21 DAY FIX BANANA BREAD WAFFLES (WITH SPINACH) 2 Jul 2015 2:08 PM (9 years ago)

So, I am apparently obsessed with pancakes and waffles. Maybe because it’s one of the few things I can get my son to eat (autistic kids tend to limit their eating to only a few foods) so I want to make them as healthy as possible. Also, because I am on the 21 Day Fix, I decided to adapt this recipe just a little to find out the appropriate containers to count per serving without compromising the original recipe too much. These waffles are super yummy and as a veggie hater, I promise you will NOT taste the spinach. Even my kids eat them, although when they ask why they are green, I just call them Shrek waffles and move on. So, here we go.

21 DAY FIX BANANA BREAD WAFFLES
(WITH SPINACH)

(Makes 3 waffles)

1 yellow container of Oat Flour (I just grind up oats in the blender and then measure)

1 yellow container of Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp salt

8 oz of milk (I use non-fat buttermilk, but you can use almond or skim milk if you choose)

1 egg

1 ½ green containers of baby spinach

1 ½ very ripe large banana

1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

Heat up your waffle iron. This is a super easy dump it all in and whisk together recipe. As I said, I grind up oats in the blender. They do not have to be blended so much that they are as fine as flour. Just a few seconds is usually enough. After you blend them, measure 1 yellow container of oats and pour in a large bowl. Now add your yellow container of whole wheat flour. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Now, get out your blender again. Add milk of choice, 1 and ½ containers of spinach and your 1 and ½ bananas. Blend until smooth. Add this to dry mixture. Add egg and Tbsp of coconut oil. Whisk together until there are no dry spots. Expect the mixture to be lumpy because of the oats.

Now, make your waffles. It does take these a tad bit longer to cook for some reason, but they are worth the wait. Mine cook in about 85 seconds. Yes, I am a dork. I use the timer on my microwave. I don't trust that little light thingy on my waffle iron.

Serve with 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (I also love with a tsp of peanut butter mixed with syrup) or whatever toppings you desire. Just make sure to count the appropriate containers.

Container Count Per Waffle:

1 Yellow

1/2 Green

1/2 Purple

1 tsp

*If you want more info on the 21 Day Fix or any Beachbody products, email me at tanyamichelle@beachbodycoach.com.

BANANA OAT PANCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER MAPLE SYRUP 25 Jan 2015 3:50 PM (10 years ago)

So, anybody that knows me at all, know that I am obsessed with pancakes. I always have been. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I have. I have, apparently, passed on my love of pancakes to my son, L. He is so very picky so I am always trying to sneak in a little fruit or veggies because sometimes it is literally the only thing he will eat. So, I have been toying with several recipes and came up with these and they are amazing!!!

So, my favorite fruit has always been bananas. I love them. Add a little peanut butter and I am in snack heaven. YUM! So, of course, I had to incorporate both into my pancakes. So, are ya'll ready? Here we go:

BANANA OAT PANCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER MAPLE SYRUP

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 tsp lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 Tbsp honey

2 eggs

1 cup oat flour (I make mine by blending quick oats in the blender or food processor)

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Chopped pecans (optional)

1/8 cup chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the bananas, coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla, honey and eggs and whisk until well combined.

In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Now you may add chocolate chips or nuts if you wish. Very lightly fold them into batter.

Heat your griddle or non-stick pan on low heat.

Pour a small amount of batter (about ¼ cup) onto the pan. You may need to spread just a little with the back of a spoon because batter will be pretty thick. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbles start to form around the edges of the pancake.

Flip it and cook for another 90 seconds or until golden brown on the bottom.

Continue with the remaining batter.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days.

PEANUT BUTTER MAPLE SYRUP

As I said, I love bananas and peanut butter so I take a 3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup and 3 Tbsp of natural peanut butter. Put in a small glass bowl and microwave about 10-15 seconds. Stir until peanut butter is melted into the syrup and pour over pancakes.

They look so yummy!

Sorry. I couldn't help myself. MMMM! So good!

GREEN PANCAKES 26 Jul 2014 7:25 PM (10 years ago)

GREEN PANCAKES

So, some of you may know that my youngest son is autistic and he is completely obsessive about food. The last six months or so, he has been obsessed with pancakes. So, I thought the least I could do was try and make them a little healthier for him to eat. I sort of played around with the ingredients until I finally got a pancake with good texture and that tastes good too. No amount of bribing or begging will make him eat something that doesn't taste good. And since he doesn't eat vegetables, other than green beans, I snuck in some spinach, hence the name Green Pancakes.

GREEN PANCAKES

1 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup oat flour*
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup coconut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
2 eggs
3/4 - 1 cup spinach

* I make my own by blending quick oats in my blender to pulverize.

Directions:

Preheat griddle to around 325 degrees. Stir flours, baking powder, salt and soda together in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, oil and eggs and whisk together. Take about 1 cup of the batter and put in your blender. Add your spinach and blend until smooth. Now stir your spinach mixture into your pancake batter. It should be the consistency of shampoo. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter onto griddle. Turn pancakes when they begin to get dry around the edges. Cook until golden brown on the bottom.

Top with pure maple syrup. Enjoy.

THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE 24 May 2014 3:50 PM (10 years ago)

So, as you know, I've been on a journey towards a healthier me. That means I am staying away from processed foods as much as possible and limiting my sugar intake. That being said, every once in awhile, a girl just needs a little cake. Am I right?

So, a few years ago, one of my favorite cousins, Jamie, brought this cake to my mom's for 4th of July. I fell in love instantly!!! It's so rich and moist and wonderful and peanut buttery. YUM! Anyway, I made it a few months later for a work function and everybody wanted the recipe. In fact, one of our 5th grade teacher has requested it for her birthday the last two years. I love being able to have one piece of my favorite cake and then sharing the rest! BEST CAKE EVER!!!

So, here's the recipe:

PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE

Ingredients

2 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Water
1 cup Peanut Butter
½ cups Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Eggs
1 stick Butter
½ cups Peanut Butter
6 teaspoons Milk
1 pound Powdered Sugar

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, baking soda, flour and salt. Set aside.

