Five Things Friday

I like to do a Five Things Friday occasionally so I can catch you up on things that don't warrant a whole post! Fun for me especially since I tend to be a little ADD anyway:)

1. Our Rocky still isn't home. The ad came out in the paper yesterday. We are still hopeful but each day makes it less probable. I had no idea when my son brought him home nearly 2 1/2 years ago that I would grow so attached! I was really sad the other day and was sitting in my chair reading when I felt something patting my arm. Magee, our least affectionate cat was lying on the side tab and patting my arm. He did this for about 15 minutes! So sweet:)
2. My 60th birthday is looming on the horizon...4 more days! My daughter has some things up her sleeve but not sure what! She did promise me it wasn't a surprise party because I hate surprise parties! Maybe she got some ideas off Pinterest. 
3. I am loving my new Franklin Planner! It has already helped me to be more organized and get more done. I tend to forget less when I write it down. Organizing on paper helps my brain to organize better. I have tried several e-Planners but they didn't work for me. I really need paper and pen.
4. Eating out of the garden is so yummy! I can't believe how much better homegrown vegetables and fruit taste. We have been thinning the beets and eating the little beets with the greens...sooo good! I can make a full salad with items from the garden. The green beans will be on in about a week.
5. Hubby and I are doing a version of the Intermittent Fasting Diet for health and to try to lose a little bit of weight. We chose to do the "fasting" on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, eating 500 calories for me and 600 calories for him--one meal only, middle of the day. The other 4 days, we eat normal; no restrictions. We drink a lot of water, especially on our "fasting" days and try to exercise as well. I plan to add Oil Pulling on Monday for healthy teeth and gums.

Well, just a little bit of what's going on in my head...scary place:) Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by. I will be back on Sunday (I hope) for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat!

Kat

Five Things Friday

I was thrilled to see that Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily was doing a 5 Things Friday today! This has been a crazy week (for me) so this gives me a good opportunity to share some snippets of what's going on in my world without devoting a whole post to them.

1. Hubby and I drove to Boise, ID yesterday enjoying beautiful Spring weather with temperatures in the low 50s (F)! 

Funny story...we went to Whole Foods to get some goodies to eat. Leaving Whole Foods Hubby asked Siri for directions to get back to the motel. We were started in the right direction, then Siri turned us around and was heading us toward the freeway. Hubby picked up his phone to see what was up and realized Siri was directing us to the Red Lion in Pennsylvania and we would arrive in three days. He pulled over, got the map via Google Maps and we arrived at our motel in about 5 minutes!

2. I have been in a real creative slump for the last couple of months:( I need a really fun project that I can't put down to get my mojo up and running again! Any ideas???

3. Daughter, granddaughter and I will be leaving on our road trip to visit family on Sunday!!! We have been looking forward to/dreading this trip for 3 months! Can't believe it's finally here:) DD is buying DGD a journal so she can journal about the trip. We will take pictures and get them printed so she can add them to her journal and have something truly memorable to take home. DGD loves to write and is enjoying a scrapbooking club she is in so this project should be really fun for her.

4. I recently discovered (via One Good Thing by Jillee) a DIY heavy duty cleaner that I LOVE!!! You mix 1 part Dawn Dish Soap and 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide in a spray bottle! This cleaner is truly awesome! It gets oily spots out of fabric as well as dried blood! It also gets those nasty yellow sweat stains out of white (or colored) clothes. A less aggressive cleaner can be made with equal parts water and Hydrogen Peroxide plus a couple drops Dawn Dish Soap.

5. My favorite iPod/iPhone app is Redo by Iterex Ltd. I love to make lists and this app allows me to make lists, check off the items and then put the items back on my list when needed! I use it for trips, shopping and to do lists! I have been using it a lot lately so I don't forget things. When I think of something that needs to go on the list I just put it on and forget it:) The best part? I always know where my list is--no more bits of paper here there and everywhere!!! The cost? A very reasonable $1.99.

I hope you enjoyed my 5 Things Friday!

