Creative solutions!

First of all, Happy Halloween! We don't really do much of anything for Halloween...without kids, we don't have anyone to dress up! Neither one of us really cares to dress up, and we don't go to parties, so we just stayed in this evening!

I have a TON of jewelry...it's accumulated over the years and I'm running out of room to store it all. My mom is having the same problem, and her birthday was on the 18th. I needed a gift for her and she needed somewhere to put her jewelry! So, I came up with a simple solution. I put some serious thinking into what I wanted to do.

I remembered being at May Mart this year and someone who was selling jewelry and had an old frame that she had painted and had covered plywood or something similar in fabric. Well...I thought that might be pretty easy, but didn't know where to find an old frame that would be big enough for my project. My friend, Julianne, said she's just using a simple bulletin board and pushpins to hang her jewelry on.

So, I combined the two ideas and created this:

I took the center out of the bulletin board, covered it in simple patterned fabric, bought clear push pins and put little bronze stickers on the ends of them for decoration.

Here's a close up of the top.And the bottom of the board.Now, when mom gets dressed, she'll be able to see all of her jewelry and be able to pick something quickly to go with her outfit! I'll have to make one for myself, now, because I like it so much!

Today, we watched the Penn State/Northwestern game this afternoon. Penn State won 34-13! And then Penguins game came on right after that...they lost to the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Tomorrow there isn't a Steelers game. I heard on DVE yesterday on my way home from school that a bar in Pittsburgh is having a Bye-week blues fest since there won't be a game. Guess we'll have to find something else to do, as well!

We're watching the Ghost Hunters Marathon on Syfy...they're showing the 5 scariest episodes and counting down until they do a live investigation at 1:00 am.

That's about it...pretty boring day! It's nice to stay at home together once in a while. We didn't have any visitors for trick-or-treat since we don't live in town. Hope you all had some visitors!

Bad Wife?

Do you ever feel like you're a bad wife? Or maybe that you aren't appreciated for what you do?

All week I taught and I went to my other job a few days as well. After spending the day with 500+ kids and having to constantly be on my toes I'm exhausted. I have to make sure that they aren't talking when they aren't supposed to, that they're keeping their hands to themselves, understanding what they're supposed to be doing, reading, doing independent work, spelling, math...singing, playing an instrument...which includes checking fingerings, the embouchure, how they're holding the instrument, if they know the name of the note, how long it needs to be played, are they resting...ugh! It's crazy! I love what I do, honestly, but my brain is engaged from the minute I walk in the door of the school until I walk back out to my car.

So when I get home, I'm drained. I am not ready to cook and clean when I get home. That housewife switch doesn't turn on. I feel like I'm letting my husband down because I don't cook dinner for him every night. I wait until the weekend to do laundry and some of my other housework. Does it make me a bad wife because I don't care if I do my wifey jobs everyday??

How do those of you who work balance all of those things? Does your husband help you? Mine doesn't very much. It makes it even harder to get things done when I do it all on my own! Suggestions? Help?! Please?!!??!

...If you try some times, you might find, you get what you need!

So the other day I wished to get some more days at school for the week. Well, at the end of the day yesterday, I was asked to sub for the entire week for the band teacher. I went from having 2 days to 5 for the week! I guess sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for, because they really happen!

We're off to have dinner with Noelle and Derek! We're picking up pizza and heading to their place! Maybe I'll post something a little longer tonight! Bye!

Speedy Update!

Okay, I'm going to make this really, really quick because I need to go to bed!

So today we weighed in. I lost 4 lbs this week! Well, technically, I gained 2 last week, so I lost those 2 and then 2 this week...so far, I have lost 10 lbs! I'm so excited! Bobby lost a little more than 2 lbs this week, putting him at 12 lbs total! Not sure where everyone else stands, but we have all lost somewhere between 5 and 10 lbs! Yay!

So far, I am teaching Monday and Tuesday and in the office the rest of the week. I hope that they can find me one or two more days so I don't have to go to the Coach as much.

Oh yeah, and I got all my house work done between yesterday and today. I even ironed ALL my work clothes for the week and two sets of sheets because my husband threw them onto the bed in the spare bedroom when he took them out of the dryer, instead of folding them! So glad it's all done. Hopefully I can take it easy this week on house work! Just daily stuff! No big piles of laundry, I hope!!

Well, I told you I'd be quick! I'm off to bed! Nighty night!

I love sleeping in on Saturdays...

Last night we went to Pittsburgh Mills with Noelle and Derek to go to Red Robin for dinner, then we went to see Paranormal Activity. HOLY SHIT was that movie SCARY! They tell you at the beginning that it's based on a true story, which I suppose each thing that happened could have been based on another story...but it isn't all true. Usually I'm alright with scary things, they don't bother me or weigh on my mind the rest of the night or the next day...but thing really got to me. If you like scary movies I would recommend it. For fair warning, I almost cried.

So we didn't get home until about 1:00 am, and pretty much went straight to bed. I had been up since 6:30 and I was really tired when we got home. I slept until 1:00 this afternoon! That's 12 hours of sleep. I must have really needed it, because I NEVER do that!


