Weekend Update

This weekend was such a fun and relaxing one!

We started off Valentine's Day with homemade cinnamon buns! Of course I had to made pink frosting and use sprinkles for the occasion.

 We stopped by the grocery store and the Girl Scouts were out front. The shortbread cookies are my favorite!!!

Saturday was beautiful with highs in the 60's, so Mike and I enjoyed a picnic lunch at the park!

 Yummy strawberries always make me happy!

 Sunday was a really good church service. So happy to finally be going to church regularly again.

I made homemade chicken n dumplings for dinner on Sunday. It was a pretty cold and dreary day, so a warm comfort food was much needed.

Hope you had a nice weekend as well! I'm looking forward to seeing what this week will bring.

Friday!

Happy Friday the 13th and almost Valentine's Day! Things have been pretty quiet here on the blog lately, but I just haven't had much to write about. Life has been really great, work is going good, and I have no complaints! Some highlights of this week include...

1. Getting my diploma in the mail! I officially have a BS in Environmental Science and Policy AND an AA in Business!!!

2. My cousin, Arynn, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl late Tuesday evening!! Her name is Alexis and she is the first great grand-kid in our family!!!! I can't wait to meet her!

3. This might be too much information, but Mike has been putting dryer sheets in his boots to help combat stinky feet syndrome. He pulled the dryer sheet from his shoe in this shape! Obviously it looks like the magnificent state of Florida. So weird!

4. Mike's friend, David, had a birthday this week and I asked him what he would like me to bake for him. He said pineapple upside down cake! So, I baked these little guys.

5. We don't have any huge plans for Valentine's Day this year, but that's exactly what I'm looking forward to! I'm planning to make homemade cinnamon buns for breakfast and a yummy steak for dinner. Other than that I think we'll just be relaxing.

Hope you have a great weekend and a happy Valentine's Day!!!

Life Lately

It's Monday and I'm in an exceptionally good mood. I think this can be contributed to a couple of things. Firstly, I'm on day 14 of the No Junk Food Challenge. I first heard of this from my lovely mother-in-law, Sherry, and have since also seen it on Pinterest. While I haven't really lost any weight, I'm feeling great. I feel lighter and less gross inside (does that make sense?), and I definitely have more energy. Also, I'm not craving soda and sweets like I usually do; however, that's not to say I wouldn't still eat a cookie if you put one in front of me! Secondly, I had a really good hot yoga class this morning. The room was heated to about 95 degrees and the class lasted an hour and a half. I was a hot mess by the end, but in a really good way. Lastly, Mike is finally home after being away for Shot Show (a convention on everything and anything gun related) in Las Vegas last week. He was gone for six days! I'm SO glad to have him home again.

So, what does one do while home by themselves for a week you ask? Well, one becomes a professional cat photographer, as evidenced below...

 I call this one Serious Halo. I think she was getting ready to blink or something.

 Halo giving me some cuddles as I was trying to cross-stitch.

Pantera and Halo napping together. Too cute!!!

On Wednesday, Mother Nature decided to dump snow everywhere!! I think this is the most snowfall I've seen since we've moved here. Of course it had to happen while Mike was away. After Wednesday I was too scared to drive anywhere.

 Sorry for the poor quality of this photo, but the window had snow stuck to it.

 The front of our house.

 The back yard.

 My snow feet.

The view looking up our street. That's my poor car there covered in snow!

Of course I also had to get my craft on during the week. I made this bible cover and I'm hoping I can add a monogram to it.

This was my view on Sunday as I drove to pick up Mike from the airport. Sometimes I really miss Florida, but this view really isn't too bad!

So here's to starting the week off right and hopefully continuing with more good mood vibes!!!

Friday!

High Five for Friday everyone!!! It's Friday again and time to celebrate!!!

1. Mike and I went to a church last weekend that one of Mike's teachers suggested we try out. We really enjoyed it and will be going back again this Sunday. I believe we will become regulars there and we are both happy about that!

2. Both Mike and I finished another semester at Trinidad State Junior College. I'm pleased to announce we both got straight A's again!!! I've completed my time at school and now have an Associate of Arts in Business Administration to go along with my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy...quite the combo! Mike is doing amazingly well in the gunsmithing program and has two more semesters to go. Time is flying by!

