mommy has a blog...

2009-05-10T22:02:00.001-05:00

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

Hope everyone had a blessed Mother's Day!

A touch of femininity...

2009-05-09T15:01:00.007-05:00

I recently scored a huge bag of lace, both new and vintage, at Goodwill and have had a blast using it. This week I lined the shelf in my hutch with lace using double-sided tape...

I also found this idea in a magazine. Using thumbtacks and lace, I made an "organizer" for all the small things in my bathroom drawer...

Not only does it keep it all from moving around and getting lost amongst other things, it brings a smile to my face each time I open the drawer.
Ahh, I love being a girl. :)

Laundry Room "Art"

2009-04-27T18:50:00.002-05:00

I have been working on my laundry room and did a simple and quick project today to spice it up a bit.

I got these little chandelier type things at Michaels a while back for like 20 cents and spray painted it black. Next, using double-sided tape, I attached it to damask scrapbook paper and framed it. Viola! Made to match art for less than 2 bucks! ;)

Dress Up Center

2009-04-27T18:42:00.004-05:00

This is very simple to do! I took out one of the shelves in my daughter's bookcase and using a small tenion rod, hung her dress up clothes!

Tip Time!

2009-04-22T23:37:00.008-05:00

Have a pastry cutter? It is an excellent tool for getting hamburger meat "taco perfect"... I have also used it to "shred" chicken.

This next tip is something my mom has done for as long as I can remember. Reuse candle jars! This is so easy! I love it because not only do I get to burn a yummy candle, but when it's gone, I get a cute jar.

All I do is soak the jar and the remaining wax in HOT soapy water. I usually leave it to soak overnight and then in the morning gently lift out the wax with a butterknife. It should come right out. Give it a good scrubbin', soak it again, pop it in the dishwasher, bleach it, whatever you feel is necessary.

These are my favorites these days- Paula Deen. (I get mine at Wal-Mart.)

This next one is so adorable, very vintage farmhouse and it also came from Wal-Mart, so it's CHEAP!

Also, I "invested" in a $4.oo candle warmer and anytime you get to the bottom of the candle or you lose the wick (GRR) you can stretch the last bit of it with these things. I sometimes prefer the warmer, because it's stronger and it makes the candle last longer.

just a thought...

2009-04-20T11:37:00.004-05:00

These are evil...and must be stopped...

I can thank my Daddy for sending me these all the way from Florida. He just knew I would love them. Sweet and salty? Crazy good. Seriously, the madness must be stopped.

Boutique-y frame DIY

2009-04-14T21:28:00.007-05:00

I love all the little shops downtown, but I don't love the prices. I got this idea from a hodge-podge of things I saw while window shopping. It turned out pretty cute considering it was the stuff I had on hand.

I took a brown paper bag and applied a rub-on on it. Then I crumbled it up into a ball a few times to make it look worn and antique-y. Next I took a lighter and lit (and quickly blew out!!) the edges. (If you ever did the whole "make an antique treasure map" in school, this is very similar!) Then I glued it onto a piece of pretty scrap paper cut to fit my frame. I used a few rhinestones to embellish. They look really orange in this pic, but they are more on the amber/brown side.

They had frames like this priced at nearly $30.00!

Vintage Cookbooks

2009-04-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

I have a deep obsession...er...love for vintage cookbooks. I found this one at a garage sale for $1.00! These are my favorite. The ones that are really loved, stained, and with tons of notes and stuff inside. It's from 1941 and it had a newspaper page, perfectly preserved inside, from 1958. My husband and I looked at it for like thirty minutes straight. We love stuff like this! Do you collect vintage cookbooks? If so, what have you found in them?

I also have a collection of McCalls that were my grandmothers and I love reading all her little notes inside and knowing which ones were her favorites by the stains and wear on the pages. It's the neatest feeling knowing that I am cooking for my husband and daughter (her great granddaughter) what she cooked for my daddy.

It's priceless.

Easter and Spring Decor

2009-04-12T14:43:00.007-05:00

I had so many questions as to the whereabouts of my Easter decor, (you guys are so sweet!) so here you go :)

Cadbury, oh Cadbury.

2009-04-11T20:35:00.005-05:00

So today Monkey and I made cookies for Easter. But not just any cookies. The. best. cookies. EVER. Seriously, I have never had a cookie like this before. I made over a dozen and hubbie wanted more. They're made with Cadbury Mini Eggs, which alone are to die for. You can find the recipe over at Our Best Bites.

Here are us girls gettin' our bake on:
If you're anything like me, you may be wondering where the rug is "that should be by the stove"... well, it's in the wash. LOL. Oh, what's that? You didn't notice..? I totally would. Sorry.

Tomorrow we'll have an Easter brunch at home, just the three of us, and a truly southern Easter dinner of Homemade Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Okra, and Cornmeal Biscuits. Cadbury and Fried Chicken? It truly is a special occasion.

We'll also be reading the Easter Story, decorating eggs, and I can't wait to see Ella Beth's face when she wakes up and sees that the Easter Bunny came while she was sleeping!

I want my daughter to experience all the joys of childhood, but she will also know that tomorrow is the most sacred day in history, and in our lives. The day that her Jesus, my Jesus, your Jesus, our Jesus rose again.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday with your loved ones!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

(Emphasis is my own)

Wordless: Spring Cleaning and More OCD.

2009-04-08T23:29:00.004-05:00

I found 7 disposable cameras while spring cleaning. We have had a digital camera for about 5 years now... there is no telling what is on these! LOL

Helping me declutter the class/craftroom, I captured more of my daughter's bizarre behavior. I have no idea where she gets it from ;)

Visit 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday!

My Martha Find

2009-04-08T23:15:00.004-05:00

This week I found a brand new, tags attached, Martha Stewart egg stand for 2 bucks! I could hardly wait to get it home and spray paint it white. It turned out so cute! I found this on Flickr and it shows its original color.. It's a little late, but I will see what I can do with it for Saturday, when we dye our eggs.

I cannot believe Easter is almost here! April is always such a crazy month for us- two birthdays, two anniversaries (including my own), Easter, and lately I have been seriously Spring Cleaning. We always have our family Easter after the actual holiday, so I will be posting ideas a little late.

Sunday Scripture

2009-03-29T12:11:00.003-05:00

The effect of the economy has even illustrated itself in my small, small town. It has been heavy on my heart lately, and everytime I turn around it seems that I am reminded that it really has affected everyone. I used to only "see" those in dire need in the bigger cities, but unfortunately it has manifested itself everywhere I look. Either that, or I have just really started open my eyes, as I have prayed, asking Christ what I can do to help. These verses spoke volumes to me this morning as it reminded me that as a Christian, it is my calling to not only have faith, but to display my faith through my actions. As I continue to pray for how I can help, I will ask Him to open my eyes even more, so that I can truly see what I have been missing.

James 2:14 -17

Dear brothers, what's the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren't proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, and you say to him, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty," and then don't give him clothes or food, what good does that do? So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn't show itself by good works is no faith at all--it is dead and useless.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-25T18:38:00.002-05:00

My 2 year old daughter has OCD.

Spring Cleaning

2009-03-25T18:15:00.007-05:00

I'm still here, I promise! I have been busy, busy, busy Spring Cleaning. (Actually catching up on last Summer, and Winter...)

If you feel moved to do the same, this is a great post to help you get started. The entire site is really motivating and inspiring!

