What's In Your Handbag?

My hubby picked out this purse for me for my birthday last year and I LOVE it! 

There is lots of room for everything I need! 

My wallet, checkbook, planner, kindle fire, gum, chapstick, lip gloss, pens, cell phone and a small pencil pouch that I keep headphones, extra pens & chapstick, hair bands, a few OTC's & "lady products", 

band-aids and such. 

Sometimes I keep random receipts in the middle zippered pocket to try and keep things neat & organized in my purse.  

What about you...what's your favorite handbag? How do you keep your purse neat & organized? 

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I have always bought jarred alfredo sauce. I just assumed that it was hard & expensive to make your own. 

I found a recipe and gave it a try. I should have tried it years ago! It's so much better than the store bought jarred alfredo sauce, and it is pretty easy! 

Homemade Alfredo Sauce 

1 stick butter

1 clove minced garlic

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 cup shredded parmesan or italian cheese blend

2 TBSP cream cheese

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat melt 1 stick butter, add the  clove of minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Then add in 1 pint heavy cream and  2 TBSP cream cheese and cook until bubbling, but do not boil.

Stir in 1 cup shredded italian cheese and mix until cheese is melted. Sprinkle in salt & pepper. 

Pour over your favorite noodles and enjoy!  

Slimey-Gooey-Gross-Oobleck!

Today we made oobleck! 

It's super easy, messy,"science-y",slimey fun! 

Oobleck

2 cups cornstarch

1 cup water

food coloring

This recipe is approximate-we experimented adding a little more of each ingredient to test out different consistencies. This is messy so you may want to put newspaper down before starting 

AND...just to warn you- the food coloring does stain your hands a little. 

I'm sure a soak in the bathtub tonight will take care of it. 

Measuring the cornstarch...

Adding the water slowly...

Mixing is a little tough...

It's a solid & a liquid! Mind Blowing!! 

Our 1st shade of green SLIME! 

Messy Fun! 

We added some yellow food coloring to get a more 

lime color to our oobleck. 

And guess what? 

It washes off your hands and your bowl super easy! 

We had fun experimenting with the consistency and the color.

 We talked about liquids & solids, the way the oobleck felt on your hand, and how it would run through your fingers. That's about as "science-y" as I get. He had a great time, and I put it in a ziploc container to hopefully play with tomorrow. I'll follow-up with how it works the next day. 

Artsy-Fartsy Fun

Cyrus & I decided to have a "mommy-son date night". After throwing a few ideas around we decided to head to Wal-Mart. We picked out some inexpensive wooden objects-birdhouse & key holder sign-from the craft section and some acrylic paint. We had a great time picking out our supplies & spending the evening painting! It was a very inexpensive and fun way to spend some quality time together. 

Here's my little artist starting on the wooden birdhouse. For Mother's Day he made me some really cute "suncatchers" that are hanging in the big tree in our front yard. Cyrus thought the small birdhouse would

be a nice addition to the tree. 

I picked out this key-holder sign. Out last key-holder shelf recently broke and I've been needing a good place to keep the keys handy. Teal is my favorite color! 

We always have a good time together! 

Finishing up his masterpiece! These colors match the suncatchers! 

All finished! 

I can't wait to have the birdhouse hung in our tree and our key-holder up in our entryway! 

If you're looking for an easy craft with your kiddos-or just yourself!-this was quick, easy & cheap way to have some artsy-fartsy fun! 

9 things about me

 1. I love iced coffee...it's my new favorite thing.

2. I want to paint my kitchen teal.

3. I'm not sure what I'm going to cook for dinner tonight-probably should be figuring that out now instead of blogging.

4. My grandma had a tattoo on her face. Yep, it's true! It was just a tiny "beauty mark" on her cheek, but it sure is funny to say: A. My grandma had a tattoo. B. It's on her face!

5. I have 2 dogs- Pinto, a pocket beagle & Gidget- a mini pinscher

6. I am an La Leche League leader because I love babies & mamas, support breastfeeding and want people to know how amazing natural childbirth is.

7. I love, love, love my hubby and my son. They are the sunshine of my heart!

8. I got a good nights sleep last night & I am amazed at what a difference that can make. Sleep is good!

9. I want to become better...more organized, together, fit & healthy, happy, super mom, trophy wife, better blogger, home decor extraordinaire, gardener, always remember to say my prayers & work on my relationship with God,  laundry caught up all the time, etc etc....BUT, while some of these are necessary-  I need to learn to be content & happy with myself now. I am enough. This is hard for me to learn lately.

Valentine's Day 2013

Cyrus & Craig had some beautiful flowers delivered on Valentine's Day-Cyrus told Craig he HAD to give his "Mama" some flowers! Sweet-Sweet-Boys! 

My little buddy Cam testing out my Valentine's Day strawberry cupcakes! 

Cyrus showing off the goodies he got me! 

p.s. Check out the stuffed dog-he talked Craig into 

getting this for me and promptly told me it was for himself! 

Lavender & Pink Strawberry Valentine's Day Cupcakes! 

Craig & I finally got to have a "date night" & enjoyed dinner together at Ruby Tuesdays'. 

Cy snapped a photo of us once we got home. 

No More New Years' Resolutions!

Every year I come up with a whole list of new years resolutions. I'm sure there's an old blog on here with
a list of wonderful, ambitious things I want to do & change-but that's usually as far as it goes. A week or two in and I'm over it, I've forgotten my goals and I give up. That's one of biggest flaws-forgetting & giving up.
So, this year I am not setting new years resolutions. I'm just setting goals...goals can be started/stopped/re-started anytime. Granted, resolutions can too...but there's just something more "official" about resolutions.

My goal #1 is to lose weight & get healthy. This has been a goal for a few years now and yet I just keep GAINING weight. I am so disappointed and honestly amazed that I have let myself go this long. I have 40 lbs to lose. 40-FORTY! I am inching closer & closer to "obese" and that is scary. I had no idea I had let myself get "unhealthy".It's not just about how I look or feel. I have to lose this weight. 40lbs! That is such a huge number for me, but I just have to work a little at a time, day by day, and keep up with it. I usually start with some crazy work out & diet plan and then after a few days to a week it becomes unrealistic & overwhelming and surprise-I give up.
On Pinterest{-my favorite thing ever!}I found this:

The STARTER's exercise plan! It is so simple, but the point is just getting into the habit of exercising everyday. While I feel I should be starting off with a BANG I know this is something I can keep up with.  {AGAIN: I found this on Pinterest-I did not create it & certainly cannot take credit for it.}

Goal #2 is to learn to save & make it a habit. {Again with the habits, I know, I know!} We are planning to take Cyrus to Disney World this year. This is a great motivation to start saving. I am SO excited to take this vacation & see his face as we experience this as a family. I just can't wait. GALLOWAY FAMILY VACATION-HERE WE COME! Disney World or bust!