Discover a color palette that will appeal to you!
Silhouette Art. How fun would this be down a staircase?
Even if you living in a rental, you can add some fabulous touches with these switch plates.
Don’t neglect the refrigerator!
If you’re moving and are going to start decorating all over again, these moving cards would be simply adorable to introduce people to your new address!
One last quiz for personal style. It was right for me but not for a friend. How does it pan out for you?
I’m in the bathroom, daring to use toilet paper in peace by leaving the children alone in the living room together. I hear a yelp and then both are screaming. I dash into the living room with my pants around my ankles and scoop up Miles while sitting down on the floor next to Ella.
“What happened, babe?” I ask.
“Miles BITE ME!”
“Where did he bite you?”
“On nipple!”
At this point, I can hardly contain my laughter but manage to ask how he even reached her nipple. She replies, dead serious and looking at me like I’m an idiot,
“I nursed him, Mama”.
♥♥♥♥♥
We’re traveling in the car and Ella is chattering away about how something is tasty and something else is yucky. I really should have tuned in sooner, because suddenly she’s thrown her muddy snow boot in the front seat declaring,
“Snow on this boot YUCKY. Snow on my other boot yummy.”
I guess we should be more clear about when, where, and how a person can eat snow when the benefits are being presented to a toddler.
♥♥♥♥♥
Ella is sitting on the toilet in the bathroom, SO proud of the fact she just pottied successfully in it. She peeks inside and shrieks,
“Mama! I make YELLOW potty!”
Without missing a beat, she askes,
“Will it be purple next time?”
♥♥♥♥♥
Sitting in my rocking chair, I’m nursing Miles and singing softly as we are all winding down for bedtime. From the floor at my feet, where she is snuggling with babies, Ella looks up at me and whispers,
“I luff you, Mama”.
It was the first time she ever spoke those words to me.
Hey everyone!
Would you be so kind as to help me accomplish #088 on my Project 101 in 1001? I’d love to have a picture of you. Or if you’re not comfortable with that (since this IS the internet), would you send me a picture of something that you identify with, aspire to be, or find beautiful?
My email is musical.girl at gmail.com If you could put in the subject “Project 101 Pictures”, I’d appreciate it. If you want to have it resized already to be a 4×6, that’d be AWESOME but don’t worry about it. If resizing would keep you from sending something to me, FORGET ALL ABOUT RESIZING.
Please? Pretty Please? With sugar on top?
Today, I decided I needed to fortify myself with some good ol’ Starbucks and a blueberry muffin before dealing with my annoying urologist. As I pulled into the drive through, I saw another woman pull in behind me. She was probably in her 60s, with amazing white hair cut into a fabulous bob and rather fantastic looking clothes. She looked so calm, confident, and kind. I decided that I would fulfill another one of my Project 101 in 1001 items and pick up the tab for her coffee.
I asked the barista to pass along a message to the woman behind me and ask her to please pay it forward someday. Hopefully she will. After I got my receipt, I took a glance and did a double take. She had ordered exactly the same thing as I. A grande decaf brew with soy and 2 sugars and a blueberry muffin.
Obviously, it was meant to be.
Things have been really hectic around here. Next week, Aaron is working Monday through Wednesday (5-3:30), has Thursday off, and then works 12 hour shifts Friday through Sunday.
I’ve been really enjoying my mental game of planning my sewing room, colors, organization, etc. This past week, I scored an awesome old medicine cabinet for FREE. All it needs is a fresh coat of paint and it will be perfect. I’ve also been obsessing about this amazing chair at Goodwill that has been there for a MONTH. Aaron has promised me that once we have a full paycheck under out belts from the new job and it’s still there, we can get it. I’m praying it is!
Another thing I’ve been plotting for my new craft room is how to store little things (like buttons) without it looking boring AND doesn’t require me buying anything new. So far, I think I’ve come up with some good ideas. I’m thinking of taking small peanut butter jars and replacing the wrapper with some cute scrapbooking paper. Also doing the same thing with International Coffee containers. Have you stumbled across any inspirational pictures or blog posts about frugal storage? Would you share them with me?
