weekly phone dump Jaunuary week {one}

From left to right:
1.  I made my famous buttermilk pancakes on Wednesday (since Mike and I were home for New Year's Day).  The recipe is HERE.  They are so good!!
2.  Mike and I are drinking grape juice EVERY day (I will post about it on Friday).
3.  I love organizing my new calendar every year.  This year's model is THIS one.
4.  I bought new kitchen towels at COSTCO this week.  They are so bright and Cheery.
5.  Sophie and Bella each got one of THESE for Christmas.  They LOVE them!!  see #6
6.  Sophie enjoying some play time with the Chuck-it.
7.  We have a car wash near our house that offers FREE (do it yourself) vacuuming.  Mike and I vacuumed out my car on Saturday, I didn't realize how much dog hair was in there.  Must be from all the bark park visits, LOL!
8.  After we vacuumed the car and ran a few errands.  We stopped at IKEA for a few organizing items and lunch.  Swedish meatballs and lingen berry jam~Yes Please! (random fact:  I am part Swedish).
9  Mike and I grabbed a SB's before church.  I cannot remember the last time I had one (gasp!!).  Of course I got my usual:  non fat-no whip-white mocha=DELISH!

Enjoy Today!!

I LOVE a clean floor...

I LOVE Pinterest!!  I find some great stuff there.  I recently saw a post about a simple floor cleaner.  The picture caught my eye, it was 3 really dirty Swiffer pads.  Of course my curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked on the picture.  The floor cleaner called for 3 ingredients and I already had 2 on hand, so I thought..."What the heck!!"  I went to the store to buy the 3rd ingredient and whipped up a batch.  I gave it a shot and let me tell you, it is the BEST floor cleaner EVER people!! 

My entry way, kitchen and family room are tile, and that is the area that gets the dirtiest (mostly doggie paw prints).  I also used it on my stained concrete and it worked like a charm.  My floors not only looked clean, but felt clean.  I am not sure about using this cleaner on hard wood floors, I use THIS on mine.  

So let me share the recipe, it is easy peasy!!  (I made a smaller batch than what is called for in the original post).  Original blog post is HERE.


7 cups water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dr Bonner's Castille Soap (I bought the peppermint).

I use a refillable mop, THIS one to be exact, so I just fill'er up and mop away!!  I even put some in a spray bottle for spot cleaning in between mopping (I am always cleaning near the back door and by the doggie water bowl).  I like the smell too!! 

Let me know if you give it a try and how you like it!!  Ashley tried it and she LOVES it too (that's 2 for 2!).

Happy Mopping!!
Enjoy Today!

Dog Walking...

I am excited to be back!  It is my plan to post on Monday-Wednesday-Friday (like I used to).  But even though today is Thursday (but feels like Monday), I wanted to get in the routine of posting.


Mike and I LOVE our 2 pit bulls, Sophie and Bella.  They are a little spoiled.  
When I find an awesome pet product~of course I need to share!!  Recently I discovered the Easy Walk Harness and let me tell you~Now I feel like the Dog Whisperer when I walk these girlies.  Before, with the leash only, they did pretty good when walked individually (they are still learning not to pull), but when they were together, it was a different story (they both want to be out front).  Since they weigh 80 and 60 pounds, I want to be in control when I walk them by myself!  The harnesses are worth every penny!!

And of course I need to show you a picture of these cuties modeling their harnesses.

Happy dog Walking!!
Enjoy today!

Hello 2014~it's so NICE to see you!

2013 has come and gone, and I am not going to lie...I am GLAD it is OVER!!  2013 has been a very difficult year for me and my family.  I am SO HAPPY for a new year and a clean slate!!  Welcome 2014!!  I have seen a lot of people choose words for the new year, I have never done that in the past, but this year, my word is GRACE.  

Our family decided to leave our church in 2013, it was a very sad and difficult decision, but one that I know will be blessed.  The hardest part for me, was that the people you thought would always have your back~turned on a dime and were sticking a knife in it.  I went through several months of bitterness and anger.  How could these people treat me and my family this way?  Mike also lost his job at UOP due to a huge layoff in August.  Could things get any more stressful~unfortunately YES!!  In September, I could no longer handle the stress and anxiety and had a severe bout of IBS which was so bad that I passed out while driving home from work one day.  Thankfully no one was injured (just a few bruises and black eye for me), but it was a real eye opener.  I decided it was time to pick myself up and brush myself off and pull it together and let it go!!  Let go of the anger, bitterness and unforgiveness.  Which brings me to my word for 2014 GRACE.  I want people to show me GRACE~I want to show people GRACE (I am not talking about being a doormat here!!).  Does it really matter who was right and who was wrong?  What matters is relationships (especially the ones that are important to me)!!

