Sincerely 'Fro Me To You: Hawaiian Flavored

It's time for me to dig in our box of photos again and this week I came up with a few.

Several years ago, for My Man and my 10th anniversary we went to Hawaii. This was a first for both of us.

We had "won" a time share vacation at an auction 2 years before and when we called to see if it had expired, we were told we could vacation at over XXXX places. One of those places happened to be.........Hawaii.

So we scrapped together airfare and a "fun" budget, called my wonderful MIL and went in July ~ two months before our actual anniversary. My MIL is a teacher and has summers off. It's impossible for her to come for more than 1 or 2 nights during the school year, so we have started celebrating EVERY anniversary early. (I actually LOVE it 'cause we still go to dinner on our actual anniversary, prompting TWO celebrations).

It was beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Our relationship? Not so much.

Looking back, I can't believe I spent a week in this paradise with such discontent in my heart for the love of my life.Combine this negative attitude with my ability to be self conscious anywhere and it leads us to this next photo.

More back story: We have a kinda-sorta annual (meaning it happens as often as it happens) Tacky Party. It's a great time and had gotten a bit out of control the year before with some of the guests skinny dippin'.

We saw this sign and immediately shared a giggle. I suggested we take this picture and use it for our next invites. My Man took it a step further and wanted to take his shirt off, roll his shorts up a bit and squat behind the sign, pretending to be NUDE.

Enter my immature insecurities wherein I tell him that there are too many people around, please don't. Maybe I didn't say it quite that nicely. Remember we were fighting.

We have settled all that we were arguing about at that time at the cost of one potentially GREAT vacation.

That's why this picture would make it to the scrapbook, but not without giving me papercuts every time I handled it.

Looking back, I wish I could have embraced the silliness and judgement be damned.

It's something I continue to work on and hope it bypasses my children completely.

I'm sure there are even funnier "Fro's to point and laugh at. Go visit The Glamorous Life Association and get your laugh in.

WFMW: Making the Most of YOUR Library

If you know me for more than 5 minutes you know how much I LOVE the library.

It's a big deal in our house to have your own library card. On your fifth birthday we go to the library, sign your full name that we've been practicing for this moment, and then go out for ice cream to celebrate.

But for the past few years, we barely go to peruse the shelves.

We no longer have to.

We utilize their website. You can sign in to your account with your card number and password. Then you can request books, renew books, check due dates, and search for availability.

When I'm on the library website I also have 2-3 other windows open. One is for either barnes and noble or amazon with book suggestions. I may also have goggled books for teen boys or if my kids have a specific interest I'll search for books relating to that. We have found so many great books this way.

The other window we have open is blockbuster.com. We check for new releases every week and request to be put on the waiting list at the library for all the new movies we are interested in. This has been a huge money saver as we aren't attending movies or paying for rentals.

All of this is done from the comfort of our home.

And when we do it this way, the book or video is held behind the circulation desk. Our library does engage in a inter library loan system in which if our library doesn't have a particular title available, you are able to request from another library and they will send it to your library. But even if your book is on the shelf at your library, once you request it on line, they pull it and hold it. Then when I go in to the library, I just pull out our cards and hand them to the librarian and she hands me back a stack of books and videos.

I also get emails letting me know when a title I've requested and been waiting for is available for pick up.

We are at the library several times a week now.

We keep a library bag by the front door for all of us to put in books and videos that are ready to be returned.

Sometimes we will still take a Saturday to slowly meander the shelves of the library.

And bunnyboo and I go to Mother Goose storytime on occasion, as well as the yearly play put on for preschoolers. Puppet shows, movie nights, and craft days are also fun times.

We've patronized the library book sale and found some great deals as well.

Our library also has many clubs; book clubs as well as other interests like chess clubs, genealogy, etc. etc. They also have little or no cost classes such as sign language, computer, etc.

Making the most of my library works for me. Have you made the most of YOUR library?

Head over to We are THAT family to see what works for others.

SPT: gifting a total stranger

It's Tuesday and time for a SPT challenge. Lelly assigns a theme each Tuesday and challenges you to interpret it through a self portrait. We all know Mama hates to have her picture taken, however I am SLOWLY working on this.

Here's what Lelly said for the month of April:
"wouldn't it be great if we spent this month giving gifts!and before you lovingly remind me of the economic recession, let me add that no money is to be spent on these gifts! let's focus on the gift of service, the gift of a smile, the gift of a repurposed or gently used item, the gift of a kind word. you know, those gifts that would be hard to wrap in a box with a pretty bow.
for tuesday, april 7: gift a family member
for tuesday, april 14: gift a friend
for tuesday, april 21: gift a neighbor, teacher, co-worker
for tuesday, april 28: gift a total stranger
i have a feeling that by the end of this month, the person who will have received the greatest gift is...YOU! "

This may have been the hardest challenge yet. You see, I've never met a total stranger. Seriously, after two minutes I'm your best friend.

But there is something I started doing back in college after hearing about the RAK (random acts of kindness) wave.

Here in Florida there are tolls for so many of our roads.


This is a old DOT photo of a toll road out to one of our local beaches. Don'cha love it?

In college I started paying my toll AND the toll for the car behind me. The feeling was great!

However, nowadays we have Sun Pass's that deduct tolls from our checking account. I have gotten into the time saving habit of using the SunPass only lane (which you only need to slow down for, not completely stop). There is no way to deduct more from this transaction.

But next time?


I have this. When I'm heading out to the beach (or any toll road) I can get in the "slow" lane and use my sun pass for my car, and these quarters for the car behind me.

