Photo Challenge 7/52 & 8/52 & 9/52

since i took my internet fast a few weeks ago
(more about that in a future post) it has taken me awhile to get back on the computer for more than a few minutes at a time…so, i am going to do the last three weeks photo challenge  updates now and then i should be caught up.

week 7/52

{on date night, we walked up mt. pleasant…i love this photo because i almost completely cut myself out and we were laughing.  we were able to see our house from mt. pleasant…fun times!}

 

week 8/52

{on our “date” annabelle and i went to polaris, she got her nails done, and we hung out at barnes and noble.  here she is riding the escalator holding her starbucks vanilla bean frappuccino (aka…vanilla milkshake). it was nice to have one on one time.}

 

9/52

 

{i choose this picture because i did a HORRIBLE job writing annabelle’s name in melted chocolate…luckily the kids got to decorate their own cupcakes, but the adults were lucky enough to eat this beauty…ha!}

amber

wordless wednesday

amber

Resolution Review: February

{*1.}run a 5K at my dad’s memorial walk

i purchased a used treadmill from a coworker and have used it once and went to the gym once.  i WILL be participating in the 5k…i just might barely make it over the finish line:)

{*2.}read the entire Bible in 2011

{2.}respond right away to emails and phone calls

i decided to not rush through the bible in a year just to say i read it…i was barely making it through Leviticus.  my small group leader recommended using, “search the scriptures” which would take three years to read the bible…and it would help lead me through in a way that should make more sense to me.  i have been thinking a lot about what to replace that resolution with…i am HORRIBLE at responding to emails and phone calls in a timely matter.  so i feel i need to be more diligent with getting back to people.

{*3.}have a date night once a month with joe

this month was joe’s turn to plan:)  we took a walk up mt. pleasant and ate at…

Penn Station (neither of us had been there and we enjoyed it!) the we went to the movies and saw

 

{*4.}have a day out with each kid (mom and me day)

annabelle and i took a trip to…

 

sweet and sassy for some pampering. she got her nails done and we went to the toy store for her to cash in a reward. the we went to barnes and noble and had a little treat and looked at some books.  gavin and josie will be getting their dates soon:)

 {*5.}read one new book a month

Dune Road was the book of the month.  it is written by jane green and i have read almost all of her books.  my sister handed down to me her kindle…it was the first book i read on a kindle.  i loved the book and would recommend any jane green book!

 

{*6.}continue (and improve) our family blog

i just updated the background and i am thinking about putting a survey question up…just to see what kind of feedback i might get.

{*7.}scrap the first year of my kiddos’ lives (most likely digital scrapbook or photo book)

not one thing done:( am going to go for a scrap weekend this spring though…in hocking hills

{*8.}lose weight…had to put this one on here

just weighed myself for the first time in a long time!  my goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of the school year…if not more.

{*9.}try one new recipe a month…that is huge for me!

this month i tried a recipe i had seen on a blog i read.  it is brown sugar and lemon chicken.

 

i used chicken breast dredged in flour, salt and pepper, and paprika.  cooked them in a skillet until golden brown on each side.  put the chicken in a baking dish.  use what is left in the pan and squeeze lemon to get the scrapings loosened.  then pour that over the chicken.  then sprinkle brown sugar on top of the chicken…cover and allow brown sugar to melt.  we served the chicken with israeli couscous (a new item in our house) they are little pasta balls.  i used chicken broth instead of water and the ENTIRE family love it!  we also served edemame with it.

the results are………

two thumbs DOWN

one thumb TO THE SIDE

and one (two, if you count me) thumb/s UP !

 

{*10.}be intentional about girl time with my friends

i have scheduled a 31 party for april, so i am looking forward to having girls over for that!  i was able to visit with rachael and annie during annabelle’s birthday party.  i feel like we can always pick up where we left off!  also, the momology ladies are quickly becoming friends that i get to meet with EACH week!  i love it!

{*11.}journal my year (handwritten, thanks to my new journal from a dear friend)

i have jornaled more than i did last month, but not as much as i would like…always something i can improve on.

amber

abc’s of me

Age: 31

Bed size: king

Chore you dislike: cleaning the bathroom

Dogs:one dog, dakota (a beagle schnauzer)

Essential start to your day: coffee…FOR SURE!

Favorite color: brown

Gold or silver: gold

Height: 5’9”

Instruments you play(ed): percussion…but i never learned to read sheet music

Job title: first grade teacher

Kids: 3…annabelle(7), gavin(3), josie(2)

Live: lancaster, ohio

Mom’s name: janet

Nicknames: jo, josie, josephine…my siblings names all start with “a”…so i was called by versions of my middle name [jo]…until i met my future husband [joe]…which by the way is where we got the name for our little girl

Overnight hospital stays: 3…for each of my children’s births

Pet peeve: when others “one up” me in a conversation…i don’t play back

Quote from a movie: “shelby, open your eyes, open, open your eyes!” [steel magnolias]

Righty or Lefty: righty

Siblings: aaron (36), angela (34), and ashley (almost 30)

Time you wake up: alarm set for 5am, get up closer to 6am {ha!}

Underwear: uh….yes, I wear them.

Vegetables you don’t like: swiss chard and slimy spinach

What makes you run late: traffic and loading and dropping off three children

X-Rays you’ve had: only oral x-rays

Yummy food you make: cake balls and strawberry pretzel salad

Zodiac sign: gemini (june 1)

amber

finally….some before and after shots!

so, we have been living in this house since may.  but june through december rocked our world…with joe’s health scare.  we are all doing good, especially joe.  he is back to work {light duty} and feels somewhat normal again working amongst adults.  our house is a slow work in progress, as it is for most people.  i wanted to share some before pictures of our downstairs bathroom.  it is small

but it works for us.

 

the bathroom before demo

 

another before demo picture

during the remodel…with sink and toilet missing

now we have new tile, sink, and toilet

another {during} picture

 

after…shower curtain

as close to a full shot as i can get

 

the wall where the towel rack fell off…it will get fixed…someday:)

 

the aforementioned towel rack above the mirror vanity along with some sunday school artwork from annabelle.

we are a work in progress…and i LOVE it!

amber

a LOVE/STRONG DISLIKE relationship

let me be clear…i absolutely LOVE our new/old house.  but it comes with its fair share of annoyances.

***first…i LOVE not having carpet.  we have all wood floors and ceramic tile.  right after christmas we got this baby…

the shark vac-then-steam.  i LURVE it!

BUT…

not when i leave a wet steam pad on the dining room floor for {ahem} a couple of days and it leaves this nice white spot in the middle of the floor :(

***i love all the different colors we got to choose for the walls in our house

BUT…

i don’t care for fingerprints all over walls…look closely (or come to my house and you can see them just about anywhere!)

***i love that my kiddos finally have a playroom to house their toys {we will be purging soon}

BUT…

  

i don’t enjoy that this is what it looks like on MOST days.

what are the joys/pitfalls of owning your own home…please share!

amber

Photo Challenge 6/52

 

annabelle loves to play with these little toys…she can spend hours lining them up and sorting them.  she asked me why i was taking pictures of her toys…it is the little things i don’t want to forget.

amber