Well, at least today I am as is everyone who wants to be for St. Patrick’s Day. I was looking for an Irish blessing but the Irish saying I was thinking about was really a toast. So here is my favorite Irish toast followed by an Irish blessing:

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

Irish Blessing

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

With the nice spring weather my mind has turned to vacation planning. There are two events that we want to attend this year. One is Labor Day weekend while the other is in late November. They are both a few months away, so there is plenty of time to plan.

We will need a lot before going on vacation like some Briggs and Riley luggage and some new clothes. We need to start saving money that we will need for food, hotel stay, and gas. Of course, we will want to buy souvenirs, too.

While those events might be months away, it is nice to go ahead and make a plan to save money so we can attend. Too bad they aren’t happening within a few months because it would be great to get away for a few days soon. This spring weather beckons to us to go somewhere. Anywhere.

So, 2008 started off well enough. We were dieting. We were eating less and losing weight. Now, two months later, after being sick we have fallen off the wagon. It’s so hard to get back on.

Aside from restarting our dieting efforts with hoodia, we have to come up with a way to get back to eating right. It’s so hard since eating is one of my favorite things to do. Dieting means eating less, therefore not partaking of my favorite pastime that often.

Next grocery visit we will have to buy more healthy foods. That will mean to do some menu planning. It will be worth it once we get back to our eating routine that we had in January.

Are you wandering what you are going to do with all those plastic Easter eggs? Surprisingly, there are many uses for plastic Easter eggs. Here are 50 suggestions:

1. Putting prizes in for egg hunts.

2. Use to hold paint if eggs do not have holes in them.

3. Store pantyhose. (larger eggs. remember when pantyhose used to come in eggs?)

4. Keep necklaces from getting tangled by placing one in an egg. Great for travel.

5. Packing material.

6. Make an egg duck.

7. Or how about a plastic egg bunny.

8. Grab some glue, beads, and ribbon. Decorate eggs and then display in a nice basket.

9. Try felted Easter eggs.

10. Make your own play dough and store it in plastic eggs.

11. Try a Dinosaur Excavation eggs for a fun project.

12. Decorate eggs with faces. Glue craft stick to egg and put on a puppet show.

13. Stuff with potpourri and use as an air freshener. Either puncture holes in eggs or use eggs that already have small holes.

14. String eggs together to create garland for a fireplace mantle or table centerpiece.

15. Saving receipts? Place important receipts for big ticket purchases in eggs for safe storage.

16. Store special coins. This way you are less likely to accidentally spend that state quarter or wheat penny.

17. Glue eggs halves around a plain picture frame to create a one-of-a-kind frame that is perfect for holding that egg hunt picture.

18. Store craft beads. Keep organized by color.

19. Use it to keep eye shadow brushes clean and easily accessible.

20. Keep plastic eggs to use in conjunction with gifts. Put tiny trinkets until the eggs for an added surprise for the recipient.

21. Use sand in plastic eggs when you need to weigh down a gift bag to keep it from tipping over.

22. Keep small eyeglasses screwdriver and screws since it’s much easier to find a brightly colored plastic egg in a junk drawer than a small screwdriver.

23. Place fingernail clippers inside because it will be easier to find when you need it.

24. Use eggs to help younger kids learn to count.

25. Learning tool to learn colors as well. or combine games(give me the blue egg, or give me two pink eggs)

26. Fill eggs with different materials like dirt, rocks, etc. Have children try to guess what each egg holds.

27. Have children race with a plastic egg in a spoon. If they drop the egg, then they are out of the race. Usually done with real eggs but fill plastic eggs with water or dirt to give them a little weight.

28. Another racing game is to have kids push a plastic egg with their nose to the finish line.

29. Form a line and have each person pass the egg to the next person without using their hands. See how far it can be passed before it’s dropped.

30. Play croquet. Take a plastic bat and tap the plastic eggs around the yard, trying to steer eggs through the scoring goals.

31. Mismatch eggs and then have children race to place the eggs back to one color.

32. Hide one prize in an egg. Then quiz kids on various subjects. When they get a question right, they get to choose an egg. Game is over when the special egg is found.

