"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Easy Rag Wreath

Here's an easy rag wreath project I learned how to do here. BigBoy helped and BabyCakes was there too. It took a little while to tie all the scraps and play with the kids at the same time, but it was a sweet little project for us this morning. You can make your wreath fuller or a little "neater." It just depends on the length of your strips. I wanted a fuller one, myself.

I was wanting a wreath for the front door but didn't want to buy one. I found the small wreath hanger at a yardsale Saturday for a quarter, and I bought the wicker ring the scraps are tied to at the dollar tree. Some of the fabric I had on hand a from precious projects and some I found for dirrrrrt cheap at that same yard sale last weekend.

I think I like it.

For now, anyway. :)
Things are returning to normal this morning after a grandparent-filled few days. BigBoy was NOT happy to see his Gramps and Granny go.

'

I think BabyCakes liked all the attention too.



If naps work out right, we are going to see Biz and LadyBug this morning. They have to be somewhere at 12 so our window is a little smaller than usual. Wish us luck! We miss our girls!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

As I said earlier, my parents have been visiting. Saturday before they arrived, I had a pretty good yard sale day with BabyCakes, though.
Here is just one of my many great finds of the day.
Pretend that there are LOTS of pencil/pen marks on it and it is overall dirty. ( I forgot to take a pic until after I cleaned it.) I thought for sure I was going to have to paint it because it looked so nasty. My Mr. Clean eraser earned it's keep, though! I removed the handles (they were ugly up close) and replaced them with some hemp twine that I had on hand.



I've always struggled with storage of bills and other things that I don't necessarily want to put away but that I also don't want left out in the middle of the counter. I used to use a large bowl on the island but that became too much of a catch-all for anything and everything else. When I saw this -- bead board and all -- I knew it was PERFECT for a sort of mom's office station in my kitchen. The $2 asking price didn't hurt, either.



I also got the green vase for 50 cents and now I put spare change and pens in it. Those are BigBoy's vitamins in the container on the right. Now I have the things I want to remember at hand, just not in a conspicuous manner.

Sorry I've been MIA lately, but as you can see, my parents have been in town.

Too bad they aren't AT ALL excited to see the kids. ;)



They haven't left yet so I don't have long...just wanted to do a quick update and wish you a good day!

P.S. So far BigBoy has 2 foam swords, a glittery Buzz bouncy ball, Mickey Mouse matchbox cars, a frosty, an icee, and 2 doughnuts under his belt. Believe it or not, that shows restraint on Granny and Gramps' part!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Some changes

First off, there are a lot of pictures in this post but none of the children. Sorry, grandparents!
Also, long post ahead!

Today after picking BigBoy up from "camp" (basically a 2-week VBS), we went to HomeGoods to check out the lamp shade situation. Now that my walls are no longer Burnt Plum (the wound is still fresh), my gold lamp shade wasn't working for the dining room anymore. I think the new wall color is "Pebble Courtyard" but I call it Caucasian -- or Seinfeld, whatever my mood.
Here is a tease of my "new" dining room. I am really happy with the "second cheapest curtain panels Target has to offer" window treatments I now have. I haven't had curtains in my whole life. The most I ever had was a valence in a couple rooms. I think the house looks very homey now.



While we were there I saw this art thing that was broken and marked on clearance. It was $8 on clearance but I asked at the register if I could get it for $5 because it had completely come apart, and they said Yes.



I didn't like the fish on the tile part but I wanted the square shape for my calendar.
I don't particularly care for things to be displayed on my fridge. My Grecian friend Dimitra who lives in England sent me a calendar she bought in Venice during a trip (jealous, right?). I still want to display the pictures that go along with the month somehow, but not sure how. Notice all the languages "July" is written in? Also, the European calendar starts with Monday instead of Sunday and progresses vertically instead of horizontally.

I merely attached the month of July page to the fish tile with some hidden scotch tape and used twine to help hold it in place/make it look better. Now when it comes time for August, I will simply untie the twine and tape in the new month.
I was trying so hard to make this work with an existing frame but all mine were rectangular. When I saw this thing at HomeGoods I just knew it would work.



I take it back, I do have a picture of one of the kids. This is BigBoy (in my sunglasses) after leaving HomeGoods, what he calls a "mommy store."


