No Regrets


Read more...

From Our Garden: Salsa and MORE!


Our garden is so much more than just a garden. It brings us together, as a family, in so many different ways. We plant the seeds together, we all participate in the nurturing and watering, as well as harvesting. We have many amazing fruit trees that provide us with delicious fruits, and our garden, which provides us with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and even an occasional "pet". It also provides us with breathtaking views, beautiful creatures (birds and bugs), learning moments, and pride.


baby lizard

This sweet little thing was spotted by SugarPlum this morning, while she was helping Daddy water the gardens. It had taken refuge near our back door, and hubby was easily able to catch it for her.We took it to the pet store to buy some baby crickets, but they were fresh out, so they gave us a little tip I'd love to share: Cut up a chunk of a banana and allow it to attract fruit flies and gnats! The baby lizard will snack on them if it is hungry! We have not decided if we will keep this little one or let it go. The pet store estimated it to be about a week old, and said it can be kept as a pet and tamed, as long as we handle it gently. I've owned green iguanas in the past, so I have a lot of experience in this area. We just have to see how the weekend goes with our new baby.

 

 

This week, we harvested our white nectarines, some cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes, as well as some lovely zinnias (pictured above) to grace our table.







We have SO MANY tomatoes that we decided to go ahead and start our picking and whip up a big batch of tasty salsa! There's really not much to it. Here's how we do it:

Without measuring, toss the following ingredients into a blender and blend to the consistency of your choice. Go easy on the lemon juice, unless you prefer to taste it. And for those who don't like it spicy, omit the spicy peppers, or just use a little! You can also take the seeds out of the peppers to take some of the heat out. Add in the sugar and salt...again, to your tastes...we used maybe a cup of sugar and several good shakes of salt.









We ended up using two large recycled jars (from spaghetti sauce and marinara) and 11 Ball Mason Jars (8 oz. each) to contain our homemade salsa. I used a large ladle and a funnel to fill the jars.

 

That's all there is to it! Now go get creative, don't be shy! I'm planning to try my hand at a mango salsa, as well, once we've cleared some room in our fridge again! Enjoy, and feel free to hunt down a recipe if you require actual measurements!

Now, we love our garden, and we love to feed our garden, so whenever there is a chance to mulch old foods or cuttings, we DO! As you can see here, I cut down lots of flowers today, and what wasn't vase-worthy got chopped into garden mulch, along with all of the parts of veggies left over from our salsa fun. This is all tossed into an area between our peach and granny smith apple trees, where some of it may decide to pop up next year! You never know what will end up in the garden! This year, our entire tomato harvest was a direct result of mulching. The tomatoes that didn't make the salsa cut last year got tossed into the gardens. Our zinnias were from the seeds that fell from our zinnia garden last year, which was edging a wall just above our veggie garden. We also had several HUGE sunflowers pop up in the garden, even though we had been VERY careful about the seeds last year. Turns out, the kids were taking turns sneaking into the garden to plant seeds they pulled from the sunflower heads!


But that's not all! We mulched our pumpkins after Halloween and Thanksgiving last year, and 
LOOK WHAT POPPED UP!



We had to cut some back, because it was taking over, but now we have around 5 or 6 gorgeous pumpkins growing! 

It was a very busy day of cutting and picking, washing and blending, but we still managed to leave a little room for fun. We paired up, one adult and one child on each team, and played a couple games of Washers in the backyard. The kids are getting pretty good at it, and are definitely building up their skills for throwing horseshoes in the future!


Read more...

Sharing is Caring: eSmiles, HP, and Ronald McDonald House Charities


I'm feeling the Mommy pride in a big way. Pickle and SugarPlum participated in their VERY FIRST volunteer event. It was a great success, in my opinion, and after hearing Pickle say he wanted to go back and volunteer again, it's obvious that he feels the same way.

We were so lucky to be invited to San Diego's own Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), showcasing a wonderful campaign initiated by HP, and launched on Feb. 14, 2012.

If you haven't heard of an eSmile, then you are missing out on a great opportunity to bring joy to the families whose children are receiving care at one of many local hospitals. Additionally, THIS WEEK is the last week of a fundraising event, where you can send ONE eSmile PER DAY, and HP will donate $1 to participating Ronald McDonald Houses! April 15th is the last day to help in these fundraising efforts, so PLEASE SHARE this information with everyone you know, and help RMHC raise the money needed to continue providing a welcoming home away from home for these deserving families! Each location is eligible to earn up to $10,000!

Your eSmile can be anything from a cute joke to a personalized photo, "Get Well" letters or cards, your favorite cartoons, or even original artwork. Remember to keep it family-friendly, and avoid sending anything of an inappropriate nature, keeping in mind that these families are going through a very difficult time, and appreciate a reason to smile.

Each eSmile is sent to an HP ePrint-enabled printer, similar to the manner in which an email is sent, where it is printed out at your chosen RMHC location. Due to this virtual capability, anyone in the world can use their web-enabled device or computer to send an eSmile.

