New Job = change

I have been struggling with change over the last several weeks.  I worked in the same position for 6 1/2 years and then I recently changed.  I changed agencies and duties so drastically that I have felt as though I am afloat.  I've lied to myself for years and said, "I love change!"  But I don't.  I actually broke down crying my first week at the new job.  I was certain I had made a giant mistake and what in the world was I going to do about it.

Fast forward three weeks later, and I am finally settling in.  I think I'm going to love this job.  I love the people, I love where I sit, and I love the much shorter commute I now have.  There is far less stress with my new job, and I'm grateful to have this amazing opportunity to change.

This is My Friend, Dede, and She's Amazing!

This is my face. See my laugh lines? I've earned them from a life time of smiling. They're made up of bad jokes (Why won't cannibals eat clowns? Because they taste funny!), inappropriate comments, shows like "The Office" and "Saturday Night Live" with my family, (Remember the bass-o-matic?) Adam Sandler movies with my friends, watching Quinn & Spencer dance to the theme song from 'Olivia', pretty much anything Quinn says, watching Spencer run and a billion other funny things that I've been lucky enough to be a part of. 

See these crows feet? Those are from six hundred times I've forgotten my sunglasses and I've had to squint into the sun at the beach as the salty breeze cools my face and the waves curl into the shore. They come from hours spent pushing a swing in the summer sun at the playground and helping construct elaborate road systems and monster truck tracks with bright yellow trucks in the driveway, walks on the waterfront while we stop to examine every storm drain, funky looking bug and to smell every summer bloom. 

See these freckles? Those were hard earned with long teen-aged summer afternoons, lazing on a lawn chair with Sun-in in my hair, discussing the various boys in our class or an upcoming teen dance at Happy Wheels. And before that, the dawn-til-dusk games of hide & seek or red rover, punctuated by pulling weeds in the garden or fishing for perch and pickerel with my father on Brewer lake. Or more recently, standing vigil over my littles at the town pool, always ready, watching for the slightest sign of distress. 

See those bags under my eyes? Those I got from countless hours of rocking babies (and not so babies anymore) in the middle of the night, the sweet baby breath tickling the small hairs on my neck while I chased bad dreams away, soothed earaches or fevers or just a sad little "Rock, Mommy?" (I'm always a sucker for that one). Before babies the bags were from dancing all night or staying up until dawn talking with Chris, wishing for a few extra hours before the sun painted the sky with its brilliant announcement of daytime. Or sometimes, a book I just couldn't put down. 

See my little double chin? That's from carrying two healthy boys to term in my forties while battling cravings for buffalo chicken and salted caramel anything. It's from years of birthday cakes, ice cream walks and cookouts. It's from my weakness for dark chocolate and my love of baking.
This is my face. I was born with it. I've earned it. No Botox or collagen can improve it so please stop telling me that it will.

Everyone who knows Dede tells her she should be writing a blog.  Don't you think she should?!

Middle Aged

I've had another birthday.  We all have birthdays, don't we?  But I dread my birthday every year because I have these expectations that never seem to be met.  I want my day to be special, but it never quite lives up to my idea of special.  I understand that people have to ask for what they want; unfortunately, asking to be treated special is not the same as just being treated special.  Does that make sense?  If I have to ask for it, then am I being treated in a special way?  I want people to WANT to do things for my on my birthday.  I want to be so well loved and appreciated that my family and friends just fall all over themselves to treat me super duper all day - and maybe even the day before and the day after.

I know how ridiculous this sounds.  Everyone is busy in their lives and no one has the time or the energy to devote to little ol' me.  But I can still want it.  And I never truly get it.  Why?  Because I don't ask for it, of course.  So it's a cycle of me wanting things a certain way but not asking for those things.  If I were to ask for what I want, it wouldn't feel special though because people would only be doing it because I asked for it.  See, a cycle.

Upon reflection, my favorite birthdays have been when I gave up on my expectations and planned my own day and told my family what we were going to do for my birthday.  So why didn't I do that this year?  I don't know.  Maybe I wanted to feel a little depressed.  Maybe I wanted to see if someone would step up and meet my secret expectations this year.  What I have learned is that I'm not happy on my birthday when I do this - so next year I'm taking control again and doing whatever the heck I want to do on my birthday.  Lesson learned:  my happiness is in my own control and no one else's.

