A week of links from my Reader

Hi and welcome to the fourth week of sharing with y'all my favorites blog posts directly from my Google reader.  Hope you enjoyed the past few posts and find this fourth week as useful as I did! I know I did, reading the posts and then compiling them into groups for your enjoyment.  I added something new!  There are two blog posts that have stars besides them.  They are my favorite posts of the week!  I also posted them on my facebook page this week! 

If you have any blogs that you suggest to include in my reader please leave a comment. If you stop by here on a regular basis, I would suggest you follow me and add me to your reader. I would like to know that the hard work is paying off. Have a wonderful week!

Organization
 List of dates &/or events to include on your mid-spring and summer calendars  (List Plan it)
Setting goals for yourself as a Home Manager   (Organizing your way)
Save Time and Keystrokes with Test Expander   (Blogging your way)
5 tips for Working at Home Productively   (Success your way)
Your Digital SLR: Lesson 5: What I use when and why       (Allison Walken)
AwayFind launches new features...    (Uncluttered)


DIY Projects that I saved to favorites
Batman: A super hero party   (The Party Dress)
DIY Vases for Mother's Day   (Modern Parents Messy Kids)
Mother's Day cupcake toppers   (No biggie)
Appreciate your favorite teacher with a DIY Survival Kit     (Modern Parents Messy Kids)
Great Ideas - Handmade Mother's Day Gifts to Make    (Tatertots and Jello)


Recipes
16-minute Meal: Shrimp Scampi    (The Pioneer Woman Cooks)
Asparagus Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich   (Closet Cooking)
Puffy Cheddar Roasted Potatoes    (Cheeky Kitchen)
Puff Pastry Maple Bars    (Barbara Bakes)
Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Fresh Corn and Blueberries    (The Pioneer Woman Cooks)
Why not?    (BitterSweet)
Pine nuts are expensive    (I made that!)
Breakfast Quesadillas     (GoodLife Eats)
Brown Butter Carnival Bars       (The Sophisticate Gourmet)
Top 10 Reasons You Shouldn't Plan a Weekly Menu    (Food your way)


Life, Family and Soul  
How to Practice Mindfulness  (Peace & Projects)
Coping   (I took the one less traveled by)
Praying for your Child to Promote God's Kingdom    (The Tuckers take Tennessee)
12 Months Later: 12 People I need to Thank    (Blog of Impossible Things: B.I.T.)
Six Ideas For Exploring Nature with Kids (Not just Cute)
Traveling while Pregnant     (Baby Mine)
**Homeschooling is not Optional    (Motherhood your way)
Play room     (Becky's Blog)
**In Which It's only Fair     (Badass Geek)
BYU Women's Conference    (Your Homebased Mom)
38 Life Lessons I've Learned in 38 Years    (Zen Habits)
Please Pray    (Fly through my Window)


Eye Candy - Design 
Prop Happy      (Creature Comforts)
Color me Pretty    (Decor 8)
My Kitchen intervention  (Urban Grace Interiors)
Saveur Magazine 2011    (Cannelle et Vanille)

Easter Weekend

Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.'

Bible: John 11:25-26 NIV

Happy Easter my fellow friends!  Such a great weekend, surrounded by family and friends!  As I grow older, I have seen not only how I have evolved but also how my outlook on holidays has too.  Being a mommy has enriched my life in such a way, I want my little bug to enjoy the Easter bunny, dye eggs and go on Easter egg hunts but it is today's celebration that fills my heart with humbleness while requesting to the Lord that  my son become a good christian man.  It reminds me of the responsibility I have to God to multiply this gift he gave.  

Good Friday has always been a day of reflection for me.  It is the only day that I give up all work.  I spend the time with my family and I make the time to reflect on my faith.  I have had good years and I have had years that my relationship with our Lord has not been what I would wanted it to be.  This year, I completely stopped and reflected on my role as a mother, what kind of a mom do I want to be, what do I want my child to learn from me, how faith has carried me during the tough times, and the many joys it has brought about.  What are the qualities that I admire and how do I nurture them in my son.

Time is so fleeting, I wish I had more.  More time to play, more time to teach and more time to cuddle.  I keep telling myself that every mom thinks the same way, that it is normal but sometimes the guilt of working outside of home is hard to bare.  But I also believe that God has a plan for all of us, so I carry on to the best of my abilities.  I enjoy the moments I get, especially the firsts, like this Friday, dying eggs for the first time.  How the little bug enjoyed it!  He will always be my little helper.  