Kat

5 Things Friday

I got really confused yesterday morning when I looked at Carla's blog, My 1/2 Dozen Daily and she had posted 5 Things Friday. I thought I was confused about the days but then realized that she was a day ahead; I wasn't a day behind! But since I had already planned my Thankful Thursday, I decided to put 5 Things Friday where it belongs...on FRIDAY!!! LOL

So, here are my 5 random things I want to share with you...

1.   Hubby brought me a bouquet of beautiful flowers this week. He said with all of the fog and ice he thought I might need some pretty flowers to cheer me up!

2.  I purchased a package of Hexagon templates/instructions and an Add-a-Quarter ruler. I am looking forward to exploring the world of Hexagons. Please tell me they aren't as addicting as the Yo-Yos!

3.   Have you heard of the Sock Bun? Well, I was reading about it on Pinterest and realized we used to have these in...hmmm, was it the 60s? We had a brown thing you used and made a nice bun with it. Nothing is new under the sun, is it? Anyway, I have been waiting for someone around here to wear a hole in their sock so I could cut the toe off and make myself a Sock Bun. Not to fear, someone has already thought of this dilemma! Through Pinterest I found Crochet Dynamite and her instructions to make what she calls Better Than a Sock Bun! I will be crocheting one of these bun shapers soon:)

4.   I am reading Debbie Macomber's Angels at the Table. It was on my Christmas Wish List and DD got it for me:) The angels, Shirley, Goodness and Mercy will make you belly laugh with their antics!

5.   You know those little packets of preservative that come with bouquets of flowers? Well, there is usually only enough preservative to last for one or two water changes. It is usually recommended to change the water on fresh water every other day and Costco flowers last for about two weeks. Needless to say, there isn't enough preservative. In all my reading about vinegar I read that to preserve flowers, add 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar to the fresh water in the vase. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Snip the ends of the flowers at an angle (this is important at EVERY water change) and put them in the vase. Tada! Works just like the little packet or better:) Now you know what to do the next time your sweetie brings you flowers!

That's it for my 5 Things Friday! I hope you have a great day and a wonderful weekend.

Kat

5 Things Friday

Welcome to 5 Things Friday! Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily usually hosts but she is sick as you will see if you visit her blog. Yesterday she had a temperature of 102 (F). Please stop over and give her a get well wish! My 5 things today are just random thoughts so let's get started!

#1...I finally had the crisis my doctor predicted so got the prescription for prednisone filled that he gave me before he went on vacation. I still have some itching but it is way easier to handle than it was. I will take the medication until I see him on January 4. I was able to get a list of the worst food allergies so know to stay away from:

• Dairy (pretty much was anyway)
• Eggs
• Almonds (I eat a small handful every day)
• Beans (I'm a vegetarian; now what do I eat?!!!)
• Cashews (my favorite nut but can only get them without peanut oil at Trader Joes so don't get them often--been allergic to peanuts for years)
• Wheat but not gluten so that means I can eat things made with white flour but not whole wheat. 
• Cantaloupe (doesn't surprise me as I have been allergic to every other melon for years so it was only a matter of time)

Fortunately this list isn't as bad as it could have been. I am going to have to figure out how to eat without using beans at least some of the time but the rest will be pretty easy.

#2...We got 8" of snow ON Christmas Day! It started about 6:30 in the morning and snowed ALL day! It was beautiful...me inside and the pretty fluffy snow outside:)

Picture looking out our front door.
The tiny peak in the right hand side is Mt Hood.

#3...Gotta share a photo of my granddog, Zoe in her Christmas outfit...

I have a couple of really good pictures of her with my granddaughter (legs in the picture) but have an agreement with DD and SIL that I won't post pictures of her on my blog. Isn't Zoe adorable? The had a collar with fuzzy red and white and bells. She also had anklets for all four paws. Then to top off the adorable outfit she had a headband with antlers. She didn't mind the headband but didn't like the bells!

#4...Okay, gotta show OUR dogs now!

Beau on the left and granddog Rocky on the right

When I got the camera out, Beau and Rocky were cuddling by the fire. However, when I turned the camera on, this was the best I could get. They really like each other and Beau can frequently be found with his head on Rocky or his leg over the top of him.

