Bench

I was looking at wall by my stairs, thinking it could use a bench. Then I started thinking about not spending any money. So I started looking around the house and this is what I came up with...

I decided to use my peach baskets and a piece of scrap wood.

I like it for now. I need to add some decorations.

I love shopping around the house for free things. I am starting to add summer touches around the house!!

Come back later in the week to see what I've done!!

Weekend and Lilacs

This weekend was nice and quiet. Which was a good thing since it was rainy!!!

Saturday morning, Tommy and I woke up at 5:30 to sand the addition. We are so close!!!

After breakfast Ballerina and I headed to the Farmer's Market. They don't have a lot of produce right now, but I love to eat the hydroponic lettuce!! We also found some asparagus. Nothing like fresh picked veggies!!!

We also picked up.....

That's right Lilacs. I love the scent of lilacs. I am really thinking of going to get a lilac bush. I would need to find a spot that I would enjoy seeing the flowers and the smell!!!

After the Farmer's Market, Ballerina and I headed to her dance class. I always enjoy going to class to watch her.

After, class we came home had snack watched Tommy work on the lawn mower, ate lunch and then got Ballerina ready for her dance portraits. Of course she wanted her hair straight. So much fun to do on a rainy day!! After an hour of working on her hair, it was straight!!!!

We went back to the dance studio for her portraits.

We practiced smiling!! Last year she looked scared in her portrait.

I also caved this year with the make-up. I put a little lip stain, blush, and mascara.

Ballerina and her friend!!

That's all the make-up she is going to get. Her teacher wants them in brown eye-shadow and red lipstick!!

I don't think so!!!!

I can't believe how big she is getting!!!

After the portraits we all headed to town for their annual Art Walk. They have all kinds of art work, food, and wine. They also have a scavenger hunt for the kids!!! The kids really got into it this year!!!

 We went out for dinner for some Mexican food and then ice cream at our favorite ice cream stand!!! Yummo!!!

Sunday was ANOTHER rainy day but we all went to ESU to run around the track.

We watched the movie "Tangled".

I loved this movie. It was so cute. Ballerina was very concerned about Rapunzel breaking her promise to her mother. Rapunzel promised her mother that she would not leave the tower. However, Rapunzel left the tower. Ballerina was so upset that she broke her promise to her mother.

We tried explaining that sometimes you need to break a promise if someone is hurting you!!

OYE!!!!

It was a great weekend. I wish it didn't have to end!!

Now the week has begun!!!! I hope this week goes fast!!!

Training for a 5K

As you now know I want to run in a 5K.

I have already started training.

I am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination. In High School I use to get yelled at all the time by my gym teacher for not running. I hate running!!! But I am trying to get over it. I must have some kind of running skills in my genes because in High School both of my brothers ran in track. They were good too!!!

I admire people who go running. They look kind of happy. I wonder is that their runners high I hear so much about.

Anyway, the kids and I started going to East Stroudsburg University to run on their track. Our development doesn't have side walks and I need to be able to run with the kids. So we go to ESU to run and we have fun. The kids are my biggest cheerleaders!!!

I told them that I plan on running in a race and they are so excited and asked if they could run too.

I told them if they want to run they can run. We have decided to make it a family run.

We will be running in the YMCA Freedom Festival 5K on July 4th at 9:00 am.

I am not looking to place just do something out of my comfort zone!!!!

I'll keep you posted on my progress!!!!!



40 Things To Do Before I'm 40

Several years ago, Tommy and I made a bucket list. Our bucket list is mostly traveling to far away places and some other big things.

I recently realized that I'm not getting any younger and 40 is right around the corner. I will be 40 in 1 year and seven months, but whose counting?

I wanted to come up with some of things from my bucket list that I could do before I am 40.

I have given it a lot of thought. I want to share my list you because I want to hold myself accountable for my list.

The list is in no particular order.

