Fancy Bulletin Board

This weekend has been so rainy and yucky, so I decided to get out the craft supplies and get my craft on!

I have come up with this idea for the RV but you could make this for any part of your house!

All you need is a frame, cardboard, hot glue gun with glue, and fabric, push pins and cute jewels

Make sure that the cardboard is big enough to cover the frame and that you have enough fabric to cover the cardboard..hopefully that makes sense! haha

1. Cut the cardboard to fit the frame.

2. Take the fabric and cut to fit the cardboard, with a little bit of a lip coming over the cardboard.

3. Use the hot glue gun to attach the fabric to the cardboard.

4. Then use the hot glue gun to attach the cardboard to the frame

5. Glue the push pins to the jewels of your choice

6. Let sit until dry

Arm workout

Awesome arm workout! 

Arms are one area that I would really like to improve!!! 

Good luck!!

RV Check List

My mother found this check list on Pinterest (our secret obsession) and since I am new to the camping world she thought that this would come in handy! Here is the check list...

  RVing for the first time...

WHAT DO I BRING?

This week we met a delightful young family who had just bought a brand new 29 foot RV and were taking it out for their first weekend ever!   The mom said she really didn't know what she should bring and there was nowhere on the internet that she could find any suggestions.   So, Allison, I write this for you and all the other new RVers out there who are in or will be or hope to be in your shoes some day. 

The first thing you have to remember is that unlike packing a suitcase, you have this "second home" where things can stay.  You don't have to pack and unpack for every trip, especially if you go out on weekends regularly.    Get the basics in your RV and you won't have to worry about rushing at the last minute.  Here's my list and for you more experienced RV'ers out there, please feel free to add your ideas...

TECHNOLOGY
Don't hesitate to bring your computer along.  You may be trying to get away from work or whatever, but have one available for emergencies or to go online with rvdream.com to research your next destination!

cell phone
cell phone charger
computer/iPad/chargers
DVD player/movies

KITCHEN
Silverware
Plates - paper or plastic
cereal bowls - paper or plastic
Coffee cups/plastic drinking glasses
A sharp knife or two
cutting board
garbage bags
can opener
plastic mixing/serving bowls
fry pan/one moderate size covered pot depending on the # of people in family
Tongs
wine opener 
paper towels
kitchen towels
dish detergent
dish rack
sponge 
broom/mop
measuring cups
measuring spoons
All surface windex for glass, counters, messes on the floor etc.
Propane BBQ grill
small propane bottles (or whatever size your grill requires)
We also travel with a crock pot...dinner can cook while you're at the pool!

SPICES/CONDIMENTS
Salt and Pepper
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayo
Steak sauceOf course, you will need the specific items that are required by the meals you are planning to serve.   ALSO, you may not need, want, or have the room to carry regular sizes of everything you want.  You know those packets of mustard, ketchup, mayo and relish you can find at fast food places, well you can buy those and everything else you can possibly think of at 
http://www.minimus.biz/   You'll find laundry detergent, to parmesan cheese...baby food to coffee...

Our daughter Honey gave us a whole box of different things as a gift.  I bought a couple of cute plastic slide out drawers that fit in a small cupboard and organized them that way.  It frees up space in the refrigerator and you can have a wider variety of items.   You can order as many packets as you want, for pennies.    

BATHROOMShower/pool towels
Scrubbing Bubbles
RV tank deodorizers
Clorox toilet bowl scrubber with disposable pads
"septic safe" toilet paper
shampoo/conditioner
body wash/wash cloth or other
tooth brushes
tooth paste
deodorant
razor/shaving cream 
Advil/Tylenol/Aspirin
sunscreen
bug spray/anti itch cream or spray
Ambisol for a sore tooth
band aids
burn cream
antiseptic wipes
motion sickness pills
hand cream or some kind of lotion
thermometer
Tissues/Kleenex
Pepto Bismol for upset stomach
Aloe Vera for a sunburn
tampons/kotex
eye drops
Any specific medications you are currently taking on a daily basis

Travel prescriptions.  Your doctor can give you a travel prescription in case you stay out longer than expected and need to refill any of your medications.  Most everywhere has a drugstore if not a Target or Walmart that can get you a refill. 

Costco also has some really great FIRST AID KITS that come with everything you need for minor incidents.   Well worth the effort to get one.  Everything you need right there. 

