! Caylor and the boys knew that I was going to be "sistering" ( the activity that happens when I go to St. George and hook up with my sisters and mom and cousins and friends and any other woman that likes to drink Diet Coke, laugh and have a good time) so they decided they were going to do something fun and unique...they went to Zion's National Park to hike Angel's Landing. This is something I am kindof embarrassed to say that I have NEVER done... ( not THAT embarrassed because you didn't see me loading in the car to go with them). Caylor, Mitch, Jacks and my two nephews ( Raycen & Riley) all ventured to the mecca for all people German to hike the mountain. Mitch teased Jacks all the way to St. George that he would be afraid to climb the chain and go to the top...well when they got there- Jacks , Raycen and Caylor climbed the chain while Mitch & Riley kicked back in the safe zone and watched. I was really proud of all the boys for doing it. They had a great time and did something really great! I was also proud of Caylor for taking the boys and getting out of the glitter zone ( we did glitter crafts at Viv's house while the little girls swam). It was a fun weekend all around. I missed out on seeing my friends, but had a great time hanging with the sisters and mom ( that includes my sister-in-law...whom we consider one of the sisters). It was beautiful weather, fun company, and just an all around excellent weekend.

Fabulous Fall...Seasonals!

Yes... it is Friday and time to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. One reason ( of about 10,000) I really love fall is it is the kick-off of the Holiday Season. Football, Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas & New Years... all start with fall. Today I put up all my Halloween and Autumn "seasonals" and I was quite happy the way they turned out! Since this is my blog I am going to include photos... like it or laugh- whatever! I did my porch, front door, entryway, and half of my entertainment center in autumn and then the other half of my entertainment center, mantle and end-table in Halloween decor. Last year was the first time I decorated for Halloween, but I can tell it is becoming a favorite! ( I changed the photos from a mosaic... hope you can see them better)

What would Fall be without the yummy food associated with this glorious season? As a part 2 of my weekly Fall post... I am going to share a favorite fall recipe or food idea. This is the absolute BEST time of the year to entertain. SO MANY fun ideas and tasty treats!

#1 tip- Costco is now selling their pumpkin pies... Meg eats a piece every morning for breakfast!

Recipe: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

1 block of cream cheese

1/2 to 1 cup of pumpkin ( depends on how orange you want it)

sugar ( to taste)

pumpkin pie spices

* This is so easy because all you do it mix it up and let it chill... you can make it into a cheese ball and serve with ginger snaps... HEAVENLY!

Thankful Thursday

I have so much to be Thankful for this week...

1. Jackson got the best teacher ( well actually she is the strictest in the whole school) and I think it is going to be the best thing that ever happened to him! Meggie got the two cutest 1st grade teachers ever! They team teach and she is loving school... IF she can stop crying because she is soooo tired. Mitch...oh Mitch! I am glad they have the computer link to the school so I can keep up on Mitch's grades... This year he is really being responsible on his own... hope it keeps up. If you can't tell... I am thankful school is in and we are getting down to a routine. My kids have good teachers and I hope they can soon start doing their homework by themselves because the new season of TV is coming on soon and I have got shows to watch... Oh yeah- That is why I have DVR!

2. Today my man and I went to lunch and ran errands in town all day before I had to take him to the airport... It was so fun to just hang out and talk and laugh and just be with him. He really is so dang funny and we have fun together... It was a really great day!

3. Legacy Highway is soon opening up and the traffic won't be so dang bad. I do not love living in a bottle neck!

4. THE LEAVES ARE STARTING TO CHANGE COLORS! I have been keeping an eagle eye lookout for the leaves to start changing on my mountain and they have and now I am even seeing some in town! I love it... I am so dang excited, but I will save my joy for tomorrow's FABULOUS FALL post.

5. Good books... Have I ever mentioned that I would rather read than just about anything else? I love love love to read and to talk books with

people. I should have been a librarian... I have been reading some great books lately and I have to say that there is nothing better than reading on a cool-ish fall day.

6. The normalcy of my life- I am just living a normal, crazy, often spoiled life! I am so glad there are no big problems - sure life isn't always easy... but today I am very thankful for just a NORMAL life- no life threatening illness, no major accidents, no catastrophic trauma... just everyday life. I am not going to look at it as mundane... it is a blessing- I am going to count it!

There are just a few things that bring joy to my life. Sometimes things are crazy ( mostly me) but, I have much to be grateful for...

Happy Day To My Man!

DON"T LAUGH... This is one of my very most favorite photos EVER! Today is Caylor's birthday! He doesn't even read my blog...but it is a type of journaling, right! I am documenting our lives! Isn't his birth date cool? Next year it will be 09-09-09. We are really going to party then... Here are a few things I love about him!

* He is so dang funny... he makes me laugh EVERYDAY!

* He is a great husband- the love of my life.

* He is such a good dad- The kids love him so much and he does so much for them!

* He is so handsome!

* He is a hard worker and sacrifices so much for our family!

* He is kind.

* He is clean- I am sometimes the piggie in this relationship- I saved him from being a very fussy bachelor.

* He is a good leader- whatever the situation he can take charge and get things done.

* He is spiritual and wants what is best for our family.

* He is a good time... sometimes seems like the mild mannered business man, but he can still cut loose and be the life of the party!

* He is a good friend... His best friend is still the same guy from High School.

* He treats me so good... I am spoiled..if you don't believe me, just call my mom and grandma!