1. Learn to knit.
2. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.
3. Run a 5K (Don't laugh-I already started training)!!!!
4. Run a Half Marathon.
5. Take Ballerina is see the Rockettes.
6. Ice Skate at Rockefellar Center.
7. Have a picnic in Central Park.
8. Take a Yoga class.
9. Take a Pilates class.
10. Take a Pottery Class.
11. Take the kids camping.
12. Walk the McDade Trail from Shawnee to Milford, PA.
13. Hike back to sunfish pond. (I've done this once but want to do it again.)
14. Take a meditation class.
15. Learn more about Judism.
16. Read all the Jane Austin Novels. (I'm a sucker for romance)
17. Take a photography class.
18. Try Fly Fishing. (Regular fishing seems boring to me but, fly fishing you stand in the water and constantly move your arms.)
19. Take a trip to Napa Valley.
20. Pick Blueberries in Maine.
21. Cook all the receipes from a famous chef's cookbook. (Any suggestions? I won't start this until the fall.)
22. Try skiing.
23. Take Speed Racer to see a Nascar Race. (We live in PA and the races take over our region twice a summer. I want to see what all the hype is.)
24. Try Cross-Country skiing.
25. Take Dancing lessons with Tommy.
26. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride.
27. Learn to Scuba Dive.
28. Go to a Drive In Movie Theatre.
29. Take a Cooking Class.
30. Paint a Landscaping picture.
31. Go Dog Sledding.
32. Go on a carriage ride in the snow.
33. Horseback Riding (preferably on the beach but I would ride on a nice trail with running water.)
34. RUN up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Musuem. (I know I must have done this as a child but I want to run up the steps as an adult.) Rocky Style!!!
35. Bike the whole island of LBI.
36. Go to the Jazz Festival in Delaware Water Gap.
37. Take the kids to see Lucy the Elephant. (South Jersey icon)
38. Go to the Hamptons.
39. Kayak or Canoe around the Statue of Liberty.
Now for the all time shocker. Some of you already know this about me but some of you don't know but my gift to myself for my 40th Birthday is to....
40. Drive in a Nascar Race Car. (I didn't know how much I wanted to do this until we took my Dad to do this for his retirement present.) When we drove onto the track at the Pennsylvania Raceway I got goose bumps and decided right then and there I would do this for my 40th Birthday.)
This shocks people because a lot of people think of me as a little prissy. I admit my younger self was prissy.

 But the older and wiser me wants to embrace life and enjoy every moment!!!!

Do you have a list of things you want to do? Any of them similar to mine. If so let me know we can do them together!!! I'd love the company!!!

Again, I am sharing this with you to actually help me achieve my goal!!!

I will be back to blogging!!!! I know you've missed me!!!

Love and Hugs,
Janine

Happy Belated Mother’s Day

I know it’s been so long since I have blogged, but I am getting ready to start up blogging. I just have a couple of things to think through and the I will be back.
Even though I am on a break. I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Belated Mother’s Day!!

We had a very nice day. I was a bit nervous because the past two years were not the best of Mother’s Day but this year was Great!!!!!!
I will be back either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week.
Something for you to look forward to is My list of forty things to do before I turn forty. Which is right around the corner. Yikes!!!!

I hope you had a great Mother’s Day and a relaxing weekend!!!

Taking A Break

It's not you...it's me...

 

I have been debating about this a lot today!!!

I really enjoy blogging and looking at all the other blogs that I follow. It's something that I find makes me happy through out my day. I love the whole process of taking pictures and writing the posts.

However, lately I find myself with so much to do and not enough time in the day.

With the warm weather here, we are spending more time outside.

I also have a few big projects that I am working on that I need to get done.

I need to focus on the addition. It has been almost a year that my Dad and I started this project and I just want to get it done. I decided to get on the scaffolding and do the spackling and sanding myself despite my fear on heights. I have to get it done!!!! I know I am so close but I need to focus on that project.

I am also starting my own vegetable and herb garden. I want to try and grow enough to grow most of our produce for the summer and fall.

I also need to spend time with the kids, taking care of the house, myself, and any other projects that comes my way. I am not saying good-bye for good just for a little bit.

Once I figure out how to fit blogging into my daily schedule I will be back!!!

Try not to miss me too much!!!!!

Seeds

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I started some of our seeds for the garden. I am always trying new ways to start our seeds. Since we eat a lot of egg whites at our house, I thought I would try using egg shells to start our seeds.

We saved the egg shells and egg cartons.

Of course we didn’t have enough egg shells and cartons. So we are going to need to eat more eggs. LOL!!!!!

We started tomatoes, mixed peppers, and beans!!! The beans are already sprouting!!! Yippy. I better get into gear on building our new veggie bed. Hopefully, it stops raining long enough to build the garden bed.

I hope that you had a great weekend!!!!