A year of crockpotting...

I recently came across this blog called A Year of CrockPotting so I just had to share (if you haven't discovered this already). The author's name is Stephanie. Last year she cooked 365 days with her crock pot....even traveled with it! Apparently she was on the Rachel Ray Show and now has a book deal. She's scheduled to publish 300 of her recipes in a cookbook this fall.

I cannot wait to start trying some of her recipes! This just might be a life saver...now I can throw dinner in the crock pot while drinking my coffee in the morning and hit the gym in the late afternoon (when I'd normally be cooking & stressed with the wee ones running around). I'll let you know how it goes!?!

Awesome Mom

(Just wanted to share this email I received with all you mommies out there!)

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
Or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
My plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
And my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
So doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
Watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
When I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
Could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
Having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel
To feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
Between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
Could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
The joy,
The love,
The heartache,
The wonderment
Or the satisfaction of being a Mom..
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
Before I was a Mom.

24 Random things about me

So I was tagged for this on Facebook actually but thought it would be fun to post here as well. Since I've already tagged a bunch of friends over there, I won't bother doing here this time. Just read and enjoy :-)

1) I have a tatoo of a howling wolf on my lower back....people are usually surprised when they see it.
2) I used to have a ferret in college (I'll have to post a picture of Nezzy).
3) I grew up always having 2 dogs (big ones) but now have settled for just one crazy, "rescue", german shepherd.
4) When I am alone I love indulge in chocolate chips and peanut butter :-)
5) I love to travel all over the world with Mike - we've been to some great places!
6) Will have been married for 10 years!?! this October...and will be celebrating in costa rica.
7) I volunteered in Appalachia (KY - Renfro Valley) for 3 months after I graduated college. (TX for visiting Kris!)
8) I used to do Judo with my mom...more specifically Juno Kata. My mom's a black belt so watch out!
9) I went on an Outward Bound white water Rafting trip for 8 days with my friend....it was awesome!
10) With me...."what you see is what you get!"
11) I was always a sucker for the long haired, scruffy guys....
12) I used to love drinking shots of firewater in college....remember that stuff!?!
13) I am a true Pisces.
14) I went to an all girls HS school and loved it!
15) I started a chapter of Moxie Moms for Chester Co., PA.
16) I LOVE seafood, especially MD blue crabs and snow crab legs...with a good beer.
17) Music is my therapy.
18) I love to drink beer (suprised huh!?)
19) I played the piano for 8 years and never play at all anymore.
20) I figure skated for 8 years as well....throughout grade school.
21) I have a book of all my ticket stubs from the concerts I've been too througout the years.
22) I am the electronic geek in the family, even though my husband works in IT.
23) I've been going to the Adirondack mts.every year since I was 5 and love doing it now with my own kids and hubby.
24) Love chick flicks and always cry watching cheesy movies.

Wordless Wednesday

Another Chesapeake Ribbons Giveaway

This time Chesapeake Ribbons is switching things up and giving away some fun hair accessories for the Valentine's Day. Enter the giveaway now thru February 6th (11 pm, ET), by leaving a comment here with your favorite Valentine's tradition.

The lucky winner will receive the "Hearts" Bow and "I Love You" barrette shown here!

E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!

Now I just need to get a shot of Anna in her little pink & white Eagles jersey (and/or Eagles cheerleading dress).... I'll save that pic for the victory on Sunday ;-)

...here's one I found from a month ago actually

Save Handmade Toys in the USA from the CPSIA

Just another reminder that if you buy & support handmade and mom-owned businesses? Than you must read this post and forward to others to educate everyone about the Handmade Toy Alliance.

"In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public's trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small part, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China.

The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US. So, they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August, 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number. All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and update their molds to include batch labels. For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however, the costs of mandatory testing will likely drive them out of business.

A toymaker, for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the $4,000 fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.

A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.

A small toy retailer in Vermont who imports wooden toys from Europe, which has long had stringent toy safety standards, must now pay for testing on every toy they import.

And even the handful of larger toy makers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007. The CPSIA simply forgot to exclude the class of toys that have earned and kept the public's trust: Toys made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, is that handmade toys will no longer be legal in the US.If this law had been applied to the food industry, every farmers market in the country would be forced to close while Kraft and Dole prospered."

How can you help? Forward this link to everyone you know, so that you, friends, & family can sign the petition, join the facebook group, and write a letter to your congressman or senator.

Bella and Tarra

Many of you may have seen this TV clip or read about this...so just in case, I decided to post this video. Who would have thought an elephant and dog would become such close friends. I am such a sucker for animals....

Wordless Wednesday

NEW products for 2009

Chesapeake Ribbons has recently launched a variety of new products for the New Year. So head on over CR to see the adorable new children's belts, key fobs, headbands, adult belts, and bows. Here's a sneak peek at what you will find....

Fly Eagles Fly....on the road to victory!...

E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!!!

Way to go Eagles...we made it to the NFC Championships!

I think they might have a case of

Phillies Phever!

Now if only the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles make it to the Superbowl....Life would be good :-)

Happy New Year's!