Versatile Blogger Award!

Do you know that scene in the movie The Christmas Story where the dad Mr. Parker says 'It's a Major Award'!  That is how I feel this morning upon learning that I was selected for a Versatile Blogger Award!!  I honestly feel guilty because I have not been posting a lot lately but I am ramping up lots of projects to share.

There are some Rules with this Award:

Rule 1: Thank the person who gave you the award. :) Plus Link back to them in your post.

A huge thank you to Rose and Heather at Sew Stylish Boutique for including me in your list for the Versatile Blogger Award.

Rule 2: Share 7 things about yourself... 

Karen:

1.  I am 43, been married for 14 years and have two beautiful daughters (11 & 8).

2.  I have been a 'CURLY GIRL' for 7 years now. 

3.  I recently adopted a 5 year old Black Lab/Flat Coated Retriever and she is so sweet.  Her name is Nora (after my second favorite author Nora Roberts, 1st being Stephen King).

4.  My favorite colors are Red,White & Blue although I am trying to NOT decorate with them so much anymore.

5.  I am the baby in my family.  I have two older sisters who are 8 & 10 years older than me.

6.  Sunflower Butter and Banana sandwiches are my FAVORITE.

7.  SEVEN has been my lucky number all my life.

Rule 3: Pass the award on to 15 blogs (that were recently discovered - and contact them to let them know)

1. There is No Place like Homemade
2. Crafty NH Mom
3. It's a Very Cherry World!
4.Sewplicity
5. The 3 Boy Home
6. Welcome to the Mouse House
7. Boys, Buttons and Butterflies
8. Spicey Pinecone
9. Searching Out Simple
10. Kissed by a Frog
11. The Crafting Fiend
12. Blooms n Bugs
13. Say it with Thread
14. Sew Homegrown
15. A New Chelsea Morning


Be sure to check out all these blogs!!  They are just like all of us and deserve the award too!

Tight on Space - Mud Room

In the 'Little Red House' we are tight on space.

When the girls were little and each had a jacket, raincoat and two pairs of shoes - life was good.

Now I have to figure out how to store:

Two Book Bags
Two Lunchboxes
Two Dance Bags
Two Soccer Gear Bags
Two CCD book sets
Two Enrichment Day bags
Two Spring jackets
Two Raincoats
Two Hoodies
AND two each of: dress shoes, sneakers, Chuck Taylors, flip flops, boots...

This does not include Winter Gear.  And did I mention dog food?  OH the Mr. and I have jackets also.  Recycling bin, broom/mop...do I really need to go on?

How do we do it?  We have a tiny little mudroom that you enter our home through.  I had this system built in after I saw something similar in a Pottery Barn Catalog.

Talk about inviting you into my mess!

Even on it's best day  - it is overflowing. I hate that this is the first thing my guests see when they enter my home - so that motivates me to try to keep it organized.

We have a rule: EVERYTHING has its PLACE.  If you put it back in its place you will find it the next time.

I hung a canvas shoe bags on the wall which is great for controlling hats and gloves for everyone in the winter and holds sunscreen & bugspray in the summer.

Our shoe problem was solved by a shoe tree.  Most of the time shoes actually are on the tree and not all over the floor.

We are on week two of school and so far so good this year.  The bag system is really the only thing that works for us.  EVERYTHING stays in those bags.  Items go from laundry back to the bags.

The good news is this little room is due for a Face Lift! And I have already started!

How do YOU organize your small space with so much crap stuff?  Leave a comment!!

On this Day...

This year - September 11 brings back the same memories for me it usually does.  Being from New England and the flights being out of Boston  it seems that most people know of someone who lost their life that day.

What is different this year is Coco.  I remember being home with my sweet little 15 month old that morning.  Looking at her little face while she did not have a care in the world.  In fact, her only real exposure would be rocking her in a chair which was dedicated to a flight attendant in my hometown library.

Fast forward 10 years.  She is in 5th grade now.  She knows of the attacks and knows that we 'got' Bin Laden in May.  They will discuss it in school this week.  She has never been allowed to sit and watch any of it on TV.  This year she asked to see it.  NATGEO has had it on TV all week and she keeps asking.  There was no avoiding it this year.

We decided (after previewing it ourselves) to watch the George Bush 9/11 Interview  with her  We felt it told the story of the events, gave a personal perspective and how the decisions were made on that day.  It also was minimal on the 'imagery'.  What I liked best was it was perfect for us to pause, and explain things in our way during the show.

She asked questions, she cried a little, and asked 'WHY'?  We were able to answer some of her questions.  She said she was glad we watched it together.  That it helped to put pieces together for her.   She told us of stories her friends had told her about family friends they had lost that day.

And best of all - she was not up with nightmares all night.  For that I was thankful.

She is growing up.

Design Star

Is it no surprise that my FAVORITE designer, Meg, got the 'little red house' to design in the Tiny House challenge?



I look forward to next weeks big show!

What I Read on Vacation

I am still plowing my way through the Game Of Thrones series, but I took the down time to add in:



As the PTO Enrichment Coordinator for our school - I often am lured in by the topic of bullying in our schools. I have had the chance to hear Rosalind speak in person and I highly recommend her.  She has a great website too: Rosalind Wiseman.  This book was on target for where I am and where I am headed!


Have you read THIS?


Have you ever thought about this??  I have... a LOT...more to come on this subject!

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

I saw THESE awesome cookies over at the Artsy-Fartsy Mama and HAD to make!

It uses R O L O s.... say it slowly :)  Almost as good as Chocolate!

I followed her easy instructions.  I also loved that it was 4 ingredients:

I figured the girls are at school - the house is quiet so it would be a great time catch up on:

WHILE I am baking!

Meg is my favorite.  I love how she uses color in a space.  

Counted out my Rolos (UH OH! what will we do with all those unused ones?!?!?)

The batter was thick - but I got through it:

Into the oven for 9 minutes and out comes - PERFECTION:

I spent more time rolling the Rollos into the dough than anything else.  PLUS it was easy clean up !!

Now, wait until the girls see these on the counter when they get home! AND I cannot wait for next Monday at 9 for Design Star!

Back To School

Conflicted is how I feel this year.  I am usually the Mom singing 'It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year' the week before school starts.  Of course, this was when my girls were little and required so much entertainment and attention.  Now that they are older they tend to care for and keep themselves entertained fairly well.

I will might even miss them this year!  Plus the merry go round of driving to and from soccer and chorus and dance classes....  I am already tired.  

We ended our family dinner on Monday night with a special treat.  It does not look all that exciting - but MMM it was good!

Toll House Pie

Coco is starting 5th grade and Lulu is starting 3rd.  And as you can see dance has already started!

First Day Goodbyes 
We have taken every photo in this same spot on the first day.  I remember when they did not reach the door handle.


And...now:

Even I have grown over the years...