Sunday, February 26, 2012

Dating A-Z

Hello, it's Mr. & Mrs. here! 

In a few short weeks we will be celebrating our 4th anniversary-yay! As we enter into our fifth year of married life, we decided that a fun challenge was in order for this year....dating our way through the alphabet!  We can't remember where we first read this idea (it was in some sort of marriage/relationship book) but we thought it was really clever.  So here's our challenge: to have a date with each letter of the alphabet before our 5 year anniversary.  Because of the stage of life we're in, we are going to allow Little Miss to come on some of these dates too. :)  We are also going to make it a goal to get creative with our ideas so that we can try some new things and places, but hopefully not spend lots of money either.  We are open for suggestions, so add some comments if you have any ideas for us!  Feel free to join in our challenge as well....whether you're newlyweds, have a busy house full of kiddos, or single, this challenge is really about being purposeful in spending time and making memories with the ones you love.

We are starting with A today....heading to Applebee's for supper (those who know us well, know that we of course have a gift card!).  Then we are going to have Angelfood cake for dessert at home, and play Apples to Apples.  We've always wanted to go to Alaska (which is definitely out of our budget and time restraints right now), so instead we're going to finish the night by watching a documentary of Alaska that we borrowed from the library.  There you have it! :)

Remember, let us know if you have any creative ideas for us to try for various alphabet letters, or if you are joining in this challenge with us! We'd love to hear from you. :)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Party Tips

Hello :)  Mrs. here!

Those of you that know me personally, know that I love to host!  Doesn't matter if it's 1 person, or a group of people, I just enjoy openning our home to whoever.  Especially when it's more of a "party" format....I love finding themes, decor, treats, favors, or whatever.....all to make people feel comfortable and welcome.  Recently I held a small party in my home and just thought I'd pass along a few tips that I used to play up the theme and save on the budget too. :)

1. Make lists.  Determine how many people are coming (I always add a couple in case there are last minute guests that come) and from there you can more accurately plan what you need from food, to paper products (if using), to seating!

2. Use what you have FIRST, shop LAST. Because this was a smaller gathering and I knew that I had most of what I needed from my lists (see tip #1) I didn't even go shopping until the day before the party.  Here are a few of my own things that I found a way to use.....

~I'm not sure where I saw this idea (if I find it again I'll pin it) but I took a bunch of vases and glasses from my cupboard and covered them with my Valentine socks for some festive table decorations!

~Instead of buying a table cloth, I used some heart napkins that I had from last year's V-day, as well as some heart tissue paper underneath the food table.....voila! 

~I'm also a big fan of clear dishes. They go with ANYTHING.  I used clear coffee mugs, as well as some clear bowls for candy.....cost: $0


3. Use your food as decoration.  This might sound silly, but if you're throwing a party with a theme, there's usually no need to spend money buying, or time making decorations because your food can do the work for you!  I found this cute pretzel idea on Pinterest. I already had the almond bark and some sprinkles so the total cost for this snack was just a couple dollars.  (a side tip, don't over-prepare food....I am usually guilty of having too much food, but am trying to be better so I don't waste it!)  I also used Valentine's candy (which was on clearance-wahoo!) on the table that everyone was seated around for people to munch of during the party.  Simple! 


Here's a glimpse at the "finished product" (which I'm sure would look a lot better if I was a gifted photographer--ha!).  On this entire table, the only things I purchased were the pretzels, valentine-themed muffin cups (I only used 8 because it was a small party, so saved the rest for next year), and the trail mix. Total cost: about $5.  I was even able to use the "love" that Mr. gave me for Valentine's Day 5 years ago on the table. Awwww!!!!  :)

None of these ideas are earth-shattering, and I'm sure you have some even better tips than these for throwing parties.....I would love to hear them!  Just hoping that these basic tips can either inspire you to invite someone over if you haven't in a while, or to save you a little stress and money if you're a frequent host!


Friday, February 17, 2012

Happy (belated) Valentines Day

It's the Mr. here. 

My wife and I went to see The Vow for Valentines Day.  It was the first movie we'd been to in a while, and it was great, although a little hard for me at times.  The Vow is the story of a couple that gets into a car accident.  The wife loses all memory of her husband, and they have to fall in love all over again.  Can you imagine?  As a husband, this was hard for me because I honestly don't know what I would do without my family.  He even had to try to explain to her what she was like as a person before the accident; all of those "little things" that made her who she was.  It's a sad, but true story so it really got me thinking about how husbands need to continue "dating" thier wives.  On the way home, my wife and I talked about how we thought we would handle that situation, what we would tell each other about our different qualities if that ever happened, and what we would do to fall in love all over again.  It was a good conversation and we had fun reminicing about how we fell in love.

