{Friday 5} Running Songs

...and some random running pictures!

This is my sister, Martha, who organizes our family to run the "turkey trot" every Thanksgiving morning!  This photo is from 2009.

I realized this week that I need new running songs.  Badly.  Mine are just not doing anything for me lately.  Yes, maybe the problem is that I have been listening to the same music for, oh, I don't know... 3 years!!!  I am not kidding.

Despite their "oldness" these are presently my {5} favorite running songs:
1.  Sexy Back- Justin Timberlake
2.  Poker Face- Lady Gaga
3.  Telephone- Lady Gaga
4.  I Gotta Feeling- Black Eyed Peas
5.  I Wanna Go- Britney Spears 

(My shuffle also includes Take Me on the Floor-  Veronicas, more Britney, and some Katy Perry. I just added the Britney Spears in October so those still sound like new to me.)

See a trend?  Or rather, the problem?  So I am trying to come up with some new songs that are totally *now* so I can listen to them for the next three years!  I don't really listen to the radio but last weekend I was on Pandora while I did the taxes (which are now done! thankyouverymuch) and I only wrote down one song that I really wanted to add to my mix.  It was Blow by Ke$ha.  Hey, don't judge.  I don't even know who these people are...I just like to run to the songs!

October 2004
I was SO 8 1/2 months pregnant here!

So DID I get your attention with that photo? Ha!

Please,

I desperately need some fun new songs that make me feel like kicking ass! 

Any suggestions?

Friday {5}:: Awe-inspiring Places I Have Been

I started a new Pinterest board a few weeks ago.  It is called Awesome Places I've Been.  I like to spend my Fridays sharing fun or random bits of info.  Today, it's a bit about me that you otherwise wouldn't learn via me talking about crafts and stuff.

I don't know...it's a way that we might find some commonalities between us!

Various Sources on my Pinterest board.  Click photo to go to board.

Here are {5} (international) places I have been that have made lasting impressions.
For me, this list is more about the "experience" I had from visiting each place that you just cannot get from a picture or staying at a nice resort.

1.  Tahiti
I truly felt like I was on the edge of the earth.  Incredible beauty and an island lifestyle that I found most intriguing.  Heaven on earth!

2.  Thailand
Bangkok was wow.  Chaing Mai was mystical.  But I think what was the best part of the trip was when my friend and I brought food to the monks on the first dawn we were in the country.

3.  Boracay, Philippines
I was young and adventurous.  I traveled with a backpack and no reservations.  It took two planes, a filthy 2-hr van ride, and a outrigger boat ride to get to the island.  There we walked up the beach and chose a hotel that luxuriously offered a/c and running water and we paid extra for hot water.  No phones.  No TV.  It was like $35 a night or something crazy! My friends and I were there for simple relaxation but we left with memories that we can't forget.  Leaving out so many incredible details here...We met a family at a neighboring island.  It was life changing.  It was moving.  Special.  Eventful.  Their children sang to us.  We ate mangoes that were freshly whacked down (with a machete) from their tree in front of their house.  And we were lucky they shared an afternoon of their life with us outsiders.

4.  South Korea
I spent a year here.  It was all an awesome adventure- the food, the smells, the language, the customs!  But what stands out the most is a trip to the DMZ in South Korea (De-Militarized Zone is also the border with North Korea).

5.  The Great Wall of China
Still amazes me that people built that.  With their hands.

Do you have any places you have been that made you FEEL something?  Made you realize how lucky your life is or how small we really are?  Any awesome experiences you have burned into memory?  You know I would LOVE to hear about it!

Friday {5}:: Why I Have the Cleanest Washing Machine

Source:  Whirlpool.com

Maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself here.  But last Friday I had a repairman fix my washing machine (coin stuck in the pump).  He told me-- get this-- that I had the cleanest washer he had ever seen.  Say what?!  He was not talking about the outside either.  He was talking about inside this beast.  He showed me the water that came from the pump and it was perfectly clear.  He just dumped it right back inside the washer!  I guess usually, water plus a bunch of gunk comes out of the pump.  I told him ours wasn't that old and he said he has seen newer ones in worse shape.  And trust me- we have put our machine through the ringer with cloth diapers for just over two full years!  In case you wondered we have been done with diapers since September...first time in 7 years we have no diapers!

