tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51444152503127299582012-01-05T13:17:02.577-05:00Kristinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-71708607184130205442011-07-17T13:41:00.002-04:002011-07-17T13:46:19.273-04:00

Okay I admit. We are horrible at sitting at the table to eat our meals. Honestly I think a lot of it has to do with not having an eat-in kitchen. That and our dining room table almost always has at least two laptops and a pile of mail sitting on it. But that's going to change. I hear by declare a challenge. The Kratzer family is going to eat EVERY meal at the table from now until the end of

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-75599927065188152862011-07-13T09:27:00.005-04:002011-07-13T10:02:46.196-04:00

In our family, we love road trips. My in-laws recently moved close to Cleveland and that opened up a new world of travel opportunity for us. The weekend before the fourth they treated us to a few days in Washington D.C. During that weekend, we managed to travel through six different states, as well as our nation's capital. When we returned home, I thought about how cool it would be for Luke

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-83263255312114898872011-06-06T10:54:00.004-04:002011-06-06T11:19:35.329-04:00

Yesterday I posted about our Summer Bucket List. On it it says, "Saturdays from a Jar." I will explain.Have you ever had one of those Saturdays? Where each one of you is itching to do something, but you're not sure what? We do. A lot.This is my solution to life's most perplexing question... "What do you want to do today?"Saturdays in a Jar should actually be called Saturdays in 3 Jars. One

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-13405493719103859912011-06-05T11:46:00.006-04:002011-06-05T11:54:36.864-04:00

Summer has arrived!! And I've already heard, "I'm bored." several times from Little Mister's mouth. So we created a list. A list of all of the things we want to do this summer. Of course we're not limited to this... I've already decided I want to go strawberry picking. Maybe even tomorrow.We're going to get this printed and put it in a pretty frame. As we tackle each activity, we'll use a

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-44384718261939648792011-03-05T23:10:00.003-05:002011-03-05T23:13:58.374-05:00

Okay so I have birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. So I did a search for DSLR bags. I found some ADORABLE ones out there! AND I found a GIVEAWAY for one!!!If I win, I'm fairly certain I'll be getting the b-hobo in mustard, which is pictured above. ADORABLE. Gosh I hope I win.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-86551817669924738442011-02-05T16:30:00.003-05:002011-02-05T16:40:09.509-05:00

Tomorrow we celebrate Luke's 7th birthday for the last time. It's his celebration with my side of the family. He chose Spongebob decor and decided he wanted a Lemonade Layer Cake, because it's lemon and lemons are yellow... just like Spongebob. This celebration is pretty low-key- we get together the 1st Sunday of the month for lunch at my mom & dad's anyway. This time we'll just throw in a

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-17270209685462002172011-02-03T06:36:00.000-05:002011-02-03T06:36:00.295-05:00

Another fun thing we did on our snow day yesterday was making snow ice cream.It was super easy & fun to make!It was tasty, too. Although Luke disagreed. His first thought was that there was bird poop in it. When I finally convinced him there was no bird poop in it, he decided it tasted like coconut. I think he's the coconut.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-62980014288126089202011-02-02T18:04:00.003-05:002011-02-02T18:28:10.313-05:00

Today we actually had a snow day! I think that's the first one in two years.We're pretty diehard here in our town, but apparently a Blizzard Warning is cause enough to cancel.We got a decent amount of snow, probably about 15 inches in the not drifted parts... and it was HEAVY to shovel!Well, we made the most of our snow day. We bundled up- well, Luke did. I left all of my snow gear at school

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-63026273664394268362011-01-31T16:23:00.004-05:002011-01-31T16:27:31.648-05:00

The minute I heard that Pix-O-Sphere was having an animal photo contest, I knew immediately which photo I was going to enter.It's perfect, is it not?

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-49411159643074256072011-01-30T15:02:00.010-05:002011-01-30T15:23:21.800-05:00

We had Luke's 7th birthday celebration with his friends yesterday. There are only so many places we can have a fun birthday party in the middle of winter. So, we splurged and took him and ten of his friends to an indoor water park. They had a blast! Last week, when we were talking about birthday cakes, he said he wanted rainbow cupcakes. I can do that! When I mentioned that I was going to

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-78239149747033814772011-01-28T17:37:00.013-05:002011-01-28T17:54:12.534-05:00

Oh my word! My designers have been CRAZY busy this week! They kept me on my toes, but check out all of the yummies that release tomorrow at Sweet Shoppe Designs!Live in the MomentCredits: Be Blessed by Libby PritchettKey to ChangeCredits: Glass Half Full by Meghan Mullens & Eva KiplerAdorable YouCredits: 12 Months: Mega Kit by Penny SpringmannI love you.Credits: Love Letters by Heather

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-32106018929980425202011-01-27T19:12:00.003-05:002011-01-27T19:33:13.374-05:00