And I get to tell the toll collector to have a BLESSED Day. (another lesson in college: toll collectors had the highest suicide rate among professions ~ however this was only like 15+ years ago so it may not be accurate any longer).

Wanna see how others gifted a total stranger? Head over to Amuse-Bouche.

Using the instructions that came with my camera

I am not good about using my camera. I'm also horrible about taking pictures of my kids. I'm sure I've mentioned this. When I've read posts from other bloggers saying you don't HAVE to take a photography class, just pull out your manual and learn your camera, I thought it was a good idea. I finally just did it on Saturday. I need way more details to really know anything and so I have to dig out the "Big daddy manual" but I didn't let that stop me this Saturday.

Here are a few shots that are straight out of the camera.

Because really, if I hadn't taken the time to learn how to use my camera..........did you REALLY think I'd learned photoshop yet?

Here was my previous profile picture. There s something so sweet to me about baby feetWhich is funny, since I hate ugly adult feet.

I love this picture I took of Bunnyboo's 2 year old feet. And so it's my new profile pic.

Right as I went to take the first shot a bug flew into Bunnyboo's eye. Good times.

You can see here she is so fair any little mark shows up. Poor baby.

This is the kid's favorite shot. Um, me.......yawn.........it's cuuutee and all, but.....

I love this one.



This one is for my mom. See the curls? Look closer.
And when it's wet it touches the middle of her back.

This is My Man's favorite shot. Here Bunnyboo is doing her "silly face".



I need to get the other kids out for a session.
But I'm not sure the tutu will look as good on the others.


Which one of these pictures would you recommend framing?

ETA: I removed this picture of boo bear and bunny boo together because boo bear was shirtless and a very good friend reminded me that there are all kinds of crazies who may use this photo for evil. Better safe than sorry.

Sunday Linky Love:

My man and I saw this Friday night and I'm still singing seductively.

I just discovered the share button in my google reader. But I've always loved how Like Merchant Ships has a link post, so I thought I'd do it too. Imitation is the highest form of flattery you know.

Here are a few of the items I've starred in my google reader this week:

~Frugal Decorating Project Carnival @ The Shabby Nest
~One of the hardest things of being a mom @ Domestic Spaz

~Creative House numbers tutorial: @ Blue Castle
~ I love quizzes like this: @ The Shabby Nest
~ I want to shop at this market: @ Notes from a Cottage Industry

~ May Day Baskets: @ Skip to My Lou

~ Adorable Give Away: @ Little Birdie Secrets

~ Fleur Cart: @ Joys of Home

~WMFW; I always get so much from these @ We Are That Family

~List Making at a whole new level: @ Everyday Celebrating

~ Organized Meal Planning @ Nannygoat

~ My number 1 basket: @ Joys of Home

~Bread, the mama can live on it alone: @ We Are THAT Family

~New google reader trick for me: @ Tip Junkie

~ Inspiration for the next baby shower I throw: @ Imperfect: The Pleated Poppy

~I'm sure I can find something to add: @ Oh Crap. My Parents Joined Facebook

Enjoy..........and remember, When You're Good to Mama, Mama's Good to YOU!

Saturday Yumminess: Ensalda 1905

Ensalada 1905 (picture from The Columbia webstie)

This may be my favorite salad of all time.

It's a toss up.

Get it?

Oh I kill myself.

Anyway, it's served at The Columbia Restaraunt and when a friend of mine said she had the recipe I just had to have it! They have a recipe book for sale on their website that is now on my wishlist for Mother's Day. Everything I've ever eaten there has been fantastic. Or drank. They have a white sangria that is to die for.

Ensalada 1905

Head iceberg lettuce
2 tomatoes [cut in eighths]
4 stalks celery
1 c. swiss [cut in julienne strips]
1 c. ham [cut in julienne strips]
1/2 c. green Spanish olives
4 tsp. grated Romano cheese

Toss all ingredients together EXCEPT Romano cheese.

Dressing:

1/4 c. white wine vinegar
8 cloves garlic [minced]
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. olive oil
S&P to taste
2 tsp. oregano
4 tsp. lemon juice

Mix garlic, oregano, and Worcestershire sauce with whisk. Add oil beating to form an emulsion. Add remaining ingredients. Toss with salad and cheese.



I could eat a big ole bowl of this and a loaf of bread for DAYS on end.

Do you have any recipes from local establishments that you were stoked to get ahold of?

Don't be greedy ~ Share!

Doing Something to the Dining Room

The Shabby Nest is hosting a Frugal Decorating Tip party. I love nothing more than a good party, so I'm soooo there. Go and see how others are decorating the frugal way. It'll put more projects on your weekend list than you can imagine!

The only problem is the admission is a post with my own tip. Hmmm. The only way I know how to decorate is Frugal. However, I have not used my camera much to take pictures. Bad Mama.

I do have a few pics that I'll share and pinky swear to get better about using the camera ~ fair enough?

Tip #1: If you find a yard sale table that has a classic shape but the top is marred beyond the repair time you want to put into it..........cover it with fabric.

Leftover fabric and my handy dandy staple gun transformed this table in less than five minutes. I love that it adds another layer of texture to the dining room.

Tip #2: If you still have MORE left over fabric and no art..........get cheap art canvases from Walmart.
The same leftover fabric and staple gun were used here; along with appliqueing letters. Applique first, then staple. Original, cheap and fast that's how we do it in Bahama Shores.

What have you done lately???