Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is teacher appreciation week.  Which means your child should give their teacher something to show how much they "appreciate" them.  Or, its another excuse for mom to get crafty, and also to say thank you for teaching my child.  I've talked to my teacher friends and they say its nice when they receive something, but they don't expect anything.  At least nothing extravagant, because lets face it, times are hard right now.  Lots of families live paycheck to paycheck with very little extra to get their child's teacher something expensive.  I for one cant afford a lot.  So I came up with something this time that was inexpensive but still fun.  The ideas are endless when choosing what to give their teachers.  

My daughter has two teachers, yes two.  I did gift baskets for Christmas.  Gourmet pasta, a jar of pasta sauce and a oil and seasonings packet for bread (which came with a nifty container to hold it).  I got it all from Aldi and it cost me like $10 a basket.  

This week I bought two cold ups from the dollar store, stuffed it with some tissue paper, threw in some jolly ranchers, a packet each of iced coffee and $5 gift card each to Starbucks.  Over all, each cup cost me under $7.  I already had the iced coffee in my pantry that I just bought.  There were three packets in the box so I threw one in each cup.  I searched online for cute sayings to put on top to say thanks and found: Thanks a "latte".  Cute, right!?! (I also had Zoe draw each teacher a pretty picture)

Final Product:

Super easy, and doesn't break the bank.

There are many ideas you can find on Pinterest for teacher gift ideas, plus sayings, and printable's!

Below are some cute ideas.

thehappyscraps

O-M-G this is so stinkin cute!  I cant wait until Zoe gets a little older, so I can do this for her teacher! 

pbjstories

This is another cute one!  I would probably put mine in a cute tea cup.  I'm always on the lookout for a nice vintage tea cups. 

one more.......

eighteen25

Who doesn't like smelly soups and lotions?!

Like I said the ideas are endless!

~Allie 

I found all these images and links on Pinterest (original source can be found thru the link below the picture) and edited my photos on picmonkey.com

Currents

Currents

Reading: Well, KA just came out with a new book to a new series.  So I gobbled that up and LOVED it!  The Will--Check it out! 

Laughing: Nothing as of yet, I'm still sippin on my coffee.   

Listening to: I love that song by two chains and jason something or other.  I don't know why, but I do.  Oh, and love is an open door and let it go.  Yeah,  Zoe and I are obsessed. 

Wearing: Breaking out the capris and shorts!  

Watching: Drop Dead Diva, Once Upon a Time, and resurrection 



Eating: I just made some yummy no flour, no oil banana muffins.   

Craving: another muffin! 

Getting ready for: School to be OVER!  I have two more tests and Im not worried about them.  One is online, and the other we can use our notes and old quizzes!

Working on: really trying hard to make an effort to work out. I bought a treadmill and I still have a gym membership I don't use. 

What's current with everyone else??

~Allie 

Total Fail!

So, my mom was coming over for dinner last night and I thought I have to have a quick dessert.  Well, one of my favorite books by Kristen Ashley came out in print.  Fire Inside.  (Check it out!) Anywho, the main character Lanie made a quick keylime pie. You can find the recipe on KA's website.  Three ingredients.  So as I was shopping I thought.....hmmmm....let me whip that up real quick. 

 I decided to use pink lemonade.  Because I was too lazy to go to another store and look for limeade.

 I completely defrosted the pink lemonade and mixed it all together.  Looks pretty, right!?  Then I stuck it in the freezer to set faster.

Then this happened..........

TOTAL FAIL!   

It did not hold together at all.  Still tasted yummy, very tart.  I like tart tho.  

Anyone else have some funny fails?

~Allie 

Goals for the summer

Well, I did awesome for that 30 day challenge, but I have not done well with keeping up with this blog!  I haven't really been cooking new things and most defiantly have not been crafting!  I'm so busy with school and work I haven't done much.  I even made a spring cleaning list for my house, and I have done maybe two things on that list.  Insert sad face.  

So, I have decided to make a goals list for summer time!

Not a lot of goals.  Because, well as you can see with the spring cleaning list, I have good intentions but it doesn't get done.  Why set myself up for disappointment?! 

This is why things don't get done! 

Here are my goals:

1. Paint Zoe's Room and get it pretty-fied!  She cant seem to keep it nice and clean, so maybe with a little decor it will be easy for her. That's what I am hoping for anyways.  We picked two colors.  A sky blue and a lime green.  Two walls each color.  She wants her dresser yellow to look like the sun.  I want to make a flower pot holder for her window and make stuffed animal nets for the corners of her room because she has SO many stuffed animals.  Mainly puppies.  I know she wont part with any, so if I have them off her bed and floor and up there they will be out of the way.  I also want to make a thing for her bed, she has a loft bed and they have these like sheets that look like houses that you hang, so they can make the inside like a little house.  That's a big project in itself because I don't know how to sew.  So, on to goal number 2......

(image found on flicker, no source)

Isn't that the cutest thing EVER! 

2.  Learn how to SEW!  Yes, I have a sewing board on my pinterest page, yes I own a sewing machine.  No, I have not busted it out of its box and sewn things.  I will learn, darnit!  I want to have another baby, so I want to make cute blankets and clothes! 

3.  Last goal.  Get my third bedroom straightened up.  Its just a complete mess in there.  Completely embarrassing! 

I think these are pretty attainable. Do you all have any goals this summer?!

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge: COMPLETED!