So do you like it? I won a giveaway at Tucker's Take Tennessee a week or two ago from Little Bitty Design Studio. Tracey rocked it. I said mod, gray & yellow & simple. This is what I got. It's like she read my mind. Isn't it fabulous? I love changing my blog up... it's kind of like spring cleaning. And I am so ready for spring. Like so ready.And since I'm here, I might as well update you

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-78850255136060375072011-01-08T19:37:00.002-05:002011-01-08T20:09:57.429-05:00

Well, today is Day One of the family weight-loss challenge. Woooooooo-doggy am I hungry today! Saturday is not a good day to start. If it were a weekday, at least I'd have school to distract me. But here I sit with my bag of baby carrots (heh, heh... the ingredients are actually listed on the outside of the bag. It says, "Ingredients: Carrots") & 3rd refill on my 24-oz water bottle. I

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-81501864836600806472010-12-29T19:38:00.005-05:002010-12-29T20:28:20.061-05:00

It's almost 2011... and I can hardly believe it! Around this time each year I like to think about what went well during the current year (and what I want to continue doing in the new year) and what didn't go so well (and what I want to change in the new year).What went well?For the first time in my life I lost a good amount of weight! I joined a Skinny Jeans Challenge at Sweet Shoppe Designs in

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-39153864740882697072010-08-16T09:40:00.000-04:002010-08-16T09:40:00.528-04:00

I had a few suggestions that I share or link my menu each week. So, unless I run out of time to blog, you can find my weekly menu each Monday. Enjoy!Sour Cream Chicken EnchiladasChicken & Black Bean Burritos (Joel rotisseries the chicken on the grill)BBQ Chicken Salad (using the leftover chicken from the burritos)Pepper Jack Chicken with SuccotashTriple Grilled Cheese and Homemade Tomato

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-44768087716841114662010-08-15T09:36:00.001-04:002010-08-15T09:38:33.719-04:00

The first verse is a great reminder of why I teach every day...Love Me by JJ Heller He cries in the corner where nobody seesHe's the kid with the story no one would believeHe prays every night, Dear God won't you pleaseCould you send someone here who will love me?Who will love me for meNot for what I have done or what I will becomeWho will love me for meCause nobody has shown me what

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-50556577722724650732010-08-15T08:54:00.015-04:002010-08-15T09:18:26.363-04:00

I haven't been keeping up with my blog much because I've been busy getting ready and starting a new school year! But here are my layouts from the past month... they are going to be quite a few!{Memories. Preserved. Templates 17-20 by Susan Robinson Designs, Time Ticking Away by Lauren Grier, Dynomite Dates by Traci Reed (retired), Poppyseed font by Darcy Baldwin}{Fresh and Fanciful by Eva

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-35382397339869143952010-08-04T06:23:00.001-04:002010-08-04T06:23:00.696-04:00

Get a AAA membership. Or at least make sure your spare is inflated and you have the proper tire-changing tools in your car.Oh, and while you're driving to get said tools, don't get distracted and get pulled over by a police officer.And once you finally have an inflated tire, make sure you can get the bad tire off.But if you don't follow my advice, it does eventually all work out. The tire will

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-37359116479474741392010-08-03T22:19:00.001-04:002010-08-03T22:19:43.546-04:00

I wasnt able to posg from my phone before because fhe app wasnt working. will it work now?Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.9

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-34011327908685921832010-08-03T06:19:00.000-04:002010-08-03T06:19:00.489-04:00

This is the week we start getting Luke back on a school bedtime schedule. We failed miserably last night. Our goal was to have him in bed by 8:45. He didn't get there until about 9:45. He and dad had some major bonding time, so that's okay. But tonight, we have to!I know he'll go to sleep easier if I wake him early in the morning. But that means a few things from me. a.) I have to get up

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-2967888057001444582010-08-02T08:06:00.003-04:002010-08-02T08:18:59.496-04:00

Mondays are one of my favorite days because it starts a whole new week of menu choices. I typically get my groceries over the weekend, but we just kind of pick and eat and go out all weekend. So today's the day... and I have some fun new things to try this week!On this week's menu, in no particular order. (Because we just choose whatever we feel like that night, really.)For lunches, we eat

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-27846721419655048462010-07-30T14:22:00.002-04:002010-07-30T14:43:48.463-04:00

After spending a whole week in Cleveland, we arrived back home late afternoon yesterday. We had a ton of fun... spent a ton of money... and made a ton of memories. But more of that later, when my pics are all uploaded and edited.I wanted to share what I came home to... my very first blog award. :)Thanks, Melanie, for the blog love! If you haven't read Mel's blog, you should. She always makes

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-53278056690315756132010-07-23T07:28:00.013-04:002010-07-23T07:28:00.453-04:00

