We are now officially home owners!!! After what seemed like forever we signed the papers today. I can't wait until tomorrow to start cleaning & getting prepared to paint & it get it all ready to move in :-) It needs a little work, but in the end it will be even better than before :-) I have never owned a home...I am excited to be in charge of it & do what I want to it...if I wanna splatter paint the walls I can LOL which I will not do...but I may put some glitter in the paint for Courtney's room LOL. So yall be looking for my posts to come...I will be posting our progress along the way :-)

Here are some before pictures:

 

I love this fireplace & cabinet beside it.

The backyard.

The front yard. It needs some cleaning done.

Back to blogging :-)

I am back to the blog world. I have been away for some time now. I got some inspiration to come back after reading so many blogs looking for ideas for our new house. We are in the process of buying our first home :-) We will have a lot of work ahead of us and I plan to try my best to blog about it. This will be a great way to share with all my family that are so many miles away as well as share what I learn along the way with my blog friends. So come back soon & hopefully I will have some interesting things to share :-)

~Kim

Here is a recent photo I wanna share of my beautiful little family :-)

 

200 have or have nots!

200 Have and Have-nots!

Bold is what I HAVE done :-)

1. Touched an iceberg

2. Slept under the stars

3. Been a part of a hockey fight

4. Changed a baby's diaper 

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Swam with wild dolphins

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a tarantula

10. Said "I love you" and meant it

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris  (TX LOL)

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Bet on a winning horse

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Taken an ice cold bath

28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Ridden a roller coaster

31. Hit a home run

32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

33. Adopted an accent for fun

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment

36. Loved your job 90% of the time

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Watched wild whales

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach

41. Gone sky diving

42. Visited Ireland

43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited India

45. Bench-pressed your own weight

46. Milked a cow

47. Alphabetized your personal files

48. Ever worn a superhero costume

49. Sung karaoke

50. Lounged around in bed all day

51. Gone scuba diving

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Done something you should regret, but don't

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Been in a movie

60. Gone without food for 3 days

61. Made cookies from scratch

62. Won first prize in a costume contest

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Been in a combat zone

65. Spoken more than one language fluently

66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

67. Bounced a check

68. Read - and understood - your credit report

69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

71. Called or written your Congress person

72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

74. Helped an animal give birth

75. Been fired or laid off from a job

76. Won money

77. Broken a bone

78. Ridden a motorcycle

79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph

80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

83. Eaten sushi

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read The Bible cover to cover

86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

87. Gotten someone fired for their actions

88. Gone back to school

89. Changed your name

90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands

91. Eaten fried green tomatoes

92. Read The Iliad

93. Taught yourself an art from scratch

94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

97. Been elected to public office

98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

101. Had a booth at a street fair

102. Dyed your hair

103. Been a DJ

104. Rocked a baby to sleep

105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours

106. Raked your carpet

107. Brought out the best in people

108. Brought out the worst in people

109. Worn a mood ring

110. Ridden a horse

111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap

112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe

113. Buried a child

114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play

115. Been inside the pyramids

116. Shot a basketball into a basket

117. Danced at a disco

118. Played in a band

119. Shot a bird

120. Gone to an arboretum

121. Tutored someone

122. Ridden a train  (Does Six Flags count? LOL)

123. Brought an old fad back into style

124. Eaten caviar

125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need

126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant

127. Published a book

128. Pieced a quilt

129. Lived in an historic place

130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage

131. Asked for a raise

132. Made a hole-in-one (does put put count)

133. Gone deep sea fishing

134. Gone roller skating

135. Run a marathon

136. Learned to surf

137. Invented something

138. Flown first class

139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite

140. Flown in a helicopter

141. Visited Africa

142. Sang a solo

143. Gone spelunking

144. Learned how to take a compliment

145. Written a love-story

146. Seen Michelangelo’s David

147. Had your portrait painted

148. Written a fan letter

149. Spent the night in something haunted

150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane

151. Ran away

152. Learned to juggle

153. Been a boss

154. Sat on a jury

155. Lied about your weight

156. Gone on a diet

157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget

158. Written a poem

159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox

160. Gotten food poisoning

161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission

162. Hiked the Grand Canyon

163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks

164. Gone to the opera

165. Gotten a letter from someone famous

166. Worn knickers

167. Ridden in a limousine

168. Attended the Olympics

169. Can hula or waltz

170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books

171. Been stuck in an elevator

172. Had a revelatory dream

173. Thought you might crash in an airplane

174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert

175. Saved someone’s life

176. Eaten raw whale

177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint

178. Laughed till your side hurt

179. Straddled the equator

180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing

181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival

182. Sent a message in a bottle

183. Spent the night in a hostel

184. Been a cashier

185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

186. Joined a union

187. Donated blood or plasma

188. Built a campfire

189. Kept a blog

190. Had hives

191. Worn custom made shoes or boots

192. Made a PowerPoint presentation

193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course

194. Served at a soup kitchen

195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube

196. Know CPR

197. Ridden in or owned a convertible

198. Found a long lost friend

199. Helped solve a crime

200. Went on a cruise

Couponing....

