5k Run Challenge: COMPLETED!!!

Me (middle) with my two running friends after the race!

Yes! I did it!!!

My goal of running a 5k has been completed!

I ran in the scorching heat yesterday (think 85 degrees and humid)for the Red Dress For Women 5K Run in West Hartford, CT. You can check out the main website HERE.  

My goal was to complete the 5k in less than 34 minutes, however, a few hills threw me for a loop plus the horrible heat (I was sweating so much I felt like I peed my pants) and I ended up finishing at 34.31 minutes.  I know you are thinking, "that's so slow", well I'm not a runner and with asthma, I am happy to run at all so this is a huge accomplishment for me. 

I am also soooooo proud of my two friends who encouraged me to sign up and have been so supportive throughout basically everything.  They did awesome and we had a great time enjoying the park and the atmosphere of the race.

Here's another close up of my gorgeous friends!!!

Can you believe the woman on the left is a grandma!!!

So now I am on to my next couple of goals...

1. Raise $500 to walk 26 miles for the Terry Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation in October.

and

2. Compete in the Run for the Cove 5k Run and beat my last time in October.

I am psyched and ready for anything!!!

~Katania



Father's Day Gift

So I know it's a little late... well a lot late but I wanted to share with you the gift I gave my husband for father's day. 

I had seen many altered Starbucks drink cases out in blog land and thought it would be a great idea for my husband who loves sweets and nuts.  So I picked up a four pack and enjoyed every last sweet drop, washed them really good, and even had to save one from the recycle bin.

Then I measured and cut paper from my Die Cuts With a View Green Tea pack.  This is a great paper pack to pick up because it has gorgeous green, blue, and brown patterned paper that can definitely be used for more masculine projects. The best part about gluing the paper down on the case was that it created a very sturdy base for the four bottles which ended up being pretty heavy.  I even covered the handle part on both sides with pretty paper.

Then I added some ribbon around the outside of the patterned paper and cut out #1 Dad from George and Basic Shapes.  Then I cut some small scalloped circles from Mini Monograms and glued them on top.  Also I spray painted the tops white so he wouldn't see any writing from the bottles.

Overall I was pretty pleased with how it came out and my husband enjoyed every last bit of deliciousness I added to the bottles.  I used M&Ms, Peanut Butter Cups, cashews, and Jelly Belly Jelly Beans.

 YUM!

Here's to a great husband and a number one dad!!!
So what do you think?  Delicious and cute for Father's Day or what?

 

~Katania

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Fourth of July!



I hope you all enjoyed the Fourth of July with friends and family.  I definitely enjoyed a wonderful, food-filled, picnic with my family but sadly was not able to see any fireworks last night.  However, I wanted to share some pictures with you of my little man enjoying our picnic.  Any excuse to share photos of my lovebug, right?

So he played a little cornhole...

 
Then took some time to cool off in the pool!

Enjoying some time with Auntie in the pool!

Cooling off in the little pool!

Enjoying the water with Uncle!

Love that little man!!!

How was your holiday?

~Katania

Just a little crazy around here...

Schooooooools out for summer!

Gotta love that song by Alice Cooper.  Totally a timeless end of the school year classic that all generations can love! he he :)

So I'm back from my completely stressed break from blogging and no I didn't take a vacation I just have been so busy lately with silly little things I haven't had the time or energy to post anything.  For you to totally understand let me tell you about my crazy whirl wind of a couple of weeks that all started right before school was let out. This is gonna be long, so find a comfy seat! 

#1. I started a tradition last year where I would burn slideshows of the pictures I took over the school year and send them home with my students as an end of the year gift.  Now last year was crazy trying to finish everything so I started early this year.  I was very pleased with my progress using iphoto and idvd until right until the very end when the program STOPPED WORKING! Yup, it would open, I could see my dvd menu, and then it would close!!! SO FRUSTRATING!  After many hours trying to fix it and them many  more hours talking with our technology friends, I was told I had to start over using imovie instead of iphoto. Ok, no problem.

#2. So, I uploaded all my photos, arranged them how I wanted them, added title pages, added a little note at the end, and finally added some cute music to play during the show.  I was totally psyched with the finished project.  So now I have to export it to idvd (which takes 45 minutes) and guess what...

it opened idvd and then CLOSED the window AGAIN!!!

So I spent some more time talking with our technology friends and realized that as a teacher I do not have the authority to use imovie and idvd! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! Apparently, in order to use the programs I needed to use a local login which everyone has access to which meant I had to create my movie from scratch
AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME!!!