Because we've traveled every summer with Luke... throwing in a few weekend trips & day trips throughout the rest of the year, I feel like we've got this traveling with kids thing down pat.Here are some tips that make things bearable in the Kratzer-mobile.1. Road Trip Car Games- We have travel bingo and a wipe-off board for the license plate game. I saw at Target a few days ago a few travel

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-59983754308515401752010-07-22T08:45:00.008-04:002010-07-22T09:21:59.251-04:00

We make a point to go somewhere each summer. Lately, it's just been somewhere to one of the neighboring states. Chicago last year... Cleveland this year. But it's somewhere. And it's good to get away, no matter how far.Like I said this year is a trip to Cleveland. Joel and I went to Cleveland for our first anniversary. We visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. We went to an Indians game.(

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-73230231991840974592010-07-20T19:56:00.002-04:002010-07-20T20:25:38.103-04:00

So I'm reading this book. It's called crazy love by Francis Chan. Raise your hand if you've heard of it. Raise your hand if you've read it. Now raise your hand if you loved it. I'm only on the second chapter and already I'm glued. It's not often I can find a book that wisps my attention immediately. Especially a nonfiction-type. But this one. It got me from the get-go. As I was

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-16676547607720905582010-07-19T09:39:00.009-04:002010-07-19T10:03:34.855-04:00

One of my friends posted a Facebook status that had me drooling yesterday morning. Baked Peach Oatmeal. Of course I had to get the recipe. And fortunately for Luke and me, I had everything I needed to make it this morning. Oh my word. It's so delish! I made two and a half times the recipe so I could give some away, which is why my quantities look so huge.Pick out 1-2 ripe, juicy peaches.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-47245601172291030722010-07-18T21:30:00.007-04:002010-07-18T21:48:36.910-04:00

I didn't have as much time this week to scrap, but I managed to pump out four new layouts this week. :) Woot woot!Credits: Happy Dance by Eva Kipler (retired), Stick It Dates by Darcy Baldwin, Kristin Writes font by Darcy Baldwin, Template by Jen Tapler for Paper Craft Planet's July Scrappy Sunday ChallengeMemories. Preserved. templates 13-16 by Susan Robinson Designs, Gotta Get Away by

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-32976252518141632582010-07-17T08:35:00.003-04:002010-07-17T08:53:04.310-04:00

So I have a small list of "things to do before summer is over." It really started sinking in this week. I've only done one thing on that list. And summer is basically over in 2 and a half weeks. I need to get busy!The one thing I have checked off my list is the garage sale. It wasn't so much to have a garage sale, but to declutter my house & basement and get a little cash out of it. We

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-73049026445057558842010-07-14T07:47:00.002-04:002010-07-14T08:05:06.461-04:00

I started reading to Luke when he was in-utero. I'm not even sure he could hear yet. But when you're a 2nd grade teacher and you read aloud on a daily basis, it just works out that way. Right? Once he was born, I still made a point to read to him each day. These were some of his favorite books (and mine!).Whose Baby Am I? by John ButlerMy favorite thing about the book? The pictures! Those

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-68557001779085727192010-07-12T08:59:00.006-04:002010-07-12T09:33:53.239-04:00

On Saturday we loaded into the car and headed north. Our first stop was the Lighthouse Place in Michigan City. It's an outlet mall. We love outlet malls. And we were good boys and girl. Joel and Luke each got a hat to wear to the Indians game in a couple of weeks. Joel got a pair of $8 jeans from Old Navy. And we hit the Pepperidge Farm outlet and the Harry and David outlet. Luke begged

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-25121332068092753022010-07-11T10:00:00.003-04:002010-07-11T17:52:33.017-04:00

I only did four pages this week, two of which I'm not the most excited about. But they're done, nonetheless. Woo hoo! And I think the last three are some of my favorites!credits: All I Want for Christmas by Penny Springmann, Alpha Files No. 6 by Krystal Hartleycredits: Battle for the Galaxy by Lauren Grier & Penny SpringmannCredits: Chill Out by Dani Mogstad, Scraps to Go v.6 Template by

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-58608445669388354942010-07-10T11:43:00.003-04:002010-07-10T12:02:06.089-04:00

So every once in awhile I get in these moods. I want all the junk that we haven't used in the past 6-12 months out of the house. It has gotten an official eviction notice. But I can't just Goodwill it. I have to at least try to get some of my money back. I'm a cheapskate like that. I mean frugal. Yeah. So I pull it all out of the closets. I bring it all up from the basement. And I decide

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-2423362751634059042010-07-09T15:39:00.004-04:002010-07-09T15:54:10.361-04:00

At this very moment, I'm amazed that my little boy can be so sweet. Because at this very moment he's in his room, with the door closed, screaming into his pillow because I told him he needed to clean his room. Altogether now, "Awwww... so sweet." Riiiiiiight. But my little guy does have his sweet moments. One of those times was Wednesday evening as I was making dinner. He runs into the