LAUNDRY
Laundry detergent
softner sheets
spot remover
quarters
dirty clothes hamper

JUNK DRAWER
Pens/pencil/markers
deck of cards
extra batteries
rubber bands
a roll of doggie poop bags
twist ties
Flash light
scotch and/or packing tape
hair binders
scissors
pad of paper
matches
map (in case your GPS fails or has a problem connecting)
Superglue
safety pins
extention cords

BEDROOM
Extra set of sheets
extra blankets (depending on the time of year)

TOOLS
Duct tape
work gloves (lots of sharp edges on your rig)
disposable rubber gloves for dumping
hammer
flashlight
WD-40
Extra fuses
water pressure regulator
wheel chocks/jacks/wood or plastic leveling pieces
extra hose
Tire pressure gauge – a good accurate and dependable one
screw drivers (phillips and flathead in a couple of sizes)
wrench
tire changing tools
A few jugs of motor oil, engine coolant, and windshield washer fluid
A few common screws and nuts and bolts can also be lifesavers.
jumper cables
Needle-Nose Pliers
Extra length of connectable dump hose in case the dump is further away than your
regular dump hose

OTHER
Emergency cards for health insurance/vehicle insurance/Identification
Good Sam card
A tarp (if you have space)
Clothing/underwear/swimsuits
leash for your dog
patio mat/welcome mat
rugs
Baskets, boxes and bins for organizing cabinets, closets and exterior basement storage
shelf/drawer liners
Board games
lawn chairs
Electric space heater (saves propane but turn off when you sleep)
outdoor lights for your awning
Hand held pump spray bottle with a 20% bleach/water solution. You need to sanitize the water connection at your campsite before you hook up your water hose.
file folder for warranty papers, repair receipts and records
Folding outdoor table (not every park provides picnic tables)
table lantern
umbrella/plastic disposable rain ponchos
A good book/Kindle

Here is the Website if you would like to go check out more RV ideas! http://nrs.blogtronix.net/RVDREAMRADIO/37508

HAPPY CAMPING!

My favorite Blogs

These are my favorite blogs that I follow... daily!

Brunchatsaks.blogspot.com

She posts about food, fashion, decor, diy, style...basically all of it!

She has some great Gluten free recipes

This is a photo of her recent posting.

Restoredstyle.com

Her blog has some many great how to's, and before and afters!!

I am always looking for a good update for my house so I love this blog.

This is a picture of her bathroom she just remodeled.

Christihill.wordpress.com

Her blog is based around her cancer and Gods healing

Very INSPIRING!!!!

This girl goes to bible study with me and is such a huge blessing.

Cupcakesandcashmere.com

Her blog has great fashion advice! 

She also has recipes, decor and how to's which I love too!

Here is a picture of her recent posting.

Lovetaza.com

This blog is one of my favorites!

I have been following her for quite a few years and can actually say that I have read EVERY post! She has an amazing story/journey and recommend this blog!

This is a photo of her recent post!

Last but not least

mamalaughlin.com

Her blog is focused on her weight loss journey which is amazing! 

She is hilarious and is one of the best writers that I have seen!

This is a photo of her before and after...

you'll be addicted to this blog!

Exciting news!

SO my new and exciting news...

We recently purchased a toy hauler and I am so EXCITED!! It is HUGE and can hold 4 quads easily but is also perfect for going on family camping trips! We already have out first camping trip planned to the beach. I am so excited to take Bodi to the beach for the first time!

I can't wait to post pictures of our first trip!! 

Have a wonderful day!

Concerts!

Over the past month I have been able to do my FAVORITE thing...go to country concerts!!! I have seen four GREAT performances.

My first concert was at the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle where Hunter Hayes performed! I wouldn't say that he is my favorite but he has a couple good songs and we enjoyed the concert.

The next performance was...

Randy houser

He performed at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma

I love so many of his songs and did not realize how many he has actually written for other artists! Like honky tonk that Toby Keith recorded.

Then Chris Cagle!!!

He also performed at the EQC too!

And then one of the best acoustic performances I have seen in a long time....

Love and Theft!

They performed at the Snoqualmie casino which is SO beautiful!

I think the best part about this concert besides being front row was that we got to meet them afterward which was a blast! 

Obviously the one standing next to me had a little to much whiskey...hahaha

Each of these concerts was such a blast! I can't wait for the next one!

P.S.

I actually took photos at each concert but my Iphone didn't pull through like I would have liked!

