Tiered Pots

A big thank you to Amy over at Positively Splendid. She shared her tutorial on how to make a tiered terracotta planter ( http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2010/05/tiered-terra-cotta-planter.html). I saved it to my "Must Create" file in my favorites folder last year. This was PP (pre-Pinterest) days. I was still old school then. :) I finally got around to creating my own. It was truly as easy as she made it seam. The most challenging step was finding my "thrillers, spillers, and fillers," as Amy explains. (You'll have to check out her blog to learn what those are.) It really adds to the front of our house. I'd show you a picture, but I am still decorating for the summer. Once I accomplish that task, I'll update!

That's it, folks...plus my daughter's pigtail. ;)

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

So...think back to February when we made the bookmark for Dear Daddy. E and I also made a shirt for her, Jake, and SJ. The inspiration for the shirts was actually El and SJ's faces! :) They have taken after their father in so many ways, appearances included. I was trying to brainstorm an original gift for him that E could help create.

We purchased some plain white tees (not the band) from Walmart. (This is where they were least expensive. Keep in mind-you get what you pay for. Considering I didn't think they would be wearing the shirts much, a low quality material was ok by me.) We printed out a clipart of an apple and a tree. I cut them out, modifying them to my visual appeal. I traced the pattern onto freezer paper (the side without sheen), ironed them onto the shirts (sheen side down), and we (yes, E and I) went to town with fabric paint. ((((Here are a few more parentheses just for fun since I think that I went a little parenthesis crazy in this post.))))))))))) Jake liked the shirts and surely got a charge out of them. Here's the kicker, though. They just wore them yesterday for the first time!! (Insert parenthetical YEE-HAWS here!!) Too cute, if I don't say so myself. Well, I just did.

There She Blows!

I found this idea on Pinterest yesterday, so we had to try it out immediately! All it takes is a little baking SODA (Do not use powder. It doesn't do anything. Your toddler will be angry. You will be angry (clean-up times two).) Oh yes, add some dots of food coloring. Arm your child with an eye dropper filled with vinegar and *BOOM*....a colorful volcanoe! http://pinterest.com/search/?q=baking+soda%3B+vinegar

So. Proud.

What you are looking at, ladies and gentlemen, is a picture of a family full of B.S.! Or, B.A. We have all earned our bachelor degrees! (Yes, even the two littles. *Sigh* Come on, now!) I am so very proud of my brother. This is a man who HATED school as a boy. I remember hearing him cry one night, because he so didn't want to go to school the next day. As a teacher, and also his sister, it breaks my heart every time I think of that memory. Anywho...I am so very proud of him and my own family for that matter. At this point in time, I'd like to state that the University of Wisconsin system and all those who are employed through it owe us a HUGE, wet kiss. I am so sure we have buffered a few salaries through the years. Those new trees they planted at UWM? Yep. We probably paid for one or two of them. Cough. Cough. Honestly, it is quite an accomplishment to earn a four year degree. Kuddos to all of us. :)

Snug as a Bug

I am soooo loving our Burley. No, this is not a paid, sponsored post. I just had to share my new-found excitment. We purchased it last year and made good use of it solely as a bike trailer. Now that SJ has arrived and spring has turned, I have been using it as a jogger stroller with both kids. It is just great!

Clearly, they love it. I love it! I am able to take both at once for a nice, smooth ride. The best part is that El yells, "More" (ok, it's more like "Mo!") when we arrive back at the house. I'm truly looking forward to cool-ish summer and fall mornings, jogging with the kiddos.

Infections! Gross.

I have been MIA. We have been dealing with ear, eye, and sinus infections for almost a month. My head is too clouded to think. The end.

You Color My World

J's birthday is tomorrow, so we have been working hard on gifts to give to Daddy. Jake has been studying for his recertification exam, so we decided to create a bookmark for him. Exhibit A:

A piece of cardstock, some markers, the use of Picnik (R.I.P.), contact paper, ribbon, and a hole puncher...there you go, ma'am! Elianna was quite proud of her creation! It's the handmade gifts that make the greatest impact. Don't you think so? Soon to follow...keep your heads' up! Apples falling!