I'm Back!

Good morning, Folks!

I haven't been on here in a while, but I'm back!  Things at my house are settling back down again after the holidays, after the birth of my granddaughter, and after me changing jobs.

I love my new job.  I do something different every day, and I like that.  I'm still working for the State of Maine, but now I'm the new office manager for the Ellsworth and the Machias DHHS.  What do I do in a day?  It's actually hard to explain because I'm constantly doing something different.  I love it though!

Monster Pants!

Recently, a friend posted on Facebook that she would like to have someone make these for her son.  

Aren't they adorable?!

Well, I found my own pattern here and made my own.

I think they came out great!

Blogger Idol

I want to be a Blogger Idol!  What's a Blogger Idol you say?  Well, here's the description from their website.

You've been eyeing the prizes, kissing up to the judges, and now... It's GO TIME! Auditions are open for Blogger Idol 2012!

It doesn't matter how big your blog is. It doesn't matter how old your blog is. The only thing that matters is that you can entertain us. We've got a scoring system in place that ensures that this is not a popularity contest, so it doesn't matter how many fans you have. For all the details on how to audition, check out the Try Out page.

Auditions will close at 11:59 PM CST on Monday, September 17, 2012, and the Top 12 will be announced on September 20, 2012. You can find the full schedule here.

Are you going to audition? If you aren't going to audition, who are you rooting for? If you know a blogger that deserves the title of Blogger Idol, send them over here!

The prizes are pretty cool, but I'm more interested in the challenge and in getting my blog's name out there a little more.  These are the prizes:

Blogger Idol 2012 Prizes:

Grand Prize:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition

7" WSVGA TFT screen

With a 1024 x 600 resolution to showcase movies and games.

8GB on-board memory

Offers spacious storage

VGA front-facing camera

Rear-facing 3.0MP camera 

Digital media card reader

Bluetooth 3.0

USB 2.0 port

Keyboard dock

For more info, check out the stats here.

This awesome prize is courtesy of our sponsors!

Blog2Print

Have you ever wished you could turn your blog into a book? Now you can! Blog2Print enables you to upload your blog to their site, and customize it to turn it into a book that you can have sitting right on your coffee table! Winner will receive a $150 voucher.

First Runner Up:

Ghirardelli Chocolate

Ghirardelli Chocolate... does it get any better? Winner will receive the All About Ghirardelli® Gift BasketAn abundant presentation of Ghirardelli® gifts including:

• 1lb bag of Whole Bean Ghirardelli® Coffee

• 1 box of Masterpiece Truffles (4.3oz)

• 3 boxes of assorted SQUARES™ chocolates

• 1 Caramel Collection Gift Box (6.38oz)

• 1 San Francisco Skyline Chocolate-Covered Assortment Gift Tin

• 1 Hot Cocoa Gift Pouch (3 pack)

• 1 Heritage Gift Tin filled with 5 Intense Dark™ bars

• 1 box of Intense Dark™ and Sublime White™ chocolates

• 1 Heritage Drinking Chocolate Gift Tin

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium Edition

Have you ever wanted to write a blog post without having to type it all up? With Dragon, users say words and they appear on the computer screen -- three times faster than typing -- with up to 99% accuracy right out of the box. You can even personalize Dragon with custom word lists and formatting preferences. Dragon gets more accurate over time as it learns your word choices and writing style. Read more HERE.

Newman's Own Organics

Newman's Own Organics goes beyond snack foods. When Nell Newman and business partner Peter Meehan started Newman’s Own® Organics: The Second Generation® in 1993, they were sure there was a market for organic snack foods, but they couldn’t have anticipated just how fast the demand for their products would grow. What started with pretzels and grew to include other snack foods has now expanded to many other organic items: coffee, tea, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, organic dried fruit, and pet food. Prize package includes four items of winner's choice.

Second Runner Up:

DaVinci Gourmet

At DaVinci Gourmet®, flavor is what they do best. For more than a decade they have been making your coffee more flavorful, making your mochas creamier, sweetening your favorite desserts and tempting you with their gourmet confections. Their family of delectable gourmet products lets you experience how flavorful life can be. Prize package includes a variety of DaVinci Gourmet Syrups, valued at $75.