I couldn't leave the wall blank on this side of the bar. The top dish hanging from a ribbon I purchased at a yard sale a couple weeks ago for 50 cents. The Faith sign I already had from a misguided idea to decorate above my cabinets (there is less than no room, it turns out), and the bottom plate was previously metal and I bought it at a thrift store. I wish I had a before picture. It was silver and all kinds of scratched and nasty. I just cleaned it a bit and used cheap white spray paint since it won't be handled regularly. Then I used some of the twine i had on hand to hang it by. Oh and I paid 89 cents. :)


Those are my new green panels to the right. Can you tell that I've been on a redecorating kick? :)
I couldn't have done it without J. He installed all the new faux-wood blinds I bought for the living/dining/kitchen area AND all the rods for the curtains the very next night. He's so good to me. :)


I had to mention this: My vegetable prints my mom gave me and I had framed, are soooo me. Well, aside from them being vegetables. Now if they were desserts on the other hand... :) Check out some of the captions:





My parents are coming in this weekend and I can't wait to see what BigBoy talks them into doing. There has been much talk of a certain "fire sword" (?????) available for purchase at the Lego store. All week his response to my "No's" has been "my granny and gramps let me ______." Hahahaha, I plan on feeding him pixie sticks and chocolate milk for breakfast and then unleashing him on them.
Just kidding... about the pixie stick thing anyway. ;)
They ARE a couple heart patients, after all.

Happy HOT weather to you, and go find a great bargain or make new use of something you already have! Send me pics of your deals or transformations and I'll share them!

Dinosaur Hair

Last night after BigBoy's shower I combed his hair into a fauxhawk and he loooved it.
"Dinosaur hair!"

This morning after brushing his teeth he asked for "dinosaur hair" for camp today. :)
It's not my favorite look but what does it hurt?



I love that when BigBoy see his hair like this he thinks dinosaurs and not rock and roll. :) Ah the sweet innocence of youth.


Ok, I think I'm going to have to crack another energy drink. BabyCakes, usually a Grade A, World-Class, Champion Sleeper, had me up several times last night. Her brother even threw one in for good measure.

I'm off to take a rejuvenating shower. BigBoy might look like a dinosaur today, but I look like a cavewoman!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Checking in

Yes, I know it has been almost a week since my last blaaaaahg, but in my defense summers are delightfully busy.

Here are some "real" pictures of life with BabyCakes and BigBoy:


(Babies are gross)


(This is them right now so I don't have long)





Ok, sorry but that's all I have! I hope everyone has a nice evening and stays cool! The heat index here is 102 right now! No, the yard is not getting mowed.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Words Unspoken

We knew it all along. We KNEW he understood... more.



Today I found out the results of BigBoy's speech evaluations.
One year ago they put his verbal abilities at an 18 month old's level.
Today I was informed that his receptive and expressive language (what he understands and what he can say, respectively) is in the above average range for his age. He scored a 114 out of 115. Apparently it's all there, it's just not all coming out his mouth.
They even said he has a "large" vocabulary. ?? :) :) !!



BigBoy can identify objects/actions when prompted, but you can't really understand him all the time.
His problem is mostly with forming the sounds that make words. These struggles with speech are keeping a lot of what he has to say stuck in his head.
Even still, he talks much, much more these days.
There's still a lot he's not saying, though.



They also noted that he has a level of self-confidence not usually seen in children with this kind of verbal delay. Those of you who know him personally know that BigBoy has NEVER had a problem with who he is or what he wants in life. Other people not understanding him has never been what he considered "just cause" for change -- in any aspect of life.




The recommendation was two 30-minute sessions a week of speech therapy focusing on verbal motor abilities, to start this Fall when the traditional school year begins (it takes place at an elementary school).



BigBoy was telling me he loved me as I snapped the above photo. Now that you know this, can't you see the tenderness and purity of emotion in his face?

My son hasn't always been able to talk, but he's never had a problem speaking with his heart.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Little June

If you read my blog last week you saw my Happy Birthday post for BigBoy. I take a picture of him every year on his birthday (ok, at least the same summer) sitting on top of his personalized toy chest.
I had been wondering what I was going to to do for BabyCakes like this and the only thing I could think of was her wearing my veil but it seemed a little cheesy and forced. One of my friends was saying "what do you have that is sentimental you could use?" when I thought of my pearls.
J's mom and dad gave them to me when we got married. They used to call me "June" when I would wear them. :)


I think it would be so precious to take BabyCakes' photo wearing the pearls every year on her birthday, and then present them to her on her highschool graduation. I doubt she will indulge my yearly necklace shoots past 18. :)


Here she is close to her Half Birthday (it will be on the 20th). I'm going to try for more at another time with better lighting, but some came out just fine.


