A Found Note

I have a whole room at my parent's dedicated to the remnants

of my divorce. I have enough nice plates to feed an army.
I have towels. I have blankets; I have one that has the Idaho Falls
Temple beautifully embroidery on it--a heirloom I suppose. I have
a scrapbook that I painstakingly put together telling myself over
and over that I wasn't wasting my time, things would
get better. When a good friend asked me what I wanted for a wedding
gift, I told him a vacuum. He got my favorite color. It sits collecting dust.
I have the cute little-ice-cream-cone-shaped bowls with matching spoons,
missing one because he dropped it, shattering it into a million pieces.
I have picture frames still filled with us, waiting for me to find them and
change their stories. I have enough food storage for two for a year.

I have far too much for being single. Just sitting there in great piles
that get tipped over and scattered as I occasionally dig to find things.

It reminds me of him.
I remember who gave us what on that day. Everything was so exciting because
it held so much promise. Items to fill a new home. Items to help a new family get
started. It is a guilty treasure trove because
none of it was meant for someone who would a year later be throwing in the
towel. But I hold onto it because it is what is left for me to start new someday.

Today, I found a note from my boyfriend about a simple thing like loving
my laugh. It made me smile and feel good about keeping stuff.
It's what got me thinking about the important things to keep around.
I have someone really great. Someone so entirely special that sometimes
I am taken back that he loves me. (I check to make sure all the time.)

And someday I hope, knock on wood, that he will be the one helping me
unpack.

The Note:

Reasons Kendra is More Amazing than She Gives Herself Credit For
#4 Your Laugh
I absolutely love it when you laugh. It's such a bright and cheery laugh. Your eyes squint a little and your tongue hits the back of your teeth and I can't help smiling when you do it. It's great. Plus, when you laugh, you smile, and wow! What a gorgeous smile it is. I won't get into that though, because I think it deserves its own list item later on.

I sure like him.

Whiteboard

Again, no photoshop so I couldn't do a detailed tutorial, but honestly

this totally cute whiteboard didn't need it. It is so darn easy and I

believe an essential for every college student. My roommate and I write notes

back and forth to each other. And I love me a handwritten note.

Here are the directions:

1) Purchase yourself a frame. I bought a square one from Porter's Craft

for about $8. Make sure you have glass in it.

2) Using Modge Podge, I just cut out some scrapbook paper I liked and

glued it on. In the corner, for the flowers, I just did the same thing I did

in this tutorial and glued them on.

(Tip: these flowers are also adorable to glue on headbands.)

3) I put a piece of scrapbook paper on the back and closed up the frame.

4) And now the fun part: write away on the glass with dry-erase markers.

I freakin love our whiteboard. It adds a lot to our apartment.

Drop the Love Bomb

I'm a little slow on getting this out. There is a new love bomb being

dropped over the Chicago Fire Department. They recently lost a brother

and are feeling the void left by his passing.

Drop by and give them some love.

It is an opportunity to let others know that they have a support system

out there and in the case of this fire department that we appreciate

our heroes and the sacrifices they do for us.

Visit their site here.

And to learn more about Love Bomb go here.

Spread the love people! :)

That Thing You Always Wanted (SERIOUSLY)

You know those neck pillows that are so handy

when you are flying or going on long trips? I love them.
But...

I also love my rice bag that my sister made for me a few years

back. Heat it in a microwave and it is perfect for those aches, pains,

and cramps that we all get. The rice holds the heat for quite a while.

My two loves have come together to make this genius heating neck

wrap that is going to be my new best friend. (I don't know about you

but by the end of the day my neck is killing me and this lovely is going

to make my life wonderful.) It is very easy to make too!

I'll show you:

1. I drew a pattern based on the pillow on some fabric. I traced it

about 1/2 out from the outline of the pillow to give room for the

stitch and the filling. I used fleece. I think thicker fabrics will

be more beneficial to the overall heat of the pillow.

(I think I probably should have ironed it. I really hate ironing.)

2. Pin the first cutout onto more of the fabric and cut out a back.

3. Sew it all together. Remember to leave a hole to turn it inside-out.

and to fill the bag with rice with.

4. Turn the pillow inside-out so you no longer see the stitch.

5. Fill with rice. I added some oatmeal and some herbal tea bags.

The herbal tea masks the smell of the rice and makes it heavenly to

heat this baby up. I used ginger and peppermint and it smells very
much like Christmas; it's wonderful.

6. Hand stitch up your hole.

7. Throw it all in the microwave for a few minutes. Remember if it is

too hot for your hand it is too hot for your neck.

8. Love it. Use it. Thank me. :)

It is like getting a warm, cozy hug on your neck.

Cost: Nothing. I just used stuff around the house.

Time: about an hour