Sogno Coffee Company

Is it your dream to find that perfect cup of coffee? But among the thousands of chain coffeehouses and the dizzying array of trendy brands, where do you start? Actually, it's simple. At Sogno Coffeehouse, they know it all starts with the beans. Truth is, many people have not had the pleasure of enjoying a real quality coffee. No matter the price, brand, or packaging, it all comes down to the beans. Sogno roasts only the finest Arabica beans in their one of a kind, custom-built roaster. The product is unrivaled: the aroma, the body, and that very first sip... it's like un sogno, a dream. Prize package includes two 8oz bags of your choice.

Freetail Therapy

Freetail Therapy offers readers the opportunity to learn about how to use coupons ethically and legally, in a way that will benefit, not only themselves, but the stores they shop at. She leans to the crunchy side and loves to promote eco-friendly companies and products. Our awesome judge from Freetail Therapy is  offering a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com!

Third Runner Up:

Healthy To Go!

To Go Brands, Inc. is committed to creating high quality, all-natural, great tasting and easy to use products for those of us striving to remain healthy in this fast-paced life we lead! They developed their Healthy To Go® line of antioxidant-rich drink mixes as a convenient, nutritional supplement solution for those of us that just can’t seem to consume all the good stuff that we know we should, every day! Prize package includes Trim Energy, Acai Energy, Green Tea Energy, a Healthy To Go tote, water bottle, Greens To Go, Grape and Vitamin C VitaRocks.

snackTAXI

The mission at snackTAXI is to make high quality, affordable reusable bags that empower everyone to reduce waste, while embracing business practices that respect our community, environment, and Earth. Winner will receive a prize package.

Fourth Runner Up:

Small Concept

Small Concept was born of a love for children and an obsession for tiny tot style. Modern fashion. Cool Styles. Hip Graphics. Great quality – in everything for your little ones – kid’s apparel, nursery furniture, toys, maternity and more. Winner will receive a gift code.

Tyler's Coffee

Tyler's Coffee is different. They use a “Z-Roasting” process that optimizes the time the coffee beans are cooked. The result is high levels of caffeine and free of acid. Benefits of an acid free coffee are that the tooth enamel is protected and teeth are stronger, leading to fewer cavities. Even those with sensitive stomachs can enjoy Tyler's Coffee!

Fifth Runner Up:

GIANTmicrobes

Founded in 2002, the mission at GIANTmicrobes Inc. is to produce unique and interesting gifts for children and adults alike. Whether your interest is educational, medical, or just plain entertainment, they are your number one source for all things microbial! The winner will receive their choice of one giant Gigantic plush toy.

Boogie Wipes

Boogie Wipes® are the first ever saline nose wipe. They are a great solution for kids’ sore, red, runny noses. Boogie Wipes are made with natural saline to dissolve boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold, allergies or otherwise booger-filled kid moments. Winner will receive two 90 count canisters and several individual packages of Boogie Wipes.

They're all pretty awesome, but that grand prize is something I would LOVE to have!

 

 

Life is Hectic

Life is very hectic in the Lounsberry household now that it is September.  As most of you know, I live in a big, old farmhouse with my husband, four children, one child's spouse, four dogs, numerous cats, and a partidge in a pear tree.  With the new month came the start of school for the 16-year-old girls, plus soccer games and everything that goes along with that. 

My son and his wife are expecting my first grandbaby, and I couldn't be more excited!  They already know they are having a girl, and they have decided to name her Miya Rose.  Don't you just love those names together?!  Miya Rose.  Their due date is actually on Christmas Day so we might have a wonderful, little present at the end of December. 

I, of course, have been buying baby girl clothing ever since I found out her gender, and my son is now saying, "Stop!  She has enough!" but I can't help myself.  It's all been from secondhand stores and yard sales so I haven't spent a great deal of money.  My son wears mostly Carhartt clothing so I did spend a little bit on this little diaper cover.



Diaper Cover



Aren't they so sweet?!