Combine butter, water and peanut butter in saucepan and bring to boil. Pour over flour mixture.

Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix.

Pour in large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake at 400F degrees for 20 minutes.

Frosting:

Bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in saucepan. Add one pound of powdered sugar. Pour warmed frosting over cooled cake.
So, just for the record, I do 1 and 1/2 recipes of the icing.

Healthier Banana Oatmeal Muffins 27 Apr 2014 3:28 PM (10 years ago)

So, my little girl is obsessed with muffins. She loves the boxed kind from the grocery store and would eat them constantly if I would let her. I don't let her. Therefore, we have a little tug of war going on constantly. You see, about 11 months ago, I adopted a new healthy lifestyle. I've lost 25 pounds and am very enthusiastic about trying to eat healthy, but it is a battle to get my kids on board with the healthy lifestyle. So, I decided to try to make some healthier muffins. This is my own recipe and to tell the truth, I'm surprised by how well they turned out. Not bad for a first try if I do say so myself. Even my daughter loved them. So, here ya go!

HEALTHIER BANANA OAT MUFFINS

Ingredients:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 whole wheat flour
*1/3 cup ground whole oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soda
Optional: walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, blueberries

* I put whole oats in my shake blender and blended until ground. After they are blended, measure out 1/3 cup.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray. Stir together sugar, honey, egg and banana. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground oats, salt and soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients stirring gently until incorporated. Pour batter into muffin tins - about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on your oven. Enjoy!!

BAKED CINNAMON SUGAR PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT BITES!!! 27 Nov 2013 11:27 AM (11 years ago)

Well, Thanksgiving is almost here and I have surrounded myself with all things pumpkin. I love me some pumpkin!!! I found several recipes for Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins, but some called for crazy ingredients that I would never be able to find at your normal grocery store. Others were full of shortening and stuff I knew I didn't want to put into my body - I've lost 25 pounds now, so I am more cautious about the ingredients I use. So, I combined a few recipes, made a few adjustments of my own and this is what I came up with.

CINNAMON SUGAR PUMPKIN DOUGHNUT BITES

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 Cup Organic Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 Large egg
1 Teaspoon vanilla
3/4 Cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 Cup milk (I used skim)

COATING:

3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin puree and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Spray a 24 cup mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and scoop 1 oz. of batter into each cup. I used a 1 oz. scoop for even distribution. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the donuts are baking, prepare one bowl with the melted butter and a Ziploc bag of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Remove the donuts from the oven and allow to cool just enough to handle. I used a pastry brush to brush the donuts with butter and then drop in the bag of cinnamon and sugar and give a good shake. Take them out and let them cool completely. Try not to eat all of them.

P.S. I am thankful for Jesus, my Hubby and 4 sweet kiddos, the best parents and family ever, Beachbody (which has helped me lose 25 pounds and 23.5 inches) AND two jobs (school and Beachbody) that I absolutely love.

What are you thankful for? I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving with your families!!

Mama Needs a New Pair of Boots 13 Oct 2013 6:05 PM (11 years ago)

So, last year I did this post all about my mid-life style crisis and my love of boots. Shortly after I did that post, I asked Hubby if he would get my some cowboy boots if I lost twenty pounds. Of course, being a country boy at heart, he said yes. I am quite sure he thought he was in no danger of having to buy me said boots. Anyway, this is the pair of boots I originally picked out.

Cute, right? These are Ariat boots.

Well, since I am down 20 pounds, I told Hubby he had to pay up, but it might have to wait until Christmas. So, I decided I needed to try some boots on and see which style I liked on me. I've never had cowboy boots before and I had no idea if they would even be comfortable. I mean, I am willing to suffer for cute boots, but I do have to be able to walk, ya know? So, Hubby and I stopped by Tractor Supply the other morning and since they have boots, I decided to try on a few pairs.

Justin Boots

Swoon! I love the color of the leather!! So gorgeous and they would go with EVERYTHING! I love them with jeans and dresses and skirts.

Sigh. Anyway, I tried them on and looked in the mirror and immediately loved them. So cute.....from the front. When I spun around and looked at the back view......not so cute. I mean, I've lost 20 pounds and two sizes, but my calves looked like a busted can of biscuits spilling out over the back of the boots. Yikes! Seriously? So not cute! So, do y'all have any experience with cowboy boots? I know they come in wide widths, but is that just the boots or is the shaft part wider too for those of us with linebacker calves? Anybody know?

My Weight Loss Journey 18 Sep 2013 4:38 PM (11 years ago)

I am a 42 year old (Gosh, that physically hurts to say/type out loud) follower of Christ. When I met my husband (three kids ago), we were both in pretty good shape. I was active, worked out and we both played volleyball several times a week. I continued to work out and stay active until we got engaged. Then, happiness set in. You know how it is, right? You fall head over heels in love and all you want to do is spend time together. I found this amazing wonderful guy and he could cook y’all. For our first date, he made Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. People, it was the best thing I ever put in my mouth. GRACIOUS! Then there was the homemade Chicken ‘N Dumplings his Nannie taught him to make. The weight was coming quicker than a freight train. By the time I went for my final wedding dress fitting, I had gained five pounds and they had to let my dress out. UGH!

Three months after the wedding, I got pregnant. We were overjoyed when our son was born via c-section (my second, by the way). We were so….fat and happy. Two years later,we had another little boy blessing (3rd c-section) and two years later another blessing, a girl this time (4th c-section). This time, my doctor tied my tubes. He was afraid my uterus would literally explode or fall out of my body all together. So, there I was, a stay at home mom with four little ones. I was overweight and exhausted. I felt bad about myself and had zero self-confidence. So, I took my birthday $ and went straight to a doctor that I knew would write me a prescription for weight loss meds. He did. I joined a gym, took my speed and lost weight, but it didn’t last long. You see, the gym I belonged to, decided they would no longer provide childcare. I didn’t have a babysitter that I could hire just so I could go to the gym. So, I gained it all back.