I went through my external hard drive reminiscing on how time just passes by in a blink of an eye.  It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating his first Easter.  He is now three and so independent, it just blows my mind.  He loves to "read" and pretend play super heroes.  He is so full of energy, I wonder were he gets it :)

It is great to be able to slow down time through my blog, I read older posts and it's like I am back then again.  Having this blog is a lot of work, time I really don't have but I would not change it for the world.  I would give anything to "get to know" my mom in the earlier years.  Understand her wants and needs, figure out what she aspired of me; I really would love to see old photos of me with a story attached.  I don't know if this will interest my child at all but just maybe...

I hope everyone enjoyed their time at home, that they created traditions together through Christ or the Easter Bunny, anything done together as a family is great. 

Happy Easter to Everyone!

A week of links from my Reader

Hi and welcome to the third week of a new concept I included in my blog!  I am super excited in sharing with you my favorite blog posts that I have read and saved during the week from my reader. Hope you enjoyed the first week and find this third week as useful as I did! I know I did, reading the posts and then compiling them into groups for your enjoyment.  If you have any blogs that you suggest to include in my reader please leave a comment.  If you stop by here on a regular basis, I would suggest you follow me and add me to your reader.  I would like to know that the hard work is paying off.  Have a wonderful week!


DIY Projects that I saved to favorites
List of non-candy items that fit in a plastic eggs (List Planit)

Organization
15 Handy household tips  (Sherbert Blossom)

What reaching a goal really looks like   (Small Notebook)

10 Book signing ideas   (Design 8)

 What reaching a goal really looks like   (Small Notebook)

How do clean your house when life gets in the way    (I'm an organizing junkie: Guest post from "Space for Living)

How do you find the time   (Corbett Barr)

Recipes
Yellow Birthday Cake  (the sophisticate gourmet)

Lemon Curd Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese frosting  (your homebased mom)

Heavenly chocolate cake roll  (Smitten Kitchen)

Kitchen 101: Basic Meringue   (Craft)

Barbecue Chicken  (The Pioneer Woman )

Life, Family and Soul 
Where is going green on Maslow's Hierarchy of needs  (Green your way)

The truth about lying: what to do when your child lies to you  (To Peds in a pod)

Announcing the ultimate blog swap  (Blogging your way)

Challenge yourself to 1/3 less stress   (Good Eats)

A simple fitness plan for travelers  (Zen habits)

Blogging through the gospels: Matthew 17   (Life by Ashley Pichea)

5 Drug-free ways to Manage Anxiety   (Peace and Projects)

Screenplay Contest     (Design Mom)

Good Friday  (Life in Grace)

Why  are you here anyways?   (Blog of Impossible things)

En mi propia voz   (Diario de una trotamundos)

Earth you're a wonderful wonderful planer    (Narrating Life)

Eye Candy
Plate Racks   (Urbane Grace Interiors)

A free Food and Travel Photography class with Penny De los Santos   (Cannelle et Vanille)

A legacy of creating   (Beck's Blog)

Good Friday

Crucifixion by bela_kiefer

O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us
hast willed to be crucified
and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood
for the redemption and salvation of our souls,
look down upon us here gathered together
in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death,
fully trusting in Thy mercy;
cleanse us from sin by Thy grace,
sanctify our toil,
give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our
daily bread,
sweeten our sufferings,
bless our families,
and to the nations so sorely afflicted,
grant Thy peace,
which is the only true peace,
so that by obeying Thy commandments
we may come at last to the glory of heaven.

Amen.

Thank you to Catholic Online for posting this praying and allowing me to share it.  May you have a glorious Easter and may we all remember the true significance of Easter.

A Week of My Reader Round-up

Hi and welcome to the second week of a new concept I included in my blog!  I am super excited in sharing with you my favorite blog posts that I have read and saved during the week from my reader. Hope you enjoyed the first week and find this second week as useful as I did! I know I did reading the posts and then compiling them into groups for your enjoyment.  If you have any blogs that you suggest to include in my reader please leave a comment.  If you stop by here on a regular basis, I would suggest you follow me and add me to your reader.  I would like to know that the hard work is paying off.  Have a wonderful week!