* He is good at his job- I love to watch him at work... he has a natural charm and charisma.

* He is level headed when I tend to be a little flighty... In other words- " He completes me"

* He is my best friend... I would rather be with him than anyone else...EVER!

* He is just the best dang thing that ever happened to me and I am glad he is my man!

Happy Birthday Caylor... You are the best!

Okay... I'm addicted!

I have really become addicted to C Jane's blog and information about Nie Nie. I almost feel dumb calling her "Nie Nie" because I don't know this family and I kindof feel like I am prying. I guess that is the beauty of a blog... you can blurk. Collette and I ran some errands together yesterday and as we rode along we started chatting about this tragedy. We talked about it for 30 minutes... we don't even know these people and yet we are soooo saddened by their situation. Then last night we were glad to see C Jane on the KSL news. I think it is amazing the response and love that has flown through the blogoshpere concerning this sweet family. I have thought ALOT about my own family...sisters and nieces and nephews...and my thought and prayers are with the mom and dad, the 4 little kids that are picking up an old life in a new world, the aunt that is stepping into a full-time role as mother of 5... it is such a touching story. Ijust watched them on the Today show and am so happy that this story has gone "national" ( like it wasn't already national via the blogoshpere) . I thought her family was so darling and positive and I love seeing those photos. I am sure that those pictures are priceless. What a great story! I guess the response just goes to show that there still are good people in the world and most are touched by other's human experience. I know this was quite a deep post and hopefully that I am back to my same shallow-self tomorrow!

I got Nothin'...

Today is a slow day, just recooping from the weekend. I have got nothing to talk about... I am in a blogging slump... so sorry... later!

Fabulous, Fabulous Fall...

If you haven't noticed... I LOVE FALL! So... in celebration of my favorite time of year I am going to dedicate Fridays to the things autumn that I love. I am not trying to give decorating ideas or be any kind of designer ( I'll leave that up to my Over the Tipsy Top friends, Tonia and Marla)...just going to show you some things I think are cute and fun for the most fabulous time of the year!Last week Tonia and I were out and about and we saw this DARLING Halloween star at Heartland Paper in Bountiful... we had to copy it. It was so fun and easy to do! While Viv was in town we projected the night away... we made four of these little beauties and I thought they turned out so cute. I think I am going to hang it from my ceiling with Halloween ribbon. I am really getting ready to put up my Halloween decorations. I can hardly wait until the 15 of September. I have to wait because I just can't have Fall decor up longer than Christmas decor.

Speaking of Halloween and Fall decorations... There is a great store called "Secret Haven" located at the Rock Loft in Fruit Heights- they are having their annual "Witches Night Out" next Monday- September 8th from 4:00- 9:00 p.m. If you dress up like a witch they are giving you 30% off one item. It is the cutest place in the world to go get unique fun decorations and even better ideas. It really is a great store- probably one of my FAVORITES! My mom and I shopped a little there yesterday and it totally got me ready for fall... Is it possible to be any more excited? Check out the "Witches Night Out" Who knows I just might bump into you there...

Check that NASTY project off the list!

Put a great big check mark on that nasty pantry cleaning job! I got it done!
I have decided I am kindof a PIG! I can't believe I allowed my pantry to get soooo bad! I know that all three of you that read this are thinking..."more junk on the stupid pantry?... Why me and I wonder what is posted on Seriously So Blessed today?" Don't switch just yet... I have got to come clean about what has been haunting me for months... yes I said months. I knew I needed to get this bad boy in shape, but the thought just made me want to scream. I decided that today was the day... I posted it on my blog so I had to get results... that was good peer pressure. Being the blogger I try to be... I even took photos and I must say I am quite embarrassed about what you are about to see. I really am not such a slacker..but here goes. The photos on the left side of the cube are before and the done deal is right next to it on the right. I even tried to get the same angle on the before and after shot. See my shame! I must also say that it took me ALL day to get this monster under control. Moral of my story? Either hire someone really good to clean and organize ( even if a kidney has to be sold to pay for it) or be a little more on top of things that need to be done. Well I am off to check off another thing on my list...party it up with my mom and sister-in-law, Mindy. We are going to shop, and laugh, and go to lunch, and have a ball... Just trying to do what I set my mind up to do! Aprons to be made Thursday...they are going to be so cute... I'll take pics!

I've got BIG plans!

Okay.. so today is Tuesday, but it feels like Monday, and I have got big plans! Last week was the first week of school so I indulged in a little bit of "me" time. Well I have danced all night now I need to pay the fiddler... I have got things to do. I know that one difference between successful people and... well those that don't quite get their crap done (me) is the ability to write their goals down. I am trying to take a page out of Tanja's book and make a list, but most importantly stick to it and check the items off my list. I figure if I actaully write it out loud then I might be held accountable for it. SO- here it is... MY LIST...

(This was a handy little thing from superstickies... Kindof a fun idea I got from Kami)

Here is the run-down...I have got to make a few aprons... 1 for an apron swap I entered online from Apronista, 1 for a bridal shower, and 1 for Halloween ( a gift to send early). I have GOT to organize my pantry... it is a disaster... and then the third thing on the list is Party with VIV- Yes Viv is coming to town and we are going to have a ball. So I have got to organize my time so I work smart, not hard. I have got a lot to do before the party queen hits town this-afternoon. I will post some photos of my progress. I am trying to get my crap together and be a disciplined adult. We'll see how long that lasts.