Move-it Monday: Combat Launch Vlog-Style

I mentioned several times last week that I was busy practicing for BODYCOMBAT launch (our fitness “party” each quarter when we introduce our members to new choreography and music), so naturally, for Move-it Monday, I thought I’d give a glimpse of what this launch looked like.

Except this time, I thought I’d do it in video format. I mean, yes, I’ve done picture tutorials on both our basic punches and kicks and even issued a few challenges for you guys to tackle if you so chose. But nothing quite conveys the energy of the class like a video, so…here you go:

 

I would like to point out that I realize that my voice gets shriller as the video goes on.  I even thought about doing another video of me just talking to you so you could hear my normal voice (which is rather low, actually), but that would have required makeup application and hair fixing, and…yeah, it didn’t happen.

Suffice it to say that our gym’s sound system is a bit wonky, and the sound levels are very difficult to get right, which often results in our attempting to talk louder and louder or change the tone of our voices to compete with the music until, well, you end up sounding a bit like you reeeeeallly want everybody to participate…or else.

As it so happens, I’m off to teach BODYCOMBAT, so I’ll leave you guys to point and snicker.

Oh, and here’s a few more shots we managed to grab.

This above is us doing a “circular pushup”—crazy hard!

I love Mandy’s expression in this one. Yes, we get into it! : )

P.S. Yes, we are wearing matching pink shoes. They were a good deal, but I couldn’t find them in my size, so I bought the 11’s. Now, I’m normally a 9 1/2, so this shouldn’t have worked, but these are surprisingly narrow, so I was able to cinch them up, which kept my feet from sliding around.  It did not, however, keep me from looking a tad Ronald McDonaldish. After Mandy assured me that it wasn’t too noticeable, one of our participants saw me in the locker room before class and said, “Dang, girl! What size do you wear? Those are long!” Hey, what are best friends for but to lie to you about looking less ridiculous than you really do. : )

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Feature Friday on a Sunday (barely): The Scarf of Human Kindness + God’s Goodness

So, if you’re wondering where Friday’s post went, and why it’s just now appearing late Sunday night, you can mostly blame my husband since I spent all 38 hours he was home (yup, gone again) enjoying every second I could with him. But there were other reasons.

Thursday night after dinner, I started feeling a little icky, which slowly progressed until I ended up waking up at 3 AM with horrible nausea and what usually goes with it.  That repeated at 4. Boy, was that fun. But I’m better now. 

And just in case you’re worried about me and my upchucking self, I assure you I almost never get sick. I don’t know what’s up, but viruses and I have been quite cozy, and food and and I have not seen eye-to-eye nearly as much as I would like lately.

Anyway, before I go on, I have to establish that I don’t usually say things like, “This is proof that God loves me” when, for example, I find that pair of red skinny cords I’ve been hoping to score at Goodwill for ages (oh, yes, I did…today, in fact). I don’t think God gives a rip about my pant colors.

I do, however, still believe that He cares about the details of my life. Especially the ones that grow me a bit and help me to see His goodness (and by goodness, I do not mean getting what I want all the time).

And just because I’m naturally a smidge of a cynic and therefore reticent to attribute every little mood-enhancing circumstance to the Lord’s divine intervention does not mean that I can ignore James 1:17, which says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

So, keeping that in mind, here are some good things that I am attributing to God, and rightly so, I believe:

1) Even though I felt kind of gross all week, the only night I actually got sick, I had a friend over to spend the night (and watch the Rangers totally blow about 17 perfect World-Series winning chances, by the way).  I don’t think that was an accident. No, I didn’t make her get up and hold my hair back or anything, but it was just such a comfort to know that someone else was around.  Because sometimes feeling alone while you’re sick is way worse than the sickness itself. 

2) There are times in this whole blog-writing business that I have to reassess my motives. I’m just being honest. I love it, but sometimes I get overwhelmed or wrong-focused.  And while there are beaucoups of terrible reasons to blog (i.e. vanity, pride, competition), and I’m perfectly capable of falling prey to any/all of them, there are some pretty darn good ones too—the motivation to get stuff done, the chance to write (which is one of my most favorite things ever!), the opportunity to share my faith with someone other than my fellow Bible-Belters who nod their heads when I talk about God but who might not even hear me because we’re already so inundated with “religion.”

But you know what the primary blessing has been for me?

You.

That may sound really cheesy (and maybe it is). But I don’t care.

