Summer Is Here

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few days week. Just didn't want to.

Anyway...


One of my favorite snacks: 1/2 cup plain yogurt and a tablespoon of honey.


Found this dead, half covered (wasp?) thing in my garden dirt. When I was pulling weeds, I found a lot of red cacoon things. I think this was what was inside. (Shudder.)


Here's what the garden looks like so far. Coming along nicely. We're starting to get raspberries on our raspberry bush as well.


All my garden babies. I think the carrots just sprouted a couple days ago too! =D


I made Morgana and I tuna melts for dinner on a night that Stu and Kate were both gone. I love them! Morgana does not.


For Father's Day breakfast I made apple-bacon, cream cheese "stuffed" french toast. So good!


My little blonde beach babe ready for fun in the sun at Nana and Papa's pool on Father's Day. Yes, she's wearing flip flops with no heel straps. Since she's my kid, she's required to learn how to wear flip flops early!


Momo's pretty ring. She loves jewelry. This is actually an adult toe ring, haha.


Someone got some big girl panties today! Picked them out herself.


Morgana helped set the table for dinner tonight. She did the plates, forks and glasses. She was so exicted to learn and help.


Here's my progress on the mermaid tail I'm crocheting for Morgana. I was finally able to get another ball of yarn for it today. Hopefully, I'll only need one more ball after this to complete the whole costume. I'm even going to crochet her a shell top.


This week's manicure. Essie Brownie Points with some sorry lookin' flowers and dots.


Here's my manicure at day 4. Not too shabby for Amber. There's a youtube channel called Love4Nails and she has the best advice for nails! Sealing the free edge, top coat touch-ups, cuticle clean ups (when the polish or top coat start lifting near the cuticle) and wearing cleaning gloves (to clean and even while loading the dishwasher) have been my saving graces. And now that all my acrylic damage is grown out, I get to put Love4Nails's nail care to the test and see if I can have broken nails less often. She said in one of her videos that she only broke three nails over the past year! I gotta get in on that!

Hmmm, didn't do much else besides grocery shopping today. Well, I did water the garden. Anyway, hope you all had a great weekend!

Tails, Sprouts & Bread

So, I started crocheting Morgana's mermaid tail last night. Used up the whole ball of yarn that I got in one night. Now I have to wait until Sunday to get another ball. Booooooo! I'm so excited to make it that waiting is going to be hard.


Here's some more sprouts from our garden. I think-- I think these are the cucumbers... and not weeds... I hope. They don't look like any of the other weed sprouts coming back up. We planted mint today.


Made banana bread today.............. That's all I have to say about that......... Oh, and that it's delicious, as always.


I forgot to post this picture on Sunday. This is Midnight Blue and Nail Junkie, both by Sinful Colors. GGMa bought them for me when we visited her in St. George. I love them!

I also washed a big box of clothes for Mo that my sister got rid of from her kids. Thank goodness! I'm running out of shirts that fit over Mo's head and cover her belly completely! Luckily, her long pants that she's outgrown can now be capris. She's gotten taller and her head has grown, but all her bottoms still fit her waist and most of her shirts still fit her arms.

Morgana went potty mid-day, so she got to wear her big girl panties for the 15 minutes. She even told me that she had to go potty while wearing them, so we rushed to the potty and she went again! So proud! She went potty again after dinner and asked to wear her big girl panties again. I told her it was okay with me, but she had to ask Daddy. (The deal was anytime she went potty before dinner, she could wear them.) Stu said it was okay, so she wore her big girl panties while we played Go Fish, no accidents.

Stu and I also talked about going to Comi-Con here in Salt Lake City. What days we'd like to go, how to work it out, about taking Morgana along. Jonathan Frakes is going to be there. He played Commander William T. Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation. I would really like to meet him. I LOVED that series in High School! Also, you may or may not know that Stu and I have been watching all of the Star Trek series and movies together for several years. We're watching Enterprise now.

I did some typing on GGMa's journals and tried to catch up on folding laundry.

Tonight, I'd like to finish that folding, knit and watch some Angel.

Going Coconuts

I bought some cotton yarn to start crocheting a mermaid tail for Morgana. She keeps telling me, "Mama, I want a mermaid tail." So sweet, I can't resist that request. I also got some Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. I've heard it's comparable to Seche Vite (the best top coat in the world). I can't always afford Seche, so I thought I'd give this drugstore version a try. Lastly, I got some coconut oil to use on my hair, nails/cuticles and feet. It has no smell, so I texted my friend, Sarah, about it. She said it's only cooking grade and won't have the same health benefits of other coconut oils. I'm still gonna try it though. Anyone ever tried this brand of coconut oil as a beauty product? What did you think of it?