Ok everyone I am now attempting to start couponing. Yesterday was my first trip to United Supermarket. I had found out they double coupons up to $1.00 so I was so excited. I live in the middle of no where & thought I wouldn't have this opportunity. I took my 5 yr old & 1 yr old with me & that was a bit challenging. My baby kept eating boxes of pasta and the older one thought he was frog bouncing around everywhere. My nerves were on edge LOL. I didn't get everything I would've liked to have gotten but still I got quite a bit and even alot on sale anyways :-) 

Some of the deals I got were the Ronzi pasta were $1.93 for the Garden Delight & I had $1.00 off of 1 box so it was doubled and became FREE The Ronzi Healthy Harvest & Smart Taste were $1.55 a box & I had $1.00 of 2 boxes which made them .55 each. I got other things like butter for under .50. I also found a site to print off $1.00 coupons off Pilgrims chicken & it doubled also so I got 3 packages of chicken breasts for $2.00 & $3.00. Welch's fruit snacks for .59, Finish Dishwasher Soap for $1.49, All Laundry soap for $1.99, A1 steak sauce for .99....just to name some of the things I got. 

For my first trip I am pretty proud. I know if I can do it, anyone can :-)

Day #9 ~ Getting Organized Challenge (Toy Organization)

I am a few days late starting this challenge. I am always trying to figure out ways to get the kids toys organized. My oldest son & daughter have to unfortunately share a room because our house is so small. That makes it even harder to organize. I had some little bins with cars, army men etc in and my baby boy (1 yr old Adrian) likes to just dump them out. I decided to put those into containers with lids and see if it will solve the problem.

Here are some before pictures:

I tried organizing toys in these bins, but all the little cars & army men were a mess when spilled out.

1, 2 & 5 yr olds play in here and they dont know how to keep from making a mess LOL

Books, etc

The kitchen & Courtney's jeep she got for Christmas. She wont drive it, she just likes sitting in it.

Courtney playing with her Tag jr whiling I was cleaning.

 

 AFTER:

After organizing. All labeled and hopefully it will help with messes :-)

straightened up

These toys wont quite as much of a mess if spilled out like the little army men would...

Courtney's bed is all made :-) Hey, someone already put Mickey on the floor LOL

Closet

Courtney saying "CHEESE"

Adrian was ready for a nap after all this playing working...

closeup of the labels

looks so nice ;-) for now

Day #7 ~ Getting Organized Challenge (The Pantry)

Today's challenge took me a little while to accomplish, but I am sure glad I did it. I found quite a bit of expired food and then I found stuff I didn't even know I had. I tried to organize everything as good as I could.

Here are some before pictures:

Here is the whole set of cabinets where most of our food is at.

Upper Left Side

Upper Right Side

Lower Left Side

Lower Right Side

This set of cabinets are above the stove & it holds snacks items, cake mixes, & etc

AFTER:

I threw out quite a bit and made lots more room. Now I need to go grocery shopping.

This side didnt change too much, just straightened up a bit.

I have alot more room now for things I am out of :-). I even put the beans & rice, etc into bowls. Wish I had some nicer ones, but I will be on the lookout now ;-)

My baby boy just turned 1 so soon this baby food will be gone and then there will be even more room here ;-)

Just a little straightening up...

Above the stove is looking better too ;-)

Here's all my Special K, which isnt all that great to me LOL

Little better....

Day #5 ~ Getting Organized Challenge (Under the Kitchen Sink)

I have been reading and looking at everyone else's posts the last few days and I had planned on already joining in and hadn't. Today, I decided to tackle under the sink :-)

BEFORE:

 There are way too many plastic sacks, a 6 pack of beer that we use for cooking purposes (we don't drink anymore), cleaners, trash bags, & a box of these peppers with carrots from Mexico that my fiance loves. 

