Happy New Year!!

Wow, I have been a terrible blogger.  Life got in the way and I gave up with my blog, though I enjoyed it. 

I have been on vacation for the last two weeks and have had a chance to catch up on all of the blogs that I follow, not to mention taking some time to organize my house a little bit.  I cleaned out my laundry room, cleaned and organized the pantry (and threw away two bags of stuff!), went through the dresser and part of the closet.  I am going to get my house in order in 2011!!

I've read lots of blogs about the top 10 projects of 2010.  I don't have that to share this year, but hope I will next year.  Instead, I am going to share my top 10 "to-do" list for 2011.  Hopefully, "to-do list" will be more attainable than a "resolution"!!

1.  Eat better and feed my family healthier food.
2.  Exercise and get in better shape.  I'd like to lose 75lbs this year... won't be easy, but I am going to give it my best shot!
3.  Make my kids REALLY do their chores!  (Hey, I am trying to teach them some responsibility and I need the help!)
4.  Finish my laundry room re-do by building a platform for the washer and dryer.  I am too cheap to buy the stand from the company, so I am going to build my own.  I also need to move the washer and dryer around, so I no longer have to unload the washer over the washer door.  It might seem like nothing, but it is a pain in the neck!
5.  Learn to put my clean clothes away... ALL THE TIME!!
6.  Continue with my greeting cards for the florist in town.  Nice way to make a few extra dollars.
7.  Focus on the future of my careers.  Options are out there, I just need to think and plan.
8.  Continue stengthening my relationship with God and be a good role model for my kids.
9.  Catch up, or at least put a dent in, my scrapbooking!
10. Spend more quality time with my family
11. Build some quality friendships.
12. Make stuff with all of the craft supplies that I have already bought.
13. Organize my craft room... and keep it organized.

No, these are in no particular order, and once I got started I could have gone on and on, but thought it better to stop at 13.  Who knows, maybe I will blow myself out of the water and really achieve and surpass this list.  Hey, I can dream big!

Hope you will stick with me in 2011.  I'll need help and support from my friends.  I'm going to work on so many different areas and hope to make 2011 the best year ever.

Blessing to you all!

Frances

I'm Back

Wow!  It's been a long time since I have posted.  I have been to Branson, MO, Washington DC and on a cruise to Key West, FL and Cozumel, Mexico since I last posted.  It's been a wild and crazy summer.

First, I went to a conference in Branson.  It was a great trip with good friends!  Branson isn't my choice for a vacation location, but it is always better with friends. 

One of the great things with the conference that I attended is that they do something to give back to the suppliers.  This year, they took us out for an afternoon on Table Rock Lake in pontoon boats.  We had a great time.  The picture is of my good friends Brad and Wayne.

They next trip that I made was to Washington DC with the family.  We had a great time!  We visited several museums, monuments and even got to see some family. 

It was SO hot, but we had a good time!!  We visited hubby's God-daughter, took a river taxi to Alexandria and visited Arlington National Cemetery.  The Big One and the Peanut were great sports in the heat.  The Peanut thought that the Changing of the Guards was a really cool experience.  Now... to plan the next family vacation.

Then, last but not least, step-girl and I took a cruise with some of the girls from her golf team and their mothers.  We had a great time visiting Key West and Cozumel.  Pictures to follow.  Let it be know that we were the champions of TV Tune Show Trivia!!

All that being said, I have also started a Premier Designs Jewelry businesss.  I had my first home show last night and made $160 in 3 hours!!  YIPPEE!!  No time for any new crafts or projects, but maybe after the summer is over, i will have time for a little crafting!!  I miss my projects!

Until next time,

Frances

On the Road Again

Well, the traveling mom is hitting the road again tomorrow.  Off to Branson, MO for another tourism conference.  The good news is that I am traveling with my bff.  The bad news is that it is a road trip!  Good news... I'll have some peace and quiet and alone time... Bad news... I'll miss my husband and girls (well, it will take at least a day of being alone before I miss them, but I WILL miss them!). 