I have “met” and connected with several kindred spirits as a result of “this whole blog-writing business,” and even though I haven’t ever been face-to-face with most of you, I already treasure your friendships.

A perfect case in point:

Molly “Sugar” Byrd (okay, that’s not really her middle name, but she’s smiling right now), who lives in St. Louis and wrote me during Game 6 that she felt “traitorous” for even communicating with a Texan while her Cards were about to lose the World Series (apparently, your loyalty was effective, darn you!).

This woman crocheted me a gorgeous scarf! 

THREE of them, actually.

And they showed up on my porch Friday morning, right in the middle of my feeling-ickiness. Oh happy day!

Look at the lovely chunky texture! And this pic doesn’t even do it justice! (Molly, don’t laugh at me if I tied it “wrong!” : )).

So, why did she do it?

Because she enjoys my blog, is a fellow sister in Christ, and I had told her I liked one similar to this one.

That’s it. Are you as amazed as I am?

She even made up the pattern for this scarf herself, and she’ll be posting it on her blog soon for your enjoyment.

When she told me she would do this, she never mentioned she had a blog (I didn’t figure it out ‘til she’d already linked up to my Five Things Thursday twice) and clearly wanted no repayment or recognition, but I just couldn’t resist bragging on what I’m calling “The Scarf of Human Kindness” (and yes, I know I’m butchering that phrase a bit). 

And you know what? You guys get to benefit from Molly’s kindness too!

Because one of the scarves she made me is going into the big PCM giveaway/fundraiser.

Wooohooo!

And then there’s Morgan, who drove all over God’s green creation (way to persevere, girl!) to get to my house this weekend, just so she could drop off her contribution to the giveaway. Stay tuned, you’re gonna love it! And you’ll see more of Morgan too in about a month.

It’s so humbling and exhilarating all at once to see what God is doing through these precious women and you too!

So, what about you? Any “good and perfect gifts” you’d like to share?

And just so you know, I enjoy reading every single comment you leave me, so if you’ve ever thought, “Gee, that’s silly or she wouldn’t care to know that,” nothing could be farther from the truth. 

P.S. Don’t forget that The October Giveaway closes at 11:59 PM, Monday, October 31st, so if you haven’t already, make sure you get your name in the hat to win yourself a fun little goodie package!

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Five Things Thursday Linky Party {#4}—Simple Pleasures

I hope you guys are as ready as I am for this week’s:

…the linky party where you share 5 things with pics of whatever’s on your mind.

This week’s theme is:

Simple Pleasures

I would love it if you would link up (or leave comments about) whatever 5 simple pleasures you’re enjoying right now, but if you’d rather just link up 5 pieces of randomness or a different theme, I’m totally fine with that as well.

The “rules”:

• Please link up to your specific 5 Things post rather than your blog’s homepage, and
• Please place the Five Things Thursday button (left sidebar) somewhere on your page or post so that others can join in the fun. 

That’s it!

Happy list-making! : )

Here I go:

1.  Perfectly toasted croissants drizzled with honey.

2. Reading with the boys

3. Nail experimentation (very successful? no. fun? yes.)

4. Ezra’s vastly improved drawing skills (though…we’re still working on scale—don’t let that tall flower see you; it could swallow you whole).

5. First bubble bath in who-knows-how-long + vanilla bean TGIF cheesecake (only made it through half), + newest issue of This Old House + phone date with hubby =

Okay, so I had this entire post written and ready to go and was just adding my linky code, when it blinked once, and everything disappeared. My heart jolted, but then I thought, “Oh, well, surely it autosaved.”  Yep, but only the first two sentences. Groan.

So, depending on how you look at it, you were either robbed of a meatier post or spared my ramblings. Because, y’all, it’s past midnight, and I’m feeling pretty darn pumpkinish, so I will not be rewriting everything I wrote before.

So, how about you guys? I’m always so honored when you take the time to link up, and I love reading your lists each week, both in the linky and in the comments. Y’all rock!

P.S. I will be sharing my closet makeover later on today at Design Build Love so that Ashley can catch a break to take her law exams. Whoa! Good luck with that, girl! Be sure to check out her fun blog! Lots of great DIY inspiration and projects to be found there!

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Wardrobe Wednesay: Not Remotely the Same

So, as I mentioned on Monday, I’m husbandless this week, which means, among many other things, that I had no one to snap my outfit shots. And it had been a while since I’d done a good old-fashioned round of “cheat” outfits for you guys.