Below, HP has provided a simple outline for how to participate.

Individuals wishing to send an eSmile and spread the word about the project can do so through the following channels:

-To learn more about the program and to send an eSmile via HP ePrint, visit www.hpesmiles.com.

-To ePrint an eSmile from a mobile phone directly to a participating house, use the ePrint addresses below:
-Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities:
RMHAtlanta@ePrinteSmiles.com

-Orange County Ronald McDonald House:
RonaldHouseOC@ePrinteSmiles.com

-Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana:
RMHChicagoCNI@ePrinteSmiles.com

-Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego:
RMHCSanDiego@ePrinteSmiles.com

-Ronald McDonald House New York:
RMHNewYork@ePrinteSmiles.com

Follow @HPPrint and raise more funds for participating Ronald McDonald Houses by alerting Twitter followers using the hashtag #hpesmiles.

Join the conversation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/hp

Learn more about eSmiles on YouTube: http://youtu.be/9oSX7z3R1Xc.






Read more...

What's Important?

If you ask this beautiful little boy what the
most important thing
 in this world is, he will tell you.
FAMILY
And then, he will tell you

how important it is to
LOVE
 your family,
but most importantly...
To love
YOURSELF

Read more...

25 things you don't know about...**BLOG HOP**


I am linking up through Mama's Blog Hop...you can find her post and links to everyone else's posts HERE!

I had actually already written this post on another media forum, in January of 2009, but it still applies, so I just copied, pasted, and modified a few things that needed updating. 


Things You Don't Know About ME:


1. I STILL have no idea what I am going to be when I grow up.
2. These are things I secretly yearn to be: photographer, designer (many types), dancer (I have studied Belly Dancing for many years, but would like to attempt some other forms, as well!), personal trainer (don't laugh), Babywearing Expert and consultant, WAHM,designer and maker of handmade items, an inspiration to others, organized and neat, SEXY, rich and not-quite-so-famous (who doesn't??), a successful business owner....the list really does go on and on...I'll stop here.
3. I swore I would never love more than 1 person in my life...I now love 3, heart and soul.
4. I hate cleaning...which is why...My HOUSE is always a disorganized (seriously cluttered) disaster.
5. When I worked in an office, I was anal retentive about cleanliness and organization...never anything out of place.
6. I have a degree in Interior Design...YET, my house is an un-decorated, cluttered, disorganized disaster.
7. I put on 60 pounds being a full-time student, while working full-time, running a volunteer organization to design and rebuild homes lost in the 2003 San Diego Wildfires, and becoming a home-owner...NOT by becoming a Mommy. Having a torn tendon in my ankle for the past 2 years has not helped.
8. I was studying to become an Architect when I got pregnant with my son, after 8 years of infertility.
9. I witnessed a horrific gang-related beating while I was 8 months pregnant with my son, and chased the attacker, and saved his victim's life. My heart aches to this day, thinking of how his mother must have felt seeing him broken and bloodied, and hanging onto life by a thread.
10. We conceived our daughter the first night we TALKED ABOUT becoming pregnant in future months.
11. I have way too many clothes (especially ones that don't fit), and bags...I LOVE BAGS....(especially my pretties from Bagonia!)
12. I love to read, write, draw, sew, craft, and lots more....I hope to find the time to pursue these things more frequently, in the near future.
13. I love to learn, but hate school....not ALL of it...just the homework part.
14. I've taken so many different classes for so many different things that my hubby called me a Professional Student. I still want to take more classes...and learn more trades...I really think it's an addiction.
15. I now have ALMOST everything I've ever wanted.
16. I have some of the most amazing women EVER as my friends...I hope they know how lucky I feel to have them.
17. I went into the military straight out of high school, and turned down a chance to be a search and rescue swimmer...I still regret that.
18. I have NO SYMPATHY for someone who would abuse a child...in ANY way, shape, or form. As a child, I was abused...one day, I will find the strength and courage to write about it. Today is not that day.
19. My Mom died in a car accident in 1979...Her boyfriend was driving drunk...My brother and I were in the car...He got away with murder...I AM FIRMLY AGAINST DRINKING AND DRIVING.
20. I miss my mom, and even though I was too young to remember her...I can't seem to let go.
22. I have THE 2 MOST BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN on the face of the earth....yes, I am biased.
23. I have a freckle on the bottom of my foot...now, so does my daughter.
24. There are 3 people in my life I can't live without...I hope I never have to.
25. I LOVE to help others.


Read more...

Tutorial: Crafting our 4th of July (Re-purposing clothing)

The 4th of July is just around the corner...literally! If you are like me, you love dressing your kids for the holidays. While I'd love to be able to buy my kids a new outfit for each holiday, it's just not affordable, especially for an outfit to be worn one or two times, then outgrown. Instead, I dress them in regular clothes and accessorize with a cute pair of sleeves made from socks! Our 4th of July sleeves are going to be made from socks purchased on sale at Joann's right after Memorial Day. They were priced at $4.99, but on sale, were 1/2 off, making them $2.50! I am also making SugarPlum a shirt from a onesie I found on clearance at Target earlier this year, for a WHOPPING $1.25! Tell me, WHERE could you buy an entire holiday outfit for $3.75?

