Each Holiday is Important!

   Christmas is my favorite holiday. Like absolute favorite. I love the decorations, the food, the preparation for it all, giving gifts. Everything. I love having a time to get together with family and friends and make them all smile while we all create memories. Not to mention grouping together with those I love to give praise to God for his wonderful gift of Jesus Christ.
  Thanksgiving is also a great holiday. Meant to be celebrated with friends and family as we all come together to give thanks for the blessings we are given even though we don't deserve it. We all get together an enjoy the wonderful foods God blessed us with and share the stories of the past year.Yet every time I look on social media or walk into the grocery stores, I don't see Thanksgiving stuff but rather Christmas decorations. So many people have already put up their Christmas trees and started decorating. They've completely skipped over Thanksgiving and went straight to Christmas. I understand its so exciting to start preparation for Christmas as it is the most exciting holiday to me, but we cant forget about Thanksgiving in the process. Thanksgiving is the one day we set aside to give thanks for the blessings we have received, the things that enable us to even have the things for Christmas. The job that provides money for buying that Christmas tree in your living room. The gifts or talents God has blessed you with to enable you to get that job. The friends and family that you will be surrounded by on Christmas. Thanksgiving is a day to thank God for these things and to share your stories with those you care about.
   So take the time for each holiday. Wait til the day after Thanksgiving to put that tree up. Don't skip over one holiday that means just as much. Let each holiday have its time as each is important.

My Copy Cat Naked Green Machine

   So I love Naked brand juice. It's all natural, no crazy additives, no major sugar. It tastes great and it's great for your body. There is a catch though. It's about $7 dollars for a jug of it at Walmart. So it's expensive to enjoy. Too much for our budget. So I decided to try and mimic the ingredients of the Green Machine. Bunch of green stuff in a blender, can't be to hard right? It's not at all!!

   Ingredients:
   1 Granny Smith Apple
   2 Kiwi
   1 Mango
   1 Small Bunch of Spinach
   1 10 Fl Oz Bottle of Apple Juice
   Ice if Desired

• Wash all ingredients. (Minus the ice ;)
• Peel the apple, kiwi, and mango.
• Cut into chunks
• Put all ingredients into the blender and puree.
• Serve and Enjoy!!

   Tips: When shopping for the fruits, don't select the brightest but rather feel your fruit out. You don't want it to be too hard or too soft.

   If your juice is a little tart, add 2 Tbsp sugar.

  Don't make to much at one time if you don't plan on drinking it straight away. I'm unsure how long it can last just yet.

     Make sure to share it with your friends and family!!!

Colors of Christmas

Here lately I keep seeing articles on the big Starbucks feud. The color red on their Christmas cup has seemed to offended Christians as it is simply red and they have removed all Christmas decorations and images. As a result someone started the movement of making their name "Merry Christmas" as to force Starbucks to put the christian meaning on their cups. Well I want people to know that there is a lot more to Christmas than a color of a cup you get from your local coffee shop.The color red alone is a color of Christmas. There are in fact three main colors of Christmas and each one has an amazing history from all around the world.

 The first color of Christmas is RED. Red is found in holly berries, poinsettias, church robes and later even Santa's Suit, but its more than those things. Red is a symbol of Jesus's blood and the blood that was shed so that we may live again. It is meant to remind us of his sacrifice on the cross so that we can live fully and with love to all.
 The second color of Christmas is GREEN. We use green evergreen trees to celebrate Christmas and we hang holly from our doors with garlands lining the stairwells and fireplaces. Green is almost always a part of Christmas and where there is red, there is also green. These two colors go hand in hand and in more ways than one. Green is a symbol for life, peace, and hope for a grand future. The green was often used as a reminder that spring was well on its way and winter would not last forever. It was also used when Jesus first entered Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem laid green palm tree branches at his feet for him to walk on as he was a king fit for the best. Green is often then associated with Jesus and his eternal life that he brought with him.

