I'm Dreaming of a Craft Room

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a craft/sewing room, which was always a total mess!  She arranged the flowers for church every Sunday so she had flowers, oasis and all of the flower vases, baskets and wreath forms you can imagine.  She was also an artist and had TONS of paint as well as a her sewing machine.  She was a very crafty lady.  We would go to her house and end up staying in that craft room for HOURS!  We would paint everything we could get our hands on - from canvas to wood to clothes.  We must have gone through thousands of gallons of craft paint.  That craft room is where my sister and I spent most of our time with our grandmother. 

My grandmother's little craft room was just that....little.  It was probably 10 x 10 and we loved every inch of it.  It had shelves, cabinets, a sink, and an old dinette set we used as our painting surface.  It was our home away from home. 

I've been dreaming about my own craft room lately...the one I don't have.  My craft/sewing stuff is scattered in parts of my bedroom and dining room.  I wish I had my own room with plenty of space for painting, sewing and crafting of all kinds.  As long as we're dreaming, let's dream BIG!

Photo courtesy of HGTV

Photo courtesy of HGTV

Photo of Patty Young's studio from her blog. 

Ahhh, someday.  do you have a craft or sewing room?

Easiest Mock Peach Cobbler EVER!

As I said yesterday, I am on a little diet kick at my house.  I gained three pounds last week between having company and visiting my in-laws.  I made this dessert to take to my mom's on 4th of July.  It's EASY and it's delicious.  My mom has been making this for YEARS and it never disappoints!

Let's get one thing out on the table before we even start.  I don't roll out dough.  I know, it's the best wasy to make pie, cobbler, etc.  but it just doesn't happen at my house.  I'm a little lazy.  There, I said it.  Moving on....

Ready for this?

3 Ingredients:

Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix
Butter, 1 stick, not margerine!!
1 large can of cut peaches in HEAVY syrup

Dump about half the cake mix in a 9 x 13.  Arrange the peaches on top of the cake mix evenly and pour the syrup on top.  Pour the rest of the cake mix on top.  Cut up butter into pats and place on top of the cake mix. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  A few additional pats of butter may be used for any dry spots.  Wanna see what it looks like all golden brown and pretty?  Yeah, me too.  Sadly, I'm a dork and forgot to take a picture.  Sorry!

There you go.  Super easy, buttery wonderfulness (I know it's not a word, but this yummy dish deserves a new word).  My Hubby loves it with vanilla ice cream on top. 

Welcome to Summertime Cruise Lines

Hello. My name is Mom and I'll be your cruise director. We'll have breakfast in the dining room at 8:00. There will be kareoke in the playroom at 9:00, bowling Wii tournament at 10:00 in the playroom and lunch will be served promptly at 11:00 in the dining room. After lunch will be a short nap/rest time in your room so that mommy can gather her sanity before she runs screaming from the house!

It's only half way through summer and I'm already hearing "I'm bored!" Seriously? I've got some cleaning that I'd be happy for you to do if you'd like to take a break from bickering with your siblings. UGH! I am apparently "paying for my raising" as my mother would say. I remember complaining of being bored when I was young too. I WISH I had time to be bored!!

Hubby, being the semi-organized manager type that he is, decided to give them some structure and make them a schedule of sorts. There is specific time for TV/video games, chores, play time, outside time, meal time, family time, etc. Ya know what's missing from the list? MOMMY TIME! I have been with these kids constantly and I need a break! Seriously, our trip to the library yesterday was enough to make me want to take Prozac (I hear it's also an appetite suppressent - WIN-WIN! HA!).  UGH!  What I wouldn't do for a free day and $ with which to do non-cruise director type stuff! UGH!

So, let me take a moment to dream about a day off. I would sleep late - until at least 8:30. Then I would get my coffee and just sit and watch the Today show for a few minutes. Then I would take a shower, fix my hair - NOT in a ponytail - put on makeup like a real girl and put on something CUTE. Oh wait, I don't own anything cute so I better go shopping. So, I head to the mall (I pause for just a moment at the back of the van before I realize I don't have to get out the stroller.  WOO HOO!) and find something adorable that compliments my junk in the trunk and makes me look slightly taller and therefore slimmer. Then to the salon for a mani/pedi (I've done that once for Mother's Day in 5 years). Then, home to put on my new cute outfit for a hot date with my Hubby. Ahhh! A day off sounds FANTASTIC! BUT, be 8:00 p.m. I'd have to go wherever my kids are and pick them up 'cause I'd be missing those little munchkins.

Maybe we'll have a dance contest in the living room at 9:00 or a 9:30 sundae buffet in the dining room before bed.  Maybe I should've been a cruise director.

Front Porch Pillows

A few months ago, at Amanda's Decorating Dilemma Party (see post here ), I complained about my front porch.  It was BORING!!!  I got LOTS of suggestions and have made a few improvements, including the pillows I made.  Wanna see?

I love me some zebra!  I adore the envelope pillow with the green button.  Wanna see a close up?

Isn't it cute?  I used a ribbon covered button and a hair tie for the envelope closure.  It's far from perfect, but I think it turned out pretty good considering I didn't use a pattern.  I really wanted to try a pillow with cording, but I ran out of time .  I was trying to get this done before my company got here so I didn't have time for trial and error. 

So, here's the front porch now:

 

I still have some improvements to do, but it's looking better. 

I'm linking up to: 

Dishing It @ Amanda's Blog....Summer Reading List

So, my friend Amanda is having another Dishing It Party.  This months topic is about your Summer Reading List.  Hmmmm.  I love to read.  I constantly snuggle up in the window seat with lots of pillows and a good book.  I always have a Raspberry Mocha and plate of cookies on hand too.  Yeah, right!!!!  I'm also a size 2 and a part time swimsuit model. 