#5...Our car had to go into the shop this week because the check engine light came on and the car was surging:( We were prepared for a huge expense but it only cost $200 and we get the car back today:) The car is a Toyota Avalon and has over 200,000 miles on it but we are hoping to go to 300,000 before replacing it. We bought the car when it had 65,000 miles and had just had the engine replaced so it has served us well. I would like to find another one just like it! Dependable and comfy!

Okay, that's my five for this Friday! Do you have any random thoughts to share? I would love to read them; just leave a comment or a link to your blog.

I still have some handmade Christmas cards I received that I want to post so will see if I can get that done next week:)

Thanks for stopping by and I will be back on Sunday evening for the Sunday Night Chit Chat. Carla has a giveaway on her blog and she will name the winner during her Sunday Night Chit-Chat so hop on over to My 1/2 Dozen Daily to enter! Have a great weekend!

Kat

5 Things Friday

It's time again for 5 Things Friday! We are started off each week by Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily. For new readers, 5 Things Friday is an opportunity for me to share 5 random thoughts with you! So, let's get started...

ONE...This week I got really frustrated with my mom and very nearly made the mistake of playing "tit for tat". Fortunately, I was able to counsel with some very wise women who helped me to see that 1) Two wrongs don't make a right; 2) My mom is not likely to change at this late stage in her life; and 3) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Thank you ladies for your help and guidance!

TWO...I am starting to hyperventilate about being ready for Christmas! Slow down, breathe and do the next thing on my "to do" list!

THREE...What is it about men and electronics?!!! I don't think I will ever understand. Do we REALLY need surround sound in our bedroom? I don't think I really appreciate surround sound in the living room!

FOUR...Did you know that vinegar stops itching? I was using an aloe vera based cream that is $50/jar because it made my itching tolerable but vinegar does the same thing at a fraction of the cost. Check out 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar.

FIVE...Is there anything in your house you would change if you had the money to do so? I would enlarge my bedroom/bathroom so I could have a walk-in closet and a big bathtub:) Second on that list would be new kitchen cupboards but I would be totally happy with the closet that would be easier to access!

Well, that's it for me on this fine Friday! Have a great weekend! 

Kat

5 Things Friday

Well, here it is Friday again and I have accomplished so very little this week:( Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily initiates 5 Things Friday and I just kinda play along! Just 5 disconnected things I want to share with you sooo as Carla says, let the rambling begin...(I love that!)

1. I went to the doctor yesterday to have blood drawn for food allergy testing. Won't get the results back until January 3 because of doctor's holiday vacation (I guess he's entitled--he works hard!). In the meantime, hubby and I will go gluten free until we see the results. We don't itch as bad when we don't have gluten. It's not guaranteed though because I had a bad episode this morning.
2. After the doctor's appointment yesterday we decided to eat at PF Changs in Kennewick. We haven't been there for some time because I was a little disgruntled the last time we were there but decided to give them another chance. Truly the Tri-Cities, WA doesn't have a lot of good choices for vegetarians and now we were going to throw gluten free into the mix.  What were we thinking?!!! Well, I am pleased to say that PF Changs added a vegetarian fried rice to their vegetarian menu AND they have quite a nice selection of gluten free choices! We had a very nice meal! Thank you PF Changs! If you live in Kennewick, Richland or Pasco, WA and know of restaurants who offer good vegetarian fare please let me know!
3. Our new featherbed mattress topper arrived yesterday from Costco! Yay! It is super soft and cushy! I hated giving up our memory foam mattress topper but know I will be just as happy with this new one and there won't be any off-gassing. The featherbed mattress topper had NO chemical smell when we took it out of the box:)
4. I really wanted to get some sewing done this week and even have it out and ready to go but just didn't have the energy. I couldn't wrap my mind around anything this week. However, I did finish Daughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan and am thinking about ordering the Kindle version of Woman of Grace by the same author. I really should read some of the books I already HAVE first:( That's no fun! I am going to try to do some sewing Saturday night and Sunday if I'm feeling up to it. Wish me luck!
5. I tried to order a couple of Christmas gifts plus a light box (for taking pictures of my cards) from nomorerack.com but wasn't able to complete the order. The message said my shipping address was not valid. First I put in my PO Box so that was understandable but then I changed it to my street address and it still said the address was not valid (several times). I would have gone out of the website and back in except it took a lot of time to find the items in the first place and there was no search engine on the website to be able to find them again quickly. After spending about 45 minutes trying to place the order I decided I was done! Have you had any frustrating shopping experiences lately?

