Latest from my craft room

I've been spending a lot of time in my craft room lately, which I love! Baby gifts for my nephew due in September has been the focus of my attention, among a slew of other random projects. I wasn't sure that sewing for a baby boy would be as fun as it is for baby girls, but I was wrong! I had to resist the urge to make ruffles and bows, but I enjoyed finding new ideas. I've included links to the tutorials I used for most of the items. I wish I could say I came up with these ideas on my own, but the truth is that I'm just really good at copying other peoples' ideas. :)

Onesies and mittens

Tummy time mat with loops for toys - - idea from here

Door muffler and taggie

Picture of how the door muffler is used

Burp cloths

Pee pee teepees

Changing mat, wipe case, carrier

Nursing cover

Quilt

Craft Wars

Have you seen the previews for the new show starting on TLC?!?! Craft Wars starts tomorrow night and I can't wait! From the previews, it looks like this is just the show for me. Three crafters compete to create winning masterpieces using only items provided.  It's on kind of late (10 EST), so the DVR is set to record just in case I fall asleep.

Realty TV + crafting = awesome!

Lily Jane

I want to introduce you to the newest love of my life. My sweet niece, Lily Jane, was born last Wednesday, June 13th. She was born at 9:21 pm weighing 7 lbs 12 oz and 20 3/4 inches long. I have yet to see her in person and hold her, but I already know she's just precious. My brother has been great to send me several pictures every day documenting her exciting life so far. I can't wait for August to get here so I can hold her!

Our first glimpse of Lily just hours old

Lily holding onto her Daddy's finger

 

 

 

One day old

Getting her hearing checked - - this picture makes me smile!

4 days old and just hanging out

We got to Skype with Lily (and my brother, sister-in-law, Mom and Dad) on Saturday night

3 Days Old

8 days old and out on her first shopping trip

Dream Jobs

If you ask a small child what they want to be when they grow up, you're likely to get some slightly outlandish answers. Astronaut, President, archeologist, baseball player, chef....these are all typical answers. I can only remember four things I said I wanted to be when I grew up: doctor (pediatrician), teacher, wife, and mother. Now, my Mom might remember other aspirations from when I was younger, but these are the only four answers I can remember giving to the favorite question. I held onto the dream of being a pediatrician until I was in middle school when I learned just how much schooling was required. I  knew that my main goal was to be a mother and going to school for a gazillion years and working ridiculous hours wouldn't work so well with raising a posse of little tykes. So I switched to wanting to be a teacher. Specifically, I wanted to be a special education teacher. Growing up, I had a very good friend with cerebral palsy. I loved to play with her and help her in school. I wasn't interested in doing my own work because I wanted to help Brooke first. I loved doing hand-over-hand to help her with her assignments. I thought her switchboard was the coolest thing to help her make choices and answer questions. Then my cousin was diagnosed with autism when I was in middle school. Even though we didn't live close, I enjoyed spending summers with my grandparents and helping with his therapy. In high school, I read an article in our local paper about a young family who had recently moved to the area. Their daughter has cerebral palsy and they were looking for volunteers to help with therapy in their home. I was excited to get to know this family and help with her therapy. From the first time I met her, she reminded me of Brooke. Her parents were also homeschooling her and I was able to help with some of her schooling. These three experiences combined led me to the desire to be a special education teacher.

Now, at the age of 25, I have been able to experience two of my dreams. In 2008, I was blessed to become a wife to a wonderful man. Being a wife has been the greatest joy and blessing. I know I don't always do my job well, but the Lord is merciful and my husband is patient. In 2009, I was blessed to teach for one year in a great school with an amazing group of kids. That year changed my life in many ways and helped prepare me for where I am today. There are days when I long to get back into teaching, but mainly just to teach that same class again. I know this isn't possible and life moves on, but I still think about my students every single day.

