Our World....January 12th, 2009

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Yes! Yes! Yes, I know. It's Thursday night and I'm finally getting around to updating our weekly updates. But man....the days are flying by with not enough time to get everything done that I need to get done in a day. I must say though, I did get caught up on a lot of things last week. I felt like I was so behind on many things. The week before Christmas with all the on and off crazy weather we had, I worked. A lot! Then Christmas week was here. Next came New Years. And as sad I was for the girls to go back to school, it was a much needed break. Plus I was able to have some time to myself and catch up on things that were behind. My week started off Monday with back to school. It sucked when that alarm went off at 6:30am! I spent my day catching up. Tuesday was laundry and continue to play catch up! Wednesday came and I met my Aunt Debbie and little Grace at school to have lunch with the girls. They loved "showing" Grace off to all their friends!! We also really started working on Courtney's science project. Thursday finally was here and I left like the week would never end. I packed the rest of Christmas away :( and wrapped up all the things I needed to catch up on. Thursday night were meetings at school and then Friday was here!! Finally! I thought the week would never end! Our weekend was busy but somewhat relaxing. I nice break to the craziness that had been going on. Aunt Debbie and Grace left on Saturday and we were sad to see them leave. It's been a different week around here this week with them gone and the girls really miss her!

Here's the news for this week.....

Well, this week is almost over. It's been a busy one filled with many things to do. I've planned Kayla's parties and started getting things ready for that. I learned last year to be prepared with this crazy weather. So things are well wrapped up with both parties, it's a matter of food now. We have Courtney's science project to wrap up. And a on and off busy weekend ahead of us. I'm looking forward to the girls being off on Monday and sleeping in! :)
Until next week, have a great week!!

40 Tips for a Better Life!

Good ideas to start the New Year!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to _____ _____ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.

7. Make time to practice meditation, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip , or issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the negative blues away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. Remember God heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch..

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for my__________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass.. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Tell your family and friends you love them. Everyday. You never know if you will have that chance tomorrow.

May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your life in 2009!

WOW! It's been awhile!

Wow! It's been a long time since I updated. Our weeks have been so crazy, busy, and gone by so fast that there just has not been the time to update. First, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year! I'm going to recap the last couple of weeks before I start on a "normal" post.

RECAP for the WEEK of DECEMBER 15th ~

This week started off crazy. I went into work Sunday afternoon and it was all down hill from there. This was the week we were suppose to get the big ice storm but instead had a week long ice event of a little bit here and a little bit there. Thank God there wasn't the storm they were calling for but it sure was a long week. So there's not much to report from this week because I was working 90% of it. But I did get to pop in on the girls Christmas parties at school on Friday before heading out to the office to wrap things up for the week. Both parties went well and the girls were so happy that I was able to make it after being gone almost all week! Once the weekend FINALLY rolled around it was, hurry up and squeeze in some shopping! I hadn't started yet. i did get some done but Monday and Tuesday were going to be big shopping days!

Onto the week of December 21st -- This week started off with my Aunt Debbie, Uncle Dave, and Gracie flying in Sunday morning. The girls were SO EXCITED they were finally coming in that they were up and ready to leave for the airport at 7:30am!! So the girls were now concerned about when they were going to get to play with Gracie everyday! They both were so good with her and played so well. Monday was filled up trying to get back to normal after my week for being gone. I tried to play catch up a little but didn't have a whole lot of luck. I did get some shopping done but most importantly, I was catching up on sleep! Some much needed sleep! Tuesday rolls around and my play was to catch up on some laundry and things around the house and try to finish shopping. Well, the shopping got done but hold on....the weather had other plans. so back out to the office I went and was there until 1:00am, Christmas Eve! So I came home, got a little bit of sleep and then was back up for a full day ahead. Dave had to work so the girls and I did some cleaning, wrapping, cooking, and getting things ready for dinner. Then it was showers and get dress. We were off to 5:00pm church. The girls and I went to a very nice church service which they actually sat thru very nicely! Then it was back home to start dinner. Everyone came over for dinner and presents. We had a wonderful evening with the whole family together. Christmas morning the girls actually slept in!!! So presents didn't get started until about 9:30am around here! It was so nice!! After our morning here it was off to Dave's sisters house. Then it was back here for dinner with everyone again and more presents!! We had a great Christmas and the girls had so much fun!! The big presents for the girls this year were their Ugg Boots and the Nintendo DS they each got. Once Friday was here, I was ready to relax. But not so much! I did get to do some, but not as much as I would have liked. But that's ok! Friday night was game night and drinking here! Our weekend was busy of course! They girls wanted to spend every minute they could with Gracie!