In this post, I am going to walk you through 2 different processes. First, I will show you how to re-purpose a pair of knee high socks into a pair of sleeves (they can also be used as leggings) to be worn with a t-shirt. The second process is converting a onesie to a t-shirt! 
Making Sleeves
You can typically find inexpensive knee high socks at Target for around $2.50, but you can also spend up to $8 for a pair you REALLY LOVE. The most I've spent is $7 for a 2-pack, which makes each pair $3.50. It's a far cry from the $8-$12 you'd spend on a ready-made pair of leggings or sleeves.
Lay your socks out flat, as they are already pressed.  

Cut the toe off, leaving a straight opening. This is easiest when there is a pattern, since you can follow the pattern, as I have done with the stripes on these. Cut the foot off just forward of the heel, keeping it parallel with the first cut you made at the toe. This is the portion you will use for the cuff. Now, cut the heel out, straightening the bottom of the leg of the sock parallel with the top of the sock. 
Toss the toe and heel clippings.

Fold one end of the cuff piece inward, matching wrong sides together, so that you can flip it over in either direction and only see the exterior. Match up the raw edges and pin. If there is a pattern, you will want to match it up before you pin, so the pattern continues to flow.

Take the leg of the sock and push through the center of the cuff, from the folded edge first, so that your raw edges are all on the same end. You will now have 3 layers of raw edges. If there is a pattern, make sure you pin it so that when the cuff is folded down, the pattern is still in the appropriate orientation. If it is not, flip the cuff in the other direction before inserting the leg. Pin these 3 raw edges together. As you can see, I have a blue stripe with stars down either side of the sock, so I matched the blue stripes on the cuff to the stripes on the leg of the sock.

Set your machine to zig-zag and zig-zag stitch around the entire ring of the raw edges. I use a medium length and width for my zig-zag stitches. DO NOT STRETCH THE SOCK. If you stretch it, it will end up looking funky...trust me! You are zig-zagging to allow for it to stretch as you put it on, therefore, you do not need to stretch it as you sew.

Once you are done sewing the first one, flip it, check it for pattern consistency one last time, and if you are happy, move on to the second sock. Repeat the above steps for the second sock!

Congratulations! You have just made your own leggings and/or sleeves from a pair of socks!

I've found that I can wear the same sleeves that I make for my kids, and they work perfectly. They are great to keep in my purse, in case it gets chilly in the evening time. I can just toss them on under my t-shirt sleeves!
Onesie to T-shirt Conversion
My husband HATES onesies. He always has. Whenever I leave the house for any length of time, I have to leave him t-shirts for the kids, since he has a strict NO ONESIE policy. Now that my kids are a little bit older, and both potty-trained, I NEED for them to have t-shirts, for easy access to get on the potty independently. My problem with this? I have tons of adorable onesies that still fit my daughter, but I can't put on her because she can't get them on and off by herself when she needs to use the potty. My solution is to cut the bottoms off and sew a hem, converting them to t-shirts. 

First, make sure you have the right sewing machine needle! It needs to be ballpoint, and matched to the weight of the fabric. I am using a light to medium weight fabric, so I picked a size that is made for light to medium weight fabric. It doesn't need to be the most expensive needle, trust me...just pick one. You could spend all day shopping for a needle. I buy the cheapest, typically, because they might break, and you are going to end up needing to replace them eventually. More money. So...don't go top-dollar. Unless you are a pro, and NEED to.
Fold your onesie in half, length-wise, so the side seams are matched. 
Cut across the bottom, just above the bottom seams, removing the seam or binding, along with the snaps. 
You now have a raw edge on the bottom. I allowed mine to keep a slight curve, instead of cutting straight across.

Flip the raw edge upward, on the outside. You can choose how big you want your hem to be. Whatever that number is, double it for how much you are flipping upward. For example, if you want your hem to be 1/4", flip up 1/2" of the bottom fabric. Now, flip the raw edge downward, matching it to the original fold at the bottom.
Pin in place. I twist the pin as I insert it, to avoid pulling or tearing the knit fabric.

Once you've pinned all the way around your hem, set your machine to zig-zag. I use medium lengths and widths for my stitches. Place the raw edge (where it is pinned to the folded edge) on your machine, right in the middle of the presser foot opening. This will allow the zig-zag stitch to go on either size of the edge of the fabric, creating your hem, and securing the raw edge at the same time.

Now that you are done stitching the entire hem, flip the hem down and press it flat with your iron. 

Congratulations! You've just converted a onesie into a t-shirt! Pretty simple, eh?
Your last step for BOTH of these tutorials is to find a model and take a photo of your completed outfit!
HOW CUTE IS THAT!?!
If you end up making these, please feel free to let me know in the comments, with a link to your post, or email me photos of your completed items!

Read more...

powered by PRBbutton