DIY Projects that I saved to favorites

Make a Washi Tape Topiary Centerpiece  Tatertots and Jello

Monster Party - Party favors  One Charming Party

Free Printable: Easter Memory Game  Modern Parents Messy Kids

Record Player Wedding Invitation    Craft

Easter Link Party Highlights  Centsational Girl

Almost there  Gingercake

Anthro Inspired Ruffle Shower Curtain  So you think your crafty

Organization

List of books that will inspire you to spring clean  List Plan it

Make-up draw organization that won't slide  Tatertots and Jello

List of things you need to make a Fairy House    List it Plan it

Hunt, Gather and Host: Decorating Easter eggs    Design Sponge

Tech Friday  Becky's blog

Recipes

Chicken Pot-pie  Cheeky Kitchen

Gluten Free Strawberries & Cream Cupcakes  Creature comforts

 Date night and Roasted Asparagus   Small Notebook

Oven Baked French fries  Food your way

Chicken and Rice Soup  Your Homebased mom

Linguini with Calm Sauce  Simply Recipes

Cookies 'n cream  See Jane in the Kitchen

Gnocchi   Closet cooking

Fine and Dandy  Bitter Sweet

Basic Vanilla cupcakes  The Pioneer Woman cooks

Lalo's famous cookies  Lottie + Doof

Seared Ahi and Arugula Salad with Ginger Soy dressing  Cheeky Kitchen

Vegetable Lasagna  The Pioneer Woman cooks

Life, Family and Soul

Life- Changing Decisions, Simplified   Peace and Projects

My reflections on the Prodigal God  Life - by Ashley Pichea

In which I become a father  Badass Geek

Create Habits Instead of Resolutions  Productivity your way

10 quick tips for a better photo  No biggie

Momness: The next 10 years  Everyday I write the Book

Dream Big  Whatever

Eye Candy - Design 

Advice Column  AB Chao

Home again, home again, jiggity, jig  Urban grace interiors

Color  Whatever

Homes with Heart  Decor 8

Eye Candy  Delight by Design

Workspace of the week   Uncluttered

Guest Post: Installing barn sliding doors  Tatertots and Jello

Sometimes life gets worse before it gets better

This is meant to be a small note with some updates.  Unfortunately, my work is highly confidential as it deals with others and their matters.  Out of respect, I cannot comment on goings on even though the issues impact me life in a very personal way.  All I can say is that 2011 has brought with it a black cloud that "we" cannot shake or dissipate.  In the 4 months that have past, we have lost 3 co-workers.  Their loss has impacted everyone.  Dealing with loss and an unstable economy have been the challenges I have had to face this year, it has made me anxious, sometimes too focused and most of all very sad.  At the hype of all this, I could no longer carry all the sorrow and uncertainty and gave it up to God.  I stepped away and recognized that I could no longer do it on my own. 

Today, I feel better, even though everything remains the same (for now), I feel that I can rely on a higher power to help me through so much sadness, help me not bring it home and affect my family.  That everything does happen for a reason - that is unknown to me - but that nevertheless will be self-evident in the future.

I want to apologize for the sad posts and the looming feeling and disregard.  I alone could not carry the burden and it showed in all aspects of my life.  Today, the sun is shining (literally) finally and I plan to spend the day with my little bug.  If I have learned something out of all this is that you should never take anything for granted.  You might not get a second chance.  Go and love on your family and friends and give yourself a break - Life is too short!

Source: etsy.com via Ivonne on Pinterest

A week of my Reader - Round-up

Hi and welcome to a new concept I am including in my blog!  I am super excited in sharing with you my favorite blog posts that I have read and saved during the week from my reader. Hope you enjoy this! I know I will reading the posts and then compiling them into groups for your enjoyment.  If you have any blogs that you suggest to include in my reader please leave a comment.

DIY Projects that I saved to favorites

Elegant Hydrangea Easter eggs  Sweet Little Smoothie

Fortune Egg Poppy Talk

DIY Mirror Project  Hello Newman's

DIY paint stick sunburst mirror  Centsational Girl

Menu Planning and Budgeting

Eat well spend less: Week 1 wrap-up  Food for my family

Get started using coupons Denver bargains

Store Deals Money Saving Mom

Cupon database  Passion for Savings

Pantry Meals to keep the budget on track.  Good Life Eats

Eat well, spend less: Menus and Meal planning  Food for my family

Eat well spend less budget for lots of fresh produce  Food your way

Eat well spend less homemade pantry staples  Good life eats

Eat well spend less how they do it  Food your way

Pantry meals to keep the budget on track.  Good life eats

Recipes

 Honey Whole Wheat Bread       Barbara bakes

Announcing my food styling photography   Cannelle et Vanille

French onion Soup  Smitten Kitchen

Homemade doughnuts  Look I made that

Life, Family and Soul

In which I run   Bad Ass Geek

Out of the depths  The Romantic Vineyards

Making family your top priority  Not just cute

A year later  Creature comforts

List of ways to carve out time for a hobby or pasttime  List Plan it

I failed English  Becky's Blog

He says she says  Spencer and Jana

Operation Love reunited  I took the one less traveled by

10 things to do everyday to stay organized  Organizing your way

How to woo your spouse aboard the simplicity express  Peace & Projects