So here comes the last week of 2008....December 28th. Things didn't slow down much but at least the was NO ICE or snow! I was enjoying the break! We had a busy week and a fun New Years. Nothing too exciting to report, just lots of time spent with family!

Here's the news for this week......

Well, it's the start of a NEW YEAR! I can't believe it's 2009! This week will be an interesting one. There's a lot of conflicting weather reports. We might get some snow so I might be working from Tuesday on this week. But we will see what happens. Monday is back to school for the girls! :( I can't believe how quickly their 2 week break went by. I'm so bummed they have to go back tomorrow! We will be trying to get back on the school schedule routine this week. There's not a whole lot going on this week....THANK GOD!! I'm looking forward to a quite couple of weeks. Or at least, less busy weeks because we still have a busy schedule. We are currently looking forward to Kayla's birthday at the end of the month and trying to plan her parties. I can't believe my baby is turning 6!!!! It's so sad!!! :( But that's about it for now. I'm going to head to bed early and get a good nights sleep just in case this weather comes in, I'll be prepared with lots of rest!!

Happy New Year everyone!!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Meet Sam!

Sam the Elf has come to spend some time at the Fritsche house!

For those of you who haven't heard, we started a new tradition this year! It's a book called Elf on the Shelf. It's a very cute book and comes with a little Elf. Our elf who the girls named Sam, came the weekend of Thanksgiving. (I've been wanting to get this post up for a while and just haven't got around to it! ;)) This has been such a fun new tradition for the girls. Sam reports back to Santa every night and then moves to a new spot in the house. The girls fly out of bed in the mornings running to look where Sam's new place will be. And let me tell you, I often hear the girls remind each other, "Sam is watching us!" Talk about a change in listening! I'm wondering what other "little guys" I can come up with for the rest of the year! ;)

On Thursday Sam was finally sitting somewhere so the girls could have their picture taken with him. Kayla is still in that cheese ball smile stage but seems to be getting a little better with it! It drives me nuts!!!! Anyway, we thought we would introduce Sam and our new fun family tradition this year!

I'd recommend starting this fun tradition with your family. We purchased our set from Border's which was cheaper than buying online. Check it out and have fun!

Have a great weekend!!

Our stressful week ~ 12/10/08

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Where does time go? I know I'm a little late in posting our weekly "update" and I actually haven't posted anything in a week. But this last week has been so busy, there just hasn't been the time. AND now with us in the middle of snow season, we have freezing rain last night so right now I'm going on 38 hours with NO SLEEP!! So I'm going to actually make this pretty quick and simple, I'd like to go to bed and catch up on some sleep but I told myself I HAD TO update before I go to sleep!! So last week.....Monday was Cyber Monday so the Boutique had some specials going on that kept things busy, Along with the girls getting to shop for Christmas presents at the Christmas store at school. They had a lot of fun, so much that they couldn't wait until Christmas to give everyone their gifts. So come Wednesday evening, we opened a few presents. All very cute and fun! Tuesday was busy getting things done around the house. Wednesday was also busy with around the house stuff along with a few errands. Thursday was busy and then I got to enjoy an evening at the Ladies Advent Candlelight Dinner at Church. It was nice to have an evening out and the ladies all did such a wonderful job decorating their table. Friday came around and it was another busy day full with a million things to do! The weekend was no different but I will post more about our weekend later.

Here's the news for this week.....

'Tis the season to be jolly!!! This week is half way over already! Monday was super full and yesterday was the same. But I got called into work for snow removal at 8:30 Tuesday night and worked all night into Wednesday morning! I am tired!! The rest of the week will continue to stay busy with lots going on. I need to catch up on sleep so hopefully I get the chance to do that before the next storm comes in Monday night into Tuesday. While I'd love one more snow event before Christmas for the extra money, they are saying this time we will be getting ice!!! And I hate the ice! I makes life stressful while we are working. But like I've said before, for whatever crazy reason, I love working at the snow removal company. I don't know why since right now I've been up for 38 hours with NO sleep but we have fun working!! Crazy as it sounnds! Sorry to be so short and quick this week but I REALLY need to go to bed.

So good night to all, be safe in the crazy snowy weather....More to come later!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Regifting...is it right? Or wrong?

I found this article today and thought it was rather interesting. Why? I have no idea. But as it mentions with the economy the way it is today, this is happening more and more. Do I think it's wrong? That depends. I can honestly say I have done it once. I remember what the item was, who I received it from, and who I "regifted" to. The item and people will remain nameless to protect all parties involved but I will say the gift I received, I honestly had NO use for it. I never opened the box and knew the item was something I would never take out of the box. On the other hand, the person I gave the item to, it was perfect for that person and he or she LOVED it! I've seen them use it many of times. So is regifting wrong? Well, in my book not always. It really depends on the item and the people. And as long as the item is BRAND NEW and the person you regiving it to has a use for it, then I say go for it!