So here are my {5} Tips to a Clean Washer:

1. No liquid fabric softener.  The repair guy told me it is just oil and most machines he sees have a huge black ring inside from it
2. Half the laundry detergent.  I learned this from washing cloth diapers!
3. Keep the lid open when not in use so the left over water in the drum can evaporate.  (I have a top loader so it is safe with the kids to do this!) 
4. It doesn't hurt to wipe down the outside every once in a while.  I wipe inside, too, on the top of the drum where it gets dusty/gunky.
5. I have an He machine and he recommended using a washer cleaner, such as Affresh, every six months.  I admittedly have only used that stuff once.  But  am going to use it now that I know how great our machine is.  I want to keep it that way.

Friday {5}:: Wear Red

February is not only the month of "love", but also National Heart Month.

source: American Heart Association

In support of National Heart Month, here is my Friday {5}::
Five (+1) Realistic Ways to Go Red!

Wear Red by craftwhatever from polyvore

1.  Bracelet by Betsey Johnson 2. Hair Ties by Cyndi Bands 3.  Scarf by Modcloth 

4.  Hoodie by Nike 5.  Shoes by Converse 6.  Tank top by Buckle

1.  I can throw a bracelet on with anything.  Everyday.  
2. Because I always have my hair pulled up.  
3.  These scarves can be worn with everything!  
4.  For my gym days.  
5.  Love my "chucks"!  
6.  Instant compliance with Go Red...throw it on under anything.  

{5} Little Crafty Things to make in bulk!

(...gifties that will improve my craft-credibility! Which I need after last weekend.) Did you see my un-crafty gift tags on Monday? ugh.

Which led me to the idea that I need to just make some crafts in bulk. I mean like sitting down on a Friday night, catching up with the week's TV shows, and making about a dozen or two of these things. I can store these items in a small box and have them ready to deploy at a moment's notice!  Because when I try to be crafty and make a last-minute gift, at the last minute, it looks less like cute and mostly like crap. Then I don't look crafty, I look crappy.

{Friday 5} Gifty Things to Make in Bulk

1. Gift Tags.  Here are some free printable polka dot printable tags from hello, Good Gravy. There are a zillion out there. My #1 and #2 go-to sites are Tip Junkie and Living Locurto.  Others I like are:  Solid Tags from Pugly Pixel, Cupcake Tags from Pink Owl Designs, adorable hand drawn tags from Little Paper Dog,

2. Recycled Gift Bows.  This one is from Hope Studios.  More tutorials can be found at New Green Mama, Hope Studios,  and How About Orange


3. Thank you cards and birthday cards.  A couple cute ones here are (3top) Kids thank you note from Positively Splendid, via Somewhat Simple and (3bottom) Thank you card from Sweet Metel Moments.  More you might like:   Aqua or Purple dotted thank yous from Living Locurto, Pink flowered card kit at My Grafico.

4. Gift Add-ons or Favors.  Things like, felt hair bows, trinket keepers, scrabble tile necklace, Bottle Cap Magnets...basically anything you can add to a kid's (or adult's for that matter) birthday present or bring as a hostess gift.  And you can see this idea goes on and on....

5. Fabric flowers and rosettes.  Tons of tutorials (These blogs have some great tutorials:  My Sparkle, Skip to My Lou, Craftaholics Anonymous, My Blonde Ambition, and Mad Mim...to name a few.
Here are my tips to make a rolled flower.

Because the possibilities are endless for what they can be used for!

screen shot:  "fabric flower" Yahoo! Image search

...or even put a flower on the gift itself!

{Friday Five} :: Our Christmas Traditions

I have read a few blogs this week that talked about their Christmas traditions.  This is something that I have really tried to create and stick with the past few years.  My oldest is now seven and he, out of the three kids, will *get* the Christmas traditions the most.  They will stick with him and he will look forward to them next year.  

1.  Appetizers for dinner on Christmas Eve.  

This stemmed from my family attending Christmas Eve(ning) and even midnight mass when I was growing up.  We were always rushing around getting ready for church (with four girls in the house, there was always lots of "getting ready")- which didn't leave much time for dinner.  So we snacked and grazed before mass.  THEN, we would pull everything out again when we got home!

2.  French Toast Casserole for Christmas Day breakfast.

It's one of those assemble-the-night-before-and-refrigerate deals.  Plus, in the morning it has to sit on the counter for 30 min and then bake for almost an hour and then cool.  Plenty of time to open presents before breakfast!

3.  Manicotti for Christmas Day dinner.

I make it ahead of time and put it in the fridge.  Then I pop it in the oven.  Again, easy yet belly-fillling.

4.  My husband reads The Night Before Christmas to the kids on Christmas Eve.

No sooner.  

