Ivy & Co.: April 2013

Thursday, April 25, 2013

I'm 30... Let's Party!

Welcome to Jed & Ivy's

Aloha Friday
Link Party #26!

It's a special one, cause today is my 30th birthday. I can't believe it. I've shed a few tears today because at random moments I keep thinking that my childhood is REALLY over now. (I don't know why the last 10 years somehow constitute a continuation of my childhood, but it keeps making me weepy.) Well, here's a few things I know, now that I'm 30:

1. Acne is not a symbol of one's youth. I still have it. It doesn't go away once you turn 20... or 30.

2. I won't always live paycheck to paycheck. With hard work and dedication, I am not a slave to debt and I actually have a savings account.

3. I only have one kid and a dog at this point in time, and I'm more than okay with that. 15 years ago, I envisioned my 30 year old self with 3 kids, a cat and a dog. Maybe some fish, too. OMG, I can't even imagine!

4. Life gets better after high school and college. No unnecessary early mornings. No tests or lengthy books to read. No pleasing instructors just to get a good grade. There is much more purpose in the real world than there is in that pseudo-world called "school." (However, I'm so very thankful for my B.A.)

5. Drinking lots of water, getting enough sleep and eating healthy food is essential for good health. No joke.

6. I'm still dancing!

7. My face moisturizer costs more than a plate lunch, and I order it online.

8. Stress makes you sick. Sick in more ways than you could imagine and in more ways than you care to experience.

9. It's ok to miss church or work when I'm sick. I don't need to feel guilty about it.

10. Parenting and marriage are the two most difficult activities I've ever participated in.

11. Parenting and marriage are the two most rewarding activities I've ever participated in.

12. I love driving an SUV.

Photo by Ajja Photography

Pau Hana!

It's the end of the week. Let's party!

DIY projects - Etsy products - Giveaways
Furniture Re-do's (my fave) - Sewing Tutorials - Inspiring Stories

By linking up, you're allowing me to feature your photos on this blog and pin them.

Share the Aloha and visit some links!

Aloha,

Rebecca

Friday, April 19, 2013

Raspberry Oatmeal Smoothie

I called in sick yesterday. In order to prevent myself from working from home or worse, start cleaning my house when it doesn't really need cleaning, I am blogging so I can get some stinkin' rest! I'm a doer. And because I'm a doer, I found a great recipe for a Raspberry, Oatmeal, Yogurt Smoothie from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom and got right off the recliner and made this smoothie. I revised it slightly cause I'm pretty specific about what I eat (ie: I'm allergic to banana's, I only eat plain greek yogurt, etc) and came up with these ingredients:

-1/2 cup ice
-1/2 cup frozen raspberries
-1/2 cup greek yogurt (plain)
-1 cup almond milk
-1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
-1/4 cup juice (I used -cranberry/lemonade cause that's all I had)
-2 tablespoons honey
-Stevia (all natural sweetener)
-homemade organic whipped cream

I blended it all together till I felt like the oatmeal would be broken down small enough (the original recipe calls for blending the oatmeal by itself first, then with just the liquids, but I forgot that step, haha). At first I put in 1 tbsp of honey and no whipped cream, but it wasn't sweet enough. I doubled the honey and added the whipped cream and it tasted great! Since I'm allergic to bananas, I wanted to put some frozen pineapples in it, but I was out. I'm kind of glad I was out, because I probably would have added a ton of other ingredients and that would have defeated the whole point of making a raspberry oatmeal smoothie. This smoothie was delicious! I hate eating breakfast, so maybe this is a good alternative cause I do feel like breakfast is important!

Thank you Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom for making my sick day a little more enjoyable!

See her recipe here.

Post smoothie, this is where you could find Ivy and I-- back on the recliner, resting.

Aloha, Rebecca

Thursday, April 18, 2013

ALOHA Friday Link Party #25

Welcome to Jed & Ivy's

Aloha Friday
Link Party #25!

Pau Hana!

It's the end of the week. Let's party!

DIY projects - Etsy products - Giveaways - Furniture Re-do's (my fave) - Sewing Tutorials - Inspiring Stories

By linking up, you're allowing me to feature your photos on this blog and pin them.

Share the Aloha and visit some links!

Don't forget about my new blog, "Best Bunting on the Block!"

Aloha,

Rebecca

Saturday, April 13, 2013

DIY Pin Cushion

I have had a million things to do since, oh, October, but last week I just felt like I needed to make something, no matter how big or small. I had purchased embroidery hoops a while back, but never had time to do anything with them. I really needed a pin cushion, and actually didn't even own one! I gathered the following:

-glue gun

-scissors

-small embroidery hoop (4"?)

-scalloped fabric cut in a circle (about 8" diameter?)

-fleece fabric cut in a circle the same size of the embroidery hoop

-stuffing/fabric scraps

I took the embroidery hoop apart, put the scalloped fabric through the two hoops, closed it back up. i stuffed a bunch of stuffing/fabric scraps in the scalloped fabric. I glued the fleece circle to the back of it. And there you have it-- pau.

Pin cushions make sewing so much easier! All my pins were in a tiny plastic box with a flip lid.

This project definitely gave me my creativity fix for the week.

Love it!

Aloha, Becca

Thursday, April 11, 2013

ALOHA Friday Link Party #24

Welcome to Jed & Ivy's

Aloha Friday
Link Party #24!

Pau Hana!

It's the end of the week. Let's party!

DIY projects - Etsy products - Giveaways - Furniture Re-do's (my fave) - Sewing Tutorials - Inspiring Stories

By linking up, you're allowing me to feature your photos on this blog and pin them.

Share the Aloha and visit some links!

Don't forget about my new blog, "Best Bunting on the Block!" Link up your bunting by clicking here.

Aloha,

Rebecca

Friday, April 5, 2013

Reality Show Friday

If my life were a reality show, (which it should be), today's episode would feature Ivy sitting on the recliner with me watching Shark Tale for the umpteenth time this week, me frantically editing 150 minutes of music for a work event tomorrow and trying to choreograph for ampersand dance company while not getting on my feet because I have Hand, Foot & Mouth disease. Yes, at almost 30 years old, I have the virus that mainly affects infants and children! I woke up with a black tongue and was scared to death until good old google told me pepto bismal gives you a black tongue. The Doctor told me to rinse with 1/2 pepto 1/2 liquid Benadryl to alleviate the sores in my mouth, thus the reason for my black tongue. Don't worry, it's only transmitted via saliva. Quote from the doctor, "Don't be making out with strangers." Not kidding.

TMI? Just keeping it real on this Friday morning. Maybe I'll actually have some home projects to post next month, or will give some great tips on teaching my 3 year old how to read (mommy guilt in full force). Until then, I'll be planning 3 dance shows for work (not reality shows for my life), and dodging the next attack on my immune system, which seems to happen way too frequently.

Oh wait, on Monday I made a "welcome baby gift" for my friend who had her baby 4 months ago... Just keepin' it real... Fo sho.

Ps- Ivy is currently leaping over our dog Godiva. Maybe I can use that in my choreography?