Fast forward six years and Hubby and I were back where we started. Fat and happy. Let me clarify, happy together, but not happy with ourselves. In fact, I was miserable. I got a part-time job when my youngest started school. I thought it would help me keep busy so I wouldn’t gain weight……it didn’t (probably the huge bag of Kit Kats I kept in my desk drawer – did I mention I’m a chocoholic?). By last Christmas, I weighed as much as I did when I brought my youngest home from the hospital. OH MY GRACIOUS!

For a few months, my sister-in-law had been talking about how she wanted to try Shakeology. I kind of blew it off. You see, I had tried MANY “diet protein meal replacement shakes” before. FAILURE! They didn’t taste good. I was always starving. And did it really do any good to put a Reese’s Cup in my shake to make it taste good, as directed by the “recipes” that came with the shakes? Um, NO! I lost ZERO weight and I was starving, tired and miserable to be around. Being hungry makes me really cranky!

So, my sister-in-law had been on the shakes and doing Insanity for 30 days. All she talked about was these shakes and her workout….all the time. She wasn’t pushy about it but she raved about how good they were. So, when she posted her before and after pic on Facebook, this is what went through my head, “Well, GREAT! I’m used to being the fat sister-in-law, but now she’s not only skinnier, she’s stronger too! This sucks! Looks at her bicep! I hate being the Haus of the family”. So, when Hubby asked if I’d seen her pics I said, “Yes, I’m thinking of ordering”. The rest, as they say, is history.

We’ve been on Shakeology for three months. I never thought I could love a shake so much. It has a full days serving of veggies and fruits (not sure if I mentioned my extreme hatred for veggies). It’s all natural and contains no chemicals (my son has autism so that is a big deal for me). It contains natural anti-inflammatories (did I mention my bad knees) and the best part…….it TOTALLY curbs my cravings for junk food. I haven’t had one piece of chocolate since I started Shakeology. I haven’t even WANTED chocolate or pastries. That in itself is amazing.

We both did the Insanity workout. We LOVE ShaunT and we’ve had amazing results. We are so glad not to have to worry about getting a sitter and going to the gym. We can do it in the living room. We are now doing Shaun T’s new workout, Focus T25, which is 25 minutes a day, which is great since I am working now. We are very excited about it.

We currently have a Challenge Group going on our Facebook page. It is a group of people who are there to encourage each other, share recipes, be accountable for workouts, etc. We have had tremendous results with people in Challenge Groups.

I still have a long way to go, but this is my progress so far. I am down 16 pounds and 16 inches so far in just 2 and a half months.

If you are interested in losing weight, getting healthy and getting fit, feel free to contact me. My fitness page is: www.facebook.com/TNTFit4Life and my website is: www.beachbodycoach.com/TanyaMichelle

Best Salsa EVAH 9 Sep 2013 7:12 AM (11 years ago)

I have had a 20 year obsession with salsa. I love it, which is kind of weird because I hate tomatoes unless they're cooked. Anyway, I remember when my sister was having her first boy/girl party - I am pretty sure it was her 12th or 13th birthday. I insisted that I could make salsa for the party. My mom bought a bunch of tomatoes and onions, etc. and I mixed and tested and mixed and tested, etc. Of course, this was before the internet so I was just winging it. Let me tell you....it was awful! She never let me try to make it again, which was probably a good thing.

Anyway, back to salsa. So, just because I have adopted a new healthy lifestyle does NOT mean that I don't occasionally splurge on the good stuff. Salsa is all veggies, right? It's made of the good stuff. It's the stuff you eat it WITH that isn't always so healthy. BUT, I love it on Chicken Fajitas so that's the way I eat it most of the time. YUM!

We have several teachers at work with great salsa recipes, but this one is THE BEST I have ever eaten. My friend Brenda at work gave me the recipe and now I'm sharing it with you. I LOVE it!

Best Salsa EVAH!

28 oz. diced tomato
15 oz. diced tomato w/ sweet onion (Locally, I get it at Harp's)
1 can Mexican Rotel (w/lime and cilantro)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 fresh jalepeno
about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and lime juice to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend. It is better if you blend and then refrigerate for at least an hour. So good! It will keep about a week in the fridge, or so I've heard. Mine never lasts that long.

That was so easy, right? Hope y'all love it as much as I do!

Vacation 3 Aug 2013 3:01 PM (11 years ago)

Hey y'all! Long time no post, huh? It's been a crazy summer around here. I can't believe it's flown by so fast. I had such big plans for the summer and didn't get most of it done. Time flies when you're having fun, I guess.

So, we went on vacation a few weeks ago, which was awesome. We went with my parents, sister and her kiddos and my brother on vacation to Orange Beach, Alabama. Our condo was right on the beach and was AMAZING! It was bigger than my house. I thought I took pictures of the inside, but I guess I didn't. Here is the view from our balcony.

This is what L did part of the week:

The rest of the week he stayed in the condo and sucked down Dr. Pepper, fussed, and hit and bit whichever one of us was watching him at the time. Suffice it to say we had a hard week with him. Autistic kids do NOT do well when you take them away from their familiar places and routine.

Since Hubby and I couldn't go out to eat with everyone else, because of L, my family decided to stay home one night and let Todd and I go out on a date. We ate at a place called Shipp's Harbour Grill. It was amazing! It was right on the bay and you could watch the boats coming in and out, there was live music and it was wonderful and peaceful!! So thankful for that night. We don't get many dates these days.

E had a great time playing on the beach and in the water. She had a great time boogie boarding with her Granddad.

Catherine and I boogie boarded quite a bit too. What a workout! Gracious my legs were tired.

C in her Mr. Magoo goggles. Do y'all remember Mr. Magoo? Need a visual reminder?

Anyway, the last full day we were at the beach, C was out in the water with her goggles and looking at the fish. My niece started screaming "SHARK!" We had watched the dolphins every mornings from the balcony so I thought for sure that was what she was seeing. I looked up and saw the fin. It wasn't moving up and down like dolphin fins do. It was staying above the water constantly and it was way too close to C, out in the water. I waved my arms, called her name and screamed for her to get out of the water. Finally she heard me and slowly waded out of the water. She was maybe chest deep? The shark kept swimming down the beach as people scrambled out of the water like ants running from the sun beaming through a magnifying glass. We were talking to the other people on the beach and found out that the beach had already been cleared earlier in the day because two sharks had been spotted swimming there. We missed all of that excitement. The rest of the family had gone to lunch and I'm sure L was being too loud for us to hear the sirens on the beach. SCARY moments on the beach!