"Little June" couldn't be any sweeter.
I wish I had some pictures to share with you. I hope to take some good ones of BigBoy really soon since he just turned 4, and I have something special planned for BabyCakes' 6 mos.

This morning during BigBoy's camp, BabyCakes and I took BOTH cars to have the oil changed (I'm going to score some points with the hubs on that one) and we mailed out Father's Day items.

I wish I had something interesting to tell you.

Hmmm...

You can get a free 8x10 collage print from Walgreens today through Saturday. I did one with both kids as 2 month old babies and it says "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord..." at the bottom. These are the two pics I used:




Hopefully I will like it but if I don't I'm out nada. You should try one, too. What's there to lose?

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Me this morning:


The kids this morning:


Yeah. The creative juices aren't exactly flowing.
BigBoy has camp this morning. Oh, and for my facebook friends, I'm not on there anymore. Just an FYI.
Hope you have a good day.


I wish I was a coffee-drinker. :)

Monday, June 14, 2010

Biz' Birthday Weekend

Good morning, friends!
This weekend was a HOT one, wasn't it? Saturday morning BigBoy and I went to Biz' birthday party. He of course had a BALL. It took some patience trying to get him out the door at the end. :)

Here's Biz (in the tinkerbell costume I found her a while back) opening a tutu with excitement. She's so cute. :)





BabyCakes didn't get to go to the party because she needed a nap, but here's a picture for you anyway. Sorry but I only have recent pictures of her with babyfood on her face. :) These are carrots, by the way. Oh and yes, she liked them of course. So far peas are the only thing she's really not enjoyed.


Sunday, June 13, 2010

Lighting up my kitchen

A month or so back when I was really in a trash-to-treasure phase, I came across this dingy old brass lamp in a thrift store. It was dirty and had a lamp shade left over from the 80's but I liked its size and shape and knew I wanted it for the bar in my kitchen. I paid the one dollar asking price and left them the shade to sell to someone else.



This project was really simple. I just taped off the top of the cord and also the light switch unit and then hit it with a couple coats of a nice, multi-surface white spray paint I already had on hand.
I found this small shade at target for $10. I could have gone cheaper and bought a white or green one for $7, or even cheaper and looked at yardsales for one, but I was ready to finish the project and a little tired of yardsales. Besides, I really like this shade. I think the lamp looks pretty cute for $11. At night when I turn it on it gives the kitchen a very homey feel.



I sat out a crystal bell that was presented to J's mother when they were stationed Germany and also a tiny print of Neuschwanstein Castle that she purchased while they there. I was lucky enough to visit Neuschwanstein on a European trip I took with my highschool the summer after I graduated, so the print is very sentimental to me.


Filling my home with only the things we need and/or love is something I learned from Mrs. D. Now that some of her things are in my kitchen, not only does she have a presence in our hearts, but also in the heart of our home.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Jordan Lake with the boys

Yesterday around mid-morning we went to Jordan Lake with our friends/neighbors Miss Kelly and her boys James and Noah. After some swimming the boys moved on to playing in the sand.




The biggest boy of the big boys: handsome Noah.


BabyCakes did well but was ready for a nap after a couple hours.


BigBoy is 6 mos older than cutie James so the boys are all around the same age. They were nice to share their floatation devices with him at the lake. I thought for sure he wouldn't want to swim but I guess seeing his buddies do it gave him courage. :)



This is how BOYS do BEACH.


We had a nice time. Unfortunately a sudden headache turned even more suddenly into a migraine while we were eating our picnic lunch. We had to leave before BigBoy could enjoy the playground and I ended up getting sick at a park on the way home. :(
J came home early and I was feeling better within a few hours, though. He's such a good husband and father. He's a very private person, though, so I intentionally do not mention him much on this blog, but I don't want that omission to be taken for a lack of participation on his part or appreciation on mine.
Today I'm especially grateful for him and our love because today is our 9th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary, Honey! I love you!!!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

BabyCakes Chair

You might remember this yard sale find of mine from over a month ago. I thought this project would be completed quickly but other things with higher priority got in the way.


Here is the final result! I'm pretty pleased with how it came out, especially since it was the first project of its kind I'd ever done. I used heirloom white spray paint because the furniture is not quite white-- it's creamier than that. I was a little nervous about trying to match it exactly but I didn't think I had much choice other than to try because there was already a lot of color going on. The color ended up being perfect!


The desk area is going to have to stay looking like this for a while, though.


I thought this cupcake fabric was super-cute and went really well with the feel of her room. The vintage paper dolls and her yellow gingham bedding really tie in well with it.
(Okay, maybe I just like cupcakes)