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-8609946177439053052010-07-08T07:19:00.008-04:002010-07-08T08:09:04.826-04:00

Today is Thursday. And on Thursdays I want to find and blog about at least one thing that I'm thankful for...Today I am thankful for the freedoms I have. I know it seems cliche, but it's so true. I see stories on the news and hear stories at church about the happenings in other countries. I hear about things in our own town and neighboring towns. Horror stories. Things I cannot imagine

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-76364172067669118792010-07-07T20:39:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:00:13.934-04:00

One of my friends and coworkers often puts quotes and verses in her status. This past week, she posted a quote that I so easily forget sometimes." The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable... I am convinced

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-33856943516379624522010-07-05T09:45:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:10:52.165-04:00

First of all, I want to say that next time I do Scrappin' Sunday, I'm going to upload the pics from my computer so they don't stretch over the side. But I'm not going to redo them. I'm not that much of a perfectionist. Sorry to those who are.There isn't much you could get me to do today, though. I'm tired. Suuuuper tired. I had a lot on my mind last night. I couldn't get to sleep. Like

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-15375715293768323352010-07-04T09:07:00.007-04:002010-07-08T08:11:39.660-04:00

I've been busy this week! I think I've finally found my mojo... she was absent for the better part of June. Here's what I kept myself busy with this week... enjoy!Credits: Papers- Krafty Damasky Papers by Christy Lyle, You Captured by Traci Reed & Melissa Bennett, A Lot Like Love by Traci Reed, A Little Something by Zoe Pearn, Backyard BBQ by Penny SpringmannAlpha- A Beautiful Glow by Lauren

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-65922323129283704122010-07-03T09:31:00.006-04:002010-07-08T08:04:20.943-04:00

It's funny when there are less people in the house, you always seem to hear more noises. Same is true for McCarthy (our trusty Yorkie-Poo).Joel was gone last night... all night. He and some buddies are in Indy doing a marathon geocaching hunt. Their goal is to get 100 in a day. I had a google voice message from him at 4:27 a.m. saying they were up for the day. Yikes.So anyway... I absolutely

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-71868801955044514632010-07-02T05:26:00.001-04:002010-07-08T08:04:35.358-04:00

So I've designated any Friday that I don't have anything else to write about a family day. This past weekend my little cousin, Rachael, got married. Last June she asked me if Luke would want to be the ring bearer, and after checking with him, we excitedly accepted the offer.(You may think that he's making a face because he doesn't like to dress up all fancy. On the contrary... he LOVES to get

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-44859724332827919272010-07-01T00:01:00.002-04:002010-07-08T08:11:05.641-04:00

Happy July! I can't believe the summer is half over for me. I've really been enjoying my summer... drinking sun tea, eating fresh produce, and making new recipes.You will soon learn that I remember a lot of what I read... but I rarely can remember where I read anything. Take, for example, Tuesday's blog post. I knew I had read about our chore system somewhere, but really had no clue where...

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-51044024988766497442010-06-30T06:28:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:22:03.546-04:00

Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.~Mark Victor Hansen

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-1503075669371268302010-06-29T21:22:00.012-04:002010-07-08T08:19:05.001-04:00

First thing this summer I created this beauty of a chore chart for Luke.[insert "oooooohhhs" and "ahhhhhhhs" here]It worked for a week. Seriously. ONE week. I'm horrible at remembering to remind Luke to do his chores. He's horrible at remembering to do them. Half the time I ended up doing them myself, out of habit. Which totally defeats the purpose of having chores. Right? Right.So I came

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-29533508498481175832010-06-29T20:40:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:19:43.977-04:00

Tidbit #1: I want to start blogging again. But I never know what to write about. So I have sat (sitted? sitten? satted?) myself down and made up a daily schedule to use just in case I have nothing else to write about. It goes as so...Meals on Monday- anything from menu planning to favorite recipes to how would you use this ingredient...Teacher Tuesday or Tidbit Tuesday, depending on my mood

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-54471220793694837062010-05-18T19:11:00.006-04:002010-05-18T19:17:20.797-04:00

My good friend Meghan is giving away a $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl on her blog, Tuckers Take Tennessee. I absolutely LOVE The Vintage Pearl... so as much as I want the odds to be greater that I win... I highly recommend you try to win, too. :)P.S. I have that necklace over there and wear it almost daily. ------->

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-22886284509729616992010-05-18T09:37:00.005-04:002010-07-08T08:15:48.629-04:00

I've posted this recipe before, but it's one of our all-time favorites at our house! So I just have to share it again. I first discovered it in one of my first issues of Food Network magazine. My wonderful secret sister got me a subscription to it last year. Anyway... this recipe is so easy, so healthy, and so yummy!Chicken and Bean BurritosRecipe courtesy of Food Network MagazineIngredients1

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-23363969057288220432010-05-13T09:38:00.005-04:002010-07-08T08:16:52.378-04:00

