Surfer Sunday 76

By Karin at 3:13 am on June 29, 2008 | 3 Comments

Everybody Needs Gadgets

A very classy looking tea brewing set.

Useful and quirky all at the same time.

Food! Glorious Food!

Photo M&Ms!

How to make perfect cupcakes (since cupcakes are the perfect food after all).

The power of certain foods to be medicinal.

Cherry vanilla ice cream

10 tips for homemade ice cream success (Like how I put those right next to each other?)

Whole grain glossary

Mixed berry cobbler

Tomato-Basil pizza

How to make chocolate curls

Chocolate pie (It has cocoa so I can make it, too!)

A beginner’s guide to barbecue

All about zucchini (Did you know zucchini is a vegafruit? Okay, I just made that up, but it is considered both a fruit and a vegetable.)

Creative Pursuits

Rubber-band bulletin board

101 PhotoShop tips in 5 minutes.

When to use manual focus.

How to reduce camera shake.

Take vacation photos of your feet.

Five photo projects to get you motivated.

More apron patterns and tutorials

Need a use for old floppy discs? Here you go!

Techno Geekery

Highlight text on webpages.

Another alternative for online storage.

Online room planner software

Life Is a Highway

10 ways to trick yourself into saving money.

Predicting the weather with clouds.

Five ways to get a free credit score.

I’m trying this push-up program. Who knew push-ups make your abs sore? At least I feel like I’m working out. ;) via Never a Dull Moment

Laundry tips

How to write an effective thank you note.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

All about lucid dreaming.

8 drugs doctors don’t take.

Good Ideas

How to remove a stuck ring.

How to prevent painted items from sticking while drying.

Good Reads

Getting to know your neighbors.

For the Kids

Another great hack for camping.

Home spa day for tweens and teens.

Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Family Circus

Too Much Time on My Hands

Totally ridiculous police blotter reports.

Weekly Features

Pretty recipe of the week

Cupcake of the week

Tip of the week

Filed under: surfer sunday3 Comments »

A Yay! and a YIPPEE!!!!!!

By Karin at 1:54 pm on June 24, 2008 | 3 Comments

Yay! I went to the eyeglass place this morning and got them to agree to replace the progressive lenses with single vision lenses. Of course that means I still don’t have my new glasses, but my old ones weren’t that bad, so I’ll live. Really the best advice I got at the original appointment was to use the Refresh Tears eyedrops. They have made a world of difference for me. I am still going to try and get them to refund me some money, but one step at a time.

After we left the eyeglass place, LG and I went to the mall to look at bedding because she is about to outgrow her toddler bed. We still have most of the pieces of the canopy bed I got when I was four years old, so we’re going to refurbish it and she’s going to have a canopy bed or a “castle” bed as she calls it. She’s very excited. The mall didn’t have much in kids’ bedding and zip in canopy bedding, so I’m still on the hunt for that. (I have found some online, so that will do if I don’t find anything else.)

After the mall, I decided that going to Macaroni Grill for lunch sounded like a good idea and after making sure that Rochelle was working, we headed that direction. As we were getting closer, LG announced she had to go potty. We were close to home, so I thought that would be the quickest place to stop, and then I realized we were passing our church, so I pulled in there and we ran inside to the bathroom. (Okay, actually I carried her because I figured that would get us there faster.) And YIPPEE!!!!!! not only did she make it, she went on the adult toilet for the first time. She and I both got a little freaked out about the fact that there was no soap in the church bathroom. *sigh* (Luckly, I had some hand sanitizer in the car.) She also had another dry pull-up this morning. So, even though I’m not quite ready to officially call training over, for all intents and purposes it is, and you probably won’t be reading about it here anymore. I think she’s passed all the tests now. ;)

Oh, and we did finally get to Macaroni Grill and have a very nice lunch!

Filed under: Baby Girl, Life Unscripted3 Comments »

A Yay! and a Boo!

By Karin at 12:45 pm on June 23, 2008 | 2 Comments

Yay! for LG who (even though it took getting all three of us up twice during the night) got through the night with a dry pull-up! Now that doesn’t mean I’m ready to chuck the nighttime pull-ups all together, but we’re on the way. Hurray!

Boo! for my new glasses (with progressive lenses) which I just picked up and cannot see out of. Um yeah. Oh, wait, if I push them all the way down to the tip of my nose and hold my head at just the right angle, I can see. And if I turn my head instead of just moving my eyes to the side, I can see. But other than that? Can’t see. Get a headache with them on. Yes, I know there is a certain learning curve to wearing progressive lenses, but come on. I have a reasonable expectation that they’re going to be usable and these glasses are not acceptable. I don’t know if it’s because they didn’t get the lenses divided correctly, or if they just somehow screwed up my prescription, but the reading part doesn’t help me at all and it screws up the other part which actually works (if I’m in the exactly right position of coruse). I’ll be taking them back tomorrow and they WILL be making it right or they will be seeing the wrath of Karin. Not paying $400 for a piece of crap.