I also enjoyed this little post for further motivation ;) "I must prepare my heart before the Lord for the day, otherwise I will get caught in my own sinfulness and selfishness"... so true!

And, better late than never, here are some highlights of our St. Paddy's Day! I didn't get a pic of the Rainbow Cake, but it turned out great and didn't last long!!

Grocery List as a Teaching Tool

2009-03-15T20:51:00.007-05:00

I make simple "lists" for my daughter to follow when we go grocery shopping. I just cut out pictures and glue them to construction paper and she can help me find what is on her list, while I can look for what is on mine. She loves it, it keeps her focused, and I love the excitement she gets from the recognition! (and being mommy's helper, of course!)

You can easily adapt this for an older child even including a checklist...the possibilities are endless!

I have a secret...

2009-03-15T20:03:00.004-05:00

I've had a few comments come my way (from the blogosphere and the other) about how I find time to keep up with blogging and posting on a regular basis. I came across this post and wanted to share, because I do not post every day, either! I get on my little kicks or find time when my two loves are in bed! Mommy at the computer with a toddler? I think NOT!

Garlic Toast Pizza

2009-03-15T12:13:00.005-05:00

I'm sure you have made french bread pizza, English Muffin pizzas, etc., but this is how I make pizzas for my two kiddoes (i.e. the husband and the actual child, lol) and they love it. Just top as you would any other pizza, and bake toast according to directions on the box.

It's not as fattening as you would think, and you could always go a leaner route, with a leaner meat, reduced fat cheese, etc.. and it sure beats shelling out an unGodly amount of money, ordering pizza, which I loathe. (It really is highway robbery.)

All stores have their own brand of this stuff and it's super cheap.

Our Wal-Mart has pizza sauce for 98 cents (every day) and it does not have High Fructose Corn Syrup in it...

YUM.

You Make Me Want to be Brave

2009-03-14T21:15:00.004-05:00

If you were to ask my mom, I was an intense and uptight kid. I worried about things kids shouldn't worry about and only a few times can I really and truly remember letting go and letting loose.

It's not that different now that I'm an adult. I'm still afraid of what most people consider to be fun things like roller coasters, I think too much, and fear holds me back greatly from having a voice and taking risks. My daughter has taught me about innocence, imagination, and just being. And these days, as my relationship with Christ stengthens, I feel myself changing.

This song says it all for me.

Have you or has someone you've known sang a song at church or at a concert and had their hands raised high, eyes closed, no-holds-barred, praising the Lord? They don't care where they are or who is watching, it's just about Him. I'm that way in my head and heart, but I may never be that person.

When I hear this song, I can see myself, hands raised high over my head, going down the fastest and biggest roller coaster, no fear, knowing that Christ is there with me, as He always has been, and He is smiling because He knows that I have let go.

I want my daughter to be the same way, in all that she does, and I also want that braveness to help in my fear of sharing my testimony and spreading the Word.

Here are the the lyrics and a video.

I sought The Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. Because I continue to look to him, I’m radiant... Psalms 34:5

Rainy Day Kit and Make Your Own Flashcards

2009-03-13T20:44:00.012-05:00

It has been raining, nearly nonstop, alllll week long here. It was summer weather last week and then BOOM. No more park. No more sidewalk chalk. Rain, rain, rain. We played games and did lots of "no camera mommy" crafting. Had to get really creative and keep her busy because she, like me, wanted to be back outside.

So, I decided to put this together for my little sister's birthday. This should be all she needs to get her craft on on a rainy day, too. You could get really creative and go all out at all the "dollar spots", i.e. Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Target, dollar stores, etc., but I wanted to keep it old school. The stuff I remember using... all the things you probably already have in your home (that I happen to save for this exact purpose) just waiting for a child's creativity and imagination to take over. You know, the basics. Also some things I have picked up for next to nothing in clearance bins for times like these.

So here goes:

Those are puff stickers, aren't they awesome?

Now for the contents:

A soup can is filled with pipe cleaners (chenille stems) and a stencil.

Tiny plastic containers holding foamie stickers, googley eyes, rhinestones, etc...and a stamp:

If you ever see these containers at the Dollar Tree, or anywhere, GRAB 'EM UP. These things are awesome for not only crafts but tons of other stuff. I'll show you at the end of the post why I am so obsessed with them.

Ok Janie, back to the kit:

A cello bag with pom poms, tied with a pipecleaner.

A foamie set of shades she can decorate then rock when the sun's back.

A sheet of red felt tucked inside a toilet paper roll. I also included a paper towel roll, paper plates, brown paper bags, foam frames, and a paint-your-own ceramic with paints and a brush.

Tucked in there as well are my homemade flash cards.

You know how sometimes a kid's meal will include flash cards? Well, at least Sonic does. Anywhoo, they are usually way too advanced for my daughter so I replace them either with our own, or ones I've made. I've just done these on colored construction paper and had them laminated at an office supply store for less than a buck. Once I even laminated them with packing tape ;) Either way, just punch a hole and hook 'em on.

Less mess, won't get torn, and actually something we are working on at the time.

And as promised, and just as a warning, I have an unnatural obsession with clear containers and labels.

Some say it's a sickness. I call it peace:

My sprinkle lovelies....the front row

How to Catch a Leprechaun...

2009-03-13T20:35:00.004-05:00

1. Buy cheap rocks at T. J. Maxx (or if you happen to have enough in your yard...)

2. Spray paint 'em gold

3. Buy even cheaper pots at a thrift store

4. Spray paint those babies black

5. Do something creative with it all..

6. I'll get back to you on that when I figure out exactly what that should be.

Oh, wowza.

2009-03-12T21:42:00.002-05:00

I just found what I'll be making for St. Patrick's Day dessert. Wow, Wow, WOW. Check out the details here. I'm thinking green frosting, though...

wowza.

Another use for that cookie cutter...

2009-03-12T20:30:00.007-05:00

It was cold today so Monkey and I enjoyed some tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch...

And then we made bracelets from (super cute!!) wooden beads I found at the dollar store.

Cost of craft: $3.00

Having Mommy and Me bracelets: priceless.

Mess schmess. We played ALLLL day :)

Salt Dough Shamrock Necklaces REVEALED!

2009-03-11T21:56:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness these turned out soo cute! I will definitely keep this recipe on hand for future occasions, because with cookie cutters, the possibilities are endless!

Monkey insisted I finish one of them, so I decided she'd wear the one mommy made and vice versa for St. Paddy's Day. (You know I'll get pics...) I was excited to get my craft on, too!

We sprinkled on glitter when the paint was wet and finished with a sealer spray so the glitter wouldn't come off.

Wanna make one, too? Check out my post here, to get started!

First Trip to the Library and Some Bidness...

2009-03-11T14:26:00.006-05:00

We had so much fun! This was and still is one of my favorite things to do, so it was so touching and exciting that she enjoyed it, too. Maybe I'm weird, but I love everything about a library. The quietness, the smell, the sound of a library book being opened.. that crunchy sound is one of my all time favorite sounds ;)

Now for the 'bidness':

Ok, first of all I want to say thank you all so much for the sweetest comments I have been getting lately about my new layout. Wow. You girls are sooooo nice! Second of all, I promised myself I wouldn't even think about doing a Mr. Linky until I had at least 30 followers.. and I have 29! Yayy, I am so excited!