3. Last week a job offer sort of just landed in our laps. We weren't looking for a job, but one of Mike's teachers said he knew someone who was looking for a couple to do some cleaning work. We called her and got the job! Monday was our first day and we worked every night this week. The job is cleaning a bank nightly. It's nothing glamorous, but Mike and I can walk there from our house! The job is in the evenings, so it fits our schedule nicely and we'll be making some money!

4. Tuesday night Mike and I met up with some of his gunsmithing buddies for dinner. Two of them I already knew, but David I hadn't met before. David also brought his wife along too! It was a really nice relaxing evening and I always enjoy meeting other gunsmithing students and their families.

5. Only THREE days until Shane and Lindsey arrive in Colorado! Mike and I are getting REALLY excited to see our friends!!

Shane and Lindsey will be here for a week and then Mike and I will be flying home to Florida for two weeks, so this possibly might be my last post of the year. Don't worry though, I'll be back in the new year with lots of pictures from our adventures!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

DIY Clay Garland

 During Thanksgiving break I decided to try a little DIY project I saw on Delighted Momma's blog. She did a clay garland along her mantel that turned out really cute! It's a simple project with only a few tools and doesn't take too long either.

 I got a variety pack of clay because I knew I wanted a colorful garland. I used yarn to string the clay onto, but you could use pretty much anything you have on hand (waxed cotton cording, fishing line, string, etc.). You also need something to puncture your clay to create a hole going all the way through. I had a jewelry making tool, but there are also specialized clay tools that are pretty cheap too. I haven't tried it, but I'm also willing to bet a toothpick would work also. You just might have to wiggle it a bit to make a big enough hole to fit your yarn through.

 Start by breaking off a piece of clay and working it with your hands for a few minutes to soften it up, then roll it out into a ball shape. Mine are about quarter sized, but you can make yours to any size you like.

 Next, just pierce the ball with your tool to create a smooth hole going all the way through the clay.

 Lay your clay balls on a cookie sheet and bake per the directions on your clay package. Mine baked at 275 degrees for half an hour.

 After they cool, string your clay onto your yarn and hang it up!!

High Five for Friday

Hello! How has your week been? This was the last week of regular classes for Mike and I so we were both kind of busy finishing up end of the semester projects. This week's High Five for Friday is going to be a little countdown edition...

1. One day until Mike and I try our hand at CANNING! I got a bunch of canning stuff for my birthday so I'm excited to try it out!

2. Three days until Mike and I start our new JOB! We sort of stumbled upon a job. We start Monday, so we'll see how it goes. I'll give you more details later. If it works out it will be really good for us!

3. Five days left until this semester is officially OVER!

4. TEN days until Shane and Lindsey arrive in Colorado! Can't wait to see them!

5. Only 18 days until we fly home for CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Life Lately

Hola! Life lately has been really good! Mike and I had about a week and a half off of school and it was wonderful!

 As you know from my previous post, Mike's mom came and visited us for about four days. We are still talking about how much fun we had together!

After she left it was time for Mike and I to get ready to celebrate our first Thanksgiving on our own. Wow! We never realized how much time goes into making a Thanksgiving meal. We opted not to do a turkey just for the two of us and chose instead to do a pork loin, which turned out great.

It was a little weird not going Black Friday shopping this year, but don't worry...I still managed to do a little online shopping with some birthday money I still had left. We got the house all decorated and ready for Christmas!!! The cats are loving laying under the Christmas tree!

Saturday, I talked Mike into going to see the newest Hunger Games movie with me!!! It was really good! On the way home we noticed a LOT of people out and about along Main Street. It was almost like there was about to be a parade or something...apparently they shut down the roads about 0.2 seconds before the parade starts around here! So we were driving along the parade route right as it was about to start!! We hurried home and quickly walked back to Main St. to see the Christmas Parade. It was about 20 minutes long and the most non eventful parade I've ever been to, but it was still exciting to see and put me in the Christmas spirit!

This is our last week of regular classes and next week is exam week. Mike and I are ready for this semester to be over with and are impatiently awaiting a visit from Shane and Lindsey who will be arriving the 15th of this month!! We can't wait!

P.S. I realize there is an abundance of explanation marks in this post, but I just can't help myself!