April Routine

This is my April Routine that I am trying to follow and thought everyone might like to try it out also! Play catch up since I am posting this a little late.
 Thank you Pinterest for the great inspiration! :D

Let me know what you think!

Workout is still on....

I have not posted about my workout recently but don't worry they are still on! I am going to be honest I have not ran for a while...my last run was about a mile and the one before that was a good 5 miles but my goal that day was 6 and it took the wind out of my sails! I know it isn't suppose to be that way but I am just being honest about how I feel.

Now since I got that off my chest, today is a new day and so with that said I ran 1 mile and did SO MANY squats, lunges, all sorts of arms and lots abs! 

DIET is everything too which we know and my sweet tooth gets the best of me but working out and eating healthy is the key (which I feel like I have said before but a good reminder)! I have cut up a big fruit salad so when I feel like I need something sweet I turn to that which has really helped. I highly recommend cutting up a fruit salad and also a green salad as a healthy choice!

Everyday isn't going to be perfect but we can keep on trying and pushing forward!!! Heck if anything at least it makes us feel better (at least me)!

HaPpY EaStER

I hope that everyone had a great Easter! 

I really tried focusing on what the true meaning of Easter is. I have been doing a bible study the past few months and it has really helped me learn so much about the Bible and God. I considered myself a christian but really didn't know much except one or two stories.  This past week we finished up reading Mark, right in time for Easter and boy it truly was just what I needed as a reminder for what Jesus has done for us! If you need the reminder you should read Mark 13-16...WOW... is the only word that comes to me when I read it!

This morning while I sat in Church, I kind of expected for the service to be a traditional service, reading through the bible and covering certain verses but I found myself in awe of the story he was telling, going through the bible and what the few days before Christ being resurrected really meant and what was really going on. It was so wonderful and understanding it as much as I did from the bible study really helped too I am sure. Needless to say the service was wonderful!

We followed the service with an early dinner, which was marvelous! A great ham with all the side dishes and dessert...I don't need to eat for a week now!!! :) 

I hope everyone had as wonderful of an Easter as I had! May your week be filled with happiness!

Spring Time

Happy GOOD Friday!!!!

I thought that I would share this photo of my beautiful Daffodils that really tied together my dining table! With the Daffodil parade coming right around the corner, I am finding these flowers all over the town for sale! It really shows me that Spring is HERE!!! :)  I hope everyone has had a good week and is ready for Easter this Sunday!

Childrens Fundraiser

One of my local, favorite restaurants, named Charlie's had a Fundraiser to raise money for the Children's foundation. Autumn is one of the waitress/ owners of the restaurant and has had this fundraiser for multiple years! We have been good friends for a long time but have been getting back in touch recently...life has taken us separate ways for a while! I was so happy to be able to go and show my support to just one of the many amazing things she does for the community!
 The fundraiser works by everyone purchasing a ticket for dinner and then there is a silent auction. The auction is all donations from baked goods to spray tan gift cards! For dinner Autumn made Chicken cordon blue with salad, rice and bread and it was to die for! After dinner we all started bidding on these items. It became so fun to watch people go back and fourth at bidding wars. At the end I won a gift card to my FAVORITE place for a spray tan! (I love them so much but rarely spend the money to get them done, especially now since I am unemployed) Brandi won a 7 layer chocolate cake- which is pictured below! As you can tell by the picture, she was in AHHHH of this ENORMOUS cake!!! I just talked to Autumn today and got the amount that she raised............... almost $1,700!!!!!!!!!!! How AMAZING that our tiny town could raise that much money!!! That just shows me that we can do ANYTHING that we put our minds to!

Have a wonderful Thursday---- Almost Friday!

Great!

I just had to share this when I saw it on Pinterest! These are the type of home rules that will keep you grounded and be able to work through any situation with God being your main focus. I hope this helps you as much as it has me!

Bloglovin

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/2515121/?claim=bf32ycqbc5j">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

I have just heard that Google will not be having blogspot as a blog provider anymore so I am going to be moving to Bloglovin. I will post my new site soon! 

I hope everyone had a great weekend!!

New Workout!!!