Which brings me to my point...Could you guys do me a favor and let me know if you would participate in the following Mr. Linkys:

1. FREE FUN- how you and your family have free or nearly free fun. (Things I have posted in the past would be the park, etc.)

2. MOMMY'S PLAYLIST- what music you are listening to, and what it means to you, how it speaks to you...that sort of thing.

3. HIGH/LOW- I really enjoyed this on my old blog, it would be the best and worst part of your week.

4. MOMMY GETS REAL- haha.. I have been thinking about this one alot lately. I want to pick your brains. How often do you really wash your sheets, clean your windows, vaccum under the couch cushions.. you get the idea. This would be really fun and interesting! (At least to me..) This could also be secrets that you keep from others, like the time I found out my great grandmother's sacred cheesecake recipe came from a box...

Any and all of these would be posted here with a Mr. Linky for you to link to your site and we would all benefit by generating more "traffic" (I call it friends) to our blogs! I have more in mind, but this is just a start...

I'll be judging by your feedback if I should wait or go ahead and start! Thank you so much girls, you make blogging all that much more fun, and you all rock!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-03-11T00:07:00.002-05:00

ouch.
for more Wordless, visit 5 Minutes for Mom...

Salt Dough Shamrock Necklaces: Part 1

2009-03-10T21:57:00.006-05:00

This is one of those crafts you can start without the kiddoes. Mine is night-night right now so I got started so she can finish it tomorrow!

First, you'll need to make salt dough and preheat your oven to 250 degrees...

You'll need 1 cup of salt, 2 cups of flour, and 1 to 1 1/2 cups of warm tap water.

Mix the salt and flour together, then gradually add the water until dough becomes elastic. Use more flour if the dough is too sticky, and more water if too crumbly. Knead the dough to make sure ingredients are mixed well. You could mix your food coloring in at this point, but Monkey will be painting these once cooked.

On floured wax paper, roll the dough as you would sugar cookie dough and cut desired shapes. My little sister's birthday party is coming up, so we'll also be making a heart. Place shaped dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

I used a straw to poke holes where the string (or ribbon) will be looped through to make a necklace.

Bake an hour on each side, flip, and continue cooking another hour.

Once cooled, the kiddoes are free to paint! I will post Part 2 tomorrow!

Let's go Krogering.

2009-03-10T21:40:00.006-05:00

Oh, how I loooovve Kroger's Manager Specials. Sis and I scored big time last week and I got more goodies today.

We bought all they had and donated some things to the local Food Bank.

Coffee Filter Shamrocks: Done 3 Ways

2009-03-10T20:46:00.010-05:00

Marker and Water Method:

First, draw a shamrock, or for the artistically impaired, such as myself, trace a shamrock cookie cutter on a coffee filter and cut out.

Next, have your child color it with yellow and blue markers.

Put the shamrock in a small bowl:

Put water in a small bowl or baby food jar, etc.- we used an old sprinkle jar...and have your child dip a paint brush into the water and let the fun begin!

The water drops on the yellow and blue markers will bleed on the filter, creating a green tie-dyed effect! (If your child is a bit older, it would probably be more on the green side, because they tend to color more...)

Water and Food Color Method:

In one container, put a little water and drop a few drops of yellow food coloring. Then, do the same for blue and swoosh around to mix.

You could use a paint brush, but an old medicine dropper was much more fun!

Food Color Method:

The last way to do this would be to drop the food coloring directly on the shamrock filter. This one turned out great and she definitely had the most fun doing it. It was messy fun so I shut the camera off ;)

This one was a freestyle and it's so pretty!

I set all of these to dry on paper towels.

Lori is awesome.

2009-03-09T00:21:00.006-05:00

I was so thrilled to see this on my doorstep last week:

My Favorite Things Swap box had arrived! Here's what Lori sent:

Hello, Burts Bees, I love you. Those candles smelled soooo good. (Past tense was intended there because they. are gone. lol) And I love my new photo album!

Turtles. yum. Fruity trident gum. double yum. Is that monkey plate not THE CUTEST!?

The most adorable little note cards...

This soap smells sooo yummy, and its so pretty, I don't want to take it out of its package!

It was all wrapped so cute and bright and summery and it made me miss California!

As if it all wasn't awesome enough, it was all stuffed in this super cute bag that I love!

Thanks, Lori! This was so much fun and you are the bestest swap partner! :)

Decorating for St. Paddy's Day Part 1

2009-03-03T20:56:00.005-06:00

Four leaf clovers and a sneaky little leprechaun hiding in them... oh wait, take a look at my 25 cent fleur-de-lis I found while thrifting!

My take on a pot of gold.. just some green Mardi Gras beads and a shamrock pin...

this is just one of those cheap-o light-up shamrock necklaces in an apothocary jar...

shamrock ornaments in an apothocary jar...

Framed vintage postcard

First St. Paddy's Day Craft

2009-03-03T14:48:00.008-06:00

Looking for an easy and inexpensive kid's St. Patrick's Day craft? I found this at Hobby Lobby and thought it would be perfect with our simple centerpiece this year.

We didn't glitter-it-up because I want to pull it out every year. I let her do her thing and she really enjoyed this independent craft.

She just used markers and sparkly shamrock foam stickers.

I can't wait to pull this out years to come and see where she was creatively at 2! (Don't forget to date it!!)

Favorite Things Swap

2009-03-03T14:30:00.003-06:00

Lori, your box is on it's way! I couldn't decide between damask and zebra so I did something totally "me" and just did both! :) Here's a sneak peek into your box...

This was so much fun putting together and I really hope you enjoy my favorite things!

I heart free stuff.

2009-02-26T00:18:00.007-06:00

My sister and I lucked out at a garage sale awhile back. We hit the tail end of it and as they were closing up, asked if we'd mind taking the stuff off their hands to avoid making a trip to the dump.

WOULD WE MIND?! Gee, free stuff, sure we'll help you out!

So these are a few of my favorite freebies we took off their hands.

Say hello to hubby's project last weekend. It was an o.k. shelf to begin with but he took it upon himself (ahhh I love 'im) to sand and stain it for me.

This would be what the lid of the cannister set looked like before. Pretty nast-ay. I didn't even go there in taking a picture of the actual cannisters. Iiick.

Needless to say, I scrubbed, bleached, even suffocated them in a soaking bathtub of Gain to make sure they were CLEAN. Oh, and then I scrubbed and bleached them some more.

Say hello to my pretties:

And, I got a bunch of cute tops, too! This never happens, but I am about to model it for you:

Ok, I lied, because I'm now going to show you my $4.00 Target top which I used a gift card for, making it also fahreeeeee. :)

Mommy needs a tan...

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-25T23:45:00.005-06:00

My husband has been doing alot of weekend grilling lately and chooses to buy the meat and the barbeque sauce himself on his way home from work.

Hey, honey, think we have enough barbeque sauce?

Seven, count em, SEVEN bottles. I think we're set ;)

For more Wordless, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Homemaker.

2009-02-25T22:28:00.008-06:00

Homemaker, Homekeeper, Housewife, Stay at Home Mom, Home Manager, Chief Family Officer...

Whatever you wanna call it, that's me and I wear the title proudly, and I think I found the secret to making housework more enjoyable.

Did I get your attention?

Hopefully after reading this you don't think I'm a complete kook or stop reading my blog, but I found the secret, for me, to be APRONS.

