First let me apologize I realize that last Friday was the first Friday of the month so I am a week late in posting February’s edition of Daily Life Captured, however hopefully you can forgive me.

Although if you are like me and living in cold winter area after you see what made me late you may not want to forgive me.

I was at BEECH Retreat last Friday which was held at the South Sea Island Resort on Captiva Island in Florida.

Myself and around 100 other bloggers were treated like kings and queens all weekend long.

The food was amazing. It included a lot of gluten free products from Udi’s gluten free. Since I am not a person that suffers from any sort of ill effects from gluten I had no idea what gluten free products tasted like. After this weekend I hope all gluten free products taste like Udi’s because their products taste amazing.

I know from the pictures it looks like all we did all weekend was play but believe me when I say there was a lot of learning going on.

With amazing keynote speakers like Crystal Paine, Dan Morris, John Miller and Michael Hyatt my mind was soaking up incredible knowledge all weekend long, and that does not include the workshops taught on Friday and Saturday as well as discussion panels.

I did however manage to squeeze in some much needed me time during the weekend. I escaped early in the morning for runs along the marina, and Saturday afternoon I got out for a one hour long run through the resort and along the beech.

After my Saturday afternoon run I discovered a plate full of these Good Greens bars set out for us to munch on and I must say I never knew ground up veggies and fruit could taste so divine. I raved about these Good Greens bars so much one of the event organizers gave me a whole box to take home, and they are now hidden from my family. These are all mine!

I did share some of the things I brought home though including the DVD “Art Projects with Pat Knepley:Tiffany Window” by See the Light. Courtney immediately unwrapped it and started following along.

Here is what she created from watching the first lesson in the 4 lesson DVD.

I am now adjusting to being back in the land of snow. I told my friends perhaps if I can just pretend it is sand I won’t miss BEECH retreat so much.

Oh and I almost forgot one of my favorite moments from BEECH retreat. I finally had the pleasure of meeting Crystal Paine a.k.a. Money Saving Mom. I have to say she is the same giving, kind and vibrant person in person as she is online and I feel blessed to have her call me friend, and honored that I can call her one of mine.

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Welcome to Daily Life Captured, a once a month sneak peak into the life of our family.

Inspired by InstaFridays at Life Rearranged.

1. Christmas Gift

My husband surprised me Christmas morning with a handcrafted by him wooden backdrop for my Willow Tree nativity scene. I LOVE IT!

2. Favorite Game Given

My daughter loves games so when I saw a chance to snag a few printable coupons and combine them with a sale at Target, I gave them to the boys to help them purchase a few for her for Christmas, so far Battleship is my favorite one to play with her.

3. First Sort Of Significant Snow Fall

We now have way more snow than what you see in this photo, but this is a picture of the first real snowfall of the season that made Christmas day a glimmer of white and a lot of green (since most of it had melted by then)

4. Dog Prefers To Stay Inside

While my daughter loves playing outside in the white stuff, our family dog would much prefer all the comforts of home indoors.

5. Sugar Cookie House Decorating Party

Our annual cookie party is getting smaller and smaller each year as the children get bigger and bigger. The cookies are doing the opposite, they were once regular size, then giant now enormous, but oh so fun to decorate.

6. More Sugar Cookies

Since I only made one big cookie per child and only a handful of small ones to enjoy the day of the party my children and husband whined and complained that they did not get  their fill of my sugar cookies, so I gave in and made a double batch a few days before Christmas.

7. Knitted Christmas Tree Ornament

I realized the night before our Sunday school class Christmas party that the gift exchanged had a Christmas ornament theme. Not wanting to run out to the store, I hopped on Pinterest and found a photo of an adorable knitted Christmas tree ornament, problem was it had no instructions: turns out that wasn’t a big deal as I managed to piece mine together in just under 2 hours using a bit of experimentation and prayer.

8. Life’s A Box Of Chocolates

These yummy treats arrived one day by mail. The kids and I were good and saved 2 of my husbands favorites for when he got home, but we polished off the rest of the box in just 2 days.

9. New Locker Hooking Project

I sold all but one of my locker hooking projects from last year to my husband’s co-workers. Now it’s time to restock for this year’s Christmas season.

10. Daily Devotional

I found this page of my daily devotional very convicting and thought provoking. I spent some good time in prayer and reflection while reading both sides of the page.

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linked to InstaFriday at Life Rearranged, Top Ten Tuesdays at Many Little Blessings

Welcome to Daily Life Captured, a once a month 10 Instagram photo peak into our lives.

Up until now our family has used artificial Christmas trees bought on clearance and used year after year.