I hate I didn't take more pictures. My sister had some really cute ones on her phone but mine didn't turn out so hot for some reason. I think I only had on picture of J that turned out and it is pretty far away. I am really glad he missed the shark incident. He talked for MONTHS about being afraid we would get attacked by sharks on vacation.

A few hours before we left, C and my niece K, decided that they wanted to parasail. Granddad and my sister took them while we packed up. They had such a good time.

Overall, it was a great vacation with my family, despite L's bad behavior. So, we thought we'd thank my mom and dad for the great vacation.

Hubby's Healthy Birthday Cake 12 Jul 2013 6:01 AM (11 years ago)

Back in June was my Hubby's birthday. It was just a few days after starting our new healthy lifestyle, but I didn't want him not to have a birthday cake. I mean, I would feel like a total failure of a wife if I didn't make him a birthday cake. He tends to like cakes with fruit in them. His favorite is Lemon Supreme bundt cake, but that is not low fat. So, I was on the hunt for a new cake. I searched through many recipes and finally decided on this recipe.

Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

I tried to cut and paste the recipe, but Skinnytaste's website won't allow it so you'll have to go to her site to get the recipe.

Why is it the blueberries always sink to the bottom? That drives me crazy!!

We opted for one candle instead of 41.

In other FFB news, Hubby and I have been on Shakeology and Insanity for 5 weeks. My Hubby lost 12 pounds and 6 inches in that time. I lost 4 pounds and 4 inches. It doesn't sound like much, but it's progress and it's amazing how much better I feel. I couldn't even do a push up at the beginning of this program, but now I can do at least ten. I feel so much stronger than I did. We have 4 more weeks to go so we'll see how much progress we make in that time.

My New Way Of Life 25 Jun 2013 8:58 AM (11 years ago)

So, have you ever sort of stumbled on something sort of life changing and not even realized what was happening? That is the best way to explain what's going on with me right now. As you know, I've been trying to lose weight. I've struggled with it for YEARS. I mentioned in my last post that I was trying something new. I had no idea what a life changing experience it was going to be. I actually look forward to working out every day. If I have a rest day, I feel a little lost. Weird, right?

So, I thought I would share just a tiny bit of what I'm doing. First of all, this...

I know! I know! It's yet another meal replacement shake. I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I like to actually chew my food. I've NEVER done well with shakes because I don't like to drink my meals. Well, this is truly different. It curbs my cravings like you wouldn't believe. I'm now in my fourth week of Shakeology and haven't had one piece of chocolate since I started. I don't mean that I have had enough self control to stay away from it. I don't mean that I threw out all of the kids Easter candy (Yes, we still have Easter candy). I mean I haven't wanted it at all. CRAZY, right? PLUS, it has more vitamins and minerals than I would EVER get in a day. I feel so much better. AND, best part.....it is sooo good!

I'm also doing this:

Yes, I have lost my mind. Shaun T kicks my butt every day. Now, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you I look like this:

because that would be a big fat lie. Nope. I didn't become some hardbody with unbelievable balance and coordination over the last few weeks. I'm still a dork and I still stop A LOT, but I'm making unbelievable progress. In just three weeks, I've lost an inch in my waist. My clothes fit so much better and I'm seeing more definition in my big fat arms than I've ever seen before.

So, in a nutshell, that's it. I'll let ya know what my results look like after the 60 day mark......I might even post pictures. Don't worry. I will give you some warning first. My before pics are SCARY!!!!

Have a healthy day!

There's Some Fat Chick Living In My Mirror 14 Jun 2013 5:49 PM (11 years ago)

I think when you do something on a daily basis, it becomes something that is just a habit, something you take for granted and don't even pay attention to anymore. Everyday I look in the mirror as I am putting in my contacts, putting on my makeup, etc. I even catch a glimpse as I'm getting in and out of the shower (YIKES!), but I still never really pay attention. This is what I think I look like when I'm not paying attention:

Skinny Me from eons ago (pre four kids)

Then one day, it happened. I went in the bathroom to get something and caught a glance in the mirror. I stopped in my tracks and slowly turned to look again. What in the world? Some chick was there looking back at me. Some chick I don't know. Some fat chick. Who in the world is that fat chick in my mirror? The next few minutes looked a lot like the opening sequence of The Patty Duke Show. I waved my hand and the fat chick waved back. I covered my eyes and peeked through my fingers (hoping the fat chick would disappear) and she peeked through her fingers right back at me. WHAT THE CRAP?!? Where did this fat chick come from?

I know what you're thinking. This seems a little familiar, right? I've talked about dieting and stuff before and I've even lost a few pounds, but I've never been this fat....EVER! Okay, I was this fat twice before, but it was right after coming home from the hospital with a newborn in tow. Never have I gotten this fat just all by myself. GRACIOUS! What usually happens is that I post about being a fatty and go on a diet and when I lose 5-6 pounds, I start doing posts about cinnamon rolls. Well, not this time!

I'm trying something new. I've been on a new plan for about two weeks. My workout is still hard for me but I'm improving a little every day. I haven't been cheating on my diet. I'm sticking with it and even my Hubby is impressed. No sneaking Kit-Kats for two weeks people and I don't even miss them.

We have a beach trip planned for the end of July so I have to lose some of this fat by then. Why? Well, I haven't had a new swimsuit in several years and I need a new one. I've been searching high and low for a cute swimsuit with an underwire because "the girls" aren't what they used to be, but that's an entirely different post. If you search for underwire swimsuits, this is what you get:

Ummmm, no. I refuse to wear a swimdress.

Hmmmm, not with my current figure.

So, I'm on a mission. I ready to kick the fat chick out of my mirror. Mama needs a new swimsuit. I'll let ya know how it goes.

Spring Activities 3 Jun 2013 8:07 AM (11 years ago)

I can't believe it's summer again. Well, it is for the kids anyway. I still have a few days left of work. It's been busy around here. There has been so much going on the last few months. For instance,

J and I went to the Mother Son Dance at school. He was way more excited about the nachos, popcorn and Sprite than the actual dancing.