So what are my goals for 2014?  Showing GRACE.  I also decided that I am going to start being nice to myself!!  I recently read an article about this.  Why are we so hard on ourselves?  I mean, would I treat my family and friends the way I treat myself~NOPE!!  For example, if I want to eat a cupcake, why do I make myself feel so guilty about it?  I would tell a friend~enjoy the cupcake!!  Now I am not saying it is OK to eat cupcakes all the time, but once in a while, enjoy the splurge.  If I don't feel like cleaning my house, I am going to give myself a free pass, instead of beating myself up and feeling bad for not doing it.  This will be a challenge for me, but if I can do it 50% of the time~GO ME!

I am also going to go back to regular blogging this year!!  I have missed it so much!!  I am not sure what it will be about, but I am excited to find out.  I will keep doing my weekly photo dump and Project Life (and post about my pups!!), that is for sure!!  So Today I am going to clean off my messy desk and do some organizing. 

Happy 2014 Everyone!!  Be nice to yourself!!
Enjoy Today!

weekly photo dump~december week {four}

 The Clark Christmas Edition photo dump (these photos will probably show up in a future post of my Project Life layouts!!).

From left to right:
1.  Our Christmas tree was (finally) put up a few days before Christmas, I was so behind schedule this year!  
2.  One of the out takes from our family Christmas photo...I was really hoping to get one with all the dogs~it was quite the task, better luck next year!!  
3.  Josh with one of his stocking stuffer's.  Cause you need a warm hat in AZ (it is supposed to be 77 degrees on Friday)!!
4.  Ashley was talking about wanting to do "Elf on the Shelf" next year.  So I got her one, I don't really like the original one (it gives me the creeps!!), but this guy was cute!
5.  Nate and Josh got matching card shufflers~which they were pretty excited about!
6.  My mom gave me this plaque, which I LOVE!!  
7.  Mike with his new coffee press, which he is enjoying EVERY morning.  He even wants to get one for work.
8.  Vera Bradley lunch bags were a popular item this year.
9.  Sophie enjoyed popping the bubble wrap~silly pup!!

Enjoy Today!

weekly photo dump ~ december {week 2}

From left to right:
1.  Bella had to make a trip to the emergency vet on Monday night, her incision from her spay was bleeding and coming apart.  After a 3 hour wait, we came home with some antibiotics and instructions to keep her quiet (ya right!!).  She was so patient waiting in the exam room!!  I think she is finally on the mend!!
2.  I did some shopping at a fancy grocery store this week.  The produce was lined up so pretty.
3.  I found this picture on my camera, from Thanksgiving.  LOVE those two!!
4.  I have been snacking on M&M's...I LOVE them!!  But it has got to STOP!
5.  Friday the 13th was last week!!  Good thing I am not superstitious!!
6.  My new FAV snack.
7.  SERIOUSLY!!  This happens to me EVERY 18 months...Jury Duty, don't get me wrong, I am happy to do my civic duty, but they really need a better shuffling system!!!
8.  Mike and I are going to a new church that we LOVE!!  This weeks lesson was so good and just what I needed to hear.
9.  This cute girlie is ONE!!  12.15.13 is her birthday.  She has brought so much joy to my life~especially during this crazy roller-coaster ride of a year!

Enjoy Today!!

weekly photo dump ~ december {week one}

**Sorry for the lack of posts!!  I am hoping to do much better after the holidays are over!!**

From left to right:
1.  I didn't take very many pictures at Josh and Jess' wedding (I know, I cannot believe it either!!  I was too busy having FUN), but I did snap one of Jess' bouquet, I love how she added succulents to it, so pretty!!
2.  We got to watch Kodi while the honeymooners were in Hawaii.  I sure miss that pooch!!
3.  Bella was spayed on Thursday (her first one was postponed), I picked her up after work, and she was so sleepy.  I wrapped her in a blanket and could not wait to get her home.  She is doing great, the hard part is keeping her quiet for 2 weeks (wish me luck!!).
4.  While Bella was away on Thursday (see #4)...Sophie and Kodi stayed together (they were wondering where Bella was, I think).
5.  I made buttermilk pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning.  So yummy!!
6.  Mike and I went to Pei Wei for lunch on Saturday~he ordered an appetizer, which, of course,  he shared with me.
7.  I went grocery shopping on Sunday morning (for Mike and I and the doggies).
8.  I got a SB's K-cup sample pack in the mailbox~YUM!
9.  Dusted of my sewing machine (literally, it was dusty!!), to mend some of Nate's clothes.

Enjoy Today!!