Anyway, here's the article I was reading today. Some good information if you are thinking about being a regifter this year. And by the way, as of right now, no one on my Christmas list this year will be getting a regift! :)

The Do's and Don'ts of Regifting

C'mon, stop being such a Goody Two-shoes. Everybody's doing it. Well, maybe not everyone, but according to a survey by Harris Interactive last year, more than half of us admit to regifting -- that is, passing off unwanted gifts as if they were being bestowed for the very first time. Given the state of the economy, you've got to imagine that even more people will be putting idle presents back into play this holiday season.

For years considered a clear social no-no, regifting is shedding its stigma, whether it's due to economic hardship, eco-friendly attitude shifts, or bulging closets and drawers full of stuff we never wanted in the first place.

Today, anywhere from 60% to 78% of us, depending on what survey you read, think regifting is A-OK. In fact, giving gifts that have past lives is so routine, there's an official day dedicated to celebrating the practice: Dec. 18 -- the Thursday before Christmas -- has been christened National Regifting Day by Money Management International (MMI). (As with all new calendar additions, it's best to check with your boss before taking the day off in observance.)

What? Me, Regift? Pshaw!

The personal reasons people regift have little to do with, say, the inability to find a parking space at the mall, or plain old laziness. More than 60% of re-packagers have their heart in the right place, passing along items because they believe the next recipient will appreciate it more than they do, according to MMI. About four in 10 more pragmatically cite regifting as a way to save some green. Frankly, can you blame them?

Lest you think the well-to-do abstain from the practice, consider that one-third of households with annual incomes in the $100,000 to $150,000 range recycle unwanted presents. (Data on whether they regift cooler stuff was unavailable at press time.)

The Rules of Regifting:

Whether you do or you don't (riiiight), there's one single critical cardinal rule to follow before you release your stampede of white-elephant gifts back into the world: Don't get caught.
Following regifting etiquette to the letter will keep your karma right and ensure that a failed regift doesn't end up back under your Christmas tree someday.

The Do's and Don'ts

There are plenty of obvious "tells" that a gift has been resurrected from holidays past. To avoid them:

Don't confuse "barely used" with "brand-spankin' new": If there are any signs of wear and tear -- a broken seal, scratched part, pit stains -- the item's a no-go for regifting. Particularly discerning recipients will notice even the subtlest signs of use (e.g. mismatched or missing twist-ties on cords).

Do not pass off items that were clearly purchased for you: If it's monogrammed, sorry, you're stuck with it. (Unless you've got a knack for creative needlepoint reinterpretations.) Same for anything that obviously was meant to coordinate with your peach-and-purple sitting room decor, or relate to whatever hobby you might have.

Don't give away anything handmade by someone you know: Handmade items are off the list of possible regiftables for two reasons: First, it was likely given with much more sentimental intentions than, say, a coffee grinder. Second, such gifts tend to be extremely recognizable. If it was lovingly crafted and signed by someone you know (who isn't a famous artist, that is), hold onto it. A personal rule-of-thumb I've set which you may want to follow: Pretty much anything in the macrame category is automatically out of the running for regifting. (With the possible exception of the estimated seven remaining macrame enthusiasts in North America.)

Don't use different sentimental criteria for regifts: Re-circulating a problem gift just to get it out of your sight is bad form. Same goes for slapping a new bow on an old tchotchke just to check someone's name off the holiday gift list.

Don't give unused (or even "lightly loved") gift cards: A gift card with a $43.22 balance is an obvious regift. Same with any card that has an expiration date less than a year away or has had any fees from non-use already deducted.

Don't declare "It's vintage!" when it's really just plain bedraggled: Just because it's old doesn't mean it's a cherished collectible. Remember, those who truly love antiques -- or even kitsch -- will likely be as charmed by your dusty basement cast-offs as you are by theirs. A truly vintage baking set from your great-great aunt is one thing. (If you're giving it a new home, cop to its provenance -- heck, that adds to its charm.) Unused baking pans you received for your wedding eight years ago are another category entirely: donation or giveaway.

Don't regift swag: Skip the stuff you got from that trade show you went to earlier in the year -- you know, key chains, coffee mugs, and outerwear with some random company's logo. If it was free in the first place, it's worth even less in round 2.

Do not bestow a white elephant regift out of spite: Funny, sure. But that flicker of sheer horror on the recipient's face will come back to haunt you.

The Right Way to Regift

Follow these regifting tips to come off like a sentimental big lug during the big reveal.