 The third main color is WHITE. White is connected with purity. Its a symbol of the purity of Christ, and also of Virgin Mary. It is meant to stand for the purity that we are offered as a gift from Christ. Its through his salvation that we are granted this purity. White is also the color of the snow that falls and the color used at traditional weddings. It will always be associated as a color of purity and a reminder to what we can have as Christians.
 There are many colors associated with Christmas now and there are many different material decorations used as well that all have meaningful christian backgrounds. Christmas is a holiday for love, peace, family, and giving thanks for the wonderful birth of our savior. It will never be about the Christmas presents under that tree, the decorations masking your home, or the color of your Starbucks cup, but rather about Jesus's birthday and taking a day to celebrate it with those we love. Sharing our happiness with the world.

How To Begin A Cheap and Healthier Lifestyle

   Eating healthy.Saving money. Four words that seem like they just don't belong together.Now a days it is easier to just eat fast food and in most cases the healthier options cost more than the yucky choices.How does this make sense? I wish i knew but the only answer i really have is America.That is just how America is.I am here to tell you that there are ways though,they just take a little effort and some cooking, and you are good to go.Below I'm going to include four easy beginner steps to help you get on the right path for healthy cheap living.
 Step one: Set a budget.Budget. Such a hard word to say when you just don't wanna and an even harder thing to stick to.Unfortunately in life,its a necessity if you wanna live a comfortable life with both fun and minimal debt.Sometimes even when you're loaded, its still nice to have a budget so that you can think ahead and put money away for your future or your kids futures.So sit down with that notebook,pen,list of bills,and your calendar and get ready to add em up.Creating a budget isn't hard.You just have to look at how much money is made a month, how much bills cost that month,and how much money is left over after bills are paid.Then you just take that money and decide OK,this is how much I'm gonna put into savings a month, this is how much fun money i can spend for this month,this is how much money we need for gas, and this is how much money we should spend on groceries a week..Once you have a number,its easy to keep to it.If you can be strong that is.Just remember how much more you are going to get out of life if you save that money and pay off that debt!!! It's exciting! To be free of those debt bonds and to have money afterwards to use as you wish,maybe for new clothes or that new TV your husband asked for last Christmas?I don't know about you but i can't wait!

   Step Two:Create a plan. Create a plan? What's that mean? I've done my research and I've learned from both experience and stats that the best way to go grocery shopping with both a budget and a healthy menu in mind is easiest when paired with a game plan.This can be easy or it can become hard,depending on your schedule,your kids schedules, and your eating choices.For me,i only have to plan for two people but we are both trying to maintain a mass building diet so therefor our schedule contains a total of 6-7 meals/snacks a day. This can be a bit of a creative pain. So once a week i sit down and begin writing a food plan out.It starts with each meal,what each meal contains and what ingredients are used in each meal.Then after i complete seven days worth of meals,i begin my grocery list.... Don't start yet! If you just go through that list and write down all the ingredients you have listed,chances are you will go out and just spend and spend when you don't need to..First thing to remember when creating a grocery list is to always shop at home first! Go check your pantry,fridge, and cabinets for the ingredients on your list before heading to that Walmart or Publix! Often times we forget this step and end up buying extras or purchasing things we already have and it ends with thrown away items,ruined food, and thrown away money!So check that food supply first!
  Step Three: Grocery Shopping. After you have created your weekly food plan,and visited your pantry for partial ingredients, get ready to head to the grocery store. Now i don't know about you, but for me this is hard.When i go shopping,i wanna go down every aisle and buy any and everything that looks like i might eat it.I've got to stop though! The biggest thing that people often waste money on is food. Not partying, or traveling, but FOOD.Crazy huh? Think about it though.How much food do you end up throwing away because its expired or gone bad? How many times do you go out to eat for dinner to find that easy route for the night? How often do you go out with friends to live life as a wild,young and free adult,but forget that the money really shouldn't be spent? More than we would like to admit.Lol. It's OK though.I'm here to tell you that is why we created that food plan. Now when you go to the store,you know exactly what you need and shouldn't have any leftover ingredients by the end of that week with items you didn't use.Its all planned out.You just have to remember to follow it.Stick to your list! or stick to your ticket as Hagrid told Harry Potter in the first Sorcery's Stone...Trust me,it's a key.Stick to it and you will be fine!