E's class had Pioneer Day. The dress was one I made for my niece several years ago for a play. Being the fabric hoarder that I am, I still had enough fabric to make the bonnet to match. Her class made homemade butter and johnnie cakes and square danced in class. E was a little upset with me because she wanted to be a pioneer kid and only pioneer ma's dresses went all the way to the floor. Oh well. She got over it and had a fun day anyway.

We had a great Mother's Day at my mom's house. It was even better because of our personal chefs.

Hubby and My Brother (our personal chefs)

Hubby surprised Eden and I with tickets to Disney on Ice. It was so much fun. We had a blast!

Last week my J graduated from 5th grade. On to middle school next year. I must say I am a ~~little~~ quite nervous about middle school.

My girls at recital.

So, what's been going on with y'all? Can't wait to read up and find out.

What I've Been Up To 24 Feb 2013 4:04 PM (12 years ago)

So, it's been awhile. A loooooong while. Six. Months. That is waaaaay toooo loooong! I have missed my bloggy peeps so much, but it seems every single time I sit down to write a post, something comes up and I have to stop writing. I am only supposed to work four hours a day, but between subbing for other teachers in the afternoon, PTO meetings and household errands, it's really hard to sit down and get to write. So, here it goes.

Wanna know what I've been up to for the last few months? I would love to tell you about my tour through Italy and other exciting adventures, but when I look back to the last six months, not much has happened but everyday stuff. So, here is my very exciting look back.

In September, my oldest baby, "C", turned 15. We celebrated with pie.

We also had new puppies, only two this time.

Bella went to a sweet family in Texas.

This is Jake. He stayed with us.

In November, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with some of our cousins from Texas. We haven't gotten together for years so it was a blast to see them. These three little cousins had a blast together.

On Christmas Day, we had record snowfall in Arkansas. It was the first white Christmas in 80 years. We got a total of 9 inches at my house.

In January, I turned 42. No pictures necessary. I'm trying to forget it happened.

February has been a pretty good month. Hubby and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. What did we do? Not a durn thing. We didn't go out to eat. We didn't have a date. E had dance and I think we ate leftovers. My life is so exciting. For Valentine's Day my sweet Hubby gave me my favorite chocolate truffles. YUM! I made him his favorite cake. Again, no going out on a date. ugh! I need a nanny. Wanna know who DID have a date with my Hubby?

E and Hubby at the Father Daughter Dance

Last but not least, the 1st grade at school has been reading and studying The Wizard of Oz. On Friday, they had a Wizard of Oz parade at school E, of course, insisted on being Dorothy.

The Dorothy with her face showing is E. The other Dorothys were adorable too, but I didn't have permission to print their pictures.

So, that's pretty much the last six months in a nutshell. It doesn't sound like I've been busy at all, does it? Oh well. Hopefully things will be slowing down soon and I can get back to blogging on a more regular basis. I can't wait to catch up with everybody!

Chicken Fried Steak is my CRACK! 28 Aug 2012 7:39 PM (12 years ago)

So, let's take a walk back in time, shall we? Let's go back to say....1991. I was in college and working two jobs, one of which was waitressing. Those of you who know me IRL are dying laughing right now. Let's just say that I am a bit of a klutz. It's part of my charm. There were some broken dishes that year. Nuff said. Anyway, I was a waitress. A very good friend of mine, Steve, was a ~~chef~~ cook in the restaurant where I worked. After months of begging and pleading for him to cook the same chicken fried steak dinner for me several times a ~~week~~ month, he taught me to make it myself. Yes, he was sick of cooking for me, but boy am I glad he was willing to teach me. To this day, it was one of my favorite things to eat. It's addictive people! I've got the backside to prove it.

I USED to go to Cracker Barrell or Dixie Cafe to get my CFS fix, but every single restaurant around here that used to serve homemade CFS, has switched to frozen CFS, like the kind the school cafeteria served in 4th grade. Let me tell you, it's just NOT the same as homemade!

So, you ready to learn how to make AWESOME Chicken Fried Steak???? Get out your aprons people. We're gonna get messy.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

Ingredients:

Cube Steak
Pepper
Seasoned Salt (I use McCormick)
All Purpose Flour
3 - 4 eggs
Milk
Oil (I use canola)

Start with your cube steak. It's been tenderized. Sometimes if you talk real sweet to your butcher, they will run it through the tenderizer a few extra times.

Obviously, I did NOT talk to sweet to my butcher. I just bought it out of the meat cooler thingee at Wal-Mart.

Sprinkle your meat with Seasoned Salt and Pepper - the more of each, the more spicy it will be. Set aside.

Pour oil into a large frying pan and turn on Medium High Heat. The oil should be about 1/2" to 3/4" deep.

In a shallow dish or bowl (I use a pie plate), put about 3 cups of flour in a shallow dish. Add about 1 tsp of Seasoned Salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper and mix well (go ahead and use your hands - CFS is not fancy food). In another shallow dish or bowl, beat your eggs and milk. You ready to get your hands dirty?

You will know your oil is ready when you drop a drop of water into the oil and it sizzles. Do it carefully though because it will pop you. Also, I recommend wearing an apron or an old shirt. I have RUINED shirts by getting oil popped on them and washing without noticing the stain.

Okay. Now that your oil is ready, dredge your already seasoned meat into the flour to "set" the seasoning (so it doesn't wash off in the egg mixture).

Now dip in the egg mixture.

And back into the flour mixture again.

Then back into the egg and into the flour again. Yes, I am a double dipper.

Now, drop it into your oil.

Told you we were gonna get messy.

Cook your steak until golden brown (5-7 minutes) and then carefully flip with a fork.

When both sides are golden brown remove to a wire rack to cool.

OH MY GRACIOUS! I am sorry but that is just pretty! Now, make some mashed potatoes and a veggie and you are good to go. BUT, you really need gravy too, right? I CANNOT eat chicken fried steak without gravy, can you? Fortunately, I also have the secret for the best gravy I've ever tasted. Wanna know my secret?