Being a pediatrician is no longer a dream of mine, but being a mother still is. We hope and pray the Lord would bless us in that way. Until then, I enjoy making a list of "dream jobs" I would like to have. Most of these I would like to experience for just one day, but others are a little more serious. Here's my current list:

• Small business owner -own a craft, vintage, home decor type business
• Author - I've often considered writing about dating, caregiving, the challenges of being a young Christian in such a worldly society
• Photographer
• Clothing Designer - specifically modest clothing for women and young girls
• Chef/Caterer
• Doula
• Operate a Christian pregnancy care center
• Bat girl for the St. Louis Cardinals :)

What are some of your "dream jobs?"

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is a very special day. It's my Dad's birthday.Woohoo!

Happy Birthday Dad!!! 

I love you! 

Dad and Me at a Cardinals game, 2010

Proud Pop admiring his first granddaughter, Lily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Wedding Day, 2008

One of those days

I'm having one of those days where my brain isn't quite firing correctly. Some people might be convinced every day is one of those days for me, but I object. They just seem to happen to me more often than other folks.

In the 4 hours that I was out running errands today the following things occurred:

• Tried to use library card at the ATM
• Forgot my headphones and armband to workout at the gym (an hour workout with no music is PAINFUL!!!)
• Forgot to bring a post workout snack
• Realize I forgot my purse at home. Thankfully, I grabbed my wallet, but not my purse. I struggled through Walmart as I tried to juggle my wallet (which refused to stay closed), keys, phone, and shopping list. Of course, today would be the day I chose to wear a skirt, thus no pockets. 
• Got incredibly distracted  by every odd thing I saw in Walmart. It's Walmart, so that's A LOT of distractions! One of the most interesting sites which caused a great deal of pondering was the guy I saw with 5 potatoes in his cart, not in one of the little plastic bags. Just sitting in his cart. 
• Dropped my phone in the parking lot as I was trying to juggle getting everything loaded in the car. Cracked the screen. Awesome.
• Chugged a bottle of chocolate milk and a package of almonds. Then wanted to puke after realizing I consumed more calories than I just worked off at the gym. 
• Go to Aldi where I'm so flustered I forget several things on my list. 
• Nearly back into someone backing out of my parking space at the library. 

I think I should go to bed and try again tomorrow. Let's all pray no one gets seriously injured throughout the rest of the evening. Amen. 

Black Thumb

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners. Their yard is perfectly landscaped and they enjoy spending time working to keep it looking great. My mom always has a ton of flowers planted in the flower beds, pots around the yard, and hanging baskets on the porch. Growing up, when people would find out where I lived, they would usually make a comment about how pretty our yard was. Dad has done a great job landscaping all of the yard. It looks professionally done.

Let's just say their gardening abilities were not passed down to me. I don't know if they were passed down to my other siblings. I haven't seen any evidence of it. But I can't keep a plant alive for anything!

Case in point #1:

 

This poinsettia was given to us as a housewarming gift when we first moved here. It was so full and beautiful. Once the Christmas season was over, it got moved to our patio. It's still alive, but pretty sad looking. I might remember to put some water in it once a week or so. Poor poinsettia.

Case in point #2:

Chris bought this hanging basket shortly after we moved in. Like the poinsettia, it was full and beautiful and really helped brighten up the front entrance. I did really well remembering to water it at first, but it slowly started slipping my mind. Once it got to sad and unattractive for the front of the house, it was also moved to the patio. I was excited that the one measly flower popped up after I watered it one day this week. It really is a sad, sad story.

Up until last week, those were the only two plants we had under our care. Our yard is beautifully landscaped, but the landlords pay someone to take care of it. Very wise choice on their part!

Last week, we added a new plant to our care:


 

We bought this beauty at IKEA for only $1.99! I thought that was a good price to pay for something that might end up dead in a few months. The cute pot was also only $1.99. The best part about this plant: it only needs to be watered every 5-6 days! The instructions say that it needs to be completely dry before watering again. Perfect for me!

I have high hopes for this little guy! Perhaps my black thumb will begin turning shades of green.

Mornings

It's almost 9:00 AM and I'm the only one up in the house. Well, except the dog. I think Chris is awake, just not up and moving yet.

