something sorta crafty

in our home we have a special treat that we like to get occasionally when we hit up our fav place to get sandwiches. it's a chocolate drink called Yoohoo. if you've never had one.....you should. they're awesome. goes great with a roast beef/turkey/american cheese/mayo/lettuce/tomato sub. just sayin.

so i had some bottles sitting around waiting to be recycled. and the more i looked at them the more i thought....hmmm.....these would make pretty, simple vases. so that's what i did with them. soaked off the labels, washed the goo off, and rinsed them out. picked up pretty carnations up at the grocery store and taaaaadaaa!!!! easy peasy simple pretty vases. and i recycled! bonus!

then later i remembered i had a book i hadn't read yet just sitting around waiting for me to remember....shocking i know!!! i can not believe that i forgot a book!!! shame on me. so i mixed up a quick iced coffee in one of my new fav cups (it's actually A's cup...shhhh) and started to read. not too shabby for an end to the day.




what have you been reading? anything interesting? funny? romantic? sad?.....i'll read them all!

xoxo
-amanda

Hotel Doggieville

we recently watched our friends dog while they flew over to the east coast to visit family. they have a beagle named AJ. my friend's nephew had the honor of naming her and AJ stands for "Apple Juice" isn't that cute!!! miss AJ is our dog Max's bestest friend. they LOOOOOVE each other!!! they will sleep next to each other.....well......that is when AJ will share a spot on the couch....tho most times we find her like this:

they love to play together. chase games, tug-o-war games, sneak up on each other games.....it's the funniest watching them. and they're both so ok with being around kids that they pretty much let A do what ever to either of them....things like this....


maaaarvulous ms. aj


and mr. max feeling most faaaaboulous today.


these dogs are awesome.


xoxo
-amanda

Summer Break

on wednesday june 13th at 12pm it will officially be SUMMER VACATION!!!!!!!!!!

so excited for not having to wake up to an alarm clock!!!

but summer break always comes with mixed emotions. every other summer A and i get to travel back to FL usually for a good two week visit with family and friends. this is an off summer so to me it brings a bit of sadness. as much of a pain it is to travel, i do love going "home" and seeing everyone. it's only the 3 of us out here in CA and it can get lonely at times. there's no family to just pop over and visit or they visit us. no big family sunday dinners or holiday dinners. but during our time out here we've created a bit of a "misfit family" of others whose family is also on another coast.

so with no traveling this summer, we've signed A up for a few day camps that should keep her from being too bored and from her and i "killing" each other ;)

the last two weeks of june, A will be joining a few of her friends in a band "camp" (no jokes...they're 10). she'll be learning to play the alto sax and she's pretty excited about it. dad plays the tenor sax so this will give them something even more to bond over. i can't wait to get pictures of them together! it's going to be so cute!!

she's also take a LEGO animation camp where, in a small group, they will be creating the sets, scripts, directing,....everything and making a stop motion movie. she's grown up watching her dad animate on the computer so she's developed a love of animation. this will give her a chance at doing something like dad. they'll be receiving a DVD copy of the movie they make at the end of the week. i can't wait to see what her creative mind comes up with!!

her last camp of the summer is a marine biology camp. all of these camps are put on by our local parks and rec and are really awesome. at this one she'll get to touch a shark's egg, see different smaller sea creatures and learn more about our oceans. all of this will take place in a building here in town, not at an aquarium or the beach, but it should be really interesting for the kids.

as for me and my plans between carting her around......i plan on going to the gym daily, working on some craft projects i've got planned and pinned on Pinterest, working towards my Goodreads book goal and relaxing.

what plans do you have for the summer? any trips? projects? please share! i'd love to hear about them!

xo
amanda

me at the gym?!? heck yeah!!!

i officially joined my local YMCA back in march and have been going pretty consistently since then. especially on tuesdays and thursdays. those are kick boxing days. those are days that i've grown to L.O.V.E.

WHO KNEW!!??! i freaking LOVE this class. it KILLED me in the beginning when i first started going, but now i can last through a whole hour of class without stopping a ton of times. i take water breaks and moments to regain my balance, but other then that.....that whole hour is an hour of constant movement and therapy! it's fun punching and kicking my stresses away! i haven't seen many physical changes yet, tho i am down a pants size and don't have to suck in my tummy when i'm pms-ing, but i know that all my extra fluff didn't come on in a day and it's not going to go away in a day. man i wish it would tho.....but.....sigh. it's not.

on june 1st i signed up for another program that's offered through the Y that sets you up with a routine through the weight machines. with the end of school activities, i haven't been as faithful as i could have been, but this summer will make up for that.

i just bought new workout shoes today and man....are do they feel amazing! they cost me my spleen and a kidney, but i know it'll help eliminate potential issues. i'll let you know how they work after a week.

i'm slowly working up to running. and i will admit here.....anywhere really....I LOATH RUNNING!!! with a passionate fury do i hate running. BUT. i'm going to work up to it. maybe even grow to have a mild distaste for it. who knows? i've come this far in liking the gym and working out that anything is possible.

any advice? tips? routines that have worked for you?

xo
amanda