And I'll soon be a regular blogger!! WOOT! I'm excited to have time to blog again soon. May 28th is my last day of school. I know you are all on the edge of your seats waiting for my next post. Ha!Is anyone else looking forward to May being over? It's SUCH a busy month for us!T-ball games officially started last Saturday. It was the crappiest opening day EVER. Rainy, wet, damp, and a

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-44879131841554799242010-05-07T08:53:00.001-04:002010-05-07T08:54:21.933-04:00

I LOVE this place. Her jewelry is adorable. You need to enter this giveaway for a $50 gift certificate to her store.http://www.thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-33181571338587527052009-11-26T08:32:00.003-05:002009-11-26T08:34:45.878-05:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-84290130336960256582009-11-20T20:34:00.002-05:002009-11-20T20:37:43.647-05:00

You need to check out Sweet Tea Shoppe. She has such adorable things-- I could spend a fortune there!And if you go to her blog you can enter for a chance to win one of her fabulous necklaces!!Do it. You know you want to.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-50732026081387559872009-10-29T06:48:00.005-04:002010-07-08T08:07:09.459-04:00

I love candy. Period. It has to have some kind of chocolate in it, of course, for me to really enjoy it. Lately, favorite kind of Halloween candy is Milk Duds. Oh wait... I LOOOOOOVE Twix!!! No, my favorite is Hershey's Cookies and Cream. But, ooooooooooh.... have you had a Take 5? Those are awesome! For my "I can't eat a lot of extra fat calories days" I choose Tootsie rolls. They're

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-65536174735587765502009-10-28T21:53:00.001-04:002009-10-28T21:53:51.143-04:00

http://favorswithlove.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-tupperware-giveaway.html

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-63152023767980443852009-10-28T15:37:00.001-04:002009-10-28T15:37:14.101-04:00

Your Autumn Sense is SoundYou love that autumn is the time that everything starts to quiet down, and you like to sit back and enjoy the silence.You have cultivated a love for the smaller sounds of fall - a leaf crunching, a fire crackling, or a lone bird chirping.You enjoy that you can go for a early morning or late evening walk and not hear another soul around.The best sounds are the ones you

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-46591434420830885862009-10-28T15:33:00.002-04:002009-10-28T15:33:49.160-04:00

On my friend's blog...Meghan's Giveaway

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-24178326035217319712009-10-18T12:46:00.002-04:002009-10-18T12:50:04.329-04:00

The assignment at My Great Retreat is to write an acrostic, telling about myself.So here goes...Kind of busyRed-headed (when I'm natural, anyway)Incredible sense of smellSick kiddoTeacherInterested in designNeverending laundry piles

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-2779741158281995152009-10-15T21:40:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:07:21.234-04:00

This week on Sweet Shoppe Designs, our blog assignment is to write about the type of Christmas shopper we are.I start thinking about Christmas shopping sometime in October. One of my best friends and I always have a fall shopping trip to kick off our Christmas shopping. This year, it's next weekend! WOOT! I'm usually done by Thanksgiving... sometimes I have a few more stocking stuffers to get

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-32685149599097850002009-10-08T20:30:00.001-04:002009-10-08T20:30:54.261-04:00

You Are Pumpkin PieYou are old fashioned and traditional. You prefer the old classics to newfangled traditions.You believe that some of the best things in life have been forgotten. Luckily, you still remember them.You are nostalgic for a simpler era, even possibly a time before you were born.You love old movies, music, and fashions. You find the past to be a rich and interesting time.What Pumpkin

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-32389371561301739902009-10-02T18:41:00.002-04:002009-10-02T18:53:45.042-04:00

Today's blog assignment at Sweet Shoppe Designs is to write about our favorite season.My favorite season is fall. And instead of writing about why I love it. I'm going to show you why I love it.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-67801611418193010862009-09-26T14:41:00.000-04:002009-09-26T14:42:44.367-04:00

Your Rockstar Name Is: Brooklyne DiamondRock on!What's Your Rockstar Name?Blogthings: We're Not Shrinks, But We Play Them On the Internet

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-23704662791428009262009-09-22T19:36:00.002-04:002009-09-22T20:12:55.549-04:00

1. Chicken Stuff2. Baked Ravioli & Garlic Bread with Cheese3. Ground Turkey Tacos4. Potato Soup & Crusty Grilled Sandwiches5. Homemade Pizza with whole wheat crust

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-84068268798902357872009-09-19T15:20:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:07:31.715-04:00

Come to the Elkhart County 4-H fair!This week's blog assignment on Sweet Shoppe Designs is to write about your local fair. Apparently a lot of local fairs are now? But ours was at the end of July. The Elkhart County Fair is the second largest county fair in the country. We have to go at least one day during fair week- and usually we can get free passes from somewhere. This year I volunteered

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-35022274617459051752009-09-11T19:17:00.003-04:002009-09-19T14:07:05.089-04:00