I've been faced with the same decision since 6:45 this morning: try to lay back down for a while or be productive. You see, Grandma was up every couple of hours from midnight on, adamant that she had slept "all day and all night." Finally, at 6:45, I gave up and decided to start the day. I go into her room to get her up, she wants the baby in bed with her, I tell her there isn't a baby, we argue about it, she's not sure she wants to get up. I go into the kitchen to get a drink, she falls back asleep. I lay down in the guest room, hear her talking as I'm about to fall back asleep, go check on her only to realize she's talking in her sleep. At that point, I make the decision to start my day. She has continued to sleep through me gathering the trash and carrying it out, running the blender to make my smoothie, noises in the kitchen (which is right next to her room), and the phone ringing. I keep thinking I would like to lay back down for a few minutes, but I know she'll wake up as soon as I do. So, I'm enjoying the quiet time to myself. I do appreciate quiet mornings, but I also appreciate my sleep! ::sigh::

Window Turned into Idea Board

My parents remodeled their living room and dining room a few years back and gave me one of the old windows they replaced. I had them hanging in living room in our house in Illinois. We also had one hanging in our living room in our house in Texas.

Windows hanging in living room in Illinios

When we moved into this house, we put one of the windows in our guest bedroom.

Window in guest bedroom with scrapbook paper

 

 

Before: Empty window hanging in my craft room

I also wanted one in my craft room. I had trouble deciding what I wanted to do with it. I thought I might find some pretty fabric to hang behind it or maybe blow up a picture. It just stayed blank for several months. Then a few weeks ago, I had several ideas floating around in my brain and needed somewhere to write them down where they could be seen. I grabbed a dry erase marker and wrote on the window. The idea hit me to find some scrapbook paper to match my colors, but that would also be light enough to still see the writing, and make the window an idea board.

After: Pretty scrapbook paper behind the glass and dry erase marker to write on the glass

I found the paper at JoAnn and Hobby Lobby. I love how it turned out! Now I have plenty of room to keep my lists and it's pretty!

After: Window turned into idea board

33rd Wedding Anniversary

Today is my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary. I am thankful for the example they have shown us of a committed, loving, and faithful marriage. It is a blessing and an honor to be able to think of them today and wish them many more wonderful years together. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I love you!

Mom and Dad's engagement picture

Mom and Dad on their wedding day 5-19-1979

5-19-1979

Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad on their 30th wedding anniversary

Healthy Snack Options

Snacking throughout the day is one thing that always gets me when I try to stay focused on eating healthy. I've been trying to find healthy(er) snack options to keep around the house that don't cost a fortune. Here are a few I've tried and really enjoyed:

Salt and Vinegar Chick Peas

[source]

I love salt and vinegar chips and I love chick peas, so this was a win-win for me! They were super easy to make and irresistible! My pantry is now stocked with chick peas at all times. 

 

Frozen Yogurt Dots

 

 

 

[source]

Who doesn't love frozen yogurt? I love yogurt just about any way, but it's more refreshing when frozen. I squirted yogurt droplets on a baking sheet covered in wax paper, threw it in the freezer for an hour or two, and had a tasty treat ready when I wanted it.

Peach Smoothie

[source]

  I enjoy smoothies for breakfast or as a snack and I'm always looking to try new combinations. One of my favorites is banana, peanut butter, spinach, and coconut milk. But this peach smoothie ranks pretty high up there now. This was so refreshing and yummy! Now, the recipe has alcohol as an option addition, but I refrained.

Fun with the Little Ones

Grandma and Ruth riding in the wheelchair together.

 Last Monday, I had a day full of kids and I loved it! Since I don't have any kids of my own or nieces and nephews (yet!), I'll just borrow other people's kids! In the morning I got to spend a few hours with Miss Audrey, which was a lot of fun. After that I picked up Britt and Ruth for the day. Gary B. and Danielle were working on panting the sanctuary, so I offered to take the kids to make it a little easier. They both fell asleep on the way back to our house, but after their naps we ate a quick lunch (well, Britt refused to eat, but I didn't take it personally) and headed to the park.