So take this time to talk to your spouse about how you would fall in love all over again; what kind of dates you would go on, what each others' tendencies are, etc....  And men, remember to never stop dating your wife.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

From Socks to Legwarmers :)

Mrs. here, solving 2 problems with 1 easy fix. :)

Problem #1...the Mr. wears out his socks like crazy!  Sometimes these holes could be fixable, but often times they are large holes worn through on the bottom.  Since I am not a master seamstress (bummer!), this is a little beyond my skill (and patience) level.


Problem #2...Little Miss has quite a few clothes that fit her right now, but many are more appropriate for Spring weather so she wears a lot of tights.  On very cold days, tights just don't seem to be enough to keep those chubby little legs warm.

Solution....turn Mr's worn out socks into legwarmers for Little Miss!  I'm sure many of you have already thought of this idea, but it was a lightbulb moment for me!  This is so easy my toddler could almost make these for herself! :)

Take a worn out pair of socks (if they are your Mr's be sure you ask first!)

Cut them off evenly with a good scissors...this will make
the cuts more smooth, and prevent a lot of freying.  I chose to
cut below the heel because of Little Miss's height,
but you'll just have to gauge this for yourself.

Voila!  Instant legwarmers!  (not sure if you
can tell in this pic, but I rolled the bottoms
of the socks under so that you can't see the
raw edge where I cut them off.)

Cute, huh?!?
Now go on and start digging through your sock drawer so you can make a pair! :)

Friday, February 10, 2012

Workout Challenge

The Mr. here: My wife and I have been needing some extra motivation to work out, especially since we're so busy with work, piano lessons, and our 14 month old daughter.  So we decided to make a game plan.
      I just bought a new hunting bow (well new to me, it's a 2005) so I'm super pumped to begin shooting it.  I bought it used from a guy who knows a ton about bows, and took good care of it.  It came with everything so I saved a ton of money.  The thing is my wife and I made a deal that I can't shoot it until I "pay it off" by working out.  I earn $5.00 every time I work out towards paying off the bow.  If it's a busy day and all I have time for is taking a walk at lunch, I earn $2.50.  I keep track of my earnings until I reach the total of the bow!
        I decided that I shouldn't be in this alone, so I made the Mrs. pick a goal too.  She decided to earn "time to herself".  Everytime she works out she earns 5 minutes, or if it's just a walk with the kiddos, she earns 2 1/2 minutes.  She can work towards time away with girlfriends, time at home to work on projects or crafts, or just go for a cup of coffee somewhere.  So far I'm beating her, but who knows....I may not be shooting until the season opener while she's drinking a chocolate mocha!
        The real goal is to keep us healthy, so hopefully we'll be able to post an update about this in a few months about how buff and toned we are just in time for summer.....but we'll see!

What do you do to stay motivated to work-out and keep in shape?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

DIY Themed T-Shirts

Hey all....it's the Mrs. here!
Valentine's day is coming up, so here's a quick way to make a shirt for your little one (or yourself!) for little to no money, depending on what you already have in your home.  Best part....if you don't want to sew you don't have to!


Pick out the shirt you want to use.  I've used plain shirts and onesies so far, but I'm guessing even a small print would work well.  (**Hint: I've gotten shirts on clearance racks "off-season" so they were around $1 each....nice way to save a little money!)

Decide what you want on the shirt.  Because I made this shirt for Valentine's Day, I choose a "lovey" theme. :)  I just happened to have some scraps of pink fabric, and with tiny hearts on it so I decided to use those. 

Cut out your design and layout on shirt.  This is important to do to make sure it fits on the shirt well, and looks the way you want it to.

Attach with fabric glue.  That's right....I said it.....GLUE!!!  Usually when I make these shirts they are very "last minute" so fabric glue is the perfect solution.  The key is not to get the glue too think or "gloppy", otherwise your design may dry weird.  I usually try to put a small layer around the border of the design, then lightly press it down on the shirt. (**Hint: it's a good idea to have something between the front and back of the shirt in case your glue is too thick and goes through...otherwise your shirt will be stuck together!)

Add finishing touches.  In this case, I thought that having a stitched border around the heart would help it to stand out, so I hand-stiched the border after the glue had dried.  I also added the tiny heart on the front with fabric glue just because I thought it was sweet. :)

That's it!  Quick. Easy. Fun.  Enjoy making these for your own fam, or even as personalized gifts for little ones.  What shirt do you plan to make?  I'd love to hear your ideas!
 




I made this onesie to complete
Little Miss's Halloween Costume:
My sweet little Cabbage Patch Kid!


I made this for Little Miss's 1st birthday
(photo courtesy of alicia marie photography)


Sunday, February 5, 2012

A Night to Remember (from his/hers perspective)

Last night we went on a date.....not just any date, but one of those "special dates".  Getting dressed up, reservations for dinner downtown, taking in a show, the whole nine yards.  We have known this date was coming for a while, (it was a wonderful Christmas present from our parents!!!) so it was almost comical to see the differences in how we prepared for this night....



Mrs: It's about 1 week out from the event.  I made an appointment to get my hair trimmed (it was time anyways), borrowed and tried on dresses from several friends, and wondered where we were going to dinner, what the show would be like, etc....  I've talked about this night with several girlfriends and am literally giddy with excitement.