Well, that's it for me today! I hope you are having a great Friday and will enjoy your weekend. I will be back again Sunday evening for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat!

5 Things Friday

Welcome to 5 Things Friday!  Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily started this a few weeks ago and I really like the opportunity to share bits and pieces with you. Carla has had sick kids for the last week so didn't do a 5 Things Friday this week but I wanted to do it anyway! Sooo...

1. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. Good food, good fellowship, lots of laughs! Last night my BIL and SIL, son, hubby and I played a game called Things till after 11:00 and laughed ourselves silly! Have you played Things? Great game for a group of people--the more the better.
2. Company is gone; house is put back together; there is a calm throughout the land. Ahhhh:) As nice as it is to have company, it is also nice to have the house back to "normal"!
3. I tried to cut my thumb off while cooking yesterday. Cut right though the thumb nail:( Boy, does it ever hurt! My sister-in-law is a doctor and recommended I put super glue on it! That is keeping it bearable. Before I put the super glue on the split part of the nail would grate back and forth--worse than fingernails on a chalkboard! I don't think I should be trusted with a knife when we are having company. What do you think?!!!
4. Since we got rid of our memory foam mattress topper, our bed feels like a cheap motel mattress:( I was sooo spoiled! But, we have a featherbed topper coming next week from Costco:D Do you see me doing the happy dance?!!! 
5. Time to kick it into high gear and get those Christmas presents made! I will start on Sunday so will be posting what gets done:) Are you making any Christmas gifts this year? What are your favorite gifts to receive--money, gift cards, handmade, electronics, books, ???

Have a great Friday and remember to come back for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat! Thanks for stopping by today. Your visits mean more than you'll ever know:)

Kat

5 Things Friday

Welcome once again to 5 Things Friday initiated each week by Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily. These are just five random things that I want to share with you so let's see, what can I share this week???

First off I will share the card with you that I promised. This was one of our Happy Stampers projects this week and is also one of Connie Stewart's Flash Cards over at Simply Simple Stamping! I am seriously addicted to these Flash Cards; can't get enough of them. If you can hear me Connie, KEEP MAKING THEM!!! For all the supplies and video instruction click here. Connie's videos are really fun to watch!

Okay, now for number two...Remember the Stampin' Trimmer I bought a few weeks ago and LOVE, by the way? Oh, you forgot already? Well, it's this one...

I sold four of them on this stamping order!!! It is seriously the best paper trimmer I have ever used! Just like slicing through butter...nice and smooth! Lots of nice features!

Now for number three...

I have a lot of cleaning and a lot of cooking to do before next Thursday, Thanksgiving! I guess what I will be most thankful for on Thanksgiving is that all the work is OVER! It would be nice to go someone else's house for the holiday for a change but Hubby loves to have people over. It wouldn't be so bad but with my health issues I haven't had ANY extra energy for at least three months! This too shall pass...

Number four...

I stumbled across a blog post yesterday where the author was writing about how she gets up in the morning, goes to her closet and picks out the shoes she is going to wear for the day, then picks out clothes to go with. I...do...the...same...thing!!! How funny is that?!! If I try to get dressed and then pick the shoes I never can get it right! My husband laughs because I might not be able to remember what somebody looks like but I will be able to tell you what shoes they were wearing:) Can you just see me as the witness to a crime??? 

Number five...

I bought six fat quarters of the BFF Girl Friends fabric by Elizabeth Studios that I have been lusting over!!! I was only able to get the piece pictured and some flowered in both brown and sepia but wasn't able to get the dots I wanted. That's okay, I am one happy camper with these! I also got the cutest pattern to make a kimono for an 18" doll. My granddaughter is 1/4 Japanese so she will love these little kimonos for her 18" dolls, Sophie and Chloe:) Right after Thanksgiving the sewing machine is coming out and staying out till Christmas. I have sooo many things I want to make! Stay tuned for pictures of finished projects:)

Carla threw in a # 6 this week asking about the type of shoes/boots we wear for winter. Well, my favorites are a pair of Docker Mules I have had forever and love because I can wear socks or tights with them and they look pretty good with most anything. I am really going to have to find another pair like them before next winter!

