Cress Life

Valentine Valentine

2012-01-26T07:48:00.003-05:00

Ever since Christmas, I have been looking for a reason to design another adorable card from Tiny Prints. I mean really, after getting something as cute as our Christmas card, my head has been spinning for an excuse to add my smiling children to another one.

Enter Valentine's Day. Isn't this the number one greeting card holiday in our country? Good enough for me! I mean seriously, wouldn't you want a greeting card with these smiling faces to make your day brighter?

Thankfully Tiny Prints has me covered! With a huge selection of Valentine Cards, it's hard to choose just one. These are seriously in the running!

Find it HERE!

I love to make the day special for my kids by giving them my very own Valentine's Day Greeting Card and whipping up a special heart shaped breakfast. I'm thinking heart shaped scones and strawberries and whipped cream this year! Thank you Pinterest! With Caleb being five this year, I think he will enjoy some fun Valentine's Day activities, so I am making him a simple word search and maze. Of course I'll include Owen, but I think he'll have more fun with the scavenger hunt I've got planned. I got some sweet little gifts at our local discount store that I think they will love. Allison is just going to practice looking cute in her little Valentine's shirt and headband that I made for her! We will spend the afternoon delivering Valentine's greetings to loved ones and a few people from our church.

What do you do to make Valentine's Day special for your kids? I love the simple tradition of teaching my kids about love by sharing joy with others.

If you'd like to stay up to date with the happnenings over at Tiny Prints there are a few ways to do that! Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest and you'll never miss a beat!

nine months and three generations

2012-01-19T06:35:00.000-05:00

Today my sweet little Allison turns nine months old. She's come a long way since that day in April and overcome numerous obstacles. She really is the sweetest little girl and the apple of my eye!

She's been crawling for a couple months now, and is starting to stand unassisted. She's sleeping about 8-9 hours at a time at night, sometimes more. She jabbers and growls at everything. She sings herself to sleep at nap and bed time. She loves both of her brothers! Her and Owen have formed a very special bond though. They are buddies.

I put a very special dress on her this week and took a few pictures. This dress was my moms when she was a baby and I also wore it. It was so special that I was able to put it on my daughter. She didn't wear it long because it is quite fragile, but she looked so cute in it!

This photo pretty much defines her: SOMETHING IS ALWAYS IN HER MOUTH!

Love this sweet little dress that is 3 generations old now!

Happy girl!

Nine month stats:

17 pounds
26.5 inches

We still don't know what color her eyes are going to be. They are quite grey and some days they have a hint of blue, but more often they have flecks of brown and green. They are gorgeous! She's wearing a size 3 diaper and 3-6 month clothes. I'm about ready to get out the 6-9 month outfits though! She's growing!!!!

another day.

2012-01-11T09:47:00.001-05:00

Last night after I posted, I felt a huge burden lifted off my shoulders. Holding in the way I felt for so long was weighing me down more than I thought.

This morning when I got up, I was very tempted to not work out and eat unhealthfully, but then I remembered the way I felt yesterday when I was exercising. It's not so much the exercise and knowing I'm doing my body good as much as it was the feeling of taking care of me. It has been so long since I really took care of myself.

During the workout which combines dance and martial arts (Turbo Jam), the instructor says quite often to punch and kick away the things holding you back. At one point there is a move that mimics throwing something away, and she tells us to throw away the things bogging us down. Like yesterday, that part makes me cry. I really feel like now is my time. My time to change and forget about taking care of everyone else and spent some time on ME.

In the past, working out for me has been solely to lose weight or tone up. This time it's so much more than that. I am getting rid of the insecurities, the doubt, fat suit, the hurt and pain inside of me. I'm gaining a sense of self worth and even though it's only been a little more than 24 hours, I am already feeling a change.

I am starting to carve out in my mind who I want to be. Inside and out. They go hand in hand. Don't misunderstand that for a shallow statement. It's the farthest thing from that. If I don't take care of the me on the outside, how much more am I neglecting the part people can't even see? The innermost part of me. This journey can only get better. I am on my way to becoming a better me. A better wife and mom. A better friend.

So stick with me friends, I'm going to need you along the way.