Until this year….

It all started with a coupon…. Well first there was a family vote…nope first my husband and I decided we could afford to add a real tree to our Christmas budget this year and then there was a family vote.

The men all wanted to get the tree from the local hardware store the women wanted to go to a tree farm.The women would have lost until I pointed out we were outnumbered therefore our votes should count twice.

In an act of desperation my hubby mentioned he didn’t know of a tree farm near us and that is when the coupon came in. It wasn’t good for the type of tree we wanted but it did give us an address.

It took us a while to pick a tree.I had to get over the sticker shock while my husband had to stop picking trees that would require us cutting a hole in the ceiling.

Finally we found it a tree that was priced within our budget and just the right size to fit without renovating our home.

While the tree was getting ready for its journey to our home….

I took advantage of a growth chart project that was at my snail pacing speed.

“Thank You for letting us be a part of your TREEMENDOUS holiday” love it!

Once we got the tree home Jack got right to work putting on the lights, and ribbons. Courtney and I helped put on the decorations. I don’t think my husband rearranged a single one, a pure act of love on his part, he loves a balanced tree, the kids and I well……

This is the first time we have ever had to get out a step ladder to put on the Christmas tree topper.

My favorite part, enjoying a Christmas light lit room with a mug of hot herbal tea in my hand and nothing but my reflections of the year gone by for company and perhaps a sweet Christmas treat or two.

Oh, and I should mention that before I went to bed that night, my hubby whispered in my ear, “that was really fun, we should make sure we add it to the Christmas budget next year”. Looks like tree farms beat hardware stores for trees.

How about you and your family? Real? Artificial?

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linked to InstaFriday at Life Rearranged ,Top Ten Tuesdays at Many Little Blessings

 

Here is my monthly 10 picture peek into our family life through the the grainy lens of my i-touch.

1. The Candy Cannon

Last year at the conclusion of our church’s trunk or treat my husband said to me ” I wonder if I could invent some type of cannon that could shoot candy into the air using compressed air”. Turns out he could, and he did, and the kids loved it!

2. My Office.

I am trying to write from 5 to 9 each morning, problem is the kids start waking up around 7:30 causing my productivity to go rapidly down hill.

Solution, hide behind only closed door in house that does not contain a sleeping husband nor a toilet, which leaves me with my craft closet.

3. My Love of Point Programs

My love of points programs is growing, it supports my husbands kindle habit, my need for Starbucks and  recently grew to include my love of Panera.

4. An afternoon of crafting

Recently my family visited a favorite family of ours. My friend and I spent the afternoon making button headbands for our girls (and some to sell) while my man played with his kindle fire and her hubby watched football. Aren’t we exciting?

5. My first close friend crazy enough to join me in running 26.2 miles

She did it, and I am so proud of her.

Unfortunately although I spent all summer training by my friend’s side for her first full marathon I was unable to join her for the race.

I pulled a muscle in the back of the leg (popliteus) and have not ran since end of September.

I loved seeing her cross the finish line even though I was wishing I was crossing it with her.

6. What every runner needs

I love this thing, it is called The Stick.

I got mine at the race expo, I told the demonstrator about my injury he sat me down and proceeded to rub my leg with this instrument. After what seemed like a way too intimate session with a stranger, I stood up and walked without a limp for the first time in days!

I bought it and am using it daily to help rehab my muscle.

7. One Dollar

I love finding fabric at yard sales. This piece cost me only one dollar.

8. What I am doing with some of that fabric

Dear Marthon Weekend Hotel Maid,

I don’t sit still well, so I like to craft while watching TV with friends. Sorry about the thousands of little fabric triangles that I created while doing so. I tried to pick some up honest but your plush carpeting and my current inability to kneel made it really hard.

Sincerely The Crazy Locker Hooking Lady

9. Random Patterns

I am a person of set pattern, so this creation was a work of therapy, It contains all the left over scraps from previous looker hooking patterns in sort of random order.

10. My Child’s Reaction

My children have been extremely forgetful about their daily chores lately. So the “Threat Mommy” voice came out. This time she said, “if you forget your chores one more time perhaps I will forget to feed you” (ya I don’t like her much either, she is mean). Next day I found this note written on my menu “12:00 children eat and 5:00″.

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This post is linked to Instagram Fridays at Life Rearranged, Top Ten Tuesdays at Many Little Blessings

 

This past month has been a whirlwind of activity. Here is 10 grainy and lovable instagram pics. to give you a glimpse into our lives.