Tomorrow, I’m going with a friend to my local yarn shop to get supplies to make The Tempest. Beth is going to hold my hand while I decide what color I want and if I should do stripes or not. She’s so awesome! I’m really excited about this. It’s one of my Project 101 in 1001 goals and I really want to be successful at it!
Speaking of Project 101 in 1001, I have a few updates:
I successfully Skyped with Mom on Thursday. Ella had a blast and is constantly asking to “talk to Nana on puter!”
Susan came over today and gave me a hand held potato masher because she saw it on my goal list (096). Evidently someone aside from my family and Kathy read my blog!
I have officially failed at something (already!!). I gave Project: 365 (item 025 on the list) a go and it just didn’t take off. *sigh* I couldn’t figure out how to get pictures off my camera phone for a couple days and then few days went by without me realizing I didn’t take pictures. I guess it just isn’t meant to be, eh? By default, this means that item 026 (scrapbook of Project: 365 pictures) isn’t going to happen either.
But something I was fantastically successful at was going on an (almost!) childfree date with Aaron this month! We went to go see the new Sherlock Holmes movie and it was pretty good. What was even better than the movie was spending quality time with my hubby. Still on the hunt for a regular care provider, but I’m fairly certain I’ve almost got that worked out! Next month, we’re going to go to Olive Garden. mmmm YUM.
How to make a PB&J dinner exciting. Ella calls them “awesome sandwiches” and I eat the leftover bits.
Aaron’s new work schedule is kind of on the brutal side. Ella is woken up when he starts moving around the house, which is at 3:30! I’m lucky if I can get her back to sleep most mornings. So I spend most mornings trying to keep her peaceful in bed until 6:30 while trying to keep Miles asleep. Because of this, I always nap when she naps. This was previously my time to write. Ugh. I’m trying to figure out a new balance and haven’t quite found it yet.
In brief:
5:30am is MUCH to early to try and explain to Ella WHY she isn’t successful when standing up to potty like Daddy and why Mommy just can’t fix it.
I decide to run the risk of showering while being the only adult home with both children awake .
They seemed to survive.
I certainly feel more human and have a happy moment when I put on my outfit found completely at the second hand shop.
We have a quick breakfast.
Then I take this disaster…
And turn it around.
There’s a bit of this.
And I’m persuaded to leave my house.
Which means we have to get dressed. Bummer.
We get to playdate early.
But that soon changes.
Back home again, Ella naps and Miles and I rock the back carry.
Taking advantage of the back-happy baby, I make some bread for dinner.
Girlie wakes up needing a little special snuggle time.
While Miles discovers if he thrashes his legs wildly, he can make his seat bounce.
The bread rises for the second time in the warm dishwasher.
Making certain the cookie dough tastes right.
Daddy comes home from his second day at the new job (after being laid off for two months) and entertains the kiddos while I finish up the soup. I ❤ the fact he gets home at 4pm!
We have homemade “Cream” of Broccoli soup (no dairy, used raw cashews to add creaminess) with the Rosemary Bread. YUM.
After dinner clean up, we pucker up and exchange kisses goodnight!
Yesterday was amazing and fantastic. Productive, encouraging (despite Ella being awake from 3:30am on until nap at noon), and I felt successful. Aaron was gone to his second full day and it went SO well.
Today?
Not so much.
While both kids slept until 6:30 today, they tag teamed me from 3:30 until 6:30. Miles would whimper and gag in his sleep and just as he was drifting back off, Ella would be awake. Minutes after she was back asleep, Miles was at it again. Lather, rinse, repeat. When we got up for the morning, I had a migraine from lack of sleep and that just colored our entire morning.
You know the saying, “If Mama ain’t happy, nobody happy”? I’ve found that is SO TRUE in our house. My temperament, emotions, and reactions really set the tone for our home. It’s a constant challenge for me today to keep a positive outlook. So while Miles is miserable and can only be happy while bounced upright in a carrier (unless asleep, which he is now THANK GOD) and Ella is melting down constantly because she “miss Daddy”, I’m trying to keep a positive attitude because I just know things will get exponentially worse if I don’t.
Of course, that doesn’t keep me from looking forward to nap time. Which is in one hour and 40 minutes.
Not that anyone is counting.
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