In addition to all of this, Jon's schedule is so different now than it was just a year ago, and it's been a little bit difficult for me to adjust.  He's working at KidsPeace again and has been since late March, and he works some days and some nights.  I was used to having him home a lot more when he worked for the State, but he's so much happier now, and happiness is far more important than anything else.  Oh, and he makes more money!

Emily is living at home, too.  She is working full-time for the State of Maine in Ellsworth.  I'm so proud of her.  She pays her own way and is (most of the time) a joy to have around.  She's engaged to a lovely young man who is in the Army and stationed in Georgia.  Unfortunately, he is being shipped out to Afghanistan in November and will likely be gone for a year.  She's figuring out how to cope with that.

So that's my life in a nutshell.  It's hectic, but I guess I wouldn't have it any other way!

Who likes coupons?!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

As most of you know, I have sixteen-year-old twin girls - high school girls - who can be a little bit fussy.  Okay, they can often be very fussy, especially about their appearances so, as you can imagine, school shopping can be a trying time for me.  It seems as though the only things they are willing to wear is t-shirts and jeans.  Ha, you thought that would be easy to shop for though, didn't you?  It isn't.  They try on hundreds of pairs of jeans and there's always something just not quite right about each and every pair <large sigh of frustration here>.  

So while my girls are only wearing jeans and t-shirts every single day, they do wear many different kinds of shoes.  They love shoes and can't seem to have enough pairs.  As you can imagine, this can cost me quite a bit of money!  Well, I learned today that Famous Footwear is having a terrific sale right now.  They are offering a 15% off coupon AND a BOGO offer of buy one pair and get the second pair half off.  You have saved me, Famous Footwear!  Now I can make one stop, at one store, and tell my girls to pick out the shoes they want, try them all on, and then be out of there without losing every last bit of patience I might have (sorry, Girls, I do NOT have unlimited amounts of patience!).  They have tons of styles all in one place and they have always had my girls shoe sizes.  And I'll be spending less money!  Yay!

Here's the coupon.  Print it!  Trust me, this will help during this difficult time!  But remember, you need to use the coupon between August 2nd and August 18th.

BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon

I just learned something else today, too.  Famous Footwear also offers a free Rewards Program.  Just by joining and buying shoes with them, you earn rewards toward future purchases.  

 

• Earn 1 point for every $1 you spend in-store or online
• Accumulate points to earn certificates up to $100 a year
• Discount offer just for signing up
• Other special inside discounts and perks

 

Shutterfly-fourth week!

This is the fourth week to enter Shutterfly's contest to win a trip to the Bahamas.  I've entered three times already and earned 100 free 4x6 photos, two free 11x14 prints, and six 3x5 folded cards.  I haven't entered yet this week, and I can't wait to find out what the free gift is this time.

So don't forget to enter!

Enter to win



Shutterfly Sweepstakes - Don't forget to keep entering!

Don't forget to enter Shutterfly's sweepstakes again this week.  The picture theme this time around is The Great Outdoors.  After entering today, I received a promotional code for 100 free 4x6 photos!!  Woohoo!!

Shutterfly Sweepstakes



Shutterfly - I love them!

Do any of you use Shutterfly?  I do!  I love them.  I have used them for printing photos, making photo books, and making posters.  I think they have the BEST quality.

Right now, Shutterfly is having a contest where you can win a trip to the Bahamas!  Woohoo!  You also get a professional photo shoot while on vacation.  You can be a star for a day. 

You have to "like" them on Facebook and then you just have to add a picture with a caption.  The best part, I think, is that they say they'll give you a gift just for entering.  For those of you who have used Shutterfly before, you know this likely means something like a coupon for free prints or maybe even a free photo book! 

I get benefits for referring you through my blog, so please, click away and enter the contest!

Shutterfly contest



Fabric Covered Shoes - FAIL!

Okay, I have a giant fail to share.  I created the shoes for my daughter that I mentioned in an earlier post, and they are terrible!  I cut out each piece of fabric like all of the tutorials explained.  I attached them with a fabric glue that I found at Walmart.  I wanted to use Mod Podge for fabric, but I couldn't find any at either Walmart or at Joann's Fabric.  