One: I started my 11th year of homeschooling children. Aiden shown in this picture is being a model student, being both dressed and eating breakfast before he starts in on his school day. I am so glad to have this event in pictures, as it rarely happens, normally he is in PJ’s till noon and that is about the same time he decides to eat something too.

Two: Another rare and exciting event, I actually got a science experiment to work. In our household science experiments are normally done on dad’s day off since he can always make them work, me….not so much.

Three: I emptied out an entire container of Vinyl Spackling in a quick touch up renovation of our 100+ year old home that we once lived in, then renovated, then rented, now polished up and listed.

Four: After a very long week of renovating, and a hurried weekend of events, cleaning and packing our family enjoyed a 5 day long camping trip with the grandparents. One of  my favorite parts of the trip, taking off each morning for several hours of the time to the nearby Starbucks to spend my free gift cards and sit and write a while.

Five: Before we left on our trip I made the executive decision to treat ourselves to new luggage, as our old luggage is holding my craft supplies and I did not feel like emptying them out. Our family is high style, we have matching luggage with trendy lime green accent handles. Our media bag cooler, matches.

Six: This is what my children will put away as clean. Thankfully I found this cup before the house sitter came to stay with the dog while we were away.

Seven: The following morning after getting home from camping was an annual community wide rummage in a neighboring town. My daughters favorite find of the trip was this outfit that cost one whole dollar.

Eight: Courtney’s other highlight of the yard sale shopping day was enjoying a strawberry shortcake with me.

nine: Looks like Courtney is not the only one who loves ice-cream.

Ten: After all that hard work on our other home, and all that fun camping and yard sale shopping my own home is looking sadly neglected, I am back on my cleaning schedule this week and trying out a new cleaning tip  I pinned to my Homemade Cleaning Products board on pinterest.

We were at a water park with friends this week, when I heard my friend say “the water park closes weekdays starting next week”. Yet another reminder that summer vacation for school children is coming to an end.

We are a homeschooling family, but my students are not those enthusiastic love of learning model students you read about in all the “Benefit of Homeschooling” books.

Instead I face, tears, whines, power struggles, and numerous breakdowns daily until about day 3 or 5 of our school year. After that their fits start to subside and a daily rhythm is found. Till they find that rhythm, found memories of summer will help me get through those rough few days.

Here are 10 memories of this summer.

1. My son started running 5K’s with me.

2. For a period of 2 or 3 weeks the kids and I enjoyed daily visits from wild kittens on our front porch. 3. I started reviewing books for 2 different companies, and have spent many an evening curled up on my front porch reading great books.

4. Our family celebrated 10 years in our current home town and spent a weekend reflecting on the 3000 mile road trip we took to get here, with a newborn, 2 year old and a 6 1/2 year old. Perhaps one day I will tell you about the journey that almost took my sanity.

5. I  knitted many a dish cloth sitting in the passenger seat for several much enjoyed day trips.

6. My red head running friend has been training with me all summer for her first marathon and my fourth marathon taking place this October.This week we will run 17 miles on Saturday.

7.After our long runs, I have enjoyed stopping  at the farmer’s market and purchasing a bundle of spray free veggies for very little money. Our family has enjoyed farm fresh corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, green beans and zucchini. I also froze some to enjoy later this year.

8. My children have all enjoyed lots of friendship building time with friends both new and old.

9.Thankfully yard sale season will not be completely over yet for our area for a few more weeks yet. My favorite yard sale find this summer has got to be this huge box of wooden hangers.

10. My favorite day trip. Indiana Sand Dunes State park. It was spontaneous, included a large body of water and those I hold dearest to my heart. All the ingredients of a perfect day trip in my opinion.

How about you? What did you get up to over Summer Vacation?

 

I was going through the photos on my i-touch this morning when I came upon some forgotten images from spring break.

Chuck E. Cheese where every “good mother” takes their children over spring break with a large group of friends preferable.

Well in this town right across the parking lot from Chuck, is the ultimate mom restaurant and it  was calling out to me taunting me. I have bread, soup, salad, and giant cookies.

I caved. I ran from Chuck E. to the arms of Panera!

While my kids sat and ate cheese pizza and pop.

Don’t worry I didn’t completely abandon them I told a friend who was with our large group about my longing, and the Panera gift certificate I had gotten for my birthday that was making that yearning all the more loud.

She couldn’t say no to that desperate look in my eyes, she told me to go for it, and so began my sprint to the restaurant for carb lovers.

Best 20 minutes of solitude I spent that week. When I made the trip back to the land of games and chaos I felt renewed and ready to attack the errands  list with 3 kids hyped up on liquid sugar in tow.

How about you? Are you a Panera Bread lover?