Today's blog assignment on Sweet Shoppe is to blog about my favorite team.This explains it all... I cannot wait for tomorrow's game. GO IRISH!!!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-41850327040377899062009-09-03T20:07:00.001-04:002009-09-03T20:08:33.549-04:00

1. Do you wash your own car or do you go to a car wash? My husband washes my car.2. Are you wearing socks right now? I actually am! And that's rare!3. Where were you 3 hours ago? I had just gotten home.4. Do you have laundry waiting to be done? Always.5. Can you pick objects up with your toes? Yeah.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-74068272353011542642009-09-02T19:56:00.001-04:002009-09-02T19:57:22.731-04:00

My friend, Kari, is doing a blog makeover giveaway! Just click here! Her blog is adorable!!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-33574325673800890982009-08-29T14:48:00.002-04:002009-08-29T14:50:41.772-04:00

Okay so have LOTS of favorites, but this is the one that I want RIGHT NOW. :) And I thought I'd share the yumminess with my friends at My Great Retreat with this week's blog assignment.NGREDIENTS (Nutrition) * 2 individual packages graham crackers * 2 (3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix * 3 cups milk * 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed * 1 (16 ounce)

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-24744418447956421972009-08-29T14:44:00.000-04:002009-08-29T14:47:16.050-04:00

Our assignment at Sweet Shoppe Designs is to blog about our exercise routine... or our plans of one. This school year, we opted to get a membership at our local college rec center. Since I'm a school employee, I get a discounted rate for my family. And this time I'm really going to go! I'll probably just start out by walking the track for a couple of miles. But we also have access to the

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-81902431481764206802009-08-20T17:26:00.004-04:002009-09-17T16:35:41.313-04:00

Today's assignment at Sweet Shoppe Designs is to post one of our favorite photos from summer. My favorite photo from the summer happened to be taken on our very last day of summer. We planned a family day and went to see G-Force at the theater. Then, on the way home, Joel had to stop at IUSB and meet with one of his professors. Luke and I hung out in the lawn & at the fountain while Joel had

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-39376239870974887042009-08-16T21:28:00.002-04:002009-08-16T21:31:54.545-04:00

I am horrible at remember names of songs. So I'm going to ask my husband what a few of his favorites are at the moment...President of What by Deathcab for CutieBlack Like Me by SpoonAll You Can Eat by Ben FoldsSo there ya go. Ha ha!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-13904340388608788032009-08-13T20:44:00.001-04:002009-08-13T20:46:00.625-04:00

I'm sure you all are wondering where I've been... ha ha!! Or not.This is my first week back to school. Yesterday & today were teacher days and the kids are coming tomorrow!! So I've been a tad bit preoccupied with my time. I hope to get back to blogging within the next few weeks!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-15109764772650578322009-08-10T18:42:00.003-04:002009-08-10T18:47:49.611-04:00

Things to do before Wednesday:*Find a baby sitter for Luke for Wed. & Thurs.*Print off labels for school.*Name tags*Lunch sticks*Pair up kids for math & spelling buddies*Helper tags*Reading Groups*Plan book*Folder tags*Label math, writing, phonics, vocab, WERP books*Have one last family day of the summer.*Laundry*Pick up the house

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-1019105271751342442009-08-09T00:10:00.006-04:002010-07-08T08:12:49.044-04:00

It's after midnight, so it's officially Sunday. :) I didn't do a whole lot because of vacation, but it's something!Me Plus You using Viva La Diva by Eva KiplerMy Monkey using I'll Try Anything Once by Heather RoselliTrophy Time using Little Slugger by Julie BillingslyOh I Wish... using Porkchops & Applesauce by Libby Weifenbach

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-2305328053460136182009-08-08T09:32:00.015-04:002009-09-17T16:23:39.299-04:00

So our vacation time was super limited for time this year. With Joel's new job, the only time off he had was the first week in August. And between my trainings and Joel's classes, we didn't have many days to actually spend vacationing. So we opted for Chicago this year. It's close, so we didn't have to spend our limited days driving. Ah Chicago. Joel booked the hotel this time. We have

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-7553684204654255492009-08-07T12:53:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:07:46.469-04:00

This week for Sweet Shoppe Designs' FOBTY, our assignment is to post a picture of someplace we've been this month. We just returned from our little Chicago getaway and one of the highlights was standing on the glass balcony at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). I haven't gotten my pictures off of my camera yet, but here is a pic I pulled off of the internet. I wasn't planning on going on

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-54165866520064405602009-08-07T06:00:00.001-04:002010-07-08T08:05:51.366-04:00

Ahhhhh, Hacienda. Just saying the word makes my mouth water for their warm, salty, fresh tortilla chips dipped in salsa and ranch dip. Or sometimes I'll sneak a dip into Joel's white cheese dip when he's not looking. If it was up to me, we would eat at Hacienda every time we go out for a meal. I have my usual entree- the chicken & cheese burrito combo with white chili. And they put a dallop