Mod Podge

So, instead, I used this.  It seemed to work very well, at first, but the final result just wasn't what I wanted. 

The biggest problem with the shoes is that they are too stiff to actually wear!  They are inflexible and scratchy on the inside where the fabric is folded over the edges.  

 

I apologize for how bad the pictures are, but I was so disappointed that I just grabbed some quick photos with my phone.  The wrinkles around the toes and above the heel of the shoe were acceptable, but I had a great deal of trouble keeping the entire project clean.  If you look closely at the photos, you can see ugly dried glue pieces that kept coming off my fingers and attaching to the glue that wasn't dry yet.  Also, the shoes seemed to attract every piece of fluff or hair in the room!  It was pretty bad.  

I only had about $20 invested in this project, and I have left-over fabric that can be used on another project and I have about half a bottle of the fabric glue, too.  The shoes were $10 at Walmart, and I will probably have to throw them away because NO ONE is going to wear them here.

Fabric Covered Shoes

I have a great idea!  My daughter wants a pair of yellow shoes, and I've been having a difficult time finding just the right color for her so, instead . . . drum roll, please . . . I'm going to make them!  You heard me correctly!  I'm going to make her shoes that are the exact right color.  I've already found the fabric at Walmart.  It came in a convenient size at a reasonable price.  I can't wait to get started!

Here are some tutorials for covering shoes with fabric that I've found around the web.

Whip Stitch Sewing

She's a Betty

the blog at Craftzine

I love all of these.  I can't wait to get started.

Penny Desk

I just saw the coolest tutorial for a penny-topped desk over at the blog Epbot.  I am very intrigued by the idea of using pennies, and maybe this would be the project to start with.  I love how the epoxy over the top makes it so shiny and smooth.

 

This is sooooo pretty! 

 

Emily is in Georgia

Emily drove through the night to get to Georgia, and I was more nervous than I expected to be while she drove there.  She is my twenty-year-old daughter, and she is more than capable of doing anything she sets her mind to, but this is one of her bigger adventures.  She is, of course, visiting a boy (isn't there always a boy involved?!).  Her boyfriend, Reggie, is the in the Army and is stationed at Fort Stewart, and she took this week off from work so that she could go down and see him.

I'm proud of my girl, but I was certainly nervous, too.  She left yesterday afternoon from Augusta, Maine, at 3:00 pm and arrived at Fort Stewart at approximately 1:15 pm today.  She stopped only for gas, refreshments, and the ladies room.  

I'm proud of you, beautiful girl.

 

Happy Birthday to Me - a day early

Today my coworkers surprised me with a beautiful cake and a lovely card. It was so sweet!  I'm taking the day off tomorrow so they surprised me a day earlier.

Here is the mastermind of the whole suprise, Rachel Curtis-Doliber!



This is the banner she made me for my cubicle. 

I love Mr. Potato Head so they had a Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head cake made for me. I love these guys!

This is what he looked like after we had eaten quite a bit.  I call him Picasso Mr. Potato Head!

And this is poor Mr. Potato Head at the end of his wonderful life!



I have the BEST coworkers!

16th Birthday

My twin girls turned 16 years old two weeks ago, and we had their birthday party this past weekend.  For their birthday they wanted to stay overnight at a hotel with an indoor pool, along with several of their friends.  Well, several friends for each daughter means MANY teenagers!  I had a total of six girls in the back of my Ford Expedition, which holds eight passesngers, so they left the front passenger seat open and piled all of their bags and presents there.

We were jam packed but had a fun ride down to the Ramada Inn in Ellsworth, Maine.  They were singing to the radio and laughing.  It was fun.  About half way there, they started taking pictures of themselves.  Here are a few:

     

And then we took some pictures of them in and around the pool and the hot tub.

     

They are a great bunch of girls and even though they were exhausted by the time I took them home Sunday morning, I think they all had a good time.

Craft Wars tonight on TLC!

I follow Amy over at Modge Podge Rocks, and she just did a post about TLC's Craft Wars - on tonight!  I've been waiting and waiting for this show to start every since I saw the previews, and I didn't remember that it was on tonight.  Thanks, Amy, for reminding me!!

You should head on over to Amy's blog and see the preview video she has there.  The show looks good!