All Hail Pinterest

Okay, so I fought it for a long time.  My friend, Christi, tried to get me hooked on Pinterest back when I was living in Asheville.  I am not one for social networking and spending more time on the internet than I need.  After we realized what our new life situation would be = in Naples + Ryan working many hours a day, I decided it was time that I find a "hobby" or something to occupy the couple of extra hours per day that I now have.

I am not a crazy Pinterester as I don't spend wild amounts of time pinning things that I will never have time or actual desire to do.  It is a great place to go for ideas and I have enjoyed it.  Here are some things I have pinned and tried.

 When we moved in we sort of added all of these dark spots to the carpet from grease, dirt and moving things up the stairs.  I found a cleaning secret on Pinterest - mix one part ammonia to one part water, spray onto dirty carpet, cover with white towel, iron over top of towel, stain pulls out.  Totally worked, Ryan was impressed.  Sorry I don't have an after picture here...

 Father's Day gift idea for Ryan.  We had a strict $20 budget.  We bought (and returned) the letters from JoAnn's, bought frame from Wal-Mart and printed pictures at Sam's Club and came in under budget!  

These are the kids new favorite cookies.  So simple - strawberry cake mix, 1 egg, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup oil, roll into balls, place on cookie sheet 350 for 11 minutes.  Seriously so easy, so sweet, so good, so gone...  Also experimented with Devil's Food Cake they turned out but I had to up the water and oil to 1/3 cup. 

There are other food items I tried as well but no pictures to back them up.  I have done some puzzles for Elysse's church bag.  It is fun getting ideas and trying new things out.  Thanks Christi!

Hoops

Nathan has had a difficult time this year at school feeling like he fits in.  He wants to but doesn't always know how.  So we started asking him what the other kids do at recess.  He said most of the boys shoot hoops.  We encouraged him to try.  He came home from school one day completely ecstatic.  He couldn't wait to see the pride on my face when he told me he made 19 hoops at school that day.    

 I went out and bought a basketball.

The people we are renting from left the basketball hoop behind as they said it is broken.

Maybe it is broken but works great for us!

I love that he is not afraid to try something new.  He doesn't have perfect form but he is learning.

Apology

Last night was not a good night.  The kids were fighting.  It started as wrestling a bit and then it exploded into something different.  Kids were sent to their rooms and a grouchy night was had by all.

I went into Nathan's room last night to put some things away and we talked for a few minutes. Then Nathan said, "I am sorry I had to call you stupid two times today."

Expressive Art?