First, take a minute to read this email that my mother in law sent me. It's a little long, but so worth it:

I don't think our kids know what an apron is. The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids. And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. Send this to those who would know, and love, the story about Grandma's aprons. Or it can be a good history lesson for those that have no idea how the apron played a part in our lives.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw. They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron...But Love !!

Whoa. I have always adored aprons, and every once in a while I'd get on my apron kick, but after reading that..

Now I wear one every. day.

In the morning, after I've had my little chat with Him, I put it on. I keep them on hooks in the laundry room, where I can see them, and I have a variety to choose from. I've gotten new, cutesy aprons on Ebay and Etsy and I've hit the thrift stores and the antique stores to get the real deal.

The thing is, whenever I put it on, I'm telling you something happens to me. Call it servant's spirit or the spirit in knowing that I am keeping tradition alive, whatever it is, it works.

I want to do more, I'm filled with more pride in my home and how I take care of it throughout the day, and I have found myself drying my daughter's tears with the end of it, wiping off my hands after washing them in the sink, as opposed to wasting another paper towel.. I just love the way it feels. I have made homemade bread all week-in my aprons-and you just can't beat that feeling. It's like I just know this is where I am meant to be and this is my uniform.

Do you feel this way or is it just me?

Try it and let me know if it changes your spirit. Oh, and try some pearls, too ;)

"Whatever it is you do, work at it with all your heart..."

Colossians 3:23-24

Sisterhood Award

2009-02-25T20:06:00.009-06:00

April at Little April, Big World gave me this adorable award and I am so excited to pass it on! Thank you so much, April! You should really check out her blog- she has been on a nesting spree and I can barely keep up with her creativity, all of her ideas are so insanely cute!

So here's how it goes:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

So, I spread the sisterhood love to the following:

1. Donnetta @ Life in the Fast Lane

2. Elizabeth @ Small Town Blessings and Small Town Spending

3. Lori @ Mommy's Take on Things

4. Angie @ The American Homemaker

5. Sara @ Mama Craft

6. Trina @ Fabulously Frugalicious

7. Carla @ Always Kiss Me Goodnight

8. Megan @ And Baby Makes Three (Humans)

9. Beth @ Manic Mother

10. Mamarazzi at Dandelion Wishes

Have fun girls!

Show me the Green.. er.. dough.

2009-02-25T11:51:00.004-06:00

I've been a little behind in posting due to taking on the task of making all of our bread from scratch as opposed to buying it. (And that booger of a King's Cake...Ahhh! lol) I will be posting the recipes later this evening, but wanted to let you know we are doing tons of St. Patrick's Day crafting! My goal is to have them all up soon so you have plenty of time to try them out before the actual holiday this time ;)

Ideas are on the way! Thank you so much for reading!

Happy Mardi Gras!

2009-02-24T18:21:00.002-06:00

Go figure I couldn't find purple sprinkles and had to make my own! Also had to x-nay on the etouffee-skay.. long story but anywhoo:

Joyeux Mardi Gras!

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

2009-02-24T00:03:00.006-06:00

I have been making this for so long, I just can't see buying an all purpose cleaner again. Maybe because I am in control of the scent...it's like a signature and I feel so proud whenever I use it because I "made" it. Also, it's cheaper, and I feel better knowing what's in it!

You'll Need:

2 Tablespoons Vinegar

1 teaspoon Borax

Hot Water

a few drops of dish soap

10 drops of essential oil

In a spray bottle, put vinegar, borax and hot water and swish around until borax is dissolved. Add drops of soap and fill the rest of the bottle with water. Add drops of oil.

These are the essential oils I use. I mainly stick with Cassia Bark. It's a cinnamon-y scent that smells clean and sort of spicy.

I found mine at our country health food store. I live in a SMALL town and managed to find them so you should have no problem ;)

Oh, and I just keep a printed copy of the instructions taped on the inside of my cabinet under the kitchen sink so I never have to go looking for it when I'm running low.

Mardi Gras

2009-02-19T23:20:00.005-06:00

I spent the majority of my childhood in Louisiana where we celebrated Mardi Gras. I loved it. Dressing up for the parade. Throwing candy. The masks and beads. The King's Cake. So much fun with all the bright colors! This year I'll be making the King's Cake and Crawfish etouffee for my family, but the decorating will be limited to this:

Slim pick'ins in Texas in terms of decor.

I do love to pull out the old pics though, and tonight here's what I found.

That's me on the right, and a friend, one year at a parade where the theme was career day. I wanted to be a secretary...

This one my brother is actually in, walking in front of me. :) I need to get some fleur de lis paper and frame them and bring them out each year.

Do you do anything special for Mardi Gras?

The Unseen

2009-02-17T22:51:00.004-06:00

Whoa. Ok. Now The Lord is just throwing things my way in the form of Google Reader, lol. Maybe this one speaks to you. I needed both of those today!

Ephesians 5:33

2009-02-17T21:59:00.002-06:00

I read this today at Biblical Womanhood. So simple, yet it spoke volumes to me today. Check it out... it may be just what you needed to read today.

GaGa.

2009-02-17T00:06:00.005-06:00

I was browsing Etsy tonight and came across this.

1. I don't know where I would ever wear it.

2. It's (gasp. choke. WHAT?!) $230.00.

Nevertheless, I am so in love.

Digging for Worms

2009-02-17T00:02:00.008-06:00

My husband got the best pictures of the kids digging for worms with Aunt Kristin yesterday. Wow, I wish I had his photography skills. Aren't they sweet?

Coffee Bean Candle. Yum.

2009-02-16T13:19:00.005-06:00

I saw this idea in a magazine awhile back and finally got around to trying it and it is amazing! I can smell it as soon as I walk into my home and it was very inexpensive.

I found this hurricane candle holder at my love, THE GW (Goodwill, lol) and filled it with whole coffee beans. I chose a roasty Vanilla flavor. They had some interesting ones to choose from, even a dark raspberry vanilla..yummmm wonder what that smells like. Then, I just positioned a flameless candle into the beans. Just the coffee beans sitting there smell incredible, but I bet if you actually lit a candle, the heat would intensify the smell.

Man, I want a latte now.

I think it would be super pretty with a lower, more open holder, as well. Like a candle bowl or dish.

Sniff.

2009-02-14T01:19:00.009-06:00

Are you tired of all of my Valentine's Day posts yet? In all honesty, I'm sad to have to put it all away!

although some of you may stay...

most of you have to go...

You even made your way into the bathroom this year...

and all your festive goodies...

until next year, Valentine's Day. I heart you.

xoxo,
janie (a/k/a mommy.)

ps. St. Patrick's Day, don't let me down.

Oh! and my husband decorated these too-cute-to eat cookies. Aren't they ADORABLE?

Lunch for my Valentine and a Card..

2009-02-13T00:51:00.008-06:00

Here's how I made hubby's lunch a little special for tomorrow. (You could always do this for your kids' lunches, too!)

I set out to make little heart sandwiches, but my husband would probably be wondering where the rest the sandwich went, lol, and I would have to make a ton. So, using a heart cookie cutter, I just barely pressed it into both sides of the bread.

For an added treat, I made this:

It's a coffee filter! For the life of me I cannot remember where I saw this idea, so if it's yours, please tell me, and I will gladly give you credit!

Just stamp the filter, write a little note...

Throw in some kisses..er..hugs, and tie off with a ribbon. When he opens it, he'll see the hearts, the candy, and the note. Isn't that adorable?