33. Place in a basket for decoration.

34. Convert your Christmas tree into an Easter tree. Take ribbon and hang plastic eggs on tree.

35. Use half an egg to scoop sand or take to beach to build sandcastles.

36. Add plastic eggs to ball pit or make your own by tossing them into an empty, small swimming pool.

37. Keep loose buttons in them.

38. Pack some thread and a needle in one for a travel sewing kit.

39. Keep loose change organized on a dresser or in your car by placing it in eggs.

40. Fill eggs with sand to create your own weights for use during workouts. Plug any holes in eggs first.

41. Weight down eggs with dirt or sand and use in flower garden as decoration

42. Keep small parts to board games(like Monopoly pieces: shoe, horse, etc.) so you don’t lose them.

43. Place cotton balls in eggs. Takes up little space and keeps them clean.

44. Keep an egg in your purse to hold loose change.

45. Use a plastic egg to hold one serving size of your favorite candy. This way you can have a little treat guilt free.

46. Keep band-aids in eggs when traveling or in your purse.

47. Place jewelry that you plan to wear with each outfit into separate eggs. It will keep it together and well organized.

48. Place small media cards inside eggs to protect them as well as to be able to find them fast.

49. Do you work on computers? Place those small screws inside a plastic egg and never lose one again.

50. Donate plastic eggs to a church or organization that sponsors a community egg hunt.

Ever since we became parents, we haul around more stuff in our car than ever before. From the stroller to diapers to toys, our car is always a mess. I finally don’t have to carry around a diaper bag anymore but there is still a lot of gear that we have for the girl in the car and in our home.

This week the Parent Bloggers Network is posing the question how do you simplify your toddler/baby gear? Since the girl is our first baby, I had been in the habit of keeping, ie, hoarding, everything of hers to use for the next baby. Well, this plan was really taking up valuable closet space. I decided that it is better to keep very few items and donate the rest. Now I’m beginning to see closet space again plus I know that those baby items are being put to good use.

Some of her baby items I sold in a rummage sale, which not only gave some people a good deal on baby gear but gave me a little extra pocket money. I’ve also given away some baby clothing through out local Freecycle group. I like the philosophy behind Freecycle, so that’s why I also like Zwaggle. Zwaggle is a fun way to get rid of unwanted baby gear or find what you need. Items are free and are ‘purchased’ with Zwaggle points that you receive when you list items. In fact, sign up with the link an get extra Zwaggle points.

I have begun to spring clean our house. We will be going through all of her toys to thin out those she no longer plays with. We love donating our items because it feels good that someone else will be able to use them. Plus it keeps those items out of the landfill, which is always a good thing.

I have to admit that I’m not a huge fan of mini-blinds, although you couldn’t tell that from looking at my house. Each window has a mini-blind adorning it. I would prefer to have roller shades on at least the bedroom windows but since it was easier to put up the mini-blinds, so we went with that option. That sounds lazy doesn’t it?

We hung roller shades in Rae’s room at our other house. They worked well and aside from the cat attacking the curtains and the shades, leaving a few puncture holes, they worked great. They kept out the light, which meant that she would sleep longer in the morning.

Our mini-blinds aren’t that old but some are already falling apart. We don’t raise or open them but already they are looking not so stellar. The cats are outside, too, so we can’t blame their appearance on them. I’m disappointed in how they are not holding up since they are less than six months old, especially compared to our roller shades that lasted a lot longer and actually withstood our cats’ torture.

What type of blinds do you have? Which ones would you have if you could have any you wanted?

I’ll admit that I’m not a coffee drinker but aspire to be one. No one ever asks you to come in for a cup of soda. You never read the morning paper with a tall glass of milk. It’s always coffee. So, I aspire to be a coffee drinker. One thing I’m learning is that is an acquired taste, translation: I will have to drink a few gallons before I begin to enjoy the taste.

I’ve never owned a coffee machine but have always wanted one. Even if I don’t drink that much coffee, it would be nice to at least offer a coffee drinker visiting my home a cup of java. That’s why when I was asked if I would like to try the Senseo coffee maker, I jumped at the chance. This would give me the outlet the have coffee on hand to offer guests plus give me a chance to start acquiring that taste for coffee.

The Senseo coffee maker is one sexy coffee maker. It’s sleek, black, and uses coffee pods instead of having to measure out how much coffee is needed. You can either make 1 or 2 cups of coffee.