   Step Four: Meal Prep. Grocery shopping is done,dealing with those crazy people at Walmart can be put off for another week, and you are finally at home where you can relax because you just saved hundreds of dollars by sticking to your budget and to your list..Not yet.The list is no good,if you don't keep up with it. Now again,this depends on your schedule,your kid's schedule and your eating choices but for me,it means prepping for those days that my husband and i both work.Its so easy to just grab something at work or swing by the closest McDonalds on break but its also the wrong healthy choice and hurts your wallet once you add it up.Think about it.2 people. 20$ a day, 5 days a week= 100$ in take out lunches for you and your husband a week! Add that up and its $400 a month wasted!!! Crazy right? So meal prep.That's my solution.Go to Ross or Walmart or even order it online from Amazon and purchase some lunch boxes and little storage containers.It looks silly i know, but trust me its worth it! Schedule a day when your free and set it aside for meal prep.Cook your meats beforehand and store them so that they only need heated up.Put your fruit and veggies into already proportioned baggies and the sides in their personal containers as well.Even grab a few labels and throw on there for easy remembering for those quick grab and go days.Another plus to doing this,it makes your fridge look neater ;)
   After that,it's pretty simple.Just remember to grab your lunch boxes and stay on schedule with your food plan for the week and your all set till the next week.You can always change days around if you decide you want taco Tuesday to be taco Wednesday instead or salmon Thursday to become salmon Monday. Just try to stick to those recipes and use what you have.Avoid the grocery store till the next week and avoid eating out as often as well.With meal prepping,it should help make things easier for those lazy days when you don't wanna cook after a long day at work.

Be the Light

   Everyone says you can't do it. Everyone says you won't get far in life and you are only set up to fail. Well I'm here to tell you they are wrong. Everyone that has a negative mind and a negative heart can only do the negative. It takes a positive heart to create a positive mind to create positive actions. Never let someone keep you from obtaining that positivity. Did you know it takes more from a person to frown and feel negative than it does for someone to simply smile? Its crazy but even your body is telling you to push forward. Life is to short to be wasted being angry or upset with someone or something. Nothing is good enough to take away from the beauty of life that God has blessed you with. Always remember that you are not alone and you never will be. There is always someone there who cares and loves you more than anything else and with this strength you can conquer all.. Ive never been one for allowing the darkness to creep in and consume. Ive always been a fighter and a strong believer in taking the negativity and using it for a drive to do better, to be better than anyone ever expected. You should do the same. I know you can. I know you are a fighter just as well as i am. We are all fighters in God's army, so grab your weapon of positive energy, be the light in the darkness and take on the world for it is ours... Take hold.

Taking On A Coffee Table

So if you read my "About Me" profile information, you would have seen that i am Artsy Fartsy. This term is used when associated with or showing a pretentious interest in the arts. This term fits me perfectly as my main hobby is artsy crafts. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had a thing for artistic things. Whether it's creating things our of other things, drawing what my mind or eye could see, writing down what my heart spoke to me, or decorating my home with an artsy touch of interior decorating and crafting. Nothing feels better than to be able to say that you made that, or drew it when someone compliments you on it.