And how is your Monday? :P

Filed under: Baby Girl, Things That Irritate Me2 Comments »

Our Weekend

By Karin at 6:15 am on | 2 Comments

It was an eventful weekend in HeartSongs land…

You know how they say that the plumber’s plumbing never gets fixed and the painter’s walls never get painted? Well the handyman’s house never gets finished either. But every once in awhile, I get frustrated and tell Mike I want this or that DONE already. Last week, it was the vanity in the master bathroom/closet area. So we started designing.

Saturday morning we had to go pick up Mike’s truck on the other side of town, so since we had to drive all that way anyway, we’d decided to stop in at Home Depot Expo and The Great Indoors and see what was out there. I have decided that I really want vessel sinks in the vanity because I just think they are cool. I think this sink is the one we’re going to go with because I had thought about doing coppery highlights in the bathroom area anyway and this seems like it will go with that idea. The sinks will be our splurge item, and everything else will be as inexpensive as we can get it, including tile. Mike wants to do 24″ tile for the countertop because it would only take 4 pieces. Luckily, he can lay tile himself and install all the stuff, so it’s just a matter of finding what we want and getting it in there. In the meantime, I’m working on cleaning out the closet and vanity area so that he can get started!

I had written a song a few weeks ago called “Eat This Bread” for church. I wasn’t planning on writing a song that weekend, but something compelled me to walk to the piano and hit a G chord and it flowed out from there - first the chorus and then the verses the next day. I even managed to figure out the chords myself - and usually I have to have Mike do it. He changed the melody of the second line of the verse, but other than that, the song is all mine and I’m pretty proud of it! Anyway, we did it at our mass a couple of weeks ago - the week the other music director was filling in for Mike - but this week the other choirs did it at the other masses as well. And it was a hit! I got a lot of nice comments about it from different people, but the biggest compliment of all is that people were singing along with it. I love writing singable songs. And I love that I was able to write a communion song. I’ve been wanting to do that for awhile. (And Marlene, I’m sorry we’ve done it the weeks you haven’t been there and you haven’t heard it yet!)

Speaking of writing songs, last weekend I wrote a song called “Giggle” for LG. I’ve been trying to write a song for her for a long time, but I kept going the mushy serious route and I could never get it right. But after hearing “Bubbly” the other day, I decided I’d like to write a happy bubbly type song and “Giggle” flowed out. She loves it and sings it with me and I love it because it is exemplifies what I feel about her.

Yesterday LG and I got to go see Social Butterfly’s dance recital. She danced beautifully! It was interesting watching the other groups dance. They all do the moves correctly and are technically good, but there are girls who had “it”, who just make it look so easy and effortless and then there are girls who don’t. SB is one of those who make it look effortless - especially in hip-hop. I’m not the biggest hip-hop fan, but it is so much fun to watch her dance hip-hop! The Princess danced in the next show, but we had to get to church, so I wasn’t able to be there for it. I’m sorry I missed it, but we did get to see her dress rehearsal earlier in the week and of course she was the best one! :)

LG did pretty well sitting there for 3 hours (there was an intermission at least), but about a quarter of the way into the 2nd half she started to get wiggly and antsy. She is not one to sit still for very long, so I know it was tough for her, but she was quiet for the most part - just wiggly. Then she managed to bump her head on the arm of the seat and started to cry. I was in the middle of the row so I had to weigh which was going to make more ruckus - sitting there and calming her down or trying to get out with her in tow. In the end, I finally got her calmed down in the seat, but she was tired so she whined a little bit more than usual. But you still cringe inside when stuff like that happens because the last thing you want is to be one of “those” parents.

So, it was a busy weekend, but a lot of fun!

Filed under: Baby Girl, Random Thoughts2 Comments »

Surfer Sunday 75

By Karin at 10:17 pm on June 22, 2008 | 1 Comment

Everybody Needs Gadgets

Cakesicle pan…are cakesicles the new cupcakes? Nah.

Who needs a fridge?

Finally, a use for radio-control.

Six-way opener

A better baster

Food! Glorious Food!

Homemade mayonnaise

Edible flower recipes

How to get chewy or crunchy cookies

Creative Pursuits

The secret to focus.

Photographing babies: part 1 and part 2.

60 cool photography links.

Techno Geekery

How to block cellphone spam.

Life Is a Highway

All about naps (for grown-ups).

Quick tips for mattress care.

How to cure puffy eyes.

13 ideas to keep your wedding as simple as possible.

8 ways that discipline can go wrong.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

How to cut back on meat - I know, why? But it’s an interesting read.

Pluto may not be a planet anymore, but it’s still influential.