Britt climbing up the "big ladder"

He was so proud when he made it to the top!

Britt was so excited to go to the park. When we pulled into the parking lot and he saw the playground, he said "We made it to the park. Grandma, do you see the park? We made it!" It was adorable! It was a little challenging since I had Britt, Ruth, and Grandma. The park is next to a lake and I kept having these visions of one of the kids taking off and falling in the lake. My imagination can run wild sometimes! I put Grandma in her wheelchair, plopped Ruth on her lap, made Britt help push the chair, and away we went. It was pretty cute to see Ruth sitting on Grandma's lap. We played at the park for almost two hours. It had been awhile since I had played at the park with little ones, and I forgot how exhausting it is to go up and down stairs, down the slide, and push the swings! It was fun, but I sure was tired!

After we were done at the playground, we walked across the street to see the ducks and geese. One goose came out of the water and came pretty close to us to eat corn someone had left. I was a little scared at first, but Britt was so excited to see it coming close. We stayed and watched for quite a while and talked all about the ducks, geese, and other birds.

Watching the ducks and geese.

Looking across the lake and watching for fish.

Once we came back home and had a snack, Britt wanted to go swimming. We didn't have their swim clothes and the water was still a bit chilly, so we sat on the edge and put our feet in the water. We talked all about the floating chair, the alligator thermometer, and the beach. Chris came home around this time and Britt was very excited to play with "Brudder Chris." The rest of the evening was spent wrestling, watching Land Before Time, and playing with Mr. Potato Head and the horse. Chris also got a good laugh out of antagonizing Britt with Wesley. Ruth would follow Wesley around and laugh, but Britt didn't want to get close to him. He would jump up in the chair and just watch. Chris kept making Wesley bark. Ruth would get this terrified look on her face, then laugh. Britt would say, "Hush, Weswey, hush!" It was quite comical.

Longing and wishing to go for a swim. (sorry for the blurry picture!)

It was a fun day and the kids were SOO good! Ruth was pretty much asleep by the time we pulled out of the driveway, but Britt talked my ear off the whole way home! Britt already blogged about his day with me.

Baby Gifts

As soon as I found out my best friend was having a baby, my mind started turning with ideas of all the things I could make for this little one. Of course, I had to wait until she found out she was having a GIRL until I could get started. I loved quilting, sewing, and crafting for this little one. Her momma is extra special to me and Baby P already has a special place in my heart.

The quilt was the first thing done. It was definitely a labor of love, but so much fun. It was my first experience quilting, so I did a lot of learning along the way. This series of tutorials by Diary of a Quilter was incredibly helpful! I would have been completely lost without it and the YouTube videos I watched. Despite the many mistakes and imperfections, I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

I made a Onesie Dress with a tutorial from Barefoot in the Kitchen. I love how it turned out!

My absolute favorite gift I made was this appliqued owl onesie. I was so in love with it when I was finished that I wanted to keep it! I had never done applique before, so it was a learning experience. It took quite a while and resulted in a few injuries, but I finished victorious. I used this printable owl pattern.

Apparently tag blankets (or taggies) are all the rave lately. I see them all over the place. I think they're great for sensory integration for the little ones. I used some scraps and my ridiculous ribbon supply to put one together for Baby P.


Every new momma needs a good nursing cover and burp cloths! This nursing cover from Sew Much Ado is my favorite to make. Obviously I don't have any experience using it to know how well it works, but it sure is cute! Burp cloths made from cloth diapers and a flannel insert are also a favorite of mine to make for new moms.

What's a little girl to do without some cute bows for her hair?!? I made a couple to go with the onesie dress and the owl onesie, plus a few extras. I found this collection of 40 hairbow tutorials, which was amazing and super helpful.

Finally, I made a little wall hanging for the nursery. Brittney's mom and Ryan's mom sang this song to them when they were both babies and I'm sure Baby P will fall asleep to it every night too. I used my Silhouette for the letters.