Welcome any new readers! I hope that some have you are new and have found me via Melissa at The Inspired Room! I am so excited that I won her Open Sky Contest! I not only won a fabulous slate chalk board from her Open Sky Shop, but I get an ad on her blog this week! If you don’t know about Melissa’s get over to The Inspired Room and check her out!

I thought I’d give a you a quick summary of some of the things I talk about at One Nutty Girl!

I love to decorate! I love to paint! I’ve lived in my current house for 8 years and have painted every room 2-3 times! Right now I’m totally into painting furniture. I’ve got some big projects planned. So stay tuned. I’ve just finished the Ballard style media cabinet from this post. I hope to reveal soon! I had some great vlogging done for the piece until one of my kids picked up The Flip cam and said “Mommy, what is the trash can button for?” just as he pushed the trash can button. Goodbye Vlog!

I will admit that I do my fair share of shopping. I am very passionate about my local economy and the brick and mortar shopkeepers. I love to dive into these places and really embrace what they have to offer. I have gotten to know so many wonderful people. My friend Trish {you may know her as Life to the T} has the same passion. So, we teamed up and started Seek the Triad as a way to share all our wonderful finds with our community. Check it out, we may be coming to a community near you in the future!

I’ve added crazy dog lady to my resume! I became a empty nester when my youngest went to kindergarten this year. So, I got this adorable Shih Poo puppy named Asher. He goes where I go. Not sure what we will do when the weather gets warm and he cannot trek along in the hot car.

I love working out! I have my webcam on and I can see you rolling your eyes right now! “Oh, not one of these girls!” A typical day for me is to workout and then stay in my sweaty workout clothes all day {or two!}. I’ve decided that everyday showers are a complete waste of time. I’d rather go home and dive into a project then waste my time with a shower.

Another passion of mine is cooking and cooking clean. My family eats most of our meals at home. I pack my kids lunch everyday except friday when they can choose to eat the school cardboard pizza with white milk. They know not to choose any “meat” {I use that term loosely} product they serve. I volunteer at the school and teach the kids how to read food labels and make good choices. My goal is to change the school lunch and I WILL! If you have not watched the first two episodes of the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution, you need to start watching! If you have kids and they eat the school lunch, you need to know what they are serving and eating!

I do love to bake too, real baking and healthy alternative baking! But, sometimes only a hot fresh out of the oven cookie will do! Please check out some of my recipes on my sidebar.

I hope you have enjoyed a little bit about who One Nutty Girl is. I love meeting new people, live and online. So, please comment and tell me a little bit about yourself and I’ll come check out your blog too!

The Sodderbug Custom Photo Charm giveaway is open until Monday night at 8 PM!

Monday morning at 6:49 am {yeah, really!} I put my precious babies on the bus, briskly walked back home with Karen, my dear neighbor who keeps me sane most mornings, and heard the lyrics of “Freedom, to do what I want, to do what I need, Freedom!” Here is a glimpse of how I spent the last 2 days of FREEDOM….of course I loved every joyful moment of Christmas break, but none to sad to see the big yellow bus pull up!

The first day I went back to bed for 2 hours and then arose to hit gym and get back on track with my workouts.

Jamie tortured my legs. Lot’s of squats! I secretly love it. Yeah, I’m not normal.

Next, I met up with Trish and did a little “work” for Seek the Triad. We “had” to go and visit some of the stores that were advertising with us. OK, so that equals shopping and still finding some after Christmas finds. I think I got the find of the day at ReFab Exchange Boutique. Yep, its a super fab leopard printed Karen Kane coat, just in and in my size!!! Hate me!

looking pretty fab!

Day 2 of FREEDOM {still singing in my head!} I showered {something I did not do on Day 1} and slid on that fabulous coat, got Asher {yes, he goes everywhere with me these days} and was on my way. I met up with my PIC Trish {the fab photographer} and we started “working” again!

a little shopping

A little more shopping at some of our sponsor’s stores, Orchard House!

can't pass up a nut!

So happy that I was able to pick up these glass nuts to add to my ever growing collection of nutty things!

ahhh...it's been awhile my dear!

I then stopped by one of my all time favorite places to say hello to the gang and look at some stuff for my next painting project.

visit with friends

Next it was over to my best girl Bernadette’s, which is also where Asher’s brother Rudy and friend Wilbur live. They were happy to see him and got some good playing in.

fabulous vinyl clock

Here I hung with my girl and we put up a vinyl clock on her wall in her kitchen! {This random act of craftiness qualifies me for DIY Day on A Soft Place to Land!} Doesn’t it look fabulous? I like saying fabulous don’t I?  See the coat?  Bernadette and I are the same size and she was quite miffed I had scored the coat….but we are good at sharing our “wealth”.

the best friend ever!

Suddenly, the day was over and the bus was soon to be back with my babies. So, my dear friend, who had been slaving all day in the kitchen making homemade soup and sauce, dished me out dinner and sent me on my way.

I’ll leave out the details of the rest of the day. They do include arguing about homework, breaking up fights, etc. etc.!  You know the drill!

I’m off to tackle Day 3, which includes cleaning my house and laundry!  Have a fab day!

I was incredibly blessed in 2009! I thought I would share a little of it before we press forward with 2010, the dawn of a new decade which I feel is going to be even more fabulous than ever!!