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-49070203827812051652009-08-06T06:00:00.000-04:002009-08-06T06:00:00.904-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-68649927539458682872009-08-05T06:48:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:20:51.593-04:00

If only I were rich...Apparently Erin thinks I have the world's best willpower. Because she keeps adding more & more to her store that I just have to have. And for now, each item just has to go on my wish list. This week Erin, from The Vintage Pearl, has brought back a few former designs including this ADORABLE You Are My Sunshine necklace. Now, she has a lot of necklaces that I adore. But

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-64328482668803137472009-08-04T06:33:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:15:13.332-04:00

This month I have the honor of being a guest designer on Eva Kipler's creative team! Eva is an amazing designer and her digital scrapbooking kits are always gorgeous! You can get Eva lovely kits at Sweet Shoppe Designs. Here are a few layouts I've done using her kits Boston Bistro, Bring Back the 70s, Next Tuesday, & Tree Hugger.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-65369247788068233922009-08-03T06:29:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:09:27.007-04:00

Today is nuts. I need to list everything here just so I know what I'm doing!AM7-10 Laundry, make piles for trip, make a list of toiletries to grab, clean up house, get snacks & breakfast around for vacation10-1015 Travel time1015- 1045 Luke's kindergarten testing1045- 1215 Library End of Summer CelebrationPM1215- 1230 Travel time/eat lunch in car1230- 330 New gradebook training330- 530

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-10824475063363718542009-08-02T06:28:00.002-04:002010-07-08T08:13:04.875-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-61314505643928687452009-08-01T09:33:00.005-04:002010-07-08T08:13:58.697-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-1933790303543486702009-07-31T06:15:00.006-04:002010-07-08T08:06:07.419-04:00

Today's favorites post brings you to TWO of my favorite things. These are usually my fall/winter favorites, but I was chilly this morning and it sounded super yummy. You can order Oh My Chai from any Tastefully Simple consultant. If you don't have one, you can use mine, Chrissy Love. She lives in Virginia, but it will ship directly to you. Anyway, this chai is one of the two that I will only

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-42953915026313611612009-07-30T18:46:00.001-04:002009-07-30T18:47:23.096-04:00

And it's for an adorable bag from Tried & True Designs. Seriously. Adorable.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-69531813938407377272009-07-30T16:04:00.002-04:002009-07-30T16:05:41.366-04:00

Today she is giving away two more fabulous items! The first is a $30 gift certificate to Doodle Bugs Paper... a store with adorable stationary items! She hasn't yet revealed her second giveaway of the day. And it's not to late to enter the other drawings from earlier this week either!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-10304905417121288682009-07-30T11:01:00.002-04:002009-07-30T11:07:35.868-04:00

Can you believe that Cheesecake actually has its own day??? I did not know this until Sweet Shoppe Design posted today's FOBTY challenge... in honor of National Cheesecake Day post about your favorite cheesecake. *sigh* I love cheesecake. We are great friends.My most favorite kind of cheesecake is The Cheesecake Factory's Pumpkin Cheesecake. Oh my deliciousness. It's to die for. My friend

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-47249636253758493552009-07-30T07:54:00.001-04:002009-07-30T07:54:43.193-04:00

I feel so high tech. Now I can blog from where ever I am. Aren't you all so lucky? Funny thing is... I'm sitting at the computer while I type this on my phone.So today is a busy day of sorts. It is essentially my last day to work in my classroom. Between trainings and vacation and teacher days there aren't a lot of hours left before school starts. Thankfully I don't have too much more to do

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-55798432836357686462009-07-29T07:19:00.006-04:002010-07-08T08:21:17.642-04:00

I want just one more month of summer vacation. School starts two weeks from Friday. Just SIXTEEN DAYS away! With an extra month, I would be able to make the beach trip with Sarah & Brady that we never got around to making. I'd take Luke to the splash pad a few times yet. And, most importantly, I wouldn't have to say that I have a kindergartner!! I would also have that extra month to get my

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-19573042084471296762009-07-28T11:11:00.003-04:002009-07-28T11:18:26.926-04:00

Well, in less than four hours I got it tackled. :) And I even pulled out the bleach and bleached out the grout on the countertops! Go me! Now it's time to eat lunch and we'll head to my classroom. My plans there are to unpack the boxes & set that stuff up, set up the furniture, and grab a book to start reading for the beginning of the school year. :) Yay for productivity!ETA: I did want

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-9202486923282621052009-07-28T07:13:00.008-04:002010-07-08T08:14:52.337-04:00

You would think we haven't cleaned in weeks. When, in reality, the house was spic & span on Thursday. Just four days ago. And it stayed clean through Sunday. Just two days ago. How so? Luke was at grandma's house Thursday night through Saturday afternoon. Joel worked and then had class on Friday and had class all day Saturday. Then, I struggle, once again, to stay on top of it. But

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-63271075295123825502009-07-27T08:15:00.001-04:002009-07-27T08:18:20.971-04:00

I love giveaways. I've never won anything, but it's fun to think I might. And so much of the stuff is SO adorable! Fabulous K is going to giveaway two items each day this week on her blog. Check it out! It starts today!