For dinner, I made BUBBLE PIZZA! Saw it on Pinterest. It wasn't as good as I would have liked. I think it was just that the pizza sauce I bought wasn't to my liking as far as taste. My husband, on the other hand, loved it.


I painted Kate's toes tonight. I painted Morgana's finger and toenails, too, but accidentally deleted the picture- Doh!

So, Morgana (under a deal between her and Stu), got to wear big girl panties for 15 minutes today, because she went potty before dinner-time. She was excited. Stu and I both let her know how important it was to tell us if she had to go potty while wearing her panties. So, every minute, she was like, "Mama! I needa go potty!" "Mama! I needa go peepee!" So, I took her to the potty 2 or 3 times. She never went though. I'd rather she tell me when she doesn't have to than not tell me when she does.

Kate observed Morgana's entire bedtime routine tonight as Stu and I have a wedding reception to go to Saturday that starts at 7 pm, the same time Morgana starts getting ready for bed. So, Kate is learning Morgana's bedtime routine so she can put her to bed while she babysits on Saturday.

Oh, and I don't know if I mentioned it to my blog readers, but back in March, Stu made me a lasik surgery screening appointment for my birthday. We set the appointment in July, then we had to pay some big medical bills recently, so we are waiting to see if we have enough in our health savings to pay for the surgery. I'm so excited! And I really hope that I can still get it because my brown, plastic framed glasses just broke in half on Friday when I went to go clean them. So, I'm down to one pair of glasses. Those were my favorite pair, plus, my eye doctors have always recommended having at least two pairs of glasses in case something happens to one pair. This is a must when you are as blind as me. I can't see clearly past, literally, 6 inches in front of my face.

Welp! I'ma go watch Star Trek with Hubbykins and crochet on Morgana's mermaid tail and probably watch an episode of Angel before I go to bed. I'm almost caught up to where I'm at watching Buffy! Only four more episodes!

Fun In The Sun

Sorry no post yesterday. We spent the night at my Mom's on a whim to make sure Stu would have the car tonight for a game tournament he was going to.


My sister had bought another kiddie pool, since Papa popped the previous one. So, Friday afternoon was water time.


...as was today, with outdoor lunch as well.

And, exciting news...


We have pumpkin sprouts!!! 12 in all! The leaves are as big as the tip of my thumb! OMG! I'm beyond excited!

I also got Morgana to go on the potty twice yesterday as I had just started taking her with me whenever I have to go, at the suggestion of my Mom.

Bedtime did not go so well last night. Morgana was awake for an hour in bed after lights out and showing no signs of slowing. Plus, she started really crying, I finally went in and tickled and cuddled her to sleep. That was a mistake, because tonight I'm having to deal with her calling for me and crying again even in her own bed. She usually just lays silent or quietly talks/sings to herself for an hour before falling asleep. But, being at my Mom's, oh my Hannah! She would not settle down.

I started working on my gray ruana jacket again yesterday. I had run out of yarn for my Infinitude scarf and wrist warmers and was waiting on yarn I had ordered online. It came today while I was still at my Mom's. Yay!

I missed watching Angel while I was at my Mom's, so for that I'm glad to be home tonight. I'll also be painting my nails tonight, since we weren't home last night.

Finally, Some Yarn.

My acrylic damage is ALMOST grown out. Can you tell I really miss my long fingernails? Trying to paint tips?

I'm knitting myself an Infinitude scarf (pattern on Ravelry). This is the same pattern I used to make a scarf for Teen Miss for Christmas amd then I made one for my oldest Sister's birthday. It's a great pattern! My Mom saw me knitting this and said she'd love to have a white infinity scarf, not specifically this pattern though. She said she doesn't care what pattern I use if I decide to make her one.

I also finished the gift I was making for my friend, Christy, this weekend. No pictures yet, I haven't given it to her yet.

Today, Mo and I weeded in the garden more, for only about 10 minutes.  I'm wondering if I can get away with using only half the garden this year as I'm running out of time to plant. Then, maybe after I get what seeds I have planted or fill up half of the garden with planting, if I want to and have time left, I could clear out the other half and plant more.

I'm getting back into typing GGMa's journals (that she pays me for) again. We need some more money. So that, hopefully, we can try getting into a house soon.

Mani/Pedi Lemon

Little Miss got her first mani/pedi (by me) today. Before this she only got her toenails painted.

Teen Miss let me try one of her lemon Luna bars. So good! It tastes like a lemon dessert.