So…

What’s a Wardrobe-Wednesday-posting girl to do? Dig out the remote and hope that it actually works, of course.

Thank goodness, it did…sort of. As you can see from several of the pics, I didn’t always manage to stand in the middle of the shot, but we’re going to ignore this and call it artistic license.

Aren’t we? Yes. We are.

Stylistically speaking, I had a bit of an identity crisis this week. Don’t believe me? Check it:

#1—Earth Mother

Dress: Bealls ($12), Shoes: Bealls ($11), Earrrings: Bealls—sensing a theme? ($3)

TOTAL: $27

#2—Preppy

Top: Gap ($6), Skinnies: Marshall’s/Express ($17), Earrings: Bloom ($28), Shoes: Target ($9), Belt: Goodwill ($1)

TOTAL: $61

#3—Bohemian Equestrian (it’s a style cuz I say so)

Check out those boots! Sure, it was 85 degrees out when I wore them, but something that cute is worth sweating for (almost...I took them off as soon as I got done with the photos).

See the remote? Sometimes, it was just too much trouble to hide it behind my back, try to strike a not-completely-imbecilic pose, and smile (Baby, please come home soon! I’ve discovered yet another reason why you are indispensable to this blog me! Mmmwah!)

Lace tank: Goodwill ($2), Flowy top: Factory Connection ($8), Jacket: Target ($6), Jeans: Gap ($12), Boots: Mia/Overstock.com ($60), Necklace: GW ($3)

TOTAL: $91 (wow, that’s looking pretty darn steep after SHOBB prices)

 

#4—Sporty

Top: BCG/GW ($2), Shorts: GW ($3)

TOTAL: $5 (aaaah, that’s more like it! ; ))

I think we all know full well which one of these is most representative of my “fashion” this week. Because I sure as peaches haven’t been dragging three kids to the gym, then Walmart, then Academy, then…(no wonder my oldest always tries to get me to tell him how many errands we’re doing ahead of time and then insists on "reminding” me that, “Mama, you said only two more!”) in 4 inch wedge boots or a flowy dress.

Though, um, I might have gotten a bit carried away with the pics on that one because I like it so much.

Speaking of other things I like, I’ll be sharing FIVE…

Simple Pleasures

…at this week’s Five Things Thursday linky party if you’d like to join me by linking up a post or by simply writing out a list in the comments.

Also…Did you notice the new button called “Super Night with Supermom?” on the left sidebar? If you have a minute, click there and read all about a fun event that’s local to me (but that you can participate in even if you aren’t in my area!), which I am helping with in conjunction with my big Parental Care Ministries giveaway/fundraiser. I’d love to see you there if you can come!

Well, that’s it for me, folks! It’s very unlikely that I will be wearing anything cute today since BODYCOMBAT launch is later on and the whole day will be geared around making sure that I know my tracks really well and that I show up on time, with matching shoes and all three kids in tow. Come to think of it, I’ll settle for all three kids.

See you tomorrow!

P.S. I’m posting a fun “green” craft (think: a super-practical—and cute!—way to repurpose reusable plastic shopping totes!) over at Homemaker on a Dime today! So, why don’t you take a second to head over, read, and greet? I’m sure SJ would love to meet you! : )

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

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Try-it Tuesday: Best Vanilla Cupcakes EVER

I told you that I planned to share the vanilla cupcake recipe from last week’s Five Things Thursday link-up (if you still want to link up or leave a comment, you can! Also, go here if you missed yesterday’s announcement about this week’s theme), but I had planned on waiting until I made them for Della’s birthday next month.

Unfortunately, yesterday’s Try-it Tuesday prep did not exactly, um, go as planned.

So, how about a recipe for:

The Best Vanilla Cupcakes EVER

1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)…and yes, the cake flour really does make a difference…best way to get fluffy cupcakes!

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tbsp (yes, TABLESPOON) baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1” cubes

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 325°F

2. A couple of quick notes about this recipe: I only ever make it as mini-cupcakes—soooo good and so dangerously addictive. I usually halve the recipe, which will give you 48 mini-cupcakes or about 15 standard cupcakes. So, keep in mind, that if you make the full recipe, you will end up with about 100 mini-cupcakes.

Move-it Monday Abbie says she really hopes you have a party to take them to if you make the full batch. ; ).

Choose the correct number/size of paper liners according to the size of the batch of batter you’re making, and line your cupcake pans.