Alka-seltzer as a cleaning product.

Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. Just wrong.

Good Ideas

Measurement that makes sense.

Rainy day survival kit

I don’t do camping, but if you do, here are some good ideas.

Find a public restroom.

How to get rid of lingering food smells.

Good Reads

It’s not really a read as much as it is a look, but it’s cool.

For the Kids

Frozen grape pops

Safe online videos for kids

Sponge balls

Make your own kite!

Muffin tin Monday

Kids need to hear no.

Too Much Time on My Hands

Such a ridiculous waste of time and yet…


You Are Flip Flops


You are laid back and very friendly.
Cheery and sunny in disposition, you usually have something to smile about.

Style is important to you, as long as you can stay casual.
It takes a lot to get you to dress up!

You are a loyal and true person, though you can be a bit of a flake.
You tend to “play hooky” and blow off responsibilities a lot more than most people.

You should live: By the beach

You should work: At a casual up and coming company


You are Flat Sandals


Casual yet flirty
You look great in a simple top and jeans
Your look is approachable and cute!

You Are Buffy the Vampire Slayer


“We saved the world. I say we have to party.”


46

As a 1930s wife, I am
Average

Take the test!


Thanks Marlene!

Weekly Features

Pretty recipe of the week

Pretty recipe of the week 2

Pretty recipe of the week 3

Cupcake of the week

Tip of the week

Video of the week (Starts slow, but I promise it’s worth it.)

Filed under: General1 Comment »

I Like Her Idea Best

By Karin at 12:26 pm on | 2 Comments

Since my mom is no longer with us, we tell LG that her Grandma L (Mommy’s mommy) is in her heart.

Today she told me that her grandma has “a bed and a blanket and a pillow and she’s sleeping inside my heart!”

I think I like that picture. :)

Filed under: Baby Girl, Snippet2 Comments »

Dry!

By Karin at 10:26 pm on June 21, 2008 | 4 Comments

I thought I should record, for posterity, the fact that LG had her first full day with no accidents of any kind whatsoever in the potty training department. Hurray!

Filed under: Baby Girl4 Comments »

Things on My Mind Today

By Karin at 4:54 pm on June 19, 2008 | 4 Comments

• Have you heard about that 21 day cleanse that Oprah did?  The one from the book Quantum Wellness where you don’t eat any sugar, gluten, caffeine, alcohol or animal products for 21 days?  I’m totally thinking about doing it.  Mike didn’t even act like I was nuts when I told him (although he said “no meat?”), and just kind of said, okay, whatever you want.  I figure it’s only for 21 days and it will get all the icky toxins out of my body and I can be nicer to it from there on out.  I’m hoping it might help me lose weight and break myself of eating so much sugar.  I think I can still drink tea, but I have to find a way to sweeten it (maybe honey?).  If I can do that, I’ll survive.  So, I’m thinking about it.  But it will have to wait until after VBS.  I need all the crap in my body I can get to get through that. ;)

• Never ever ever ever date a professional musician (especially one who works in bars).  Unless he’s the exception to the rule like Mike is.  Most of them are stupid idiots.  (Note that I said most because there are a few exceptions.)  One of the members of a band I know (I’m being vague here on purpose) might have gotten in trouble with the law for some stupid thing.  And so this band has to hire a replacement for tonight and maybe the whole weekend.  Musicians = idiots.  LG better never even think of DATING one, much less marrying one.  Like I said, Mike is the exception to the rule.  If I was in the dating game right now, I’d never even think twice about dating a musician.  (Non-professionals are completely excluded from this tirade.)

• I haven’t talked much about the potty training because it was going pretty darn well. In fact, I thought we were almost to the point where I could say “success!”  But in the last two days, she has not made it on time more than maybe once.  She doesn’t have full out accidents where it goes all over the floor.  No, she just gets her clothing wet.  BMs are no problem whatsoever.  She’s got that down pat.  It’s just the “leaking” as she calls it.  I don’t know if she gets distracted or what the deal is, but it’s making me a little crazy.  I was really proud of her and now it’s like we’re back at square one.  Argh. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.  *sigh*

Filed under: General4 Comments »

Summer Surfing 5

By Karin at 6:54 pm on June 17, 2008 | No comments

Recipes

Grilled Vegetable Tostadas

Creamy Lemon Squares

Rocky Road Brownies

Chicken Chili Cheese Cups

Johnny Appleseed Slushy

Bee Sting

Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Dip

Apple Pie Party Dip

Perfect Fruit Punch

Creamy Potato Salad

Strawberry Cream

Watermelon Lemonade

Peach Tea Lemonade

Deviled Egg Salad

Cherry Cheese Pie

Crafts

Striped Tray

Creative card making ideas

Clothespin pinwheel

Star glasses

Good Stuff

How to throw a successful yard sale.