That's right people. I love me some Pioneer Gravy. MMMM! Now, don't get me wrong. I can make gravy for roast or sausage gravy, but my cream gravy never turns out as good as Pioneer. It rocks!

It just doesn't get any prettier than that, does it? YUM! My mouth is watering just looking at that picture. Gracious! Sure do wish I had some leftovers.

Now, for those who did not follow my apron advice and you got grease on your shirt, be sure to scrub with some Dawn and water before you wash it. It works for me.

First Day of School 21 Aug 2012 4:41 PM (12 years ago)

Monday was our first day of school. We were all very excited about our new year. What an adventure it will be, we thought as we drifted off into dreamland. L must have been VERY excited. I am quite sure he wanted to make sure everyone was ready on time so he decided to wake us all up at 3:30 Monday morning. Wasn't that nice and considerate of him? I thought so. I especially loved it when he went back to sleep at 5:00 and I had to get in the shower and get ready while he got another hour of sleep. GRRRRRRR!

Anyway, we got ready and had a healthy breakfast of honeybuns and boxed muffins - did I mention that I'm a working woman now and the cooking a big breakfast the first day of school is OVAH! I hate to sound like a bad mother, but I would hate to go to school smelling like bacon all day, not to mention that my butt is big enough without bacon.

So, one of our longtime traditions in the FFB household, is the First Day of School Pics. The kids are always so excited to get their pictures taken. They can't wait to get dressed, get their hair done and hold the scrapbook paper chalkboard look-a-like signs I make. Really! It's the highlight of their first day. Want proof?

Look at that sweet smiling face. Sweet Little E. She couldn't wait to wear her new dress. The shoes don't exatly (ahem) match. I am aware and I apologize profusely. She refused to change.

Even my little sleep deprived L said "cheese" for me.

Can you see the excitement in C's eyes? Okay, so maybe that isn't excitement, but more of a smile in front of my gritted teeth while thinking, "Hurry up and snap the durn picture, Mom!"

Well, what can I say about J? He didn't even bother to fake his excitement. Oh well!

I, of course, had to make something cute for my teachers. Nothing like a little ~~bribery~~ gift with no strings attached on the first day, right? I mean, these teachers are ~~taking these little stinkers off my hands for 8 hours a day~~ shaping their sweet little minds, right? They deserve a little treat. They deserve more than a little treat, but I'm a poor girl so I worked with what I could.

Cute, right? Sorry about the awful picture. It's caramel sauce on the bottom and an apple and my little tag. Our theme at school this year is "All American Readers" so I went with the red, white and blue theme. No, I didn't think of it all by myself. Y'all know I totally copied. It actually came from Kelli at Random Thoughts of a Supermom. Thanks Kelli!!!! My teacher's loved it!!!

So, all in all the kids had a great first day of school. The ride home.....not so much. L had a total autistic meltdown. SO. NOT. GOOD!!! I think it had something to do with waking up at 3:30 a.m. but that's just me. Today, however, was wonderful at school and on the way home. WOO HOO!

Later bloggy peeps. Gotta go bathe the stinky P.E. kids and get them to bed. Hope to catch up with y'all soon.

Last Weekend of Summer! 18 Aug 2012 6:34 AM (12 years ago)

What's up bloggy peeps? It's been awhile, huh? I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. Time flies when you're having fun. Actually, time flies when you're crazy busy. That's what the quote SHOULD say. So, what have I been up to?

This is the girls canoeing at the lake. We were there last weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday.

Don't kill me mom. My sister made her cake. It was Butter Pecan and it was fantastic!

The cousins sure did have a good time together.

The other reason I've been so busy is because I got a job. After ten years of being a stay at home mom, I have returned to the work force. I substituted at our elementary school last year and now I've been hired to work part-time in the office. It's been a little crazy. Last time I worked, I only had two kids. There has been a lot of sandwich eating at my house the last few weeks. And clean clothes have been the exception rather than the rule. But, I think I'm finally in the swing of things and regular meals and clean clothes are the norm again. The first day of school is next week and I'm ready to get this party started! Woo hoo! It's gonna be an adventure.

So, since I got a job for the first time in forever, I had to get new clothes. You see, I couldn't wear gym shorts and a tank top to work. My sweet mom took me shopping and got me some cute stuff. Thanks mom!!! The bad thing is that I had to buy a bigger size than I used to. My gym wardrobe (not that I've actually BEEN to the gym) that I've worn all summer had elastic or drawstring waist. I didn't even realize that I'd gained a few pounds, on top of the 20 I already need to lose. UGH! So, I decided I would break down and buy this:

Body by Vi shake mix. There are TONS of shake recipes on Pinterest. I'll start it for real on Monday. Maybe between the shakes and Livestrong, I can lose some of this fat by fall wardrobe time. I'll let ya know how it's going.

I'm looking forward to catching up on all of your blogs. Have a fabulous wonderful weekend!!

Bibs, Burpies and Buntings 1 Aug 2012 5:56 AM (12 years ago)

As I mentioned a few days ago, I had a really busy week last week. I haven't been sewing much lately, but when a good friend of mine, who just happens to be one of my very favorite clients, needed a few things for her new bundle of joy, I was more than happy to oblige. We discussed fabric options, she picked her favorites and I got to work. This is what we came up with.

Most of the bib and burpies and onesie sets I do have initials of some sort on them. This particular client puts initials on everything, which I love, but with two sets with initials, we were looking for something different for the third set. We thought about doing a flower or some other cute applique, but then I remembered the bunting. I have been meaning to make E a bunting shirt since April and I just haven't gotten around to it (I would win the gold medal for procrastination). I need to get on that very, very soon. Just three weeks until school starts, ya know?

This is the final product. Wanna closer look?

Isn't that sweet? It reminds me of a summer party and drinking strawberry lemonade and watching kids run around the maypole.

Photo Credit

I know, I know, the maypole has nothing to do with a birthday party, but that's what I think of anyway.

Today I am partying here:

Wow Me Wednesday @ Gingersnap Crafts
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts

Busy, Busy Summer 30 Jul 2012 6:24 AM (12 years ago)

Hello friends. How have y'all been? Busy? Me too. Wanna see what I've been up to?