Keep track of the flow chart of gifting: There's no bigger horror than returning a gift to its original giver. Avoid this by keeping track of each item's past (formally, on a spreadsheet, if you want to be a regifting pro). In fact, regifting pros suggest that to play it safe, it's best to repurpose in an entirely different social circle than the one from which the original item arrived. (For reference, check your family tree and office organizational chart.) That way, the original gift-giver won't find out that those potholders he painstakingly picked out have found a second life elsewhere.

Make sure all original packaging is intact: Does it pass the shrinkwrap test? If the item originally came hermetically sealed from the factory, it should move up the gift chain in the same condition. (Review the "barely used" versus "brand spankin' new" entry above.)

Triple-check for all telltale regifting signs: Gift tags stuck in the bottom of the box's folds, gift receipts, the whiff of someone else's perfume, an actual picture of someone you know in the frame (and not the standby camera-ready studio family shot) -- remove all signs (dust for fingerprints if you must) that the gift has a past. Finally, before you present it, step back and re-evaluate the regift from the recipient's perspective to make sure it passes muster.

Give with good intentions: The sentiment behind your regift should be the same as the thought behind any new gift: You're passing it along because you think the recipient will appreciate it.

Give it away anyway: If you received something that doesn't pass the regift test, you don't have to be stuck with it forever. Pass it along without the guise of the "new gift" (minus wrapping paper, bow, and card) and give the recipient an easy out (e.g., "I wore this once and was told it made my complexion come off as puce. If you like it -- or know someone else who would -- it's yours.").

Finally, we all know that when it comes to gifts, that whole "it's the thought that counts" yarn really doesn't fly with anyone but your parents. For all others, it is all about the gift (though no one will cop to it, at least on record). So put some thought into your gift -- er, regift -- and pat yourself on the back for finding it a permanent home.

Our first week of December 2008!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

What a week! It's hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone! We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Our week was busy, but not crazy busy like the last several weeks. Monday was round 2 of a foot detox for me. And let me tell you....I am loving these!! They are so interesting and I'm anxious to see if they really work. I'm going to post a blog later in the week with more information about these. If you've never had one done, I'd highly recommend one. The place where I go is taking the month of December off but they will start back up in January so for anyone interested, let me know. :) Now, onto Tuesday. I spent the morning and early afternoon helping my Grandma put up for Christmas tree and some decorations. It was so nice to spend the morning with her and enjoy some peace and quite. Wednesday the girls had a half of day. Dave and the girls took Cosmo to the park for a while in the afternoon and then we spent the evening relaxing! It was so nice!!!! Thursday morning we spent watching the parade on TV and enjoying some Cinnamon muffins that were so yummy! Dave and the girls headed to his sisters house for a little bit and then we all headed to my aunts house for the afternoon and evening. We had a very yummy dinner with all the traditional Thanksgiving food!! We were all pretty tried and stuffed so we headed home around 9:00 and we in bed and out by 10:00. At least I know I was. The weekend wasn't too bad for once in a long time. Saturday I played catch up on a lot of things and we put up the Christmas tree. Once Sunday got here, it started off with a soccer game for Courtney and then a very quick day of decorating. Sunday flew by so fast! Probably because I had so much I wanted to get done. And I didn't even get half of it done.

Here's the news for this week.....

Here we are....December 1st! Unbelievable!!!!!! This week is back to "normal" I guess, busy with lots going on! Monday the girls got to shop at the Christmas store at school. They both were worried about buying double of something so I made a trip up to school twice during the day to "help" them shop. They actually had a lot of cute stuff and the girls had a lot of fun shopping. Especially Kayla! Tuesday will be a busy day at home. I have a ton of stuff that I REALLY need to get caught up on! Starting off with laundry! I hate laundry and for those of you who really know me, you know I have a serious problem with doing laundry! I hate it for whatever reason. It will pile up and pile up and everyday I will look at it and think, "I should really wash some clothes!" There's just not enough time in the day to get everything done. I keep telling Dave, I'm going to start paying someone to do our laundry. I hate it that much. And there is a laundry mat right up the street the charges 90 cents per pound. I wonder how much a pound of laundry is?? I will probably be finding out here pretty soon! So onto Wednesday....Kayla's class is leading the chapel service for school that morning. So it will be rise and shine for all of us that morning. Dave and I will be staying to watch. She has a speaking part! :) Thursday will be a super full day and a Ladies Candlelight Dinner for me in the evening! I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening! I could use it right now. Friday will be yet another busy day. And then the weekend is here! The girls are going to see Mannheim Steamrollers in the evening with my parents. They are very excited!!! Sunday will be a full day! There's a soccer game, baby shower, and 2 Christmas Parties! Then it's the start of a new week!!! :) 'Tis the season to be jolly!!!

Until next week, have a great week!!