Crafty or Procrastination???

During the cold winter months here in the Midwest, I always get the crafting bug.  I get very ambitious, buy lots of supplies, and then I invariably complete only a small percentage of my intended projects.  I spend hours on craft blogs looking at all the cool crafts everyone else has completed.  Well, this week I actually completed a project I found on a blog.  I have some friends who had adorable twin girls back in August. Yes, this means they are 5 months old, and I had yet to buy a baby gift.  Yes, I know you are all thinking "Wow, can I be her friend, she's AWESOME."

So, I found this tutorial, Lil Blue Boo, and it was easy and fun.  I am no seamstress, but the skirts were, as LittleDarlin says,"easy peasy lemon squeezy."  All straight seams, it doesn't get any easier than that.  Here are some pics:

Can't wait to give this gift! 

Sometimes I think I like crafting so much because it keeps me from doing things like laundry and cleaning.  So, I tend to think of it as "productive procrastination."

So, is it a bad thing?

 that I think I was more excited to sign Littledarlin up for 2 nights at Girl Scout camp than she was, and believe me, she was excited.

New and Improved

So, my new "transform myself" resolution is now on week four.  I've cut out all soda (regular and diet) and am down to drinking one cup of coffee in the morning, the rest of my fluid intake is water.  Trying to drastically reduce my sugar intake and have eliminated grains from my diet.  I have not really been hungry at all.  I really believe the key is eliminating the soda.  Where I come from, we call it "pop", but I was afraid anyone reading this would have no clue what POP was, so I'll stick with soda.  There is something in my Diet Coke that makes me want to eat and eat and eat.  Also, a big bowl of potato chips don't sound so good when your only option is to wash them down with a big glass of water.  I read Mark's Daily Apple every day.  Great site for nutrition information.

The workout/fitness side of "transform myself" has been so challenging, but yet I am strangely excited about going to the gym or "box" as they call it in the Crosffit/OPT world.  I am lifting weights I never thought I could attempt and doing things I thought I was too old and out of shape to do.  The workouts are always challenging, but scaled to each individual's ability.  Today I did bench press, pull-ups, one arm kettlebells, clapping pushups (on a bench), and lots of stretching.  The trainers are fantastic.  Anyone looking to make major changes should check out Crossfit and OPT.  I know some of the workouts/movements are intimidating, but you can do it.  I'm 41 and am doing all the workouts, modified for my ability of course. 

Talk about Diversification....

I know most investment advisors are always tossing around the term diversification.  Many businesses are described as "diversified."

But, the business I saw this weekend while visiting the in-laws, just might be the epitome of diversification.  If I haven't mentioned this before, my in-laws live in a very small, rural southern town.

The aforementioned store sells:

Storage sheds
Gazebos
Paintball Equipment
Fireworks
Gourmet Jerky (I think this is an oxymoron)

One side of their many signs out front reads "Gourmet Jerky - What Your Mouth Was Made For"

Boot Scootin' Baseline

So, my daughter aka Little Darlin takes tennis lessons.  She is in a group with about 12 other children ages 5-6.  I assume since this tennis club is located in a fairly affluent area, there will be some serious tennis playing kids.  So, I go all out buying her a $12 sport skirt from Target, hoping she'll blend in with the rest of the kids.  You would have thought Serena Williams herself had shown up to class.  I mean, my kid stuck out like a sore thumb.  I would have though it was Halloween.  These kids' get-ups (one of my mom's favorite terms) were unbelievable.  One girl had on pajamas, one kid had on corduroys and a sweater, another had her Catholic school uinform and dress shoes on, another had on COWBOY BOOTS!  That's right - I said cowboy boots.  Now, I don't expect anyone to be decked out in full tennis regalia, but would it have been so difficult to get your child into a pair of shorts, t-shirt, and a pair of appropriate shoes.  I'm not sure what Little Darlin will wear next week.... any suggestions?

Words of Wisdom

So, my husband as you may know teaches high school. He has a girl in one class who is pregnant, I'll call her Peggy.

Well, yesterday during class another girl asks Mr. to work a problem. As he is doing this, he notices the girl is not paying attention (she is tracing her hand on a piece of paper) and says "Hey, you asked me to work this problem, and you aren't even paying attention, what are you doing?"

She answers "Sorry, sorry, I'll pay attention, it was just a one-time thing."

Mr. replies "A one-time thing, huh? First it's one one-time thing, then another, then another, and then you have a bunch of one-time things and then what do you get?"

From the back of the room Peggy answers "a baby"

Let that be a lesson to you!