I started my 2009 out by getting my family to eat healthier and cleaner than ever before. I had been taking Juice Plus for several months. In February 2009 I joined the Juice Plus company with my own franchise and got my entire family eating it. In doing so my entire family has embraced nutrition and learning about the foods we eat. It is something we take forever! I have been so blessed by getting to work for this company and to change other peoples lives as well! It has been truly one of the most rewarding parts of my life thus far.

Juice Plus Convention in Memphis, TN

I had a fabulous weekend with these new and forever friends at the Juice Plus Convention….Best Day Ever Girls!

Of course I had MANY house projects going. One of the biggest was the removal of the mirror and glass shelves on either side of my fireplace!

New Living Room Shelves! Goodbye mirrors!

I teamed up with the super Fabulous Trish and together we created an online magazine blog for the Triad called Seek the Triad . com.  The first few months have been quite a “Blast! ”   We Blasted for Boobs and raised $7,000 for Breast Cancer Research!  Just wait because 2010 is going to be quite a ride too!

www.seekthetriad.com

Blastin out Breast Cancer

Shelley, Angela, Me and Bernadette

Loved having all the support of my wonderful friends out in the rain, shooting shotguns at Shane’s Sporting Clay’s! Very empowering I must say!

We also enjoyed a wonderful family week at the Outer Banks of North Carolina!

And last, but not lease the newest addition to our family….our new puppy Asher!

Our Little Fluffy Puppy

I’m so excited about 2010! I’ve got 2 major house projects planned. They involve power tools and of course PAINT! Stay with me!

Here is my Christmas in a Nutshell. The boys decided {on their own} that Santa was a little “heavy” and could use some healthier snacks on his plate. The got out their Juice Plus gummies and some carrots for the Reindeer and left them for him on their Santa Plate.  Then they were off to bed. Surprisingly they were asleep in no time! This was great for me because I was WAY behind on wrapping this year. I then had to wrap for at least 2 hours! Why do I do this to myself? Every year I say I’m going to get everything done early and then I never do!

A few gifts!

After both sets of grandparents, plus Santa, we had quite a stash of presents under the tree! It was beautiful and I thanked God for all we had….and then felt a little sad that we had so much and others in the world did not.

Ahhh....the Playmobile Pyramid....only 1 million pieces!

The morning came at a very reasonable time I must say. We heard the pitter patter of excited feet at about 7:15. We arose, texted the grandparents to hit the road {they live 8 minutes away!}, and were on our way to attack the tree! The big gift this year was the Egyptian Pyramid Playmobile set. Only a mere 149 plus pieces! My dad, bless his heart, was on “put it together” detail for this one. 2 hours later and a few cups of coffee he had mastered it!

always a few good butt shots

It always seems when I am trying to get a photo of a gift being opened that I get “the butt shot”. I was a bit irritated when Grayson went to bed the night before that he chose some old worn out Lightening McQueen PJ’s. I knew there would be photo ops and I just wanted him in some cute wintry PJ’s. I’m trying to worry less about these stupid things that don’t make a hill of beans in life, so I just let it go and went with his choice in PJ’s.

It was Asher’s first Christmas with us….you knew I would not forget him! He had a great Christmas and loved having my mother in laws two dogs to play with. He racked up in gifts too! Everyone loves a new puppy!

the token mom photo

Here is the one and only photo of me….check me out in my Seek T-shirt. Amazing that there is even one at all. I look thrilled don’t I. I’m playing with my new iPhone I got as a early Christmas present from the hubby a few weeks ago. I’m so in love with it! I did take some great Christmas video with is on the video camera it has!

That is my Christmas. It was wonderful! The in laws left the next morning and we spent the day after just hanging in the house together. I can’t believe a New Year is almost here! They just seem to be flying by!

Each Friday I’m going to try to do My Week In a Nutshell to try to highlight some beautiful moments from the week. Ordinary things that I will find  beauty and smiles in!

Smokey Mountains

Last Sunday, I began my journey back from the Juice Plus Conference in Memphis, TN at 4:00 AM! I was blessed to be riding with some new wonderful friends. Although I had just met them 3 days ago, I felt like I had been friends with them for quite some time. Elizabeth was giving an engagement party for 50 at 4:00 PM in Charlotte, NC and Margie was going to the Panthers game that afternoon. Well, as you can see we came to a screaming halt in the Smokey Mountains on I-40 due to a rock slide. A 10 hour trip turned into a 14+ hour trip. We chose to be thankful for this beautiful scenery, new friendships and prayed together for everyone of us who were stuck. We gave in to the fact that our planned afternoons would not happen and we just went with it.

Kelly, E, Me, Margie and Courtney

My first haircut!

Asher got his first puppy cut this week! Is he just not the cutest thing ever? I won’t tell you how much that puppy cut cost! Oh my!

Pantry Dump!

I must say that last night’s Pantry Dump was the best meal of the week! The kids and hubby inhaled it! Not sure what to call it. I’ve been trying to cook with some Mediterranean flair lately. I took what I had on hand and mixed it all up.

It is 2 chicken breasts (organic free range of course!) shredded, 1 box of Parmesan Cheese Couscous, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of black olives, feta cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a tad bit {don’t you just love my technical terms!} of spaghetti sauce, because I did not have any canned tomatoes. Super Yummy, wish there were some leftovers right about now.

It was a crazy beautiful week, full of highs and lows…too many to list…or take photos since my camera ran out of battery life today!

I’m linking up with Melissa at the Inspired Room for her A Beautiful Life Series.