Mr: Day of.  Dinner reservations....check!  Babysitter....check!  Watch the babe while Mrs. get's ready.....check!

Mrs:  Day of....I tried on countless dresses, and finally decided on which one to wear. Since this is a rare night out on the town, I go all out!  Paint my nails, spend extra time on hair and makeup, dig through my sister's closet for the perfect shoes and jewelry, ditch the "mom purse" for a clutch.....(you get the idea).

Mr. Shave....check!  Shirt and tie.....check!  Cologne....check!

Mr. and Mrs: We want to capure every moment of this night, so we take a picture together before we leave.  We take a picture at a stoplight on the way to dinner and text it to our parents.  We take pictures at dinner.  We even sneak a picture of one of the percussionists at the show (we are SUCH rule breakers--ha!)  and of course one outside of the theater after the show.  Say Cheese!

Mrs: After the show. I'm full of questions, and want to talk through every detail. "What was your favorite part?"  "What did you not like?"  "Was it what you expected?"  "Who was your favorite character?" etc....

Mr: After the show. "Fun night with my gal!  I think I'm ready for a good night's sleep."

While we may have prepared for the night differently, and processed the night differently, we both enjoyed the time together.  There is nothing like the "gift of experience", especially when you share it with the one you love.



Thursday, February 2, 2012

MN Sports Update

Hey gang, it's the Mr. here with updates regarding your favorite sports teams.

Operation: Re-load So what are we to think about the Vikings heading into 2012?  The stadium debate continues to go on and on (and on and on and on).  This beast has become more political than I ever could have imagined.  It seems the politicians (both left and right) continue to play games and refuse to commit to progress.  Just when we think the Linden Ave site will be the place, Dayton buckles under the pressure and says only the Metrodome site will work.  Then, just when the Vikings start warming up to the Metrodome site, Minneapolis throws in curveball and proposes another site kiddy-corner from the Dome.  Throw in the fact that the NFL opposes the Vikings playing at TCF Stadium for 3 years, and this is a huge mess that has gone on long enough. 

Free agency and the draft are just around the corner and it's exciting to think about the potential talent the Vikings could bring in.  This team is still a long ways off from being a NFC Contender, but in the past three years we have gone from one of the oldest teams, to one of the youngest teams heading into the pre-season.  (mostly because we had two 80 year old QB's who refused to throw in the towel...thank you Favre and McNabb).  It will be interesting to see how newly promoted GM Rick Spielman will conduct this year's draft.  For the most part, I loved his picks in the previous years, but he absolutely needs to nail this draft in my opinion.  Otherwise, we could be seeing a new coach and a new GM next year.  I think they will focus on the O-line in the first round (I want either Matt Kalil, Riley Reiff, or Jonathan Martin), then pick up some D-Backs, WR's and a Linebacker or DT.  Leslie Frazier and his staff coached the North Team for the Senior Bowl this past weekend so that should be an advantage heading into the draft as well.  It was a good chance to interview some players one-on-one and gain a first hand observation of the talent.

Welcome Solomon Elimimian.  That's right, the Vikings signed another Canadian Football League player who's name you can barely pronounce (remember Emmanuel Arceneaux?).  I really hope this guy pans out for us.  He's a LB who played college at Hawaii, was signed by the BC Lions and was the CFL Rookie of the Year last year.  He was also voted as the CFL's hardest hitter.  I looked on YouTube for videos of this kid, and boy oh boy can he hit.  He also seems like the kind of character player we want in MN.  Good luck young man!


Operation: Relevance
Well the Timberwolves are somewhat relevant again.  I'll be honest, I'm a fair-weather Wolves fan, but even I can appreciate the buzz this team is creating.  Rookies Derek Williams and Ricky Rubio seem like they could be stars in this league, and we just re-signed Kevin Love to a 3-year deal.  Could things be looking up?  By the way, did you know the Lakers have beat us 15 straight times?  That's even worse than the Twins vs Yankees!  Ouch.


Operation:  Playoffs? You kidding me! Playoffs? After an unbelievable start, the Wild lost several games in a row to find themselves on the bottom edge of the 8-team playoff race.  I honestly can't explain what happened during what seems like an overnight 8-place drop in the standings.  Could it be due to injury, maybe.  But I think we're seeing what we should have expected this year, which is a team that will have to fight to make the playoffs.  It doesn't help that three of our top scorers were out for a significant chunk of time.  But now Koivu and Latendresse seem to be on track to return shortly.  It's a tragedy to see what's happening to Pierre-Marc Bouchard.  His concussion symptoms continue to be an issue, so I think his days in a Wild jersey could be over.  I hope I'm wrong. 

Twins: well I'm not even going there yet!  All I can say is good luck Terry Ryan! 
 
And there you have it! My thoughts on the state of our state's teams.  Let me know what you think!