I actually stuck with something!  Go me!  I never do well on these sort of things, I guess I'm turning over a new leaf in 2014.  Hopefully this little challenge is a foreshadowing of things to come this year.  Like bigger and better things getting accomplished.   Lets finish this challenge shall we?!

Day 28: Something that I miss.  I miss the days where I had no bills, no worries, could come and go as I please.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family and would die if I didn't have them anymore, but its nice to think back to those days when I didn't have to think of anyone but myself.  You know back when I wasn't exhausted all the time and would go out to eat at like 10 pm at night! Now, I'm in bed by 8, reading a book and zoning out for the night! hahaha

Day 29: Goals for the next 30 days.  Lets see, it would be February.  So, going to the gym at least three times a week would be good.  Drop at least ten pounds would be even better!  Do yoga 3 days a week. Clean out my guest bedroom so its presentable.  Make some new healthy recipes to share on here!  Oh, and get some crafting in!  I have 4 letters for kids I HAVE, HAVE to get done. Like they had to be done last week and I haven't started.......

Day 30: My highs and lows of the month.  Lows: Hours being cut at work. It was going good for a bit, was too good to be true, but at least I have a job and my bills are getting paid.  Starting speech class, I have dreaded that damn class since I started back in school!  Medical bills piling up and no way to pay them.....

Highs: Started back at the gym.  Got my reading mojo back. Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley came out in print, yet the stores around me don't have it yet! Having weekends off.  We have had so many nice family days this month.  I cant contain how happy that makes me! 

Share some of your highs and lows with me!

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge: 24-27

Day 24: Whats my favorite movie and what is it about?  Lets see, I dont have a favorite per say. I do have some that I can watch over and over again.  Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte, with Betty Davis.  Its a suspense mystery.  Betty Davis is being asked to move out of her plantation so they can build a road and she wont go, so her cousin comes in to help but things go crazy with the ghost of Bettys married ex-lover.  

I also love Pride & Prejudice with Kiera Knightly.  Its about a family of five girls and their mother wanting them to get married off.  Then comes Mr. Darcy and he is mean at first and Elizabeth doesnt like him, then she sees the error of her ways when she finds out all the sweet and wonderful things he does for her.

Dirty Dancing.  I made Richie go see this with me when they put it back in the movie theaters a few years ago for some anniversary. It was all middle aged woman, and it was GREAT seeing it on the big screen!  I love all dance movies really, even if they are corny.  Dancing and singing.  I love them! 

Day 25: Someone who fascinates me and why.  Really cant answer this one. I have not had enough coffee to articulate an intelligent response.   

Day 26: What kind of person attracts you?   I'm confused. Does that mean who am I attracted to, or who gravitates towards me?  Ill go with the second.  If I'm out in a store, there is always that one person that needs someone to talk to and I guess I have the kind of face (my mom as well) who attracts them.  Random people talk to me all the time or ask me for help all the time when I'm out shopping.   

Day 27: A problem that I have had.  Who hasn't had problems.  I cant think of a major problem. I deal with little problems every day. I guess my daily struggle as of late is trying to balance a household, school, family and work.  That defiantly is a daily struggle! Im' still trying to find the energy to deal with it all! 

Feel free to share your views! 

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge 20-23

I'm kinda proud of myself for sticking with this project.  When ever I try to do the monthly photo challenge I fail miserably!  Lets start shall we.....

Day 20: How important do I think education is? Very.  Why?  When I was in school I knew what I wanted to do, therefore I slacked.  Big time.  Now, I am back in school and while I don't find it too hard, I wish I would have applied myself more in high school while learning these things.  Because now, I soak it up like a sponge and enjoy it so much! 

Day 21: One of my favorite shows.  Hmmm.....which one to pick.....I have a lot.  I guess I'll go with Once Upon a Time.  If you haven't seen this show, then you must!  It takes these fairy tales and intertwines them with each other and makes them interesting.  Hook is a hottie, prince charming is a hottie, cant go wrong! 

Day 22: How have I changed in the past two years.  Not much I don't think.  I am trying very hard to be a glass half full person. Its not as easy as it sounds.  I tend to be a negative person in a lot of aspects, so that is a constant struggle.  

Day 23: Now the fun part!!!!  Give pictures of 5 famous guys whom I find attractive......YIPPEE.  

 

Robert Pattinson, I mean come on.  He tops this list.  Although he looks like a hobo a lot of the time, the accent of his will prevail each and EVERY time.  I love this man. mmmmmmmm........those eyes!

Colin Firth, I love this man.  Again with the accent.  I have a thing for brits, what can I say?  Hes older, and such a good actor how can you not think he is delectable? 

Jesse Williams.  Words don't do this man justice.  Enough said.

Channing Tatum.  The man can DANCE.  I love a man that can dance!  Hes not so bad on the eyes either!

And last but not least.....

Mr. Swayze.  He was my first ever crush.  I watched Dirty Dancing with my mom every weekend almost.  I pretended to be baby, I wanted the coral dress and the high heels, I wanted to dance with Patrick.  I was heartbroken when this man died. See, what I mean about a man that can dance!?!? 

Now, this last one I actually had to google, because I couldnt come up with them on the top of my head.  Cept for Rpatz and Patrick.  Now, if you asked me fictional characters from books, then I could have those listed one, two, three.  Tack from Motorcycle Man, Hop from Fire Inside, Max from The Gamble, Apollo from Broken Dove, Lee from Rock Chicks 1, I could go on....Edward from Twilight, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Romeo, Bill from Sookie Stackhouse series.   I guess I should stop now before I embarrass myself. 

Share with me your famous men :) 

~Allie