DISCLAIMER: Just because this worked for me, does not mean it will work for you. Promising, huh.
STEP 1: Buy a small $5 can of black paint from Big Lots. I bought it with the purpose of covering a wooden box. I had left-overs.
STEP 2: Take off cabinet doors (not a necessary step, but it helps.)
STEP 3: I sanded the doors a little. They had some rough spots from when I painted before. This was not a full sanding gig – I just did the bare minimum.
STEP 4: Paint first coat on everything(base of cabinets and the doors). Let dry.
STEP 5: Screw doors back onto cabinets.
STEP 6: Paint second coat. Let dry.
You are now finished with this project.
Happy Painting People!
Once Upon A Time…
A husband came home from work with a bag full of tacos. He said to his wife, “These are the best tacos ever created. You will love them. I know you are dieting right now but I love your belly and you will love these tacos – eat one (or two)….(or three).” (ok, he may not have said this, but this is what she heard)
She ate of the tacos and LOVED the tacos. With all of her heart.
One morning, the husband said to the wife, “I bet that my taco place has some delicious breakfast tacos, let’s go get some”
The wife – reluctantly and regretfully – said, “Ok, let’s do it – I DO love those tacos.”
The happy family drove down the road.
They pulled into a gas station.
The husband said to the wife, “Here we are!”
The wife, in utter confusion, looked at the gas station and did not see a Taco Restaurant.
But the wife saw this:
She sat in shock.
The blessed tacos had come from a “hole in the wall” – literally – a hole in the wall of the gas station.
She threw up a little then proceeded to eat some breakfast tacos.
This taco window can be found in Lewisville near the intersection of Business 121 and I35 in the wall of a white gas station! Please go grab some tacos – I cannot phathom the idea of the window closing!
This week, the kids had a challenge of No TV. I will admit, I was not thrilled with this “assignment” from school. I really don’t watch much TV myself but the kids get a good hour or so every day when they get home (criticize all you want). This typically gives me a much-needed, additional hour or so of work time.
{Parenting Explanation 1: I don’t have much uninterrupted time to work. On M-W-F, I drop Macy off at school around 9am and come back to work at the house until 12:40pm when I have to leave again to pick her up. The rest of the week, she is with me non-stop. So, I have approximately 10.5 Hours every week to complete SMD work & Burb Mom stuff. I would like to spend about 15 hours a week on Burb Mom and about 25 hours a week on SMD. What this leads to is non-stop work. I feel like I work from the moment I wake up until everyone else is fast asleep.}
{Priorities Explanation 1 to Parenting Explantion 1: I am so blessed to: 1. Have paid work to do, and 2. Be at home with my kids. But, some boundaries would be nice. I would love to leave the office every day and come home to just be mom.}
Sorry to digress but I felt the need to explain a few things.
No TV Week has been amazing! Mackenzie was fully committed to this because she will not have homework for the REST of the YEAR for participating. I am not sure that we would have gone through with it if it weren’t for her commitment. So…this week has included lots of playing outside. Lots of reading. Lots of conversation. Time at the park. And the list goes on and on. Life really is better sans TV.
Maybe we will just keep it off.
Mommies in Connection (a mom’s group/ministry of RockPointe Church in Flower Mound) is excited to bring in Kym Carter of Legacy Moms on May 6, 2010 at 7pm! Kym will be encouraging us as we prepare for the … gasp … the SUMMER! Yes, it is on it’s way, ladies.
So, clear your calendar NOW and grab every mom you know to come to MIC in May…it’ll be WORTH it.
May 6, 2010 @ 7pm
RockPointe Church – Main Sanctuary
Click HERE for Directions
So, I have been hearing all about these sneaky elves for the past few years. For some reason, I haven’t ever really looked into adopting one until now. It is a little late to get one for this year – but let me declare now that we will have one for next Christmas.
There are different versions of elves but here’s the gist of it
The elf watches your children all day long (and by watch – I don’t mean like a babysitter). Every night, he returns to the North Pole to report to Santa on his subjects’ behavior. {Genius} He returns every morning and usually lands in a new location in your home. I have heard some of the best stories over the last few weeks. One friend’s elf does mischievous little things like toilet papering their kitchen and rearranging furniture. Another friend’s elf didn’t even come back from the North Pole because her kids were sooo bad at Costco. 
If you don’t have one of these elves – you must request one from Santa – STAT.
Here are some resources to help with your search.
1. Elf on a Shelf
2. Magical Elf
3. Elf Magic
Have fun & I would love to hear your magical elf stories!
It isn’t every year that we do it up big for New Year’s Eve. My husband and I have spent many years enjoying a glass of Champagne in the comforts of our own home and writing out all of our new year’s resolutions together. We have some great memories and we are at home safe and sound from all of the nuts. However – I feel like 2010 is a big one. How about this – I will declare that every year that ends in a ZERO should be celebrated in a big way.
After doing some personal research on the parties around town, I thought I would share some of my findings with you (in hopes that you will join us in whatever we decide to do)! There are tons of things to do – I am just putting a few out there. Please feel free to comment with others that you know of.