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-65289526511028038762009-07-27T06:30:00.002-04:002010-07-08T08:09:42.843-04:00

The Sears Tower (I refused to call it Willis Tower)& the new glass balconyThe Field MuseumLincoln Park Zoo- It's for FREEEEEEEEEE!Adler PlanetariumChicago Children's MuseumMOSI again. hee hee.The Swedish-American Museum CenterNavy PierRain Forest CafeLegoland Discovery Center and I've got my list ready to shop!And I want to figure out where that cool mirror rock things in the picture is. I've

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-5186727200427759402009-07-26T08:06:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:13:19.112-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-66848823111136045612009-07-25T04:32:00.004-04:002010-07-08T08:14:12.633-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-61168496383518763112009-07-24T07:15:00.005-04:002010-07-08T08:06:21.200-04:00

Please don't consider me heartless, but Luke went to spend a couple of nights with Grandma & Grandpa. And I am LOVING it right now! My mornings are pretty quiet anyway, but in about 45 minutes Luke would normally rise from the dead... and he is the grouchiest living dead you ever did see. And guess what? I don't have to deal with that today! Or tomorrow! I can run errands without anyone

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-81793137392469657302009-07-23T14:57:00.001-04:002010-07-08T08:07:59.394-04:00

You Like Names that Are Retro and FashionableYou like names that are from the past but becoming modern again.Names with a strong history are very appealing to you.You're a big believer in giving children very adult sounding names.You're not a fan of nicknames or newfangled spellings.Some female names you might like: Audrey, Emma, Fiona, Georgia, Isabelle, Naomi, Rosemary, and VeronicaSome male

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-27928677408157627942009-07-23T07:05:00.002-04:002010-07-08T08:04:48.662-04:00

Did you know the Elkhart County fair is the second largest county fair in the United States? Oh yeah! And we were lucky enough to get free passes this year because Joel volunteered Luke and me to wander around the exhibit building for two hours to make sure everyone was following the rules. So Luke & I went from 12-2 to monitor. On the way out, we watched the sea lion show. And let me tell

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-33586029297426768252009-07-22T20:59:00.002-04:002009-07-22T21:25:51.415-04:00

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-10651790081145832692009-07-22T06:00:00.001-04:002010-07-08T08:21:31.232-04:00

I'm not sure exactly how I found her blog, but I'm so glad I did! The Vintage Pearl creates the most adorable hand-stamped jewelry ever! And some day I'm going to own the Dainty Heart Necklace. Every once in awhile I'll read through her blog and browse through her store. So cute.

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-87646854192809920622009-07-21T07:02:00.007-04:002010-07-08T08:15:26.166-04:00

At one of our millions of trips to Target, I happened upon this cute little make-your-own birdhouse kit. Better yet, it was on 75% off clearance. My very first thought was, "WHO would pay $20 for this???" My second thought was, "That'd be a fun activity for Luke to do!" So after lunch, we laid down a couple of kitchen towels and went at it. Luke loved doing the screwdriver... for the first

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-8323740340233730342009-07-20T06:04:00.002-04:002010-07-08T08:09:56.126-04:00

Here are the things I'd like to get done today...*Wash kitchen floor*Pick up clutter*Take garage sale bins to the basement*Give McCarthy a bath*Clean & rearrange Luke's bedroom*Go to library day*Vacuum*Dust*Laundry- colors*Take license to central office

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-16637694026257491502009-07-19T09:15:00.003-04:002010-07-08T08:17:30.297-04:00

I am thinking… that my house needs a major cleaning tomorrow.I am thankful for… my guys.From the kitchen… is where McCarthy gets his food.I am wearing… pajamas right now. I'm not sure what I'll wear today.I am creating… digital layouts for Luke's scrapbook.I am going… to the Jars of Clay concert tonight.I am reading… Breaking Dawn- the last book in the Twilight Series.I am praying… for an

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144415250312729958.post-36436440797806385102009-07-19T08:28:00.010-04:002010-07-08T08:12:11.978-04:00

Here are a few of the layouts I worked on this week. All were for challenges at Sweet Shoppe Designs except the first, which was for my guest spot on Paper Craft Planet.For this layout, Jen took a previous layout of mine and made a sketch. Then, I flipped the sketch and made a new one. I used Traci Reed's Bad Sewing Machine Don't Be A Square stitches and Lauren Grier & Penny Springmann's

Kristinnoreply@blogger.com0