Isn't this Paris Cafe amazing? It's so romantic. I've been really busy around here so I've been actively dreaming about escaping there with my Hubby. Of course, at this very moment in time, I can't even afford to drive to Dallas and do some school shopping much less hop a jet to Paris, so actively dreaming will have to do for now. I'm living vicariously through all of those episodes of House Hunters International on HGTV. That's probably as close to international travel as I'll ever get.

In my non-dreaming real life I've been busy too. Hubby's grandmother, Nannie, and Aunt were here for a week so we were busy visiting with them. We played dominos and ate some wonderful meals, including brunch at Mimi's Cafe, which sparked the whole Paris cafe daydream. Their cinammon brioche french toast was amazing!!!

Nannie brought fresh purple hull peas from Texas. I was so excited!! We haven't had enough rain around here so nobody has had fresh peas. You see, I have very fond memories of shelling peas when I was growing up. I would shell peas with my mom. We also shelled peas at my Aunt Nell's house growing up. I remember sitting in her living room in the middle of the day shelling peas while she and my great grandmother watched General Hospital. So, I thought it was time E learned to shell peas too.

She is such a good helper. She did her fair share and loved helping. She wasn't quite as excited as I was about the purple fingers that come from shelling peas. I, on the other hand, loved it.

In other household news, E lost her first tooth.

Then two days later, she lost another one. I mean, couldn't she have waited until payday? Durn! She was so excited that the tooth fairy visited. She emptied her sad little piggy bank out on her bed to count all of her money. She asked me how much a video game would cost. I noticed that when I told her $30, she started counting her teeth in her mouth. I quickly informed her that all the teeth in her head wouldn't buy a video game and she'd be stuck eating mashed potatoes for the next three years until all her teeth came back in. Crazy kid!

I've also been REALLY busy sewing. I had several orders to fill last week and I finally got some stuff done for the girls room. I need to order some more fabric, but it's still No Buy July. Not even to mention that I have school supplies, new shoes and clothes to buy. Thank God my mom is helping out or I might have to sell a kidney. Durn! Kids are expensive!

Speaking of school, it starts in three weeks. Wow! That is just right around the corner. I've got so much to do around here before then. I better get started.

Have a great day!

I Blame Michael Kors! 13 Jul 2012 9:34 AM (12 years ago)

Okay, so here's the deal. Growing up, I always carried a plain, boring black or brown purse in the winter and maybe a white one in the summer. Did you feel yourself cringe a little when I said white purse? I just gave myself the heebie jeebies. Yeah, it looked something like this

This is vintage, via etsy

So. not. good. Anyway, the last few years, I've been obsessed with color. For my 38th birthday, my sweet Hubby bought me the most wonderful purse I've ever had in my life. It wasn't expensive, but it was so pretty. It was bright turquoise patent leather (fake, I'm sure) and had silver hardware. I LOVED that purse. It was so fantastic that I had people stopping me at Wal-Mart to ask where I got it. My neighbor from across the street told me whe would be hunting me down to steal it. Needless to say, it was fabulous. Sadly, after a few months, the ring that held the strap ripped the fabric. Why? Hubby says it's because I keep too much useless crap in my purse, or as he calls it, my "mailbag". Yes, I have been known to ~~always~~ occasionally put the mail in my purse when I have my hands full unloading all of the kids and their junk from the car. I might even admit to finding mail from ~~six months~~ a few weeks ago inside my purse. There also might be a few trains, a few ~~hundred~~ wadded up Kleenex, fruit snacks, ~~a dried out donut from two months ago when I drove through Shipley's on the way to work~~ and a few ~~thousand~~ pens that I ~~totally stole~~ picked up at the bank drive through. So, yes, my purse is full of crap and gets a little abused. So maybe it was my fault that it broke. HATE that!

Anyway, for the last year and a half, I've been carrying a really cute purple ~~fake~~ crocodile purse my mom got me from Target. It was really cute when I got it. Now, not so much. The straps are faded and it's really looking worn, but it's lasted really well considering the abuse. The thing is, I'm really picky about purses. I want color and some hardware, but not so much that I look like a biker chick.

Gucci

Um.......no. I don't do fringe. Besides, it looks like it's made out of a lemon. So. not. me. As I've bcome more and more ~~obsessed~~ familiar with Pinterest, I've started noticing more and more designer handbags. The first one that REALLY caught my attention was this one.

So, here's the deal. I know that it's just brown, but it is the perfect shade of brown. It has that worn out boots cause you love them so much that you wear them everyday kind of look. I love that color. It's got the perfect amount of hardware. Sigh. So, this is the bag that started the obsession. Then I saw this

Michael Kors - have I mentioned that I love orange?

Michael Kors - love that color

Okay, so this one is actually Kate Spade, but look at that color! Gorgeous! Love it! So, there you go. Not that it matters. You see, I'm joining my friend Debbie in the No Buy July Adventure. Why? Substitute teachers don't get paid in the summer. Therefore, it's strictly the basics around here. Unfortunately, a gorgeous handbag is NOT a necessity. Oh, well. Guess I'll have to settle for just dreaming about me carrying a gorgeous handbag. Also, in this dream, I'm skinny and wearing something like this

My Polyvore on Pinterest

Sigh! Have a good weekend folks.

Arkansas Pride 12 Jul 2012 8:37 AM (12 years ago)

So, y'all know I'm from Arkansas, right? I've spent most of my life living in Arkansas and I have to tell you that we have a little Arkansas pride thing going on here. I love my Razorback football. I am proud of things that are made in my state or are made to represent my state. Here are a few examples of what I mean:

Get it here

Get it here.

Cute, right? So, when I saw that my friend Amanda @ My Heart's Desire was having a giveaway for an adorable Arkansas pillow, I just had to enter. You see, Amanda is an Arkansas girl too. Even though we've never met IRL, she and my SIL have a mutual friend in another state so we might as well be family.

Amanda, just happens to be the Featured Blogger, Miss July 2012, on the Arkansas Women's Blogger blog. Check out Miss July here. So, anyway, Amanda's giveaway was sponsered by a new boutique in Russellville, AR called Lavish. You can also find them on Facebook.