Here is a very simple, yet precious card that Monkey and I are giving him. I used a white crayon on black construction paper and see those little red hearts? Those are our fingerprints! Awww, I am gonna be so sad when Valentine's Day is over :(

Bear Hugs for Pop-Pop

2009-02-12T15:22:00.005-06:00

This is what we did for Pop-Pop for Valentine's Day.

Fill a jar or cute container with Teddy Grahams.

Then, simply add a pretty sticker, ribbon, and note card. You could get really creative with this, but I wanted to keep it simple so that he could reuse the jar.

Your Kid Did WHAT?

2009-02-12T12:30:00.005-06:00

We all know kids say and do the darndest things...I have a friend whose blog is dedicated to those OH MY moments. It's called Your Kid Did What?!

Do you have a story to share? If so, she will feature your story in a post! Head on over to her blog to read others or share your own!

The submissions are hilarious. You'll either totally relate or be glad it wasn't your kid. ;)

"Hand"made wreath

2009-02-12T12:12:00.007-06:00

Make a template of your child's hand and trace unto colored construction paper of your choice. (This was rather simple because I did most of the work while she was asleep because I had a template..)

For the wreath you could use the of a inner part of paper plate, or in my case, I used a circular piece of cardboard that came with a large apothocary jar.

Glue the hands all the way around, using hearts, or whatever else you want to decorate it with. Given our many crafts and projects, we were super low on supplies..but I think it turned out precious anyhow.

Then, let the freestyle glittering begin!

She LOVES her glitter...

My Spin on "Kiss Cookies"

2009-02-11T23:31:00.007-06:00

Remember these?
Here's what I came up with:

With only 3 ingredients!

Sugar cookie dough, chocolate hearts, and sprinkles.

I used the Palmers chocolate double crisp hearts, and I think the bag was only $1.00. Can't beat that. (Also, the latest couple of inserts had Pillsbury coupons.)

When you pull the cookies out of oven, place an unwrapped candy in the center of the cookie. The trick to these is sorta pushing it into the warm cookie so it melts just the outer edge of the chocolate. Then you can sprinkle the melt-y part and the sprinkles stick.

I Love You Valentine Bouquet

2009-02-11T22:42:00.008-06:00

I found this and this for Valentine's Day and I just fell in love with both and decided to combine the two. They are so cute, I can't wait to see MiMi's face!

Monkey's cousins will each get one of these:

Crazy kid insisted on using light pink and red on red paper...gotta love ~~stubborn~~ independent toddlers!

I did it.

2009-02-10T23:17:00.004-06:00

I'm a "facebooker" now. I've been asked about having one and seen lots of posts on this topic for a while now, so I finally accepted an upteenth invitation. I'm pretty much a myspace girl, so we will see how it goes..so far I'm kinda liking it :)

Like I need another reason to get online, lol.

If you have an account and want to add me just go here, or if you are more of a myspace kinda girl, like me, you can go here. Just tell me you read my blog and I'll add you. Hope to see you there!

Yayyy!

2009-02-10T18:30:00.006-06:00

My decor and tips have been featured twice in one week!! :)

Check me out on One Pretty Thing and on Today's Creative Blog! I am so excited!

Simple Valentine Treat

2009-02-10T11:10:00.006-06:00

ok..maybe too simple, but my Big Sweetie and Little Sweetie loved it. Ahh, the little things...

Remember Purple Cows? (I was shocked that my husband had never heard of one before!) Okay, so tell me you at least know what a coke float is?!

This would be my version. Um, we'll call it a red cow. Hehe..

Just put two scoops of ice cream in a cup and pour Big Red (or any other red soda) over and viola! There you have a festive Valentine treat. Simple enough, right? It would be oh-so-cute with a festive straw, too!

Preserving Memories

2009-02-10T10:49:00.003-06:00

I love keeping and showcasing things my daughter has made or given me and I want to get in the habit of making it part of each holiday's decor. This is a little something we worked on for Daddy for Valentine's Day, but I loved it so much, I decided to frame it and display it on an easel. Now, every Valentine's Day I have another piece of decor, but this one is extremely heartfelt and full of memories.

DON'T FORGET TO PUT THE DATE ON IT SOMEWHERE! :)

Laundry Room Revamp

2009-02-09T12:02:00.008-06:00

Have you heard about chalkboard paint? Oh.my.word. I am loving this stuff! Remember what I did to the Laundry Soap jar? Look out. This little revamp, more my style, was so easy to do!

Super cute, right? Well, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret about me... I can't do anything "straight". Can't walk a straight line, can't draw or cut a straight line..just can't. I could've painted the labels directly on the glass, but that could have gotten ugly...

So here is what I did:

I painted the plain side of those little note cards you can get at Michaels. Once it was dry I just attached it with double sided tape. That way I am free to use the jars for something else in the future. You could probably even use an actual label and paint it with the chalkboard paint!

Taming the Clutter

2009-02-08T22:40:00.004-06:00

The Shabby Nest is hosting a Taming the Kid's Clutter party and you know I LovesMeSome organization, so I tackled the "hair stuff" situation. You know what I'm talking about. Headbands, pony tail holders, hair pins and so on. Monkey's hair has really started growing so we have options, now. I've tried the baskets, I've tried the tubs.. I like to see what we are working with. I don't like it to get all lost in the shuffle and forget what we have. Remember this trusty thing? I can't believe I hadn't thought about it before! I love it!

It's an over-the-door shoe organizer that will cost you about 6 bucks at Wal-Mart ;)

Activities for Kids

2009-02-08T22:00:00.006-06:00

Did you know that Michaels Arts and Craft stores hold free activities for kids?

A week ago the kids got to make their own Valentine's Day cards (for free) and then got to take them home. My sister in law got some great pics, and they were all too good not to share! It wasn't too crowded and I let Monkey loose...

This is my little sister, Hanlee, working her marker magic...

I am loving our profiles here :)

You can check out their website and I strongly recommend signing up for the Knack. It's free to do and you'll be notified of upcoming activities, store sales, and coupons. (I get a new coupon every week!) Plus, the site offers tons of projects.

I can't post the finished product, because Daddy might be reading ;)

After the festivities, the girls "did" lunch...

I've won an award!!

2009-02-08T13:41:00.007-06:00

Thank you, thank you to Donnetta at Life in the Fast Lane. I'm honored that you thought of me! (You should check out her blog, I am loving it!)

Per the rules, I have to list 5 reasons why my Life is Grand and pass this on to 5 friends.

Sooo, here goes:

1. Jesus. For what He has done, for what He is doing in my life. I couldn't even begin to say enough.

2. I get to be at home with my beautiful, funny, smart, and super energetic daughter. I get to take care of her and never have to miss a moment of this time in her life. I also get to devote this time to my husband, focusing on ways I can save money, and taking care of our family.

3. After 2 tours in Iraq and countless months of training away from home, my husband is finally home, safe and sound, and I get to see his face when I wake and when I go to sleep.

4. My brother is no longer thousands of miles away, he's just a half-hour away. AND, When my brother married his wife, I truly gained a sister and a best friend. Love you Lauren!

5. Our Country. Despite your political views, we should all be proud that we CAN elect an African-American as our president and band together when changes need to be made. This country has come a long way!

Now, I get to share the love!