No Title

2012-01-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

It's true, there is no title for the way I've been feeling. Lost, desolate and lonely seem to fit the bill. I'm not supposed to feel this way, I have a loving, wonderful husband and three great kids, but I can't help the way I feel. I look in the mirror and hardly recognize myself. I don't feel good about what five years and three kids and not exercising and eating all wrong have done to me. I hate myself for it. I hate that I've lost sight of me and who I am.

Yes, I'm wife and mom. But really, who am I? I want to be the confident person I used to be. Now, I like to hide behind my insecurities and make excuses for myself. Okay, I bury myself in dishes and laundry. I don't like it, but it's what I do, who I've become. I don't even feel like me in the foreign body that houses me. I definitely never thought I would hide behind layers of fat. Where did I lose myself? Shoot, I'm probably not even making sense, but I have to get it out.

The past few days, I have been reading blogs about people who are making a change and writing about it to help hold themselves accountable. I didn't feel it. I thought they were going to fail. Then something inside me changed. I started getting weepy every time I read a blog or even thought about change. I started to feel like I could do something about it. My kids probably think I'm crazy because even from this dark place I find myself in, I still can see their reaction to the way I act.

This morning when I got up, I decided I was ready to make a change. I literally cried all morning. I put on a workout video I bought a couple years ago but never even opened. I worked out and cried off and on the whole time. I cried while feeding the baby. I cried while I bathed my boys. I feel like I'm ready to make the change. I know I am.

I don't feel like I'm ready to commit to working out every day or blogging about it regularly, but I'm ready to admit that they way I feel isn't healthy. It's putting a strain on the relationships that matter the most to me. I need to make time for myself and realize that my husband and kids will survive without me while I'm doing just that. It might be working out, it might be blogging, it might be taking a shower. The point is, somewhere in midst of becoming wife and mom and giving up my career, I've lost who I used to be and who I want to be. So, please bear with me as I start the journey of figuring out who the new me is. What I want to keep and what I want to lose. Trust me, I already know I want to lose a lot, both literally and figuratively. It's just a matter of time.

2011-12-24T12:45:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas! Our family wishes you the best this holiday season!

gifts that really matter

2011-12-09T15:05:00.000-05:00

This picture has been floating around Facebook recently. It ~~pulls~~ yanks at my heartstrings. There are some great organizations out there that can benefit from your gift giving this year. Give the gift that keeps on giving and sponsor a child through Compassion International. If sponsoring a child for the whole year isn't in your budget, then keep reading because I found something just as good!

I think the coolest gift my kids are getting this year are gift cards to GHNI. Instead of just telling someone you sponsored a child or bought something in honor of them, you can actually go to their online store and choose what you want to buy with your gift card. I think my kids will love this and in turn, hopefully it will give Christmas a whole new meaning for them. I think they will understand that they are helping someone by giving them clean water or food or income by being able to select the gift themselves. For as little as $10 you can buy a gift card for someone you love and help them spread joy in a whole new way to people who truly need it.

*I'm not being paid or perked to write this, I just have a burden for helping others to the best of our abilities and wanted to share something I'm passionate about!

these eyes

2011-12-03T13:42:00.000-05:00

These eyes are beautiful. They intrigue us since we can't tell what color they are going to be. In photos they always look grey, no matter the light. In person, they have flecks of gold, brown and green. They are gorgeous. More than the eyes, though, I love the girl.

WildLights at the Zoo

2011-12-01T06:38:00.001-05:00

We were out of town for Thanksgiving and decided to stop by the Columbus Zoo on the way home. It was such a nice surprise to find out they have their WildLights going on. The whole zoo is decked out for the holidays with over sized Christmas balls to lights on nearly every tree, to a train ride through the zoo after dark. It was magical...all except for the 20,000 other people who wanted to come and see what the magic was all about after dark. Seriously, that's why there aren't any actual pictures from the light show and the exhibits we saw after dark. There were so many people, I was more worried about keeping a tight reign on my kids than capturing the moment.

Allison even enjoyed the zoo. She stayed nice and warm in the stroller and took the occasional ride in the Boba. She just loved seeing all the animals. Owen slept a good three hours while were were there, but woke up just in time to go on the carousel. I felt bad looking back at the pictures, because most of them were of Caleb and Allison. It really is quite a lot easier to take pictures when there is one less conscious child to worry about.

