Vacation Mode

We are getting ready for this years family vacation! A first for us as we will be cruising!

I feel like there is so much to learn about cruising and what is supposed to be a relaxed vacation is getting a bit stressful. We will be spending a week in Florida- driving the keys, visiting Everglades and Kennedy Space Center, then we will board the ship and head to Grand Cayman and Cuba!

I am most excited about Cuba, but again, so much to learn. I have  been studying and reading every thing I can get my hands on for this trip.  What I have learned is that it is safe but oppressed. The people want us there and then they don't. It is a way of life and a new culture for them to have their home become a tourist destination. My husband and I have always wanted to travel there so this is a bucket list for us and we are taking in as much as possible.

46 days to go!

More info on visiting Cuba from Forbes: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2018/04/23/yes-you-can-still-travel-to-cuba/#cf36740378db

Still here...

I am still here. Still trying to figure this whole "blogging" thing out. Still wanting someone to listen, still trying to figure out what to even blog about! 

I am a mom, I travel, I work, I occasionally craft, I try to lose weight, I try to maintain weight, we budget...All of these things I have seen people blog about. Usually, they have one topic. I feel like  Jill of all Trades. I know a little about a lot of things, but do I follow them all or just narrow it down to one?

Then even if I decide, how do I promote? Do I want my family and neighbors to know my thoughts? Or just strangers I may never have to face? Do I leverage my friends and family for more traffic. So many things to decide.

But for all that it matters, I am here. Still just going one day at a time.

Accidental Vegan

Yeah..funny story.  So last month, the hubby and I decided to go away for the weekend, last minute. We rode our Harley to Mendocino (our original goal was to get to Bodega Bay. We did and then had a wonderful cheeseburger lunch at 2 pm-this becomes important later in the story because while deciding what to order we had a conversation about having a fancy (steak) dinner once we got to our next destination. So, instead of steak for lunch we had burgers.).. 

After several hours riding up the coast it was cold and getting dark. We rode past Mendocino and into Ft. Bragg. We weren't happy with the hotel choices. We wanted to try an "inn" as opposed to a chain type hotel. We rode straight through the main highway in Ft. Bragg and then opted to turn around and go back to Mendocino. 

I should also mention, I am deathly afraid of bridges. Ever been to this part of California? Yeah, all bridges!

We opted to stay at the first inn we came to. Freezing, wind blowing, getting hungry and allergies getting worse by the minute, I told my husband I trusted him and he could chose the inn. He turns into the first one we pass. A beautiful place, gorgeous plants and flowers in full bloom, thanks to all the CA rain. While it made the scenery beautiful, it was reeking havoc on my already sensitive allergies. But, we went in anyway.

We walk through the lower part of the inn, where they have a mini gym, yoga studio, etc. We make our way upstairs and the place really is beautiful. Warm fire in the lobby, music playing. We arrive at the reception desk and ask about any available rooms. The young lady says she has vacancies and can show us a room. 

What they neglected to tell us was they are the only 100% eco- friendly, vegan resort in North America! hahaha, we found this out while sitting in their restaurant wondering why there was no meat on the menu! We made the best of it, and actually had a really delicious meal but agreed being vegan is NOT for us...

Curious about what we ate and how long we stayed? Comment and I will respond!

Just another day..

**Old post** realized I had drafted this post and never published. I am slightly better spirits but am going to go ahead and publics...**


Literally sitting in my toilet closet in tears.

I don't want to use the "D" word. As much as it runs in my family, many times I feel like it isn't real and it's all in my head. 

The past few months I've watched every one around me change. My friends, my husband, my kids, work.  So many changes, so many people moving on and doing better..and I'm stuck. I can't keep up. I feel like it's sink or swim and I'm drowning.  

I hate this feeling. I can't get out of my own head. 

Hello? Anyone there?

Stumbled back on this blog I created several years ago, but apparently gave up on. I have recently been toying with the idea of creating a blog, but stuck on what to blog about. I don't feel like I have any real passions. I travel, I read, I am a mom, a wife, etc. But do any of these (all of these) define me? Are they my passion?

Then I struggle with how much information would be too much? To little? To personal? Should blogging be this hard?

Who would even listen (read)? Do I want my most intimate friends to know what is really going on in my head? Strangers? Neighbors? The PTA?

I even bounced some idea's of my husband but he was no help, other than to say he would support me if I started one.

I realize that no one may care (or everyone may), but this is for me. I may not have any profound life or parenting tips, I may not have any ways for you to save money or any exotic travel locals that make you want to hop on a plane, but I have some insight on all of the above.

Who knows. For now, here's to hoping you want to read more...

It's been awhile..

I'm afraid of bridges..

I'm afraid of mental hospitals..

I'm afraid of death..

I'm afraid of going crazy..

Another fail...