5.  We spend Christmas here.  

The whole day.  At our home- wherever that may be.  It is fun and cozy and we stay in our jammies most of the day.  Until it is manicotti time.  

Now look at that!  I am getting less grinchy and more excited for December 25th!  My husband will be happy...he is Mr. Christmas around here.

{The Friday 5}:: What I Wish I was making right now

Oh how I wish I had a few hours free to make something.  Anything.  I would prefer to make something for Christmas (obviously)!  Instead, I am drooling over these ideas I found.  Most of them I have already made in my head. 

1.  The most gorgeous Ribbon Wreath, from bhg.com

2.  This darling “Gift Wrap Garland Christmas Tree”, from Sew Woodsy

3.  A burlap Banner, from Story Crafting with Joy.

(I like this so much, I would probably make mine a giant-size!)

4.  Felt Flowers (galore!), from Craftiness is Not Optional

In my mind, I have already made about 4 dozen of these.

5.  Devils Food and Peppermint Ice Cream Sandwiches.

And again, in my head, I have already made these and eaten 3.  

Happy Crafting!  

{The Friday 5}:: Things I am Loving Today

Oh wow, it has been a long week!  My husband gets back in town today (hallelujah!) and boy is he going to be shocked at what a mess the house is!!  He was so, so, so thoughtful before he left- he got the house tidied up, caught me up on all of the laundry, and pulled down the Christmas decorations from the attic so I could, you know, decorate all week.  So funny!  But now, laundry hampers are full and heavy, food crumbs are all over the kitchen floor, half the kids' toys are in the living room.  OH, and I started assembling bunkbeds which were delivered this week and I am only half done.  So maybe only one kid sleeps in a proper bed right now.  Maybe the other two are on mattresses on the floor and I have a half-assembled bed in my foyer area.   

But this morning, I had no time.  Sorry, but yoga class is waaaaay more "important" than scrubbing my house : )   Sometimes I stress about how I can never seem to have my Shtuff together!  But today, I am just laughing it off.  Ahuhhuhuha!   

I wanted to share my "5 Things I am Loving Today" with you:

1.  My new purse.  It's pretty.  I needed a new one.  More grown up.  Less junior high book-bag-looking.  Let's just say that I could have spent way more but I got it at an outlet last Friday.  Finally took her for a spin yesterday.  Felt so special!  

2.  Oatmeal.  I bought every flavor in hopes that my kids would share my craving for a hot bowl on these cooler mornings.  Even found chocolate chip oatmeal.  

3.  Glitter.  The Martha Stewart glitter to be precise.  It's not a new product, just new to me.  Everything I look at, I envision it glittered.  I am making a hit list.  

4.  Almond Milk.  It's not necessarily the milk that love, it's the way I feel since I have switched from cow's milk.

5.  Fleece Pants.  Ok, now you think I am really weird!  I have two pairs and I wish I could wear them everyday!!  One pair is 6yrs old from Campmor the others are Nike.  I think they are supposed to be used for cold weather running or cross country skiing.  I just wear them around the house.  Eating my oatmeal and almond milk.  Wearing my glittered hairclips.  Purse sitting someplace where I can admire it.  Need.more.fleece.pants!

Have a great GREAT weekend! 

{The Friday 5}:: Ironic and True

I am going to start a little blog post on Fridays called "The Friday 5".  Original, I know.

Sometimes during my week I think of ideas to share but then they get lost in my head.  This one came back into my mind this week when some odd things happened that I thought were funny, ironic, or just worth sharing.  

1.  Recently, I got pulled over by the police.  First time in years!  AndI was in my garage.  Yes.  I know!  

2.  I know my purse is big.  But I didn't realize it was that big until I saw a couple of jr. high girls carrying my purse as their book bags!!   geesh.

3.  The "supposedly awesome" coffee pot... that I spend hours  days   ok so much time I am embarrassed to say! researching to make sure I had the best coffee pot fifty bucks could buy!!...bit the dust!  It didn't even last three years.  This time I drove to Target.  Mindlessly grabbed the cheapest one.  And went home.  Coffee tasted the same!  Ahahahahaha!

4.  I made a camera strap cover that also has a pocket to hold my lens cap.  I have been wanting to make this so that I wouldn't lose it.  But, funny, I lost it before I finished the strap cover.  So much for the special pocket for my lens cap.

5.  How can I call myself crafty when I didn't even make one stitch of my kids' Halloween costumes this year!  (or last year for that matter!)  Need to step up my craftiness, like asap!

Have a great weekend.  We are celebrating my son's 7th birthday this weekend!