I choose....HAPPY

I have spent so many days being mad, sad, upset, angry, etc.   I woke up early today, not tired and I laid in bed and thought what can I do to make today better, we're always rushing, I always seem to be screaming, the boys are not angry and frustrated when I am.  What can I do to make us happy?

To be happy!  I chose today to be happy, feet hit the floor, showered and picked up 3 out of the 4 bedrooms.  I opened curtains, made breakfast, packed snacks, emptied backpacks, and all with a smile.    The boys are leaving the house happy and I know they will have great days at school because they left the house happy.  We did not fight and argue.  I only raised my voice once and as I caught myself doing it I said to myself...I choose to be HAPPY, no yelling allowed.  Yelling and getting angry only make us not happy.   

Maybe it's TMI for my little spot, but I needed to put it into words for myself.  I guess the old saying is true "If momma ain't happy no one's happy." 

My plans for today include keeping a smile on my face and remaining happy.  But I also have my weekly home blessing, some zone cleaning in my kitchen, my daily load of laundry, putting some leftover laundry away from the weekend, working a little bit in the basement (purging and organizing 15 minutes at a time), a menu plan for the week based on what we have in the house, some time in prayer, a little time sewing,  a walk or bike ride and the daily workout from Kick-Ass April and Six-Pack March and then my evening includes a practice baseball game for my oldest.  Sounds like a lot on my schedule but not really.  I'll break it down into 15 minute segments and take regular me time breaks (which is when the sewing and prayer time will happen). 

But most importantly, I'm going to choose to be happy all day, no matter what happens.

FWQS - Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler

I asked for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler for Christmas.  After a bit of miscommunication I did not receive the book for Christmas but did use a a gift card and purchased it after Christmas.   I did not want to start because I had / have a few projects that are not completed that I REALLY need to finish. 

I finished one of those projects yesterday and decided that I would allow myself to start working on the blocks as long as I continue to work on the other projects that I have going.  We'll see how long it lasts.  

First off, printing issues has caused me not to be able to print my templates yet.   So I needed a block that I could either find a block online and use the dimensions OR based on a 6 inch block figure out the dimensions myself.  I'm up for the challenge. 

I looked through the book, block 2 Autumn Tints seemed easy enough to figure out and that's what I did!  

And here is the finished product.

I'm very happy with how it turned out.    I need to work on another project and then give myself a reward by making another block! 

Strawberries & Creme Scones

On Wednesdays I have coffee with a group of friends that I met through my children's preschool days.   I look forward to those mornings.  We used to meet at Starbucks because it was close to the preschool, now we meet at Panera.   Who knows where we will meet next year but I'm sure it will be something that we continue. 

While there last week, I had received a free pastry on my Panera card.  Hmmm, what to get.  I tried their Strawberries and Creme Scone.  I knew that I had to 1) find a recipe and 2) try to make them.    That's exactly what I did today! 

The recipe that I used came from King Arthur Flour Co.  and you can link to it here.  I followed it exactly except for 3 changes.  The first change is I did not have enough  white flour so I used whole wheat white flour, the 2nd change is I added a handful of dark chocolate chips and the last change was for the glaze I added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water (the glaze seemed too thick).    Used a medium Pampered Chef scoop and baked them for 17 minutes on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

How did they turn out....moist, tender and very good.   I will be making these again! 

Where is the picture you ask?  My camera battery has quit working and I am currently awaiting my new one to arrive.    The next time I make them I will snap pictures to post!!! 

Spring2Action

 

I'm going to take a plunge and join the Spring in 2 Action challenge over at shrinkingjeans.net   .  The challenge started on March 28th, but I'm just going to jump in where I'm at.  

With that being said, today is the day that we weigh in.  I weighed myself today and know that the number is going to go DOWN!   I have 90 pounds to lose to be have a BMI low enough that our health insurance will not be affected.  Kinda sucks but it's for my own good and for the good of my kids.    I already feel discouraged because the number is 90.  But I'm going to break my big number down into smaller numbers / goals.  

My first goal would be to lose 10 pounds by June 1st.  Doable.    

Plan of action...log my food daily at myfitnesspal .  Log my weight weekly at myfitnesspal and check in weekly at the Sisterhood of Shrinking Jeans.  Follow along with their Kick-Ass April calendar and either do C25K for cardio or bike or walk 3-4 days per week.  I posted some motivational sayings and pictures on my Pinterest board that can be found here .   I'll need to menu plan, that always gives me such a headache but let's be honest, when I do menu plan we eat better, my grocery bill is lower and I always have an answer for "what's for dinner?".  

Here's to a week of good eating, water drinking and sweating!