This ones my fault...

So I tried to make "mini" cakes using tin/aluminum? cans... I've been saving these for a project and this one I messed up...

Directions as follows:

Add cake batter
Bake at 350 for 30minutes

My problem: I think I overfilled the cans not allowing for them to rise...

Pin edible glitter fail...

I attempted the edible glitter for a cupcake topping..

Directions were:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-10 drops food coloring
Bake 10 minutes...

Uhm all I did was make "colored" sugar... Bad enough I'm giving my kids cupcakes but I'm not topping them with plain sugar :/

Wine cork board

Turns out this is easier to make than I thought.

The hardest part was getting the corks to fit just right, and keeping them tight while trying to glue them down.

And turns out, I learned, I'm not as big a drunk as I thought! Guess I better go have a few more glasses of vino to collect those corks... Oh and "hot" glue is actually hot and will burn... Lesson learned :/

FAIL...Cutting a wine bottle with string..

Ok, so second project in as many days and second fail in as many days..

I was trying to "cut" a wine bottle by burning a string around it. Instructions said use butchers twine, acetone nail polish remover and a bucket of cold water.

Step 1: clean out wine bottle (this can be done by drinking the wine... Now for the sake of the project, I took one for team and drank the whole bottle- *I do not recommend drinking the wine and then trying the project! Please wait at least 24 hours after drinking to complete project!

Step 2: ask husband for string, lighter and acetone

Step 3: assure husband you will not set house, him, kids or yourself on fire

Step 4: repeat step 3

Step 5: tie string twice around bottle at point you would like to cut

Step 6: soak string in nail polish remover

Step 7: tie string back around bottle and clean any dripping acetone

Step 8: carefully (I wore rubber gloves) light string on fire, when fire starts to burn out dip bottle in cold bucket of water

Well... I tried it three times, I thought I didn't soak the string long enough the first time so I resoaked a second time for an hour, when that didn't work, my husband added Goo Gone to the nail polish remover ( and he thought I was going to blow the house up) I then soaked again for two hours, this time the string wouldn't even burn... It just wouldn't catch on fire....

Oh well... I guess I didn't really need a bunch of wine bottle vases... Guess I shouldn't have drunk all those bottles in preparation....

Popstick bracelets

Ok, found a Pin that showed how to make Popsicle stick bracelets.

Fairly simple. Boil sticks, set over night, decorate.

Well, as you can see from my pics... Not quite what I thought. The sticks didn't really get a round shape, some cracked overnight, and none would fit my wrist or my girls....

Oh well... On to my next "project"

Mean Abs June.... Killing me!

Ok so I tried to start an exercise routine following the Mean Abs Calendar I found on Pinterest... Fail!

Since we are already 6 days into June I figured I wouldn't be too far behind.. Blah! I backtracked and start as of June 1st. 15 sit ups, 5 crunches, 20 planks, 10 push ups...
Yeah right...

Took me a long time to do even 13 sit ups... And 5 crunches... That was as far as I got :(

1st project: homemade butter

Last week I attended Pioneer Day at my kids school. One project the kids worked on was butter making.

Super easy.. Sort of.

Step 1: buy heavy cream
Step 2: pour into a glass jar. At the school they used small baby food jars. I used mason jars. My mom tried it and used an old wine glass (w/o a stem) and sealed the top with Saran wrap.
Step 3:shake! Side to side not up and down.
This step takes several minutes and is a good work out on the arms!
Step 4: after a few minutes... Typically 10, the liquid will start to clear up (look like dishwater) drain this, there should be a lump of butter at the bottom of your bottle/jar.
Step 5: scoop out and enjoy!

We tried adding salt to batch as well. Found that if you add it before you start shaking, the consistency will change. Rather than a lump at the bottom your butter will be creamier and there is nothing left to drain.
Either way it was good.

Conclusion: it was a fun little craft for the kids. I would not do this on a regular basis. Heavy cream is more expensive that a stuck of butter and I don't use enough butter to make this worth it. Would be a fun craft to have kids do at Thanksgiving while adults are cooking.

Gonna get fat...

Was reviewing my Pins so far and realized more than half of them are recipes...

What started out as a craft idea is suddenly turning into a calorie fest!

I better try a workout plan NOW!

Ready! Set! Blog!

Ok! Here goes! Decided I can be crafty, I can cook wonderful meals from scratch... Then I see the Pin, work my heart out BUT my crafts/projects never look right!

So here goes, I am going to pick a Pin a day and create the craft, make the meal, work the project! I already picked a few projects to start with and am deciding between a few of the exercise plans and house cleaning plans that I always see Pinned.

My "projects" will officially start on June 11th. Right now if you have Pun you keep seeing or a meal you want me to try... Pin it to me, I'll add it to my list.

Hope you all enjoy!