Actually, I do love to read, I just don't have a lot of time.  If I sit down to read a book, I end up reading the same page over and over because I'm so distracted from all the "Mommy, I need" and "Mommy, I want" or "Mommy, she/he...blah, blah, blah".  It's so hard to read with lots of distractions!  That's why I only ready five or six books a year, if that.

The books that I enjoy reading are chick books, with the occasional book on autism.  I love Nicholas Sparks books, especially The Notebook, which is also one of my favorite movies. 

I do enjoy Danielle Steele even though they're usually a little predictible.  I love suspense movies, but I don't read murder mystery type books because I need to know the end of the story before I go to bed, or else I won't sleep or I'll have nightmares if I do sleep.  I do enjoy books with a happy ending.  I think there is enough bad stuff going on in the world today, that I don't want to fill my spare time (what little I have), with sadness, fear and other bad things.  I also do enjoy Carly Phillips if I want a "beach read", ya know something quick and entertaining.  Also, as much as I hate sci-fi, I did enjoy the Twilight series very much!

One of the questions was "where is your favorite place to read?"  I usually read in the school pick up line because I am in the car a little over an hour in the afternoon.  That's usually when I read.  I also like to read in the bathtub, but only if I don't have little ones interrupting me constantly.  That's a nice visual, huh?  So sorry about that.

I get most of my books from either my mom or the library.  My mom ready constantly so she usually has several I haven't read. If not from my mom, then from the library.  I rarely go buy books, except for sometimes from the Used section. 

What's next on my reading list?  There is one Nicholas Sparks book I haven't read and the new Safe Haven, due on soon.  I need to get my hands on that when school starts. 

As far as magazines I read, I read Glamour from cover to cover every month.  When I can get my hands on People (too expensive to have a subscription), I read it from cover to cover too.  I also really love my Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens and House Beautiful. 

Just FYI, if anybody has a child recently diagnosed with autism, I strongly recommend the book Ten Things Every Autistic Child Wishes You Knew.  It's excellent and an easy read.  It helps you understand the way autistic kids sensory issues work.  Awesome book and fairly cheap too.  We bought enough to send to all our relatives to read to help them understand L's issues. 

So, what's your story (HA!  Get it?  I know, I'm a dork!)  Anyway, run over to Amanda's and party with us. 
. 

Cresent Cinnamon Rolls

Have you ever had a craving for cinnamon rolls?  Ya know that craving that you just can't get rid of?  Cinnamon and sugar and icing - three of my favorite things all in one.  I crave chocolate like most of the women in the universe, but cinnamon and sugar are right up there with chocolate for me. 

So, last week Hubby and I were sitting on the couch watching TV and I just couldn't contain my craving any longer.  After battling it for days, I finally gave in.  I'd just make some canned cinnamon rolls really quick and eat a few and saved the rest for the kids for breakfast.  But, alas, we didn't have any canned cinnamon rolls.  But, I had cresent rolls.  Oh yeah, baby! 

I rolled out the canned dough and spread a little softened butter and sprinkled a generous amount of cinnamon and sugar.  I rolled up the cresents and sprinkled a little more cinnamon and sugar.  Then I baked them according to the directions (I think it was 375 degrees for 12 minutes or so).

Top with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla mixed together for the icing.  Sometimes I add a little softened cream cheese to the mixture.  SO YUMMY! 

They are so fabulous and buttery and delicious....so I ate a  lot of them, four to be exact.  I shared with Hubby.  I didn't save any for the kids  - they were asleep - ya snooze, ya lose, right?  I am such a bad mom.  I guess that's why I gained 3 pounds last week.  Oh well.  More of me to love.  Maybe that's why my Hubby calls my backside cinnamon buns!  I know, TMI!

I'm linking up to Tasty Tuesday @ Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed With Grace. 

Weekend Pounds and a Little Inspiration

Last week my SIL and BIL came up from Houston for a visit.  The stayed a few days ago and then we all met this weekend in Big D (Dallas) at my FIL's house.  We had a wonderful weekend full of family and fun and unfortunately, food.  I gained three pounds this week!  UGH!  I didn't make it to the gym this morning either.  The kids were so tired that I could barely get them out of bed.  I see an early bedtime in our future tonight. 

Anyway, I generally have to have an event coming up to really get into the weight loss mood.  I have no such event coming up.  The only event I am counting down to is the beginning of school in August.  So, because I have no event, I thought I would inspire myself with a few pictures. 

This is my fitness dream:

Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie

Okay, let's just be very honest and get real here for a moment.  I am not now, nor have I ever been one of those little skinny girls.  Even when I starved myself down to a size 8 (which lasted about 10 minutes), I wasn't skinny.  Frankly, I looked a little funny.  As I have said before, I have a little junk in the trunk.  Never once in my life was called "chicken legs" or anything like that.  I'm larger on the bottom than the top.  If I lose too much weight, I look unbalanced.  Fergie is not a skinny girl either, but she has great legs!  I would love to have legs like her.  She's my fitness inspiration.

Photo courtesy of InStyle magazine

I am so in love with the boyfriend jeans.  Doesn't Reese Witherspoon look adorable in her boyfriend jeans?  She is so stinkin' cute!  I want to be able to buy cute boyfriend jeans in a size smaller than 84.  I'm thinking if I had to buy boyfriend jeans in my size, they wouldn't look so cute. 

Dress from Target.

My sweet Hubby bought me this dress from Target.  I absolutely love it, but it would look a little better on me if I was a little thinner.  Just sayin.

Also, bulky warm, cozy sweater season is just around the corner.  Those add on another 10 pounds.  Better lose weight before sweater season. 

Anybody have any secret tips for something you've tried?  Guess I'm off to eat a Lean Cuisine.