3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then add butter cubes and mix just until coated with flour.

4. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla and almond extracts. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients to butter/dry mixture in 3 parts, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula before each addition. Do NOT overbeat (everything should be incorporated but not frothy).

5. Fill standard or mini-cupcake liners 2/3 full, and bake, rotating pan halfway through.

Standard cupcake cook time: 17-20 minutes

Mini-cupcake cook time: 9-12 minutes

*These cupcakes are done the instant a toothpick comes out clean, they do not have to be golden! Don’t over-bake!

6. Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

And what would cupcakes be without great frosting?  This is a cream cheese frosting (I’m of the mind that cream cheese frosting is the answer to world peace, and I would probably eat it on mud if you offered it to me; yeah, I like it a lot), but it’s simply a variation of the basic frosting recipe I use for every cake I make. It’s nothing revolutionary, but there are some tips that might help you if you’ve ever struggled like I have to get your frosting just so. 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (if you just want plain frosting, you can replace the cr. cheese with another 1/2 cup of butter…oh, I just felt my cholesterol levels shoot way up)

6-8 cups of (good) powdered sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp almond extract

Milk (up to 1/2 a cup)

*Again, I usually halve this recipe. This makes a LOT of frosting!

1. The key to good frosting is the butter. It must be the real thing (no margarine or other substitutes), and it must be the right consistency. I set mine out about 10-20 minutes before I begin to make my frosting to take the chill off. It will still hold its shape (if you were to poke it, you would have to push a little to make an impression) but is not ice cold/rock hard.

I also like to womanhandle (as opposed to manhandle…we are talking cake here, people) the cream cheese a bit to warm it and smoosh it around a little.

Beat butter and and cream cheese in mixer until smooth.

2. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides with a spatula after every addition.

3. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time (it’s really easy to add too much milk, which is very hard to fix, so proceed with caution) after each cup of powdered sugar.

4. Add in both extracts and mix to combine.

*This is very much so a process. I do this bit by bit until I have a nice, thick, semi-stiff frosting. You will probably use more powdered sugar than you expect to.

5. Load up a piping bag with a large star tip (sorry, I don’t know what size mine is, but it’s pretty wide), and pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake. (For the cupcakes in my picture at the top, I used 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese because it was all I had, but I highly recommend going for the full-fat stuff because it is very hard to make frosting that will hold a really pretty shape without using the good stuff).

And…you’re done!

Honestly, I’m not usually a huge fan of vanilla cake, but the almond extract makes these something truly special. It’s just a hint of this magical tasting yumminess that no one can ever quite identify, but the reaction is always good. I’ve made these for several birthday, baby showers, bridal showers, etc., and the response is always: “Oh. my. goodness. These are amazing!” usually said while someone is reaching for another one. The recipe is not original to me, though I have tweaked it a bit over the years, and the addition of the almond extract is mine. I would give proper credit, but I can’t remember where I found it anymore.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I (and my hips) always do!

So, how about you? Do you have any fantastic cake recipes or any signature tips to share? I would love to hear them (almost as much as I’ll enjoy tasting them!). If you have a link to share, make sure to put it in the comments. I know we all love hearing about fabulous new recipes!

See you tomorrow for Wardrobe Wednesday!

P.S. I’ll make sure to update with more pics when I make them for Della’s party.

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Five Things Thursday Linky Party Theme: Simple Pleasures

I completely forgot to mention this week’s Five Things Thursday theme, which is:

Simple Pleasures

via

It’ll be a good one for me to focus on this week, especially since I totally botched coordination of nap time today (something we usually have no trouble with) and have yet to experience a kidless moment.

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Move-it Monday: Mythbuster’s Edition

Hey there, folks!

It’s dreary and foggy here, which seems somehow fitting, since my husband is traveling this week, and it just doesn’t seem right that his leaving should coincide with a really glorious fall morning. If you think of it, we would really appreciate prayers for, well, sanity for the next month + as Shaun will be traveling on and off during that time (with an emphasis on the “on”), and things around here could get a bit hairy.

On this week’s agenda? Finishing a project for the big PCM giveaway/fundraiser, homeschooling, blogging, painting (furniture), housework, teaching fitness classes, practicing for BODYCOMBAT launch, having BC launch, and, oh yeah…life.

Will it all get done? Probably not, but I do know for sure that I will be teaching those fitness classes I mentioned and not just because they’re the only thing on the list that I officially get paid to do.