So, after setting up the coffee maker and preparing it, I made my first cup of coffee that I’ve had in a long time. I added a little milk and drank a few sips. My husband adds sugar to his coffee, so my next cup I added sugar. It was much better! To use the Seseo coffee maker, first turn it on to heat up the water. It takes about 90 seconds. Then place your cup underneath the drip and press the button to make the coffee.

Your four ounces of pure java joy will be ready in mere seconds. Each cup is four ounces, which apparently is a serving size of coffee. I would never have guessed that because all the coffee drinkers have huge coffee cups or drink it by the thermos. I will tell you one thing, after drinking a cup of coffee, I feel more awake and alert. I see why coffee is such a great pick-me-up. It works wonders.

The coffee maker came with a pack of medium roast pods. I was anxious to try other flavors, so I bought a pack of Senseo French Vanilla. My husband didn’t care for it but I like it since it helps to cut down on the coffee taste. Remember I haven’t acquired my taste for coffee yet.

It’s the perfect coffee maker for us since we don’t drink that much coffee but can still enjoy it every now and then. Also we have it on hand to offer our coffee drinking guests. Plus I love the way the house smells after brewing a cup. It’s better than any potpourri to me.

Doesn’t that coffee look good? Well, Senseo is giving you the chance to experience their coffee maker free. Visit ShareSenseo.com and fill out the survey. You will be entered in a contest to win a Senseo coffee maker, pods, and a pod canister. This is open to U.S. residents. Promotion ends June 30, 2008.

This week’s tackle has no picture because it’s an ongoing project, so where I’ve been tackling doesn’t look like much has been done! Let me explain.

We moved back in the fall and have a lot in storage on the back porch of my Mom’s building that was her antique shop. So, with the nice weather and inspired by Dan Aslett’s book, A Cluttered Mind, I’ve decided to tackle all of our storage and either donate or reorganize what we plan to keep. Hopefully we will be donating at least 75% of the stuff.

This week I’ve been tackling all of our clothes that were being stored on the back porch. I only rescued a few items and donated the rest. I had been keeping most of it on the off chance that we had another rummage sale then I could make a few dollars. What I have since realized is that there will always be items that I can add to a rummage sale and I don’t necessarily have to keep boxes of stuff to sell once a year.

I hauled off three garbage bags and one plastic tote full of clothing. It felt good to give it away and get it out of my life. I literally felt like a weight had been lifted. So hopefully I can sort through some other stuff later this week and make another donation drop. It would be wonderful to fully tackle it this week. When I get it all done, I will definitely take pictures.

After reading about Don Aslett on a post over at The Lazy Organizer, I was intrigued by it enough to check out who he was. He has written several books on cleaning and clutter.

Having a ton of stuff that I feel is weighing me down, I wanted to buy one of his books. So, I found one on Amazon that looked promising and will hopefully help me kick the clutter habit. It’s Clutters Last Stand and while I’ve only read a few pages, I’m ready to de-junk my home.

Clutter affects me daily. I put off doing things because I have to clean a spot off to do it. It takes forever to clean because of the clutter and putting away everything. I’m so ready to make a change and live with less. Hopefully it will take less time to clean plus my mind will not be on the clutter and hopefully I can be more productive.

So far I have taken one load to the thrift store. It felt so good to not only sort through some things but to get rid of the stuff we’re not using anymore.

There is no sports figure is more popular with nephew than Kobe Bryant. He absolutely loves the guy. My nephew plays basketball, so Kobe is definitely his role model. My nephew will graduate this year as well as turn 18, two big milestones. I had thought that getting him some special for his birthday.

Then I learned about this sports collectibles program through Hyped Up Sports. They’ve partnered with Upper Deck to offer people a way to get their items signed by one of their sports superstars. Besides Kobe Bryant, there is: Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Kevin Durant. Having an authentic signature of his sports hero might be the perfect gift for the occasion.

Here’s how it works. First, you have to send them a picture of the item you would like autographed. They will have to verify that the superstar will be signing that kind of item on signing day. Next you will have to purchase the program. Then you will have to send the item to Hyped Up Sports. Pricing is listed on the website. I have to admit that the pricing is a little expensive but it is a chance to have a one-of-a-kind signature sports collectible.

This is the next best thing to seeing an athlete sign sports collectibles. The autograph will be authenticated, so there’s no doubt that it’s the real thing. If you can’t make it to see a sports star, this is a nice, safe way to get an authentic autograph.