I have been working on balancing exercise and eating healthy but I am going to be honest... I stink at it...I always don't feel motivated to exercise and don't want to eat healthy all the time. I have always been inspired to run a marathon and I realized this week that the reason why I have never been a successful runner is because I care more about the weight I lose then actually running. So I am changing it up this time and put away the scale and just started running again! It is going to take time for me to build up to what I could run before but you have to start somewhere. I am really trying not to be hard on myself for having to take breaks but I decided to give myself a week of working up and see where I am at...to be honest I am farther then I thought I would be. The first day I ran a half mile and then the next day I ran a mile and this weekend I ran 2.5 miles without stopping...just building it up one day at a time! My goal is to run at the Rock and Run in Seattle in June so I have four months to train!!

Below is my training for a half marathon schedule which you can switch around for what works for you!!

                   Mon        Tues            Wed     Thurs     Fri               Sat          Sun          Week total
Week 1      3 m          2 m                3 m       3 m        Opt 2 m      4 m         Rest day     15 miles
Week 2      3 m         Opt 2 m          3 m       3 m       Opt 2 m      4 m         Rest day     17 miles
Week 3      3 m         Opt 3 m          3 m      3 m        Opt 3 m      5 m         Rest day     20 miles
Week 4      4 m         4 m                 3 m       4 m        Rest day     6 m         Rest day     21 miles
Week 5      4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       3 m        Opt 4 m     6 m          Rest day     24 miles
Week 6      6 m         Opt 3 m          3 m       3 m        Opt 3 m     8 m          Rest day     26 miles
Week 7      4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     7 m          Rest day     27 miles
Week 8      5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     9 m          Rest day     31 miles
Week 9      5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     10 m        Rest day     32 miles
Week 10    4 m         Opt 4 m          5 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     11 m        Rest day     32 miles
Week 11    4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     9 m          Rest day     29 miles
Week 12    4 m         Opt 4 m          6 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     12 m        Rest day     34 miles
Week 13    5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     13 m        Rest day     35 miles
Week 14    5 m         Opt 4 m          6 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     10 m        Rest day     34 miles
Week 15    4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     6-8 m       Rest day     29 miles
Week 16    3 m         Opt 3 m          3 m       3 m        Rest day    30mn jog  30mn jog    15 miles

Opt- optional
Mn- minutes


I have found an app for my phone that works amazing for keeping track of your distance. I have tried so many and this is the only one that works as well as I have heard! It's called Run Keeper (its free). Let me know what you think!

Has changed my life...

When I first became unemployed I was invited to attend a women's bible study that happened on Thursday mornings. I said yes I would love to come (but truly had nothing else going on besides working around my house). I attended that next Thursday and when I entered it had a long table full of breakfast foods and tables set up around the open room. All of the women (about 40 of them) welcomed me with open arms and showed me to the food. I ate some of the best tasting food I have ever had. The women ranged from my age to 80's and all had something about them that made you want to be around them. I studied all of these women while they all caught up, telling stories of what God has done in their life. About 45 minutes later we shuffled into the sanctuary for some worship, bulletin and then the word. Fae was teaching that day and you could tell that God was really working in her life and especially to share today. We were working in the book of Matthew and as she said its one of the most important books in the bible and especially the section she was speaking on...it really is the word of what God excepts Christians to be. About and hour and half later we broke up for small groups and boy let me tell you that these women are what I strive to be....100% about God 7 days a week 24 hours a day. When they prayed God was in the room listening...absolutely remarkable!

I left the day feeling great and the best part is that I learned so much about what a Christian is suppose to be about. It isn't about going to church one day a week and then not praying or being in your bible the other 6 days it's about paying attention to god all day every day!

I have gone back to bible study every Thursday since then and look forward to the next one each week with each one getting better and better and I am learning more and more. I highly recommend everyone getting into the word or finding a bible study to help find that inspiration and to learn more every week!!!

Recently

Sorry for the long delay in posting...life has gotten the best of me recently! 
I have spent the last two days giving my blog a much needed face lift!! Let me know what you think!

I recently lost my job...and as much as that hurts to say, I know that I am better off now then when I was there. I have been thinking about this and what was said and my Doctor's responds to the news for a good amount of time. What I have come up with is that God has something amazing out there for me. He knew how much I hated my job.  Needless to say something great is going to come out of all of this and until it does I am just going to be praying and focusing my energy (that I have not had) on my family and GOOD friends! 

Ryan has been so supportive about all of this craziness that has been happening and for that I am so thankful. Sometimes it takes a hard fall to realize what is important. I will keep you guys posted with new thoughts and activities!