1. April at Little April, Big World

2. Trina at Fabulously Frugalicious

3. Elizabeth at Small Town Blessings and Small Town Spending

4. Stephanie at My Loves Forever

5. Jennifer at Ramblings of a Crazy Woman

Your turn, girls! Have fun! :)

GratiTuesday

2009-02-02T23:38:00.001-06:00

Grateful may be an understatment. I just have to brag about my husband for a bit. He's been washing dishes, vaccuming, spending tons of quality time with Monkey, allowing me to have time for myself and to catch up on other housework. He has been leaving me notes in the morning and making dinners.

I never, in my wildest dreams, thought that we would be fighting over who gets to make dinner or saying, "I'll get her," "No, I'll do it", when our daughter gets out of her bed at 2 a.m.

In the midst of potty training, pacifier weening, and the transition to a toddler bed, he has been my strong tower. In the midst of stress, dissapointment, and heartache these past few weeks, he has calmed me down. He has been my light.

What an amazing husband and father.

He works a demanding and physical job from sun up to sundown and still has the love in his heart and the energy to go out of his way for us, without being asked, without me even expecting the help, and I am so lucky.

While it wasn't always this way ;) we have grown to be a strong and happy family, TOGETHER. We talk, we listen, we laugh, we act stupidly silly, and we compromise. I am so incredibly blessed.

Favorite Things Swap

2009-02-02T22:46:00.005-06:00

I am so participating and I am so looking forward to this! I have seen tons of swapping going around the blogosphere, but it usually involves swapping something handmade, so this is something I can definitely do! Fun, fun!

If you're interested, check it out here, and to get an idea of what it will be like, check out this post.

Not me Monday!

2009-02-02T13:50:00.005-06:00

It's Not Me Monday again over at MckMama...

It was NOT me who threw a few unwashed dishes in the oven when company unexpectedly came over last week and forgot about them until I preheated the oven a day later...my dishes are always washed and put away even without a dishwasher!

I did NOT spend every night last week stalking blogs until LordKnowsWhen while the rest of my family slept. I have housework to do and sleep to catch up on!

I did NOT stop vaccuming the kitchen rugs for a week so that crumbs could accumulate and I could replace my old stick vaccum with a better model. I did NOT do this to hint, hint my husband. That would be shameless!

I would NEVER throw away crayons found on the floor, under the kitchen table, or in my purse. I always put them back where they go.. this also applies to stray hairpins, pennies, and such other small items. We DO NOT waste and replace things around here!

It was NOT me who drove 45 miles twice last week just to see if anything new was in the Target Dollar Spot. That would be a waste of gas and a little obsessive...

..and my 2 year old does NOT say "Pretzel, momma!", when we pull up in the Target parking lot. That would mean I get her a pretzel with each Target trip so I can take my time looking without distraction. I would NEVER do that....

...and I'm most certainly NOT going again tomorrow...

Easy Match Game for Little Ones

2009-02-02T11:13:00.005-06:00

I have gotten in the habit of giving my daughter a pile of colored gold fish and having her match the colors in a muffin tin. It has really been helping her with her colors. Simple and inexpensive learning!

Make your own crayons!

2009-02-02T10:55:00.004-06:00

This is an old post, but I'm reposting because I'll be making these for the kids' Valentine treat bags this year.

This is super easy and gives new life to crayon bits! Just take all your crayon bits, remove the paper, and arrange in your tins. You could get really creative with your color mixtures, but I made it pretty simple considering it was the first try.

Pop in the oven at about 200 degrees.. just keep an eye on them! Once melted, set out until dried and molded. Mine popped out easily once cooled, so you shouldn't have any problems.

These are perfect for little one's hands. I sprang for the Tadoodles a while back and trust me, they were not worth the money!

I've made these a few times, and I really recommend not using "cheap-o" crayons. They bubble and don't really color once molded.

I found the heart muffin tins at the dollar store, but your possibilities endless!

Weekend Wrap-Up

2009-02-02T00:07:00.006-06:00

Wow, what a fun filled weekend we had! Friday night hubbie and I had a long overdue date night. We saw My Bloody Valentine, ate junk, and acted like complete dorks. It was perfect :)

In addition to doing some thrifting on Saturday, Monkey and I did a little something that I'll be saving for tomorrow's post. An absolute blast.

Superbowl Sunday was filled with way too many homemade sweets..okay, more junk, but it sure was fun to let loose! Hubbie put up our new flag pole and taught Monkey how to salute. Priceless and precious. He also likes to fix her hair and I FINALLY got a picture of it! Go figure she sits still for Daddy...

Hope everyone had a great and relaxing weekend with family and friends!

Last Minute Superbowl Idea

2009-02-01T00:29:00.008-06:00

So I'm in the grocery store, shopping for a dark bread for this idea. I'm strolling the aisle and I see Fudge Rounds. Hmm.. dark..brown..FOOTBALLS.

I totally winged (wung?) it and I think if you had the the energy (it's 12:3o am., and I am exhausted. lol), your result would be much cuter, but I think they turned out pretty good on a whim.

You're going to be working with the side of the round that's not iced. So here goes:

With a small knife, cut an oval shape. I actually made mine more diamond shaped near the end of the batch.

Next, kind of mold it with your fingers to round it out.

You may find it easier to mold it with the curve of your hand, like this:

They are kind of crumbly, but very easy to manipulate into the shape you want.

I then heated up a few squares of almond bark and piped it on with the thinnest tip I had.

Well, it's late but we had a totally fun filled day (Hi Lauren!!) and I'm really excited to post what my sister and I found while thrifting today. WOW. Double WOW. We scored some great finds and have lots of projects up our sleeves.

Hope everyone has a great Superbowl Sunday! Who are you rooting for??

Easy Valentine Craft

2009-01-29T21:31:00.009-06:00

Got this super cute idea from No Time for Flashcards, one of my favorite places for ideas. Monkey had a play date today so this is what the girls did. They are two very independent little girls, so I let them free with basically all aspects of the craft and they turned out adorable! I was going purely by memory so I forgot the mouth! Whoops..

Oh, and suprisingly, I found the heart doilies at Wal-Mart in the craft section, near the Wilton cake stuff.

You can get the step-by-step instructions here.

25 Random Things about Me...

2009-01-29T20:14:00.003-06:00

Trina posted this and I'm totally game, so here goes!