Gaylord Texan New Year’s Eve Ballroom Gala
New Year’s Eve Ballroom overnight room packages begin at $515.20 per couple (2 seated tickets and 1 room for two) and include reserved seating at the party, a deluxe buffett dinner, 3 drink tickets per person (6 total), champagne toast at midnight, party favors, self-parking, and resort fee. Tickets to the gala start at $150 per person. Details Here
Get Down with Le Freak at the Glass Cactus Nightclub: Grapevine
New Year’s Eve overnight room packages including general admission* tickets to the party (non-reserved seating) are also available and begin at $401.00 per couple (2 GA tickets and 1 room for two) pass hors d’ oeuvres, champagne toast, party favors, self-parking, resort fee, and tax. Details Here
Big D NYE: Victory Park – Dallas
An outdoor, Times Square experience – Live Music – Celebrity Guests – Huge Countdown Clock – Fireworks Show – What more could you ask for? (Maybe a heater?) I think that entry into this event is complimentary…it looks like you need a wristband to get in. Check out their website as more details are posted!
Black Finn: Addison, TX
Win a trip to Las Vegas – Complimentary Heavy Hors d’oeuvres 8-10pm – Champagne toast at midnight – Late Night Buffet. Also, Blackfinn is positioned in the middle of a bunch of affordable hotels. We prefer the Holiday Inn that is right next door (for its comfy beds and breakfast buffet). Tickets are $20 each but you get a $10 OFF coupon for use in the restaurant when you purchase these tickets!
Keith & Margo’s Murder Mystery Midnight Madness: Omni Park West – Dallas
$139 per person: Hors d’ oeuvres reception – Gourmet Dinner - One Drink Ticket - Champagne Toast at Midnight - Cash Bar (no outside liquor is allowed by the hotel) – Professional Comedic Actors surrounding you as “suspects” ht-hearted Mystery Comedy with 1950′s Theme - Hilarious “Homicide Detective” to guide you through the process – DJ Playing Music for dancing – Team Prizes – Balloon Drop- Find details here.
New Years Eve Bal Masque: NYLO – Plano
$299 Package includes: Entrance for Two to the New Year’s Eve Bal Masque, Dinner Buffet for Two and Bottomless Sparkling Wine, Champagne Toast at Midnight, One Night Stay in a NYLO Loft, Breakfast Buffet for Two the Next Morning, (Full Service Bar Available – Not included in Package Price),Live DJ, Masquerade Mask Required** (my favorite part). This might be my choice – what a fantastic deal!! Get more details here.
Not 911, of course…just the Non-Emergency Line.
I am sitting here laughing at myself as I write this.
So – on Friday I had a meeting with my wonderful sales rep, Rachel. We were finishing up our meeting & looking something up on Facebook (isn’t that what YOU do in meetings) when a chat box opens up. It is one of my blog design customers who I worked with about a year ago. She starts telling me that something terrible has happened – she was mugged in Wales last night – everything was stolen – her husband is freaking out…and so on. Then comes the kicker…wait for it…wait for it…”So, can you Western Union $940 to me right now so we can make our flight?”
I start scouring Facebook for a link to report fraud and cannot find one. I call my local authority on all things Internet fraud – the local police – for their advice. I am sure that the dispatcher meant well when she told me that I needed to file a police report. I responded with a dumb founded “really??!?!?” She confirms her answer. I told her I would call back after I got a little more information from the culprit.
I kept working my suspect for more information. I got a name (that wasn’t my friend’s – shocker) and address. And told them I was off to Western Union. I called the local police station back to file my report – they sent two officers to my house. Not even kidding. I told the officers about the Facebook fraud & they advised me that you DO NOT actually file a police report for Facebook crimes – you contact Facebook directly.
Huh…imagine that. We stood around and laughed about the incident, chatted some more about social media, websites and such. I realized about 10 minutes into the chit-chat that Johnny Law doesn’t have much else to do on a Friday afternoon in the burbs, than act on Facebook crimes!
If you are ever a victim of fraud on Facebook, report it to abuse@facebook.com rather than the police.
to say the least.
So here’s the 411.
On Tuesday morning, I saw tweets from Ellen alluding to a big giveaway.
I had a few things planned with Macy that day – we were going to the Pumpkin Patch and having lunch at Chick-Fil-A after – but I was completely willing to skip all of it to win Ellen’s biggest Twitter giveaway ever. That’s just the kind of mom I am. Luckily, we were able to get all of our stuff done before announcements were made on where to go and what to do.
3:05 PM: Ellen tweets this: “I like lemons. I also like Lemmon Avenue in Dallas. That’s where Sewell GMC is.”
Kip is picking up the kids from school at this time – so I immediately grab my purse, keys and kid and jump in the car. I call him as I am driving out of Flower Mound & tell him to get home so he can navigate for me. This is surely a race to Lemmon Avenue…isn’t it? It looks like a race. It feels like a race. When people are racing like this – they often forget things…like shoes for their kids…right? Right????
We arrive at Sewell GMC on Lemmon Avenue in really good time – probably too good of time.
We stand around waiting for directions – there are probably about 75 people there when I get there. I hold my head up high as I tote around a 4 year old sans shoes. Oh, and she is also covered in marker because she was decorating a pumpkin when I swooped her up to leave. And I mean covered – face and all.