From Lavish's Facebook page

Love the turquoise school desk/chair thingee. And the turquoise cuff bracelet! And the coasters! Such cute stuff!!! Anyway, wanna see my pillow?

Isn't it adorable??? Love it! Thanks so much, Amanda!!

Crazy Summer Days 11 Jul 2012 8:13 AM (12 years ago)

So, it's been a whirlwind of crazy in the FFB household. CRAZY! Y'all know that I'm a homebody, right? I mean, I could hang out in my jammies at the house for two to three days without getting going out and I'm okay with that. No, actually, I'm GREAT with that. Okay, so maybe some of that is due to the fact that I have four kids that I do NOT want to take anywhere, and they're at home right now, but either way, I'm a homebody.

Anyway, because my dog is "in season" (that's breeder lingo) right now, we had to take a flying trip to Houston to leave her with her new boyfriend.

Aren't they pretty? Gonna have some pretty puppies! Anyway, Houston is about 8 hours from my house. Friday before last, we took her to Houston, spent the night and dropped her off with her boyfriend. We left her for a week and went back to get her. We left about 4:30 a.m., went to Houston, spent about 10 minutes picking Emme up and drove the 8 hours back home. Now, sixteen hours straight in the car when you are going to Disneyworld or the beach is not a bad thing. BUT, sixteen hours straight, in the car to pick up a dog......really? These BETTER be some gorgeous puppies! I am so glad to have my dog back though. I was in danger of forgetting how to go the bathroom without her following behind me. Thank goodness the kids were still home so I didn't ~~get~~ have to go all by myself. Also, I am soooo glad my awesome SIL kept my kids for both trips. Otherwise, Hubby would've had to drop me off at the crazy house on the way back home.

Anyway, like I said, crazy week. We also took two trips to the lake in between the Houston trips.

My daredevil niece and nephew (K&M) and J on the tube.

Sweet face

Baby H, the newest of the "favorite cousins". Love her bikini!

So, needless to say, I needed a few days of recovery time at home. Now, I'm semi-rested and back to normal. I've got several projects I've got to get finished and a big consignment sale to get ready for. Busy. Busy.

Have a great day!

My Midlife Style Crisis 5 Jul 2012 11:05 AM (12 years ago)

So, it seems that I am having a bit of a mid-life style crisis. You see, when I was a teenager, I was all about fashion. I would pour over the pages of Seventeen's fashion pages. I actually had this issue.

I loved clothes. Y'all know I love polka dots, right? So, one of my favorite outfits was an Esprit polka dot duster coat with solid cigarette pants in red. I loved that outfit. I also had a great pair of Guess jeans that were a marbled pink and blue that I wore constantly my senior year of high school. When I finally wore them out and holes started wearing through, I wore my pink thermals under them. I love those jeans. Then there was the red plaid Esprit top and pants with the wide white belt. And the blue and white tie die outfit. I guess my point is, I was a little shy, but I did take a few fashion risks. I liked pattern and color. Oh, how I love the 80's.

Anyway, as I got older, had kids, and got fatter, my fashion style changed to comfortable mommy clothes. If I am at home, I am in shorts or yoga pants (not that I've been doing any yoga, mind you) and a tee shirt. If I am working at school, I am still in jeans, but generally in a cute top and shoes or boots. This year, I need more options. I need to get away from always wearing jeans. I need some super cute dresses. Lately, I'm like a teenager again. I WANT clothes. I miss being cute. I'm tired of being frumpy.

I've been kind of drawn to a boho cowgirl chic style the past few months. Ya know what I mean? Did you happen to watch Bachelorette Monday night? Emily had on the CUTEST dress on her date with Jef Holm. There is a video below. You only have to watch the first 30 seconds to see the dress. So cute with the boots! Love it!

Let me just say as long as we're talking Bachelorette, that I adore Jef. So cute!

Anyway, I also love this:

Anthropologie

and

Gypsyville

Okay, so on the last one I'm not completely crazy about the belt. I don't do fringe. I'm not cool enough to pull that off. Love her hair too. If mine would do that, I'd totally cut mine off.

Y'all know I love me some boots, right? I have several pairs, but no cowboy boots. I'm dying for cowboy boots. Especially some like these.

Alexis Nicole Photography

Brown and turquoise Ariat boots!!! Gorgeous! Love them! Brown and turquoise!!! Love!! If only I had $170 just lying around. Thou shalt not covet. Thou shalt not covet. Thou shalt not covet.

Shopbop

Calypso

You get the idea, right? Ya know the BEST thing about those boots? They would fit now and if I lost a few pounds, they would still fit. Gotta love that!

So, how about you? What trend has captured your imagination lately? Are you a boho cowgirl kind of girl?

Master Bedroom Oasis or Dorm Room? 3 Jul 2012 2:15 PM (12 years ago)

So, last week I mentioned finding a bed at Goodwill that I REALLY wanted. Well, when we got back to check, it was gone. Of course. UGH! So, I'm still hunting for a bed. I've been looking off and on for several years, but maybe luck is just around the corner. I don't necessarily want a bed, but maybe a headboard of sorts. I really like the idea of using a door, but I haven't found one of those either.

Better Homes and Garden

Isn't that neat with the little side table built on? So cute!

I love the green!! From Jane Cosick Designs

I could even go for shutters used as a headboard.

the old painted cottage

hgtv

We had a ~~ugly~~ lovely hand me down brass headboard that looked a lot like this:

Unfortunately, I got rid of it BEFORE I discovered my love for spray paint. I hate it too because if I had painted it, it would have looked very similar to this one.

Pottery Barn

Oh well. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. The thing is, I feel a little like a college student without a headboard. I mean, grown-ups have headboards, right? I feel like I'm living in a college dorm with the beds pushed together. The only thing I'm missing is the blacklight, the collection of fraternity party t-shirts and the mini-fridge. So, in other words, I need a headboard. I am too old to be living dorm style.

So, what about you? Is your bedroom the last thing to decorate in your house and therefore full of hand me downs like mine? OR, are you a real grown up with a real grown up master bedroom space?

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