After a week at home with 3 kiddos and no husband, I’m sure I will need every single extra BODYCOMBAT practice.(Air-punching = fantastic stress relief!)

So, speaking of fitness, since it’s Move-it Monday, today I thought I’d do my best to bust 3 of the most common “fitness myths” that I encounter at the gym and elsewhere.

I just couldn’t resist! : )

Myth #1: You can lose weight from a specific section of your body by loading up on exercises that isolate that section.

Sorry, folks, but there’s really no such thing as isolation weight loss. Everybody has his/her own “trouble areas,” but by far, the most common question I get asked on this subject is: “How do I get this spare tire off of my stomach?”

Don’t we all wish?

Well, the answer isn’t actually: do more ab exercises.  While knocking out 1,274 crunches every night before bed will certainly tone and strengthen the muscles of your midsection, and it will even burn some calories that will contribute to overall weight loss, it will not melt away belly fat. 

The truth is that, if you don’t like the extra layer of “love” on your tummy (or bum, or…) then nothing but overall weight loss will take it off. In fact, if it’s your nemesis, it may be the last place your body loses weight. 

So, focus less on the crunches and more on a balance of healthy eating, cardio, and strength-training, and then reassess.

Myth #2: Lifting weights will make you bulky.

Men are a different story, but, ladies, we simply are not naturally built to get muscles like this:

(This is incredibly tame compared to every other image that popped up when I searched for “female body-builder,” by the way…eek!)

Creating true “bulk” requires a specific diet, hours upon hours in the gym, and, in many cases, illegal/harmful chemical enhancers.

So, if you’re worried that doing that strength-training group fitness class twice a week at your gym will give you monster muscles, don’t be!

I’ve done BODYPUMP or some other form of resistance-training (relatively light weights with lots of reps) classes an average of three times a week for the past four years, and, while I have definitely seen a change in the level of tone in my arms, I have not had any issues with Popeye biceps or Ah-nuld shoulders.

In fact, unless you continually up your weight and really push yourself in every class, you may not notice too much of an external difference other than a general decrease in jiggle, but you will be helping to strengthen your bones, since resistance training is one of the best ways of increasing bone density, which, in turn, helps combat the effects of osteoporosis. Win!

Myth #3: Dance aerobics can burn off over 1,000 calories per hour.

Okay, I’ll admit that when I say “dance aerobics,” I have a very specific program in mind: Zumba.

I can’t find anything on the official Zumba website that claims this (thank goodness!), but I have seen multiple Facebook posts inviting people to come to “a dance party where you can shake off over a 1,000 calories in one 55 minute class.”

Argh!

Is Zumba fun? Yes, especially if dance is your thing.

Is it a great form of cardio if you really get your body moving? Yes!

But unless you are a 250 lb. body-building male with ankle-weights on (and wouldn’t we all pay money to see one of those doing Zumba!), that level of calorie-burn for a low-impact dance aerobic class is simply impossible, no matter what that calorie-counting wrist-watch from Walmart says (by the way, unless said watch is linked to a heart-rate monitor via a chest strap, the readout is almost always much too high).

To give you a point of reference, at my current weight, about the maximum calorie-burn I can expect to experience in BODYCOMBAT is approximately 600 calories.  And that’s jumping, kicking, and punching as hard as I possibly can while talking/yelling/teaching.

So, the next time you want to get your sweat on to some fun dance-beats, by all means, go for it! Just remember to estimate somewhere closer to 200-500 calories burned per hour and adjust your menu accordingly.

And there you have it, folks! Myths busted! Or at the least mildly refuted. ; )

Do you have a fitness question or claim that you’d love to have answered or confirmed? I can’t claim to know the answer, but I’ll certainly try my best to find out. 

Ask away!

 

 

 

 

 

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Parental Care Ministries Update!

Hey everybody! It’s almost impossible to believe, but it’s already pretty much the last week in October.

Which means…

HUGE November giveaway/fundraiser for:

is almost here!

I’ve just created a page with the preliminary details, and I would love, love, LOVE it (can you tell I would love it?) if you would do me the honor of going to that page and tweeting/facebooking/emailing/blogging the stuffing out of it to get the advance word out.

I have super-easy buttons all set up for you to do just that with nothing more than a click. Just that simple!

You guys are so amazing, and I am so blessed to have such thoughtful, generous readers. I say that with all sincerity whether you click any of those buttons or not.