At 4:00PM We get directions to write “Ellen” on a dollar & turn it in for a raffle ticket. The money would be donated to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. If all else failed – we had donated to an amazing cause and that was good.
Here is a pic of Macy and I standing in line for our raffle tickets.
It worked out nicely because we were able to get our raffle tickets and run to Target for some new shoes. Phew. Oh, and wipes – did you see the marker on the face?
Here is Macy’s new-found outfit from Target…hot stuff!
Upon arriving back at the taping (started @ 6pm) – 12 contenders were chosen at random. I quickly realized that there was no need for me to rush out of my house and drive 200 MPH to Dallas, as half of the contenders probably arrived at 5:30PM. Those 12 people made costumes out of a bag of random stuff to compete for 5 finalist spots. I soooo would have ROCKED this competition. I really should have been a costume maker by profession. The final 5 received a key that may or may not start a brand new GMC Terrain. I mentally checked out around 6:45pm when I realized that I just might be here for no reason at this point.
Sure enough – 7PM came – some chick won the GMC Terrain (it wasn’t me). Another chick (actually a single mom who probably deserved it) was given a trip to Disneyland with her son. A few t-shirts were thrown in the crowd. And that was it. My kid scored a new outfit from Target. My back hurt from standing around all day. And I had this deep feeling of regret for abandoning my real life responsibilities to gallivant around Dallas all day trying to win a car from Ellen. I don’t know if you realize how badly we need a new car. But we do. Badly. And we needed it given to us please.
Man, I am whiny. Ask my friends and family – I have pretty much been this way since Tuesday. I need to get over myself. Selfish and whiny really doesn’t suit me. Life is good. I have it good – I know this. So, now that my story has been told – I will go back to my content, happy, thankful & positive self.
With millions of American children settled back into the routine of a new school year, it’s time for parents to get ready for parent-teacher conferences. According to Cheryl Murzyn of the Flower Mound Huntington Learning Center, for parents, such an opportunity to meet face-to-face, one-on-one with your child’s teacher has many significant benefits – and should not be missed. “Parent-teacher conferences are one of the most valuable tools available to parents,” says Murzyn. “These meetings are the best way for parents to learn very specifically how their child is doing in school, including any learning or other problems they might not be aware of.” Not only that, says Murzyn, such conferences are “the key to developing a collaborative relationship with your child’s teacher.”
To make the most of parent-teacher conferences, what kinds of questions should parents ask? Murzyn suggests using the following framework to come up with your own list of discussion points:
Your Child’s Progress
The most obvious topic of your parent-teacher conference will be your child’s school performance. Talk with your child’s new teacher about how your child is adjusting to the increased difficulty of lessons and class work. Questions to ask about your student’s academic development might include:
· What are the school’s/state’s grade level standards?
· Is my child performing to grade level standards?
· Is he or she keeping up with homework assignments and participating in class?
· What are my child’s strengths? In what areas could he or she improve?
Grading and Expectations
It is important to understand how your child will be evaluated by his or her teacher throughout the year. Here are a few questions you can ask to ensure you are aware of what will be expected of your child:
· What standardized exams will my child take this year, and how will you help prepare your students for such tests in the classroom?
· How do you grade assignments?
· How do you determine my child’s report card grades and marks? What are the various components of these grades?
· How much time should my child spend on homework each night?
· What skills should my child master this quarter/semester? How can I best keep track of his or her progress?
Your Involvement
All teachers welcome and encourage parental involvement, so use your conference as an opportunity discuss how you should support your child at home. Questions to ask include:
· How can I help my child improve his or her areas of weakness?
· How can I help my child stay organized and on top of his or her homework assignments and projects?
· What can I do to support you in your classroom objectives?
· What suggestions do you have on how to approach homework time? What is an appropriate level of parental involvement and support?
Good Communication
At the end of your parent-teacher conference, you will likely come away with a list of action items – both for you and your child’s teacher. Here are a few questions to ask before you part ways:
· What is the best way to communicate with you moving forward?
· What should I strive to accomplish with my child before our next parent-teacher conference and how would you like me to inform you of my progress?
· What will you strive to accomplish before our next meeting (related to my child) and how can I stay apprised of your progress?
Article provided by Dr. Raymond J. Huntington, founder of Huntington Learning Center, which has been helping children succeed in school for more than 30 years. For more information about Huntington, call 1-800 CAN LEARN.
{And by neglect…I mean that I got busy for a few minutes. Ok, maybe an hour.}
So, I was on the phone with a friend & mentioned that I should probably get off to make my kids some dinner. Usually a good idea around 6pm to be in the midst of dinner. I walk into the kitchen where my 4 & 6 year old have been playing so nicely. Like nicer than they ever have.
And I find this:
A plate with the following:
Banana
Apple
Cherry Tomatoes
Grapes
Orange Juice
And of course, the bowl of fruit loops, which I am pretty sure don’t fall into the vegan diet.
My precious boy made this dinner for his starving sister while I was on the phone. I am thinking we can start cutting the meat out of dinner for these two!
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