I didn't do much else today. No knitting or crocheting. My husband came home from a five day business trip today. Though, I did manage to take a nice nap with him.  =)

I'm trying to get Mo to where she'll go to sleep on her own. I'm at phase "sit on the floor in front of the door".  I started by laying with her until she went to sleep after she was weaned.  Almost there. It's been almost an hour since lights out tonight and she's still awake. Though, I think she's finally settled down and is done crying, talking, shouting and playing around.  She's getting better. The hardest part is not trying to make her settle down or punish her for talking or moving. It does no good and the interaction seems to only get her more wound up. Now, she only gets a one minute time out if she gets out of bed or stands up in bed.  It's also really hard to not talk to her. If she asks me to fix her blanket, I will, but I won't say anything and just go sit back down. If she wants something like for me to put one of her stuffed animals back that she doesn't want anymore, I don't engage her.

...I was wrong. She's sitting up and talking again. Sigh. We'll get there.  I hope. Wish us luck!

Have a great night!

Easter & Stuff

This is going to be just a picture post. So, if you'd like to see what each picture is about, just click on it and you'll be taken to the flickr page for that photo. Enjoy!

Fantastic Friday!

Little Miss is currently addicted to oranges. So, I'm buying and cutting ala-hot of oranges lately. Hey, there could be worse things for your toddler to be addicted to, yeah?


I'm crocheting and amigurumi bunny, similar to Morgana's baby dragon, for a co-worker of Stu's to buy. Today, I put on the face and finished up the head. I'll do the ears next.


Last night, Little Miss enjoyed a desset of the saltine toffee I made. She likes to dip it in milk.


Little Miss has been potty training since January. We only ask if she wants to go and offer for her to sit on the potty. For a while I was only offering at bath/shower time before bed. Last night, I offered at a diaper change and she went. Then again before bed. This morning she went again at diaper change! So, this morning's potty completed a sticker chart and she got a prize! She went a total of 4 times today!


Friday library trip.


Yes, we checked this book out from the library. It's Morgana's favorite library book this week.

I was going to paint my nails tonight, but it's getting late and I want to knit.

Also, there's some Doritos and cottage cheese that my husband bought me... they're calling my name. Yeah, blew my calorie count today.

Until next time!

How Long Was I Sleeping?

I meant to post last night, but I fell asleep with Morgana when I put her to bed and didn't wake up until almost 3:30 am and went to my bed. Sorry, guys. (And sorry to my husband who I was supposed to watch an episode of Star Trek Enterprise with.)

I can't remember everything that we did yesterday, but here are the pictures I took yesterday and some that were taken in the last week or two.


Navy blue afro or long live the queen? I think I've exposed her to too much RuPaul's Drag Race (which I'm over watching drag queen shows, even if just for a bit).


Morgana got a Doc McStuffins dry erase table with markers from Nana and Papa as a late birthday present. Her face looks so weird. I think this was just before her squinty, big grin "cheese!" face.


I got Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2!!! Yay!!! I hadn't even seen it in theaters. I watched it with Teen Miss on Monday. It was fun to watch. =)


Morgana had her first dentist appointment yesterday and got a new princess toothbrush! She did great! She was a bit nervous, got startled and little spooked a couple times, kept asking to be done and if she could get down, but she still did really great! I sat right next to her on the chair and touched her the whole time. Just wish the dentist and hygenist weren't such loud talkers. I don't think that fostered a calm and relaxing environment, lol.


I made frozen yogurt bites for Morgana after seeing them on Pinterest.


I made saltine cracker toffee. OMG, you guys! This stuff is superb! I found the recipe at A Southern Grace blog.

I also soaked off my acrylics. I just get so fed up with acrylics when they lift because I don't want to deal with the lifting. It's challenging and I can never get that sliver of an air pocket under the edge filed down before filling them. I hope to fight the urge to put acrylics on again and grow my own nails out again. Being a stay at home mom who cleans house and constantly has her hands in water from all the cleaning, dishes washing/rinsing, hand washing and Little Miss face washing I do all day makes it hard to have a manicure that lasts more than a day and to not break nails constantly. But! I found this video on youtube and hopefully following this will help. I subscribed to her channel. She does awesome nail art AND she crochets!

My weight loss / healthy lifestyle change journey is not going so well. I haven't lost any weight since I've been trying (trying, not doing) to get healthier for several months. I know everything I need to do, I just can't get myself to stick to it. I know I'm getting enough activity, because I'm maintaining my weight, even when I eat like I'm eating for three. I just need to get my food in check. I am really sick of being overweight and that's what drives me when I do well. But, I never make it even 24 hours before doing something unhealthy. Sigh. Guess it's time to pray for the strength and willpower to do it. I should have been praying from the start.

Until next time!