So goes the internal struggle I call my life.  I love my job and I love the travel associated with it.  I have great friends taht I travel with and enjoy my time with them.  The flip side is I feel guilty about enjoying my time away!  When my little one begs me not to go, I feel like a terrible mom!

Luckily, they are having field trips at day care for the Peanut, and the Big One hasn't gotten bored with summer yet.  They will be fine.  I will go, work hard, get refreshed and come back ready for another week of excitement.

Until next time,

Frances

ps... got some great deals at yard sales this weekend.  Will post pictures later!

My Garden

After years of threatening to do it, I finally planted a garden this year.  I have to admit that i listen to Martha Stewart Radio all day at work and in my car, and all of the gardening talk inspired me.  I decided that the best way to start was to build raised beds.

After the weather became more mild, and when I have a little extra time, the Peanut and the Big One helped me move the boxes to the backyard and get out goodies planted.

We planted tomatoes, corn, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, celery, peppers, cantaloupes and watermelon.  LOL, if it all comes in, I am going to have a mess, but we started planting and just couldn't stop.  Here is the garden as of this weekend.

Some critters ate most of the lettuce, but look at these tomatoes!  We are going to have a feast when we gather our "crops."

Until next time,

Frances

Help!! Need Advise on my Dresser Project

As I mentioned earlier, I bought this dresser at a yard sale for $5.00. 

I started painting it Antique White and the paint crackled.  Do I leave it crackled and crackle the rest or do I sand it and start over.  Looking for ideas.  This is what the dresser drawers that are crackled look like.

One more drawer picture:

I've always been a crafty girl, but this re-doing furniture is new to me.  There are so many people out in blog land who are so good at this!  I want to have this done for my guest bedroom before company comes in a couple of weeks.  Ya'll help me!!

Thanks,

Frances

Weekend in Review

Wow, what a busy weekend. First, on Saturday, we had a yard sale. Sadly, not many people wanted my junk, so I still have a garage full of stuff AND I didnt get to go out and look at other people's junk because i was trying to get rid of my own.

The weater was great. It was the first sunny weekend that we have had for a long time. I did get some stuff done that required me to be outside. I love to be out in the sunshine. My little Peanut's toes started webbing, she spent so much time in the pool.

My black outdoor chairs rusted over the long winter, so the Big One helped clean them up and I put a fresh coat of paint on them.  Unfortunately, I failed to take the cushions in over the winter,so i will have to find time to either recover or replace them.  They look great now, just waiting for cushions and a group of people to enjoy the backyard!

I also worked on my dresser project.  This is a "before picture."  I bought it at a yard sale for $5.00.

I've started painting it.  Going with an Antique White.  I took a couple of the drawers out yesterday to paint and I guess the sun was too hot because the paint cracked.  I am not trying to decide if I love the paint or hate the paint.   Here is what it looks like

I'd love to hear opinions... like it??  hate it??  should I crackle the rest, or sand it and start over??

All in all, it was a great weekend.  I still have lots of projects to do, but I am making progress one day at a time! 

Here it he best part of the weekend...The Peanut and her friend, just after the Barnyard Moosical!  They were Funky Chickens!  You don't find that kind of quality entertainment just anywhere!

The Rivers are Going Down!!

It is great to see that the flood waters are receeding and maybe life will start getting bad to normal.  It's seems like I am going through a period of "trying to do the right thing."  I am trying to make the right decisions at work, to get the best returns for our hotels.  I am trying to do the right thing for my children, in many ways, like providing the best education for them and having the right balance of discipline and "friendship".  I'm trying to make the right decisions about new opportunities to make extra money. 

So, what do I do??  I have to choose to trust.  Trust who, you ask.  I have to trust God.  I have to trust that with His help and guidance, I will make the best decisions in all aspects of my life.  Is it easy?  No, it is not easy to let go of the control in your life.  In fact, it would be fair to say that it is a struggle, but I am trying to learn.  It reminds me of a poem that I was introduced to in high school:

Let Go and Let God

As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God because He was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My Child," he said, "What could I do?
You never did let go."

I love these words and the comfort that they bring... and trust that I will make the right choices!!

Until next time,

Frances