30 things everyone should know.

Filed under: General Leave A Comment »

If she says…

By Karin at 3:12 pm on | 1 Comment

“I’m a good girl.  I’m not in trouble.  I’m okay.”  It almost always means she’s been doing something she wasn’t supposed to and she’s probably in trouble.  But it’s pretty endearing anyway. ;)

Filed under: Baby Girl, Parenthood, Snippet1 Comment »

Happy Father’s Day!

By Karin at 9:55 am on June 15, 2008 | 1 Comment

I always have mixed feelings on Father’s Day. My relationship with my dad is not the best it could be, but that’s a long complicated story. On the other hand, I live with a fabulous father to our daughter, who in turn has a very good father and grandfather, and those are the people I’m around most of the time, as well as some other really good fathers that I know and love. So to all the fathers out there, but especially my husband, my father-in-law, and my goddaughter’s father, Happy Father’s Day! :)

Filed under: General1 Comment »

Surfer Sunday 74

By Karin at 3:03 am on | 1 Comment

Everybody Needs Gadgets

A jar with two lids

Ice cream sandwich molds

Food! Glorious Food!

Guinness Cake

Dr. Pepper Peanut Brittle

How to make ice cream sandwiches.

Cowboy Nachos

Vanilla Rose Ice Cream

Mail order cupcakes!

BBQ Beef Sandwich

Creative Pursuits

How to find the right exposure.

Techno Geekery

How to recover deleted files.

Life Is a Highway

Outdoor storm safety tips

Boredom can be good for you!

10 tips for being a great dad

How to save your own life.

TV’s best and worst dads

Way too cute!

Find your birthverse. via Sandier Pastures

Things That Make You Go Hmmm

No. Just no. Just nonono.

15 amazing facts about the human body

Good Reads

Fun facts about Star Wars

Weekly Features

Pretty recipe of the week

Cupcake of the week

Filed under: General1 Comment »

Oh to be 3 1/2…

By Karin at 6:22 pm on June 14, 2008 | 2 Comments

…and wander around the house in only a shirt, pair of undies, and Dora socks (none of which go together) and not feel the least self-conscious about your fashion statement.

Filed under: Snippet2 Comments »

Friday the 13th

By Karin at 10:00 am on | 1 Comment

Okay, seriously, I’m not a superstitious person. I’ll walk under a ladder. I don’t even think about it if a black cat crosses my path (which used to freak my mother out to no end). And Friday the 13th is just another day. But it’s nice to have something abstract to blame when things go wrong.

Last night I hosted a Mother/Daughter Spa Party for some friends to try out the BeautiControl products. Right before the consultant got to my house to set up, I was having LG feed Melody while I finished a few last minute things. I heard her yelling from the other room and sounding upset and found out she had accidentally dumped Melody’s food into her automatic watering dish instead of her food dish. I was understandably frustrated because I just didn’t have time to deal with it at that moment. I managed to get the water-logged food out and into another container which I stuck in the other bathroom and closed the door. Then we fed her with fresh food and I left the other stuff for Mike to deal with when he got back because I’m nice like that. Poor kid, though, she was upset because she didn’t really mean to do it and she was worried I was mad at her. I tried to reassure her I wasn’t, I was just frustrated because I didn’t have a lot of time to deal with it at that moment.

The other not-so-fun thing that happened last night? Mike’s water pump blew on his truck on the way out to his gig last night. His gig that is 60 miles away. And did I mention he had all of the sound equipment in his truck? He called the sound guy who came and towed him to the gig. They did the gig and then he called AAA after the gig to tow him to our friend the mechanic’s place of business so he could work on the truck today, and he got a ride home from some of the other band guys. It was a late night, but I think between the discount on my new glasses that I got the other day and that tow, AAA just paid for itself for the year.

This morning? Well, it’s 10 a.m. and everyone in the house is still asleep except me and the dog, and I’d still be asleep, too, if the stupid phone hadn’t decided to ring about 30 minutes ago.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Filed under: Life Unscripted1 Comment »

How to Melt My Cold Cold Heart

By Karin at 3:23 pm on June 13, 2008 | 3 Comments

Earlier today I was eating some ice cream and LG came over and sat next to me and proceeded to open her mouth like a little baby bird going “ah ah ah”, which is her not so subtle way of asking me for a bite. Sucker that I am, I indulged her, giving her the bites with the chunks of cherry in them that I don’t like anyway, and keeping her happy until it was all gone. She then looked at me, and I swear I could see a halo, wings and an ethereal glow as she smiled and said, “Thank you for sharing your ice cream with me, Mommy.” And you show me one person in the world whose cold heart would not melt at that and I’ll show you the root of all the problems in the world today. Because if we just smiled and said please and thank you a little more often, we’d all be a lot better for it.

Filed under: Baby Girl3 Comments »
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