When it is too cold for these, I have a pair of Kirkland Signature (Costco) boots that are Ugg look alikes! They are super comfortable and I don't have to wear socks with them but they still keep my feet nice and toasty.

When I'm wearing dresses I wear my Keen Bern Baby Bern boots--two years old and still lovin' them:)

Well, that's my 5 Things for this Friday! 

Is your Christmas shopping/making finished or are you just getting started? Will you be participating in Black Friday shopping? I am about half done! I have family pretty much taken care of but have a few gifts I want to make for a few super special people:) And, no I will not be shopping on Black Friday. 

Have a nice weekend and be sure to check back in for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat!

Kat

5 Things Friday

I wasn't sure I was going to get this post done today there were sooo many other things that needed to be done! 5 Things Friday is originated by Carla each week at My 1/2 Dozen Daily. 

So here are my 5 things for this Friday...

1. Doctor's appointment yesterday. It was supposed to be a one hour visit but I finally got out of there THREE hours later!!! This is a wonderful doctor and people come from a great distance to see him. However, he doesn't turn away walk-ins so that means people (like me) with appointments sometimes have to wait. I am really hoping it was all worth it--my 3 hour drive (one way) and my 3 hours in the doctor's office. It will be if he can figure out what's wrong with me.
2. We got our first frost last night but tonight will be the killing frost. So thankful we got everything brought in from the garden:)
3. I went to a new store yesterday...new to me anyway! It's called Hobby Lobby and it was awesome! I bought some great fabric (will show it off on Sunday) plus got a birthday present for an 11 year old boy who LOVES to draw! This store will definitely be on my "must stop here" list when I go to the Tri-Cities (in WA).
4. We bought this great bed from Cabella's for our Great Dane, Beau! Well, Beau doesn't like it. We thought about returning it but it turns out the other two dogs love it--especially our English Bulldog, Rocky! Today when I was picking up before vacuuming, Rocky had SIX toys in the bed! He is such a funny dog!!!
5. Yesterday I bought a new bra I have been wanting to try--the Genie Bra! I LOVE it!!! It is so comfortable and does exactly what the infomercial says it will do! I found mine in a store in an "As Seen on TV" section. I am going to have to go get a few more before they sell out! Don't be afraid to try this one, ladies!!! I also bought an Ahh Bra but am not as impressed with it but will give it a try.

Okay, there you have it! My 5 Things for this Friday! Be sure to stop back by on Sunday for the Sunday Night Chit-Chat! Have a great weekend!

Kat

Five Things Friday

Oh my! This is scary! It is only 4:30 am and I am already up and at it this morning. Come to think of it, I was up this early yesterday morning! Years ago I got up at this time every morning but then Fibromyalgia hit and with it came Insomnia and Chronic Fatigue:( So, these are mornings I will enjoy and cherish because I know they are short lived! The really scary thing is TWO posts in one day!!!

Last week the dear Carla at My 1/2 Dozen Daily started 5 Things Friday! I wasn't sure I would be able to participate today because I have a VERY busy day ahead of me BUT when I woke up at 4:00 I felt that I DID have the time after all. 5 Things Friday is just random stuff that probably wouldn't make a whole post in themselves but I want to share anyway!