Proverbs 18:21 says:

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Thank you for taking the time to speak “life” into mine each day and for helping me do that for a group of sweet, sweet orphans in Uganda.

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Feature Friday: Gresham Barn Sale

When I was 7 months pregnant with my first child, I heard about a local “barn sale” full of vintage goodness that sounded like something I had to see for myself.

I went with my mother-in-law on “sale day” (everything is 25% off the last day of the 4 day sale), bought something cute for my house at a great price (I honestly can’t remember what it was at the moment) and promised myself that I would come back again the next time the very talented Jodi Miller hosted her fun sale.

And you know what? I kept my promise! Since that spring sale, the Gresham Barn Sale has taken place every fall and spring, and Jodi has even added a Christmas sale in November with a focus on handmade goodies.  I think I’ve only missed two Christmas sales, both of which happened to fall right around the times my second and third kiddos were born. Though…I did run into a friend who had just had a baby 48 hours before, so I don’t guess this excuse holds up. Now, I feel like a total slacker!

This year, I actually broke with tradition and went with a friend on Friday, the day before sale day, so I could scope out the deals. Then I came back on Saturday to take pictures and see if there was anything left on sale that I couldn’t live without.  

If I’d had a place in my house for this awesome cane-bottom chair/desk combo in that same deep teal that I dreamed of/found for my birthday manicure, I might have had to cram it in the back of my van. I mean, really? Me and teal?…we’re likethis. 

Jodi was a bit worried I wouldn’t find anything picture-worthy since the pickings were mighty slim by the time I got the chance to snap some shots, but we both agreed that that was a good problem to have.

After all, if there’s not much to take pictures of at the tail-end of the last day of the sale (which was when I finally managed to put my camera to work), you  must be doing something right! Apparently, I’m going to have to step up my game if I’m going to snag the things I fall in love with…

…like this fun, funky chest, which I couldn’t think of a place for until it was already sold, at which point it occurred to me that it was the perfect shade of yellow for my living room. Doh!

…or this awesome table which I can totally picture underneath that big painting in my kitchen. Love the eclectic mix of industrial and cottage style.  (It too was sold by the time I noticed it).

…or this fantastic shelf, which wasn’t sold, and I wanted so badly but just wasn’t quite the right scale for the space I had in mind. Boo!

In addition to great furniture, Jodi also has lots of doo-dads, knick-knacks, and accessories, all of which fit the vintage theme of the sale.  That dress form is fabulous, no?

Loved these adorable chalkboard bunting banners!

Another favorite piece. Wouldn’t this be a cool place to store craft supplies?

And there you have it! (For now). Jodi does such a fantastic job of styling and staging everything, and she works super-hard to run everything in an orderly way. It shows too, from the table with a constant supply of yummy treats/drinks to the adorable displays to the friendly helpers always available to assist you in finding something or getting a purchase out to your car.  I couldn’t resist taking a moment to introduce you. If you’re local, be sure to stop by the Christmas handmade sale! You can find all of the details at Jodi’s blog.

Somehow, I managed not to get a pic of Jodi, so I stole this one from her facebook page. Pretty lady! : )

And here’s the only shot I got of me and my cute little helper. She’s such a trooper!

Next up for me? BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, and a slew of errands. Let the weekend begin!

Hope yours is fantastic! See you Monday!

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Five Things Thursday Linky Party {#3}: Sweet Things + Thrifted or Grifted Results

Hey there, folks!

So sorry that today’s post is so late. Yesterday was so full (home-schooling, blogging, cleaning, food prep, errands, back-to-back fitness classes to teach, friends over for dinner) that I’m not sure I remember breathing.

And then last night…oh, last night was fun. The five-year-old woke up 4 (FOUR) times crying with a very stuffy nose. I finally hauled his 50-pound-self into bed with me @ 1:45 AM, only to have the baby wake up @ 3:30 with an equally stuffy nose. She was up again @ 5:30.

Now, I know that so many of you deal with much, much more trying things on a daily basis, but for a mama that’s used to having her kids sleep all night every night, last night was a bit traumatic.

So…the world’s most convoluted explanation for a tardy post ever, but the point is that I’ve been playing catch-up (on very little sleep) all day.

Let’s start with this week’s:

…the linky party where you list 5 things with pics of whatever’s on your mind.