   So today i took on the task of repainting my coffee table. Although i plan on replacing it soon with a customized crate table, i still wanted to redo this one so that when it finds its new home, it can look amazing there as well. 2 years ago, i found this table at a local thrift store (my favorite place to go craft shopping) and bought it for 20$. The table is sound and was cute but had some damage to the top and a few dents here and there. I planned on painting it anyway so it didn't really matter. Now I'm gonna show you step by step how to redo a table with a fun twist.
   Step One: Prep the area. I'm lucky and have a nice little courtyard right in front of my house with the front door leading right into the living room. As long as the weather works with me, this will be the perfect spot for my sanding, painting, and drying. Wherever you decide to do your project, make sure you cover the area with plastic drops for painting.You can purchase them just about anywhere. I got mine at Walmart.http://www.walmart.com/ip/Husky-Plastic-Drop-Cloth-0.7-Mil-3-Pack/17217856 Super cheap and will protect your stuff from paint droppings and saw dust bunnies!
Tip: make sure you don't misplace them as i did, and end up using cardboard last minute ;)

   Step Two: Prep all your tools. Make sure you have the needed paint brushes, paint,  painter's tape, sander, and sander's safety gear. Safety first and always!!

   For me I chose to use creme and espresso brown paint, disposable brushes, and i recently purchased my new DeWalt sander from Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009WRKUM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s02 I chose DeWalt because of my Dad's past experience with DeWalt and mine and my husband's choice to follow in his same tool footsteps. DeWalt is both reliable and affordable and i highly recommend it for your day to day house tools. We are in the process of building our black and yellow tool entourage as well ;)

   Step Three: Sanding time. After the table has been placed in the middle of the cloth and you have on your glasses and face mask, get ready and fire up that sander! When sanding always try to go in circular motions or with the wood grain for best results. Don't press to hard as you will stop the motion of the sander, but don't press to lightly either as you won't be clearing the paint hardly if you don't. Make sure to add enough pressure to remove the scratches and dents,but not enough to alter the furniture's figure.

Tip: after sanding is complete, take a damp cloth and wipe over the furniture and use a clean paint brush to clear any and all dust buildup from seams and cracks in the wood. You don't want this messing with you when you begin painting.

   Step Four: Choose your paint starting point. For me, I'm going to work my way from the bottom to the top, one color at a time. Make sure to always let the colors dry before trying to paint over them or use the brush after being freshly washed but not fully dried. It will lead to smears. I planned on painting the bottom half with all brown and then the top creme with a checkered design to it. Something fun and different but something that will def take some time. Once you have your starting point and plan in mind, set to work!

Tip:Paint with the wood grain and the brush will move a lot smoother across the areas. Always go back with a smaller brush for small nooks and crannies that hide in the woodwork.

   Step Five: Let it dry. This is the easiest step. Leave it in the sun for a few hours and viola! the work is done! Definitely one of the most important steps though as you don't want your ideas and paint colors to collide in a mess of yuckies!

   Step Six: Lay the painter's tape. Once you have an idea in your mind of what you want to paint, just take the tape and draw it out. It can be a simple stripe, or chevron, polka dots or even checkers like i plan on doing. Just make sure you lay it correctly and evenly across the area, otherwise it could come out crooked or uneven :( It may take a little more time to measure it out, but the end result will be well worth it.

   Step Seven: Paint the finishing areas. Begin painting your taped off areas and watch as your idea comes to life! A slow and steady hand wins the design every time.

   Step Eight: Dry time again. Let the paint dry fully before attempting to pull at the tape.Shouldn't take long, just an hour or so for good measure. You can always speed the process up with a fan, hairdryer, or the sun. Just be careful as not to have it blowing to close to the project, as it could move the paint.

   Step Nine: Remove the painter's tape. SLOWLY!! Slowly pull the painter's tape off the top.You don't want to pull to hard as the paint could snag or smear. It may seem perfectly dry but id rather be safe then sorry! Slowly remove the tape and then take 3steps back and turn and admire your beautiful work!! Bet it looks great!! Let me know what you think of mine and share a story of how you redid some furniture in your home!!!

 

 

 Now smile and go take a much needed shower after a long day's hard work!!!!