25. I've never had a broken bone or stitches or anything like that. 24. I used to have an eyebrow piercing.. whhhhaaaat. lol
23. I don't want to even be in the same room as mayonaise.
22. My two favorite numbers are 75 and 90. As in % OFF! ahh yehh :).
21. When I was little and it was yard work day, I hated it. I prefered to be inside organizing. Go figure. I compulsively organized my dad's tape collection and the tupperware cabinet.
20. I was a legal assistant for 5 years WITHOUT college.. ;)
19. I first kissed my hubbie when I was 14 years old.
18. I love the smell of burning leaves, burning trash, even gasoline...lol
17. I very rarely remember my dreams....
16. ...Except for a recurring dream I had as a kid about the dude from Beetlejuice and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I dreamed he was after me. Imagine my surprise when I found out he was arrested for doing not nice things to children. CREEEPY.
15. As a rule, my house is clean and tidy, but for the life of me, I cannot keep my vehicle clean...inside or out.
14. Two pushes and my daughter was here :)
13. I was sick EVERY DAY of my pregnancy even down to the last hour or so during labor. I mean, sickety-sick, sick.
12. I'm pretty good under stress and pressure and if I have a meltdown, it's usually waaay before the actual event takes place.
11. Anytime something or someone won't die in a movie, no matter what they try to do, it completely freaks me out. I can't breathe.
10. If a song is too sad, I won't listen to it. It goes on my mental "no-no" list. Seriously. I will leave a store if its playing and it's on 'my list'. Like the time Home by Michael Buble was playing in Hallmark? I like ran out of there. If I don't, it will be in my head for weeks and I'll be really down.
9. I can be really weird with pain. Like when I got my nose ring or my ears pierced.. I needed to be told it was all over, because I didn't know.. and I thought my tattoos hurt worse than giving birth. I know the contractions hurt, but I was still thinking, this is it?
8. I've never had steak and I. don't. want. to. I associate big hunks of red meat with cows and flies and hair. Ew. IF I have a hamburger, I want it so thin you can see through it, lol.
7. Almost every other sentence to my daughter is "I love you". My husband and I are the same way. We tell each other we love each other even if I'm just running to the store or he hops in the shower. I love it.
6. I am deathly afraid of knives and I won't use 'em. If it can't be cut with scissors or chopped or processed, etc., I'm not cooking it.
5. I am very particular with the way I organize my daughter's toys. Blocks go with blocks, dress up stuff with dress up stuff and so on.. Toys thrown in a toy box would keep me up at night. Seriously.
4. I do not like blatant copy cats. Makes me furious. I wish I could take it as flattery, but I just can't. ugh..
3. I've said this before on my old blog, but you can gauge my mood by my toes. If I'm scared, I crunch 'em. If I'm uncomfortable, they are up in the air. Man, am I weird or what, lol.
2. I am obsessed with vintage homemaking. The cocktail dresses, house dresses, dinner parties.. just the pride women had in homemaking and entertaining.. I collect vintage cookbooks and home magazines and I have vintage ads in my laundry room and sometimes I wish it were those days again and women were expected to do those things..
1. I love my name.

Hehe, now that you know all my weirdo quirks, it's your turn!

Thrifty Valentine Decor.. yet again!

2009-01-28T20:07:00.009-06:00

This is so easy, I can't believe it! I picked up some dollar store candles, red gems (Wal-Mart), scrapbook paper and glitter 'foamie' stickers at Michaels. There really isn't a great Valentine paper selection to choose from, so I went for matching my kitchen decor, which is damask. Also, I found the tray at Goodwill, originally a light oak color with some circa 1989 ducks on it and PROMPTLY spray painted it black... hehe...

Check out the cost:

Gems: $2.50

Candles: $3.00 (all)

Tray: 50 cents

Scrap Paper: 30 cents

Stickers: $1.00

I cut strips of paper and wrapped them around (think paper chain activity from back in school) and taped them with double-sided tape. You could even use regular tape or hot glue it down. Next I positioned my stickers, put the candles on the tray and poured the gems on the tray...I used the whole bag.

This is so easy and festive! Come on, February, Mommy's ready!

Attention Rub-On-aholics...

2009-01-28T17:11:00.003-06:00

Are you like me and ~~have an unnatural obsession~~ love rub-ons? Our Big Lots has them for A DOLLAR. They were in the photo album aisle! They had ones that were even better than Hobby Lobby and Michael's selections, if you can believe that! They also had scrapbook paper pads for $2 and $5, as opposed to the ones I eyeball at Michaels for $15.. so go check it out!

Wordless Wednesday...

2009-01-28T11:40:00.007-06:00

Obviously from New Years, this is my favorite picture of hubbie of all time. I love the face here. I know this face. This is the "I can't believe I am doing this, you'd better not blog or myspace this moment, but I'll do anything to make my girls laugh" face.

We've been married 7 years this April, and of all the places to be on New Years Eve, at the kitchen table as a family is by far the best way we have ever spent it. I love it when my "Big, Bad Marine's softer side" is captured on camera. Ok, I'm officially gonna get it now if he reads this.. ;)

(I sure do love you, I love our family and the family man you have become. Nearly 10 years together, two tours in Iraq and not too proud to wear pink...)

Wow, am I getting super sentimental this week or what? sniff.

A peak into our classroom..

2009-01-28T11:14:00.007-06:00

slash craftroom. slash storage.. slash third bedroom ;)

Slowly but surely, I have been working on a creative haven for my little monkey and I to "get our craft on" and we are loving it!

I'll be posting more about this, including places to score CHEAP learning tools and activities, the best blogs to follow for teaching a toddler, and so much more...

I feel so passionately about this, so I look forward to everyone sharing! In the meantime, check out my old blog, Memories at Home, where I posted similiar things like Toddler Time, and Teaching in the Home. I'll also be working on a Mr. Linky for this site and can't wait for us to share our ideas and tips!

Just a note: if you followed my old blog.. here's the deal in a nutshell. I had not planned to neglect it. I went on vacation only to come home to find I had a major copycat on my hands. It. was. bad. Hurt and frustrated, it completely took the fun out of blogging for me. I took a small break only to realize I could no longer access the blog. (still can't...) So, if you followed Memories at Home, thank you for becoming a part of mommy has a blog... I have so many ideas and am so excited!

It's Official...

2009-01-26T09:30:00.009-06:00

My "baby" girl is TWO. How did this happen?

It seems like it was just yesterday I was giving my husband the news we had waited for for nearly 5 years. It seems like yesterday I was patting and singing to my belly, while she was cozy and warm inside, waiting to meet the world. It seems like just yesterday I saw those big, beautiful eyes (before the rest of her little body) as she made her grand entrance... It seems like just yesterday I was rocking my daughter to sleep and checking every five seconds to make sure she was breathing and that this little wonder was really mine.

Some things haven't changed a bit, but others.. well, before the tears come flooding, I'll just say God has blessed me more than words can describe and I still can't believe she's really mine.

Happy 2nd birthday Ella Beth. You make me smile when I don't feel like it. You make me happy with just a glance of those big, beautiful eyes. You have made your daddy and I, and our home, blissfully happy. All the dreams and thoughts I had as I dreamed of your arrival are nothing in comparison to what you have done to my life and my soul. Mommy loves you more.

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

2009-01-26T09:08:00.007-06:00

With there being a weekend behind us, it's only natural there would be beau coups of things my monkey has said that leave my husband and I speechless.

With each passing day she's only picking up speed in the speech department and it just goes to show she really does absorb more than we think by watching mommy and daddy.

Saturday went a little something like this:

Daddy: "Monkey, you need to clean up your toys before we go bye-bye. Put all your toys back in the basket."

Ella Beth (a/k/a "Monkey") just sits there for a minute and studies the mess and studies her daddy...

Daddy: "Monkey, put you toys in the basket."

Ella Beth: "It's not a basket Daddy, it's a TUB!"

Hmmm....

Yesterday we were eating dinner at Mi-Mi's and I ask her if it was hot. She looks me straight in the eye and says, "No mommy, it's warm."

Sheesh.

Oh, and let's not forget the stray kitty I forgot to tell you about last week. This kitten comes up and is perusing my vehicle. Ella Beth starts yelling at the poor thing, saying, "No, no, kitty- that's mommy's car and it's naaaasssty!".. gives a whole new spin to "Wash Me" on the back of a window! :)

Swagbucks.com

2009-01-24T12:35:00.004-06:00

I wanted to take a quick second to tell you about Swagbucks.com. It is super easy. Use it instead of your normal search engine, such as Google.com, or Yahoo.com, and earn points to get prizes.