DIY Magnetic Board/Chalkboard

A few posts ago, I mentioned that our refrigerator is not magnetic. This surprises me, because it is stainless steel. The only portion that is magnetic and exposed is the top left of the refrigerator, a location our two-year-old cannot reach. So, I was on the hunt to find something that would work for us. Via Pinterest (WARNING-highly addicting), I found an idea for a magnetic board (http://pinterest.com/pin/58265388898617958/). I went to our local Walmart, perused the auto section, and picked one up for about ten dollars. I decided to take this project a step further and make it into a partial chalkboard as well. So, I also purchased chalkboard spray paint (AWESOME), and I let E pick out a colored spray paint for the second half of the oil drip pan to make it blingy. Or, I had planned to hype up the bling factor. There were all sorts of beautiful, fun colors - red, lavendar, turquoise, mint, bright orange. What does my little E choose? A muted taupe that matches our kitchen. Sweet peaches. :)

I used some painter's tape to section of the chalkboard paint from the blah colored spray paint. I also added sticky velcroe to the back to hang it on the wall.

Take a look...




She has had a lot of fun with it. The only downfall is that there is contstantly chalk on my kitched floor. I thought I had taken care of that by purchasing a little cardboard box/cube that I painted to match the board and to which I adhered magnets. Still, E feels the chalk is better stored on the floor. :)

OOTDT - POP

Outfit of the Day Thursday....a good reason to change out of pajamas.

A POP of red?

Good thing beans aren't currency, because I cannot take a picture worth beans.

Stick It To Me

E's Grandma stopped over on Valentine's Day and brought the kids special Valentine's Day gifts. Oh, how I wish I had a grandma when I was growing up! Sadly, my grandma's passed away by the time I turned one year old. I realized at a very young age that I was really missing out. (Grandparents' Day in grade school was awful. Who wants to celebrate Grandparents' Day when they don't have ANY grandparents? Boo.) It wasn't until I became an adult that I realized how very sad that was for my parents. How very, very blessed I am to have my parents and my in-laws. I truly think of my blessing every day.

Well, on to the fun stuff! SOOOO.....Grandma brought E a bunch of stickers which made E so very happy. Not to mention, E received a few stickers from Auntie Gayla (my aunt) in the mail!

But, what's a kid (two year old) to do with a bunch of stickers? I was finding them on my sleeves, on the walls, in her pony tail, on the baby.....

I quickly, and I mean quickly, came up with some sticker-scapes for them. Please keep in mind that I did this is ten minutes...no joke. I used construction paper, double sided tape, and a scissors here and there. I did eventually laminate them.

This post is taking me longer than the scenes did.

Mommy is happy, because the stickers are in one main location. E is happy, because she is making her own pictures.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Valentine's Day this year! I know our home is filled with love, especially today!

We began with cereal in the shape of hearts and little Valentine's Day gifts. We will wrap up the day with a special Valentine's Day "menu."

Enjoy!

Potatoes and Valentines

We made a few valentines this year, as well as some decorations. Our favorite was when we used a potato as a stamp. We cut a potato in half, carved a heart into it using a ballpoint pen, carved the around the heard with a knife so that the heart is raised, dipped it in paint, and pressed onto a paper bag. It worked well, and E had so much fun doing it! Just make sure no one eats the potato.

OOTDT

Utility.....
and a toddler....
in the bathroom...

Little Mouse, Little Mouse...

are you in the ________ house?

To help E learn colors, I made this little game. I printed some black and white houses that I found on google. We colored them (red, green, yellow, blue, and purple). I then printed a mouse, and we colored him. I laminated them, added a magnet, and we were good to go.

We hide the mouse under a house, and then say, "Little Mouse, Little Mouse, are you in the ___________ house?" E points to a house, and is the color we say.







I had planned to put them on the refrigerator, but quickly learned that our refrigerator is not magnetic on the front. ?????? I have a solution...

OOTDT

It's Thursday! You know what that means! Please ignore the mess in the background. SJ is transitioning out of the bassinett and into a crib. My room is in disarray.