Oh, and Yesterday, Noelle was in the ER. She had really bad pains in her lower back, and what she said were really bad menstrual cramps, too. They made her take a pregnancy test, which came back negative, so they sent her for a CT. They did the CT to see if she has kidney stones. They saw NOTHING in the CT, so the doctor wanted to send her home. Well, she's had ovarian cysts before and said the pain was similar to when she had them last time. The doctor wouldn't give her a pelvic exam and told her to go see her doctor. He had no idea what was wrong with her and was going to send her home without anything for pain. We talked to the nurse and she told the doctor that if he wasn't going to to do the pelvic exam that he MUST give her something for the pain. I was, and still am very mad at that doctor! He should have done so much more for her...especially since he has no idea what's wrong with her. He told her to come back if the pain got worse. Of course she was in a lot of pain while we were at the movie last night, so we made her take a pain pill while we were at the movie. At least it was so scary that everyone was screaming, or she would have fallen asleep.

It is a dark and dreary day here in Indiana and I'm home alone while Bobby's at a gun bash. I've got some sheets in the drier, towels in the washer, and I really should be doing some other cleaning, but I just don't feel like it! I would looooove to stay on the couch and watch TV all day, but I guess I should take advantage of the fact that I don't have to work today and get some things done! Not to mention that it's 5:15 and I should probably get in the shower.

I have to finish my mom's birthday present today or tomorrow, too! I am making her a jewelry board for all of her necklaces and bracelets. I'll have to post a picture of it once it's all finished. If it turns out nicely, I might make one for myself!

I think I'm also going to work on some jewelry today. I have been asked to make a few things for Christmas gifts and for some friends to wear to up coming events. I hope that I can create something that will make my friends happy :)

Well, I guess I should go get some stuff done! Have a wonderful evening!

Happy Birthday Momma!!!!

Today is my Momma's Birthday! She's at the Steelers game today with her friends. 5 of her friends went together and bought her a ticket to take her. How nice is that?! They all paid for their own tickets, and then split the cost of hers!! They surprised her with it earlier this week. I wish I could have gotten tickets to take her, but they're a little too expensive for us! At least someone could take her. I'm planning to make her dinner this week and a homemade carrot cake.

This is my mom, Uncle Jeff, and my daddy on my wedding day. I love this picture of them!

We've had a really fun and busy weekend. Friday night we went to dinner with Bobby's cousin Jill, her husband Mike, and our friends Amy and Anthony. Also, Jill and Mike have an exchange student from Mexico living with them until June. Her name is Ale. I think it's Alejandra, but I'm not sure...everyone calls her Ale (like Ali). She came with us, too, and so did another exchange student, Michelle, who's from Switzerland. We went to Ironwood and had some delicious food and a great time with everyone.....until we started talking about Christmas...my mood totally changes when I think about the upcoming holidays. I usually cry a little when we talk about Christmas. Everyone changed the subject really quickly so I would stop crying. It worked...but I was still not as happy as I was at first.

Yesterday, Bobby and I went to a wedding near Uniontown, PA. We went with his parents, Janelle and Jason, Jill and Mike, and his Uncle Dave and Aunt Donna. The wedding was for our friend's daughter. We didn't go to the ceremony, just the reception. It was a very nice place. I think it was called Anthony's Lakeside Party Center. We were in McClelandtown, or Uniontown...not sure. It was a beautiful place. We had a really nice time and stayed the night. We got back just before the Steelers game came on.

I have been forgetting to update on my weight loss progress. Last week I lost 4 lbs! That took me to a total loss of 8 lbs in 6 weeks. I'm pretty happy with my progress so far. Although...I got on the scale today to weigh-in and I gained 2 lbs. But, I'm okay with that because we had the wedding and there were cookies and alcohol.....and well...who can resist that at a wedding?!

After the game is over, I think I'm going to do some cleaning. The house is kind of a mess right now and I've got another busy week of subbing coming up and I know I'm not going to feel like doing it after school and going to AmbCoach.

Have a good evening! 4th quarter's about to start. Let's hope our defense can keep playing through the end of the game! Here we go!!!

Ooops!

Wow...I can't believe it's been nearly a month since I've posted anything. Sorry about that.

I have been at Penns Manor Elementary all week subbing for the band teacher, who's really sick. It's been a fun week of lessons and rehearsals. I've gotten to spend some time practicing some instruments that I don't often get to play. I can never remember slide positions on the trombone, so the kids have been teaching me! It's great practice for them, because then they really have to think about what they're playing to show me how to do it!

Did you see my new camera? I put a picture of it on facebook last week. Bobby got me a Nikon D60 for a late anniversary/early christmas present. It's faaaaaaantastic! I have been taking it everywhere with me and snapping lots of photos!

Last time I posted, I had mentioned the annual Penns Manor craft show. I thought I was going to be able to make some jewelry and sell it there. Well...it's on November 14th and I CAN'T DO IT!!!! That day we are going DRESS SHOPPING for Noelle's wedding dress and to find dresses for the bridesmaids!!!! I am excited to go dress shopping, but I was really wanting to do the craft show. SOOOOOOO...instead, I'm going to ask if you know anyone that might like some pretty things for Christmas or who might need gifts for their bridesmaids for an upcoming wedding to point them in my direction. I'm looking to try out some new things...

Like these: (all photos from artbeads.com)

pretty every day earrings

something fun and summery!

This one's cute right??? I like the little birds in the center!

See something you like??? Let me know! How?? EMAIL ME, find me on FACEBOOK, or leave me a comment on one of my posts! There are so many great sample designs on artbeads.com! I also have some magazines at home or I can do something original. Remember, Christmas is coming and it's never to early to shop! I do have a couple orders from some friends that I'll be working on this coming week to get them finished. I'll post pictures as soon as I finish them!