This week’s theme is:

Sweet Things

I would love it if you would link up (or leave comments about) whatever 5 things are making your life sweeter right now, but if you’d rather just link up 5 pieces of randomness or a different theme, I’m totally fine with that as well, though.

The “rules”:

1) Please link up to your specific 5 Things post rather than your blog’s homepage, and

2) Please place the Five Things Thursday button (left sidebar) somewhere on your page or post so that others can join in the fun. 

That’s it!

Happy listing-making! : )

My 5 sweet things are:

1, Chocolate Cream Pie (click for the recipe)

I don’t know if I saw it somewhere, and it got lodged in my subconscious or what, but sometime last week, I got a huge craving for chocolate cream pie (which I never eat), and I finally caved and went for it. It was ridiculously yummy.

2. Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Pie (recipe from the back of the Pillsbury deep dish frozen pie crust package)

I knew we were having friends over in a few days, and two crusts came in the package, so of course I had to make another pie. This one turned out just as well as the chocolate. Two pies…two winners. That doesn’t happen every week (translation: ever) around here.

3. Vanilla cupcakes

So, just in case you haven’t already lapsed into a sugar coma after the first two pictures, here’s yet another example of deliciousness. These mini-treats are my go-to birthday cupcakes (I’ll post the recipe soon, but for now, just imagine the moistest, fluffiest mouthfuls of cakey, creamy goodness with just a hint of almond extract). In this case, I made them for Mandy’s birthday. Of course, then the restaurant brought out 3 huge complimentary slabs of cake for everyone to share, and not nearly enough of these little guys got eaten, leaving me with the odious task of taking them home and doing the honors. It was tough, but I managed. ; )

4. My kiddos (minus Della) with 4 of their best buds—who happen to be the children of both my husband’s and my best buds—playing together in harmony. Very sweet, indeed.

5. Baby girl’s first fall dress. 

This little girl continually amazes me with her sweetness and ability to brighten my day…especially when she’s wearing a pretty, corduroy floral dress and vintage red patent leather shoes (I can’t believe she’s going to be 1-year-old in a month…*sniff*).

So, how about you? Ready to link-up?

 

But WAIT...wasn't there something else from yesterday? What was it?...Oh yes! Thrifted or Grifted. I’ve left you hanging all day wondering which outfit was thrifted, and now I have the honor of informing you that you guys rocked it!

91 of you (61%) said that Exhibit B was Thrifted, and you were right (mostly…I’ll explain).

Tank: Clothes-swap ($0), Shirt: Clothes-swap ($0), Skirt: Garnet Hill/GW ($4), Belt: GW ($1), Headband: GW ($1), Boot: Genuine leather vintage Halston/GW ($6)

TOTAL: $12 (I cheated a bit on this one since the first two items weren’t technically thrifted, but they are secondhand, and I honestly didn’t think about it until after the pictures were already taken).

Dress: Target ($11), Belt: Target ($9), Boots: Real Sued White Mountain ($30)

TOTAL: $50

As always, I had a blast reading your thoughts on which was which and why. 

Some said that the white eyelet dress fit too well to be thrifted. Some thought it fit too well to be retail. And I think at least one person thought it was too ill-fitting not to be thrifted. : )

One sweet reader gave me the benefit of the doubt that I would never buy a headband from Goodwill for fear of lice, and I have to point out that, while I did buy it from Goodwill, it was in a display case with the original tags from the store on it. Although…my head has been feeling a bit itchy lately (JOKE!).

Can I be honest and just say that I pretty much expected you guys to get this one right?

Why?

Because you know me pretty well by now, and you know that I’m pretty darn cheap. So, you also know that an outfit with as many pieces as Exhibit B would get pretty pricey pretty quickly at retail (even clearance) prices. In fact, several of you based your votes on that reason alone (well done!).

So, even though it may mean that I “lost” this round, I salute you all for your sharp thrifting eyes and thank you for playing along with our fun little fashion game. Makes me smile!

Oh, and I chose Megan for the 5 free entries into The October Giveaway. She said: “Love the second outfit...I'm going to guess that is the thrifted one. It looks so "vintagy"(yep it's a word cuz I made it up)! And, this may be silly, but I think it is much cuter than the first outfit and so must be the one you want us to like more. Overthinking much? ;-)”

I’m a huge fan of:

a) made-up words

b) overthinking

c) people who like my thrifted outfits ; )

Congrats, Megan!

See you guys tomorrow for Feature Friday!

 

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