#3 So I started all over again and was able to create the dvds and burn all of them three days prior to the end of the year. End of drama number one!
#4 During the last week of school, my son thought it would be loads of fun to remove his diaper during nap time and paint with his poop all over the walls, furniture, carpet, and bedding.  This happened on Sunday, Monday(twice), Tuesday, and Thursday.  Then it happened again this past week on Wednesday and Friday!!!  So I have cleaned and scrubbed his room six times (my husband has done it once while I was working).  I have steamed cleaned his carpet twice within the past week which means my mom has to haul her cleaner over here so I can clean up the big mess.  Bless my mom because she really has been a huge help. 
#5 On top of all this, I have been trying to finish a bunch of orders I received at the end of the school year.  I had a order for note cards, 50 invitations, 30 invitations, and 6 orders for Fundations Word Walls.  I am also trying to spring/summer clean my house but it seems like whenever I get one project done, I have to start all over again.
 #6 Lastly, I am desperately trying to train for a 5k run which happens this coming Saturday (the 9th).  I was really proud of myself running on the treadmill and increasing my stamina/endurance, time and speed until I spoke with my sister.  She really means well but after I spoke to her about my training, she informed me that I should be running on the road because running on the treadmill is too easy.  WHAT?!?! I have been killing myself running on the treadmill because I run at night while the little man is asleep and she just tells me all my training isn't going to help me.  So now I am running at an incline and I am so scared to run this Saturday because I am worried I am not going to be able to complete the 3.1miles.  SO FRUSTRATING!!!!

Ok, deep breath.. 

So now most of my orders are complete and mailed out, we have a monitor in the little man's room which allows me to see him behaving badly, and I am just going to run the best I can for this Saturday.  I am going to take up the mantra of
"keep calm and carry on" 
and do my best.  Also I have so many things I want to share with you that I have been working on.  So stay tuned for some fun invitations and crafty things I plan on creating for the summer.  ~Katania

{Friday Favorites} Father's Day Gifts

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is Sunday, June 19th and in preparation of that wonderful holiday I decided to compile a very long and very creative list of different gift options you can create for that special man in your life.  I want to say thank you to each and every one of the bloggers who shared their ideas.  I promise I will send a comment your way as soon as I have some extra time :). Like maybe on June 24th after school is finished!

Welcome to {Friday Favorites} Father's Day Gifts!

Adorable hand print art from Our Seven Dwarfs

Super cute shirt and tie father's day card from Jengerbread Creations

and another version

Create a necktie card with a free template from June Craft

and another version

I love the details on this shirt card from Stamping Inspiration

Free Father's Day printable from A Proffittable Life



Free subway art from Homespun With Love

and

a yummy breakfast donut recipe from Homespun With Love

with bonus free printable coupons

Cute iDad free printable from Seven Thirty Three



Father's Day Printable from Holiday Snob

Another free printable from Pink Ink Doodle



Free cupcake toppers from Paper Glitter

A yummy dessert meal for dad plus the printables to make everything you see here from Bakerella

An adorable fill in all about dad from Big D and Me

Free father's day printables in two designs and 17 colors from Today's Fabulous Finds

Free Father's Day Printables with banner and tags from Shindig Parties to go

Free baseball printable from Less Cake More Frosting

Free Father's Day Cards from Funky Time

Adorable father's day cupcakes ideas from The Caffeinated Globe

Thank you again for all your creativity.  I hope this helps many of you who are stumped or just a little late in creating something from the heart.  I know I am very late since Father's Day is two days away and I still haven't finished.  Let's just blame the stress on the end of the school year/report cards/constant rain=indoor recess/crazy second graders/computer trouble and a big order for the Fourth of July.  You know how it is :)  Stay tuned sometime this week to see what I whipped up for the little man's big man!
Have a great Father's Day!

~Katania

Weekend Wedding In NH

My husband and I (my mom was sweet enough to watch the little man for the day) attended his half-brothers wedding this past weekend in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire.  It was about a four hour drive up there but nothing beats the absolutely stunning views of the White Mountains and the LUPINES!  I was taken back by all the gorgeous fields of purple, pink, and white lupines!  Apparently this past weekend was also the Lupine Festival in Sugar Hill.  The wedding venue was the Sunset Hill House and it was beautiful.  You can check out the place HERE.  Behind the inn, it overlooks the White Mountains and it is just breathtaking.  I apologize for my pictures, I did not bring my camera and had to settle for cell phone pictures.  Here are some surrounding views.

Sadly, it was very rainy in the morning but cleared up a bit for the wedding to be held outdoors even though it was only about 52 degrees!  Here are some pictures of the ceremony.  You can see the White Mountains in the background.  Isn't the bride stunning!

Then some dancing inside.

Then lastly, in front of the inn is a golf course but there is also a huge field of Lupines!

I definitely want to go up again next year for the whole weekend and just take some pictures and enjoy the festival.  If you get a chance to experience this make sure you take some pictures and have plenty of time to enjoy it!

Congratulations to Danny and Angelique! 

Best of luck in your new adventure as husband and wife!

~Katania