1. Secret Sister Swap...My package goes in the mail today; ready or not! I have one more thing I need to get but I will send that as a bonus for her next week. It is something that was on her list and I know she will love it but didn't get the chance last week to purchase it. Well, I could have this week while we were in Seattle but I am a little (okay, a lot) intimidated by driving in Seattle.
2. Devastation on the East Coast...I was watching a news program last night and saw the devastation on Staten Island and the helplessness of so many people. Justin at jk cards said he is still out of power but his building has a generator so it's not as bad as it is for some. I believe Justin lives on Long Island. The Jersey Shore is another really hard hit area. 
3. My 100 Thing Fling Boogie...Otherwise known as the Reverse 100 Things Challenge. I am up to 50 and plan to increase that amount this weekend with 10 pairs of shoes. I wore a lot of different shoes when I was working in an office but just haven't shown them any love in the last two years so will donate them so someone else can have a chance to love them. I have a doctor's appointment next week that will take me close to a Goodwill Store where I can drop the items off--YAY!--and pick up a receipt for tax purposes. Yes, I have itemized each and every item! I am going to try to gather 25 more items (not counting the shoes) before Thursday.
4. Christmas List...Trying to work on my Christmas list so I can start working on items that I want to make. Hubby and Son are always so hard to buy for--if they want it they have usually already bought it! I may do Coupon Books for them of things I can do for them. What do you think of that idea? Then there is my daughter and granddaughter that I have a hard time NOT buying for--so much to buy; so little money! I just purchased an early Christmas present for my daughter but since she occasionally reads my blog, I can't tell you what it is until she gets it:)
5. Did you know...(and you probably did!) That with the Kindle App for the iPad you can download books from Amazon.com and read them on the iPad? And did you know that a lot of the Classics are FREE! There is also a lot of smut for free but I am so not into smut! I like my books clean and wholesome! Oh, and another thing I found out this week is about SpiritClips. My idea of a great movie is one with no sex, no violence and no bad language; a movie that makes me feel good at the end about the two hours I spent watching it; a movie that makes me want to be a better person. SpiritClips is through Roku (we have a Roku box for our Netflix) and for just $35.99/year (US) you can watch Hallmark Hall of Fame movies! These movies are my absolute favorite and the opportunity to watch potentially 50+ wholesome movies for just $35.99/year makes me over-the-top excited!!! If I watch one movie per week for a whole year, that's only 69 cents per movie!!! I hope you will get excited about this too!

Well, that's my 5 things for this Friday! Now, on to that LONG "to do" list I have for today! Wish me luck!

What is your favorite movie of all time? I would have to give it a little more thought but Freedom Writers ranks right up there near the top!

Kat

5 Things Friday

Welcome to "5 Things Friday"! I love this idea! Carla over at My 1/2 Dozen Daily has started the "5 Things Friday" so you can check her blog to see what her 5 random things for the week are. I like this idea because sometimes I have things to share that just don't fit anywhere. And, Friday is probably the busiest day of my week so if I haven't prepared a post ahead of time it's just one more thing to add to my already long "to do" list! So, "5 Things Friday" is perfect for me:) I hope you enjoy it too!

1. I didn't get my Zippy Wallet done:( The reason being that for the last couple of days I haven't been feeling well. I think I am trying to come down with something--achy, stomach queasy, feverish. Not really sick; just not well. I am on an every 4 hour regimen of Airborne, Wellness Formula, Vitamin C and Aloe Vera juice. One of those ought to do something!!!
2. Trying to decide what to take to Seattle with me! Hubby has some training in Seattle on Monday and Tuesday so we are going up on Sunday. We got a 3 star hotel for $68/night plus tax! Great price and the motel has great reviews! I will be taking Happiness Key by Emilie Richards to read; swimming suit for the pool; a knitting project plus my cross stitch project. I am planning one day to just stay in the motel room and relax:) 
3. Learning to use my iPad. You wouldn't think it would be too difficult since I have had an iPod Touch for 4 years and I use a MacBook Pro to do my blogging. However, it IS a little different but I am getting the hang of it. I am still trying to decide what kind of cover I want. I have been lusting over some beautiful leather ones like the Book Book Case but it's $80 so that's not likely to happen unless I find it on sale. The iTech cover at Costco is $80 but includes a keyboard (big plus)!
4. Making my list of quick, easy but oh so adorable Christmas gifts to make. I will be showing them to you as they come off the assembly line:)
5. Getting a new cell phone plan that INCLUDES texting:) It's time I came into the 21st Century! I have a free texting app on my iPod and iPad but not the same as having it on your phone. I do have texting on my current phone but it costs 20 cents per text--incoming and outgoing. Doesn't sound like much but it can really add up!

Well, now you have my random thoughts for the day! Do you have some random thoughts to share? I would love to hear them!

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Thank you for visiting! I will be doing the Sunday Night Chit-Chat from my motel room in Seattle IF I don't get really sick in the meantime!

Kat