To be continued....crying baby

A Two Year Old and Her Jacket

It's true. A two year old (new two year old) can dress herself! Yes, in this photo her jacket is on upside down. Yes, in this photo she is wearing a fleece jacket, and it is winter in WI. Yes, she is in her jammies still. (It's not Thursday.)

It's easy to do. Just ask a two year old. First, E grabs her jacket from a low hung rod in the closet. Next, she lays it on the floor in front of her, upside down. The neck should be at her feet. She then bends down and puts her arms into the arm holes, flips her arms/jacket up over her head, and shrugs it on. So simple, a two year old can do it. Or, a caveman.

So Easy Snowman Can Mess It Up

Here is an easy project that's appropriate for Midwest winters!



I used a simple white tee (from Walmart, I believe) for E, and SJ's is a onesie that we had on hand. A few black buttons, some orange fabric, needle/thread, and ribbon (optional)-you are set to go! I did use my sewing machine for the nose, but you really could get by without using one. You could use fabric adhesive.

I added a bow for E's to make it a feminine snow-wo-man.

I do have to give a shout-out to my mom for helping me sew on the buttons! :) Love you Mom!

OOTDT

It's Thursday! You know what that means...out of my pajamas.



I really have to learn how to take better photos. Not only is the background horrid, but I still look pregos in the picture.

Anyway...there is nothing like a nice sweater and tall boots to warm you up on a chilly day. And, hot cocoa with a little butterscotch schnapps in it...but who's drinking these days? :)

Besties

I know it is way too soon to be even thinking about this, but I cannot help myself. I am so excited for my children to be one another's BESTIE. I can see it happening already. I love the way E is so in tune with SJ. If he even so whimpers, she calls me, "MMMOOOOOOMMMM! Bay-beee." She is all about holding his hand, kissing him, and talking about her "Bay-beee." And I know that even though he cannot tell us yet, or even show us that much, he loves her so much, too. I catch him watching her, smiling at her, just waiting for her to give him the attention he desires. They are going to grow up and feel that special bond that only siblings can feel. And...I.cannot.wait.

DIY "Play dough"

I was looking for a non-toxic, possibly edible "play dough" for E. I found this recipe: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 cup salt, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 2 cups water, 1/2 cup flour, 1 1/2 cup corn starch; mix all in pan over medium heat and stir constantly until it globs on spoon (6 min or so); put on wax paper and knead; add food coloring as desired.

The experience met my Required Three, so I was pretty happy. (If you know me at all, you know that I love grammar and my "Required Three." If you don't know me, you will quickly learn about the "Required Three.") Three things....cheap, easy, and quick. Loved it.

E has had much fun with it as well. What was great about the recipe is that E was able to help with the majority of the process, the exception being the stove work. For a two-year-old, helping is pretty important.

OOTDT

Outfit Of The Day Thursday
(A good excuse to get dressed at least one day at week.)

Still on that Wagon

So, I repurposed the diaper boxes into storage boxes. Voila. (I still have to stencil on numbers, but that requires me to run to the store and pick up paint.) All it involved was using some burlap, spray adhesive, ribbon, a glue gun, and a fantastic tutorial found here: http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/02/lets-make-something-together-lined.html.

It truly was simple, and I was able to complete it while my two-year-old was "helping" and my three-month-old was "watching." Pretty painless, and the results are worth it!

Jumping on the Wagon

I have read numerous posts on blogs about using diaper boxes as storage boxes. I'm jumping on the wagon and refashioning/recycling/reusing. Of course, I must put my child to work, because I'm all about stretching those Child Labor Laws.

Stay tuned...

Commitment

I have never thought of myself as someone who struggles with commitmentment. I am driven, dedicated, and, quite frankly, anal. People may describe me as a person who finishes what she start-a person with the "If you want something done correctly, do it yourself" attitude. (Notice the appropriate use of "correctly" and not "right" in that expression.) So why is it that I cannot stay committed to blogging? I want to do it. I know I can do it. BUT, every time I say I am going to do it, somehow I fail. [Shudder at the F word.]

This is it. A new year. A new me.