It sure looks yucky under there. This is a rental house and we were only suppose to be here for a few months and next month will make it a year. I had cleaned this when we moved in (I think) and just reused the old contact paper. I didn't have anymore and this was starting to come up so I peeled it up and the paint underneath was peeling off so I put several layers of paper towels until I can get back to the store to get new stuff. 

AFTER:

 Here is the after. I kept on bag with some plastic bags for poopy diapers and such and then I found a cool idea (I cant remember whose blog it was on) where you fold your plastic bags so as to not take up as much space so I did that and put them in a small rectangular container. I think it looks so much better. I didnt realize I had 3 or 4 empty containers of cleaners. Now I am looking forward to tomorrow's challenge and I might just back track and do the ones I missed :-)

Finally a new post :-)

Finally, I am posting a new post after what seems like forever. I had started a 30 day blog challenge but didn't follow thru :-( I am now going to join in a 21 Day to get organized challenge. So starting tomorrow I will join in a little late. One challenge has been posted, but I had company hadn't started it so tomorrow I will do it & the newest challenge. I am also starting a diet....I am going to do the Special, K Challenge along with working out in hopes of becoming a new slimmer me :-)

30 Day Blog Challenge. DAY: 4

Day 4: Your Parents

I was blessed with two parents who loved me very much. I was their surprise child. My Mom was 43 years old & my Dad was 49 when I was born. They werent planning on having anymore children so I was a big "OOPS" LOL. I heard that Mom told my Dad "Look what you did to me!" and then I heard my Dad went around bragging saying "This old man still got it in him" LOL. 

They were alot older than most parents and my Dad did tend to be strict, but now I look back & realize that he did so out of love. I am so thankful that he didnt let me do the things I wanted to or hang out with some of the people I wanted too. 

I am so thankful to God for the parents I have.

30 Day Blog Challenge. DAY: 1, 2 & 3

Since I joined this blog challenge a little late, I am going to do a few of the days all in one :-) I like this whole idea of a blog a day with different topics. Some days I wanna write, but cant think of what to write. If you wanna read more or join just click the button above and go to Katie's Life Journey. 

Day 1: introduce, recent picture, and 15 interesting facts

Hi, My name is Kim & I am a 33 year old Mother of three beautiful children: Adrian, Bryce & Courtney. They are my life. I am engaged to a wonderful man. We might have done things backwards, having the kids & then getting married, but oh well. I decided to join this blog challenge and I am excited to get it started. 

15 Interesting Facts:

1. I like to put chip clips or clothes pins on any bag...whether it be chips, cereal bags, crackers...whatever...I have this thing that something might get in there LOL I think I got that from my Mom LOL
2. I am terrified of needles...I thought after having three kids and being poked with needles during my pregnancies that I would get over it, but I haven't LOL
3. I LOVE Dr Pepper...I drink several a day...
4. I have a fear of zombies LOL I have had that fear forever...LOL
5. I have a fear of being alone or dieing alone...I know depressing
6. My Dad was my hero...
7. My future husband (my fiance) is German & his family are Mennonite 
8. I am addicted to Facebook, I check it several times a day and if I take a picture of you...you will probably find yourself in one of my Facebook photo albums LOL
9. I love recipe books. I have several and some of them I have never made a single recipe out of it, but I love reading them LOL
10. I have scoliosis
11. I am 100% Texan..I was born there and lived there my whole life until Feb of this year we moved to the Oklahoma panhandle...let's just say it is different...flat, flat, flat, dry, dry, dry....LOL
12. This is harder than I thought LOL...I like doing crossword puzzles...even though most of the time I dont finish them LOL
13. I love steak & baked potatoes :-)
14. I dream of a big house with a HUGE pantry and an island with bar stools around it one day :-)
15. I have been in 3 wrecks and thank God I walked away from them...

Day 2: Meaning Behind Your Blog Name

Well ABC's Mommy...It is because I am the Mother of Adrian, Bryce & Courtney...A,B,C :-) Pretty explanatory.

Day 3: Your First Love

This is a hard one to write about...See I was married before so my ex husband would be my first love...We were young and then things just didn't work out...I would rather not talk anymore about that. 

I now have found my TRUE love. His name is Herman and I would do anything for him. He is the best Father my kids could ever ask for and he would do anything for us. He works long & hard to make a living. I love him!!! We are planning on getting married early next year FINALLY LOL and I am so excited. It has been hard on me to have my babies without being married, but circumstances just didn't work out just right. I am ready to spend the rest of my life with him :-)

That is my life right there :-)

Bryce, Adrian, Herman & Courtney