Say you are searching online for recipes. Instead of "google-ing" 'recipes', simply search through Swagbucks.com, and earn points! That's ALL there is to it! No strings, nothing annoying, no spam, etc.

I use it exclusively and sometimes earn one or up to five points PER search. I have only been using it for a little over a month and if I wanted to cash in right now, here are just some of the things I could get:

- $10 Barnes and Noble Gift Card
- $15 i-Tunes Gift Card
- A variety of concert merchandise, Play Station 2 memory card, controllers, and games, tons of DVDS, Target, Macy's, and Disney.com gift cards.. I could keep going!

(I am saving my points for a Wii Fit..hehe..)

Oh, and so I don't forget it about using it, I changed my homepage to Swagbucks.com. You will love it!

Frugal Fridays

2009-01-24T00:11:00.006-06:00

I'm an avid thrift store shopper and garage sale junkie, but I had yet to shop at Goodwill until this week. Whoa. I scored two awesome finds and it's officially now my go-to for crafting!

See this candle? (not the dust, the candle..groan..) Got it at Hobby Lobby a while back.. probably paid too much considering I found this little beauty for a quarter!

See this styro tree I just had to have for a craft I haven't even gotten around to doing yet?

Got this one for... you guessed it.. A QUARTER.

In addition to these, monkey and I picked up some cute pails to hold markers, etc., in our craft/classroom, and unopened glitter for... umm. yeah. a quarter :)

Feelin' frugal? Head on over to Biblical Womanhood and share!

New Veggie Tales Movie

2009-01-22T23:14:00.000-06:00

The Gospel Music Channel is promoting the premiere of "Abe and the Amazing Promise", the newest Veggie Tales movie, which is set to air on Saturday, February 7th, at 9am and again at 2pm Eastern Time. AND... leading up to the premiere there will be a 2 week run of all the classic Veggie Tales cartoons every morning at 9am (ET) starting Monday, January 26th!

We are huge Veggie Tale fans in this house so I thought I'd spread the word.. I will be definitely setting the DVR!

Quick, Easy, and Beautiful Gift Idea

2009-01-22T13:07:00.001-06:00

I made this for my mom's birthday, but I have one of my own as well. I found this (very) large glass container in the "kitchen stuff" section at Wal-Mart, as well as the scoop, filled it with yummy smelling laundry detergent, and made a bow out of wired ribbon (the best in my opinion), looped the scoop through, and viola! A chic, affordable gift that you don't see everyday!

Oh, My.

2009-01-21T22:40:00.001-06:00

It's 10:40 p.m., here in Texas. The house is quiet. I'm the only one up, catching up on my blogs... and this is what I hear coming from my two-year old's room:

"Noooooo, mommy, I DOOOOOO IIIIT!!!"

Even in her sleep, she is THE Little Miss Independent.

Valentine's Decor..Inside and Out!

2009-01-21T21:44:00.001-06:00

Little by little I'm decorating for Valentine's Day.. and I finally got the "go-ahead" for the outside ;) I'm curious, do you go all out for Valentine's Day? I never have before, but this year I've been bitten by the decor love bug!

I'd love to see what you do!

Wordless Wednesday...

2009-01-21T18:41:00.001-06:00

Holy Rub-Ons, Batman!

2009-01-16T07:19:00.001-06:00

I've jumped on the "rub-on" bandwagon, and if you haven't yet, YOU NEED TO DO SO! This has got to be the easist thing I have ever done. Go to Hobby Lobby or Michaels or any scrapbooking store and pick these up! (I mean, RUN, don't walk, and I promise you'll thank me!) Every time I see the things I've made I feel so proud, creative, and chic like I totally know what I'm doing. Anything I can do to spruce up these wood-paneling-not allowed to paint-walls. groan.

These rub-ons can be found in the sticker aisle, they look just like stickers, only usually in small print they say "rub-ons" (derrrr...). Follow the instructions, but basically, in a nutshell, you just rub 'em on (double derrr ;) ). I found the damask plate at Dollar Tree, did a little rub rub, and finished with a ruby rhinestone. It's definitely my favorite piece in my home!

I found this plate at Hobby Lobby in the ceramics section. A little pricier, but you can thread ribbon through the holes and hang. Definitely worth it.

They have many different options to choose from and you can use them on almost anything! I am in love. (again.)

P.S. I think my little monkey's fingers found their way to my camera. Hence the smudgey-pics. Hmmm...

Hmmm...

2009-01-16T06:42:00.000-06:00

My not-quite-yet two year old informs me this morning with keys and play money in hand, that she's "going shopping", but first she "needs to get gas"....

I think we'll be staying home today ;)

Help a sista out!

2009-01-14T07:11:00.001-06:00

Everyone wants a cute blog layout, right? But, you don't wanna pay an arm and leg for blog candy? Well, I'm sure you have heard of Cutest Blog on the Block... not only are the layouts absolutely adorable, but they are FREE! Lately, they have been having major troubles with their server. (I know this because I want one of their layouts some kinda bad and I keep checking the site, only to see that it's continually down.) So, this morning I checked it again to find that, with no hope in sight, they have to change servers. This costs them money.. so because they offer these layouts to us for free, could you take a quick minute to donate $1 to help with the costs? I did and I think it's the least we can do to say "thanks" for this free service she offers. Thanks girls!

Here's the link: Cutest Blog on the Block

Valentine's Day Decor

2009-01-12T14:26:00.001-06:00

My husband has given me "permission" to start decorating the inside (only.) for Valentine's Day. Holiday after holiday I stock up on clearance decor, so I guess you could say I'm a little excited to get started on the next occasion. So, because Valentine's Day is still a good month away, he finally gave in to me doing the inside, so we don't look like total nuts ;)

I have been in love with the idea of glass jar decorating for quite some time and I finally found jars at T. J. Maxx super cheap. The ones I chose ranged from $3.00 to $5.00. Wow, I know.

Here's what I did: (Keep in mind, I'm not exactly a genius with the camera, so pardon the glare and multiple repositioning...)

Where have I been? I didn't even know they made Valentine candy corns! I was going to use conversation hearts, and I still might, but I thought these were pretty unique.

Notice my oh-so-cute placemats? Thank you, Target dollar bins!

Check out what other ideas I've come across here, here, and here. I ADORE this!

Watch those Christmas Markdowns!

2009-01-12T00:27:00.001-06:00

I found these Christmas wreaths marked down like 80% at T.J. Maxx. Not bad for a buck a piece. Upon closer inspection and with a spark of creativity I thought, "hey, these would be perfect for Valentine's Day!"

So, I took these bad boys home and removed all the snowflakes. I'm thinkin' a little ribbon, a little sumphin, sumphin. We'll see... I'll be sure and post what I come up with.. Sure beats the Valentine's Day wreaths I'd been eyeballing at Michaels for $30.00!

Oh, Muffin Tin, How I Love Thee...

2009-01-12T00:13:00.000-06:00

First, you separated stickers, pom-poms and googly-eyes for crafts, and then sprinkles for decorating cupcakes... Your possibilities are endless and you make clean up a breeze...

And then you go and make my family think I'm a whiz in the kitchen. Seriously, I love you.

PSST.. Check out how to make these amazing pop-up pancakes here. So easy!