Stopped for a quick picture and of course he's giving me his i'malmostfiveletgoofmeanddon'tmakemelookatthecamera smile.

No visit to the zoo is complete without seeing the penguins. Especially when you watch Happy Feet the night before!

This carousel is pretty amazing. All I could think about while riding it was how many smiles has this brought people? Seriously, it was built in 1914. That's a lot of kids, rides and fun. I still smile when I think about it, because I know how fun it was and how amazing those three minutes are when your children don't even think about fighting with each other and are just happy.

This picture is probably one of my top 10 favorite pictures of all time. They had a moment.

Figuring out where to go next.

We decided to go see the monkeys. Okay, they weren't called monkeys, but that's what they looked like to me. Good enough. They had benches to sit on. Amen.

Whoever designed this exhibit was a genius. They knew kids would sit and watch the monkeys until their parents made them leave, so they actually have benches to sit on. Oh yeah, I already said that. My feet were singing the Hallelujah Chorus right about now.

The aquarium was fun, but overly crowded so I had to stay back with the double jogging stroller while the boys went in with B. However, they did reward me with this melt your heart picture afterwards. I don't even care that it's a bit out of focus. How cute is Owen's smile???

It was getting dark and we were excited to go and see the light show. Even though people equivelent in numbers to almost our entire town were there, it was totally worth it and quite enjoyable during daylight hours because black Friday did keep a lot of people away until later.

I'm thinking this needs to become a yearly black Friday tradition. So fun!

on the move

2011-11-30T15:59:00.000-05:00

Allison is on the move, which made for an interesting Christmas photo shoot! I love the end result though. We've had all kinds of fun in the past week and I look forward to sharing soon!

Merry Christmas Tiny Prints Style

2011-11-27T17:12:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is designing my family's Christmas card. From deciding what to dress my children in, to taking the photo, to selecting the card to use. I love it all. It really puts me in a festive mood and I hope that this year you have as much fun designing your family card as I am.

I mean seriously, words can hardly express how much I loved last years card! Don't my children make you want to go have cute babies of your own? Or at least go set up your Christmas tree?

I'm so glad Tiny Prints offers a wide selection of Christmas and holiday cards. I should have no problem finding a card that makes me merry this year! Here are some of the amazing options that they offer.

This 5x7 flat card allows for customization and different layouts. Who doesn't love options?!?!?

Who wants to deck their halls with a tri-fold? (LOVE!)

Or send ornament card so people can seek you smiling back at them all season long?

Whatever you are looking for, Tiny Prints has it! Head over there today and take advantage of their 3-day cyber sale! Take 15% off $75 or more and get free shipping! There are more great deals, right here, so go now and find a deal that will make your bells jingle! Hurry, ends 11/29.

P.S. If you want a sneek peek at this years photo....
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Here ya go!

It's a trifold! You'll have to wait to see the back!

Chapter Books and Vegetarian Cats

2011-10-28T15:09:00.000-04:00

I recently started reading chapter books to the boys. Caleb is especially enjoying it. It's fun to see where his imagination takes him as his play takes on new meaning. We are reading The Very Strange Story of Blaze the Cat right now. Of course, everything they play with becomes a place for their little stuffed kitties to play. They have aptly named the Moses and Blaze, the names of the kittens in our book.

Today after reading a chapter about how Blaze and Moses were old enough to eat kitten food, Caleb started telling me that he needs a kitten, so bad. He would feed it kitten food and tuna and beef. Unless of course it decided to be a vegetarian like him. Then he would feed it bananas because they are soft and mushy like kitten food.

I love how books foster the imagination so much more than TV. Trust me, I let my kids watch TV, but I am enjoying the benefits of reading to them so much more.

What are some chapter books you have read to your 4-5 year olds? I'd love to start on a series when we are finished with this one. I'm thinking the Boxcar Children would be a good place to start, unless anyone else has any better suggestions!

Vacation Pt. 1

2011-10-21T11:52:00.006-04:00

We recently visited my parents in Kansas. We had a great time and also got to see my Grandpa Bob and his wife Maria who came to visit from Bogota, Columbia. I think Maria would have taken Allison home if I let her! I hadn't seen them in over 10 years, so it was a nice visit.

We took a day trip up to Emporia where the boys got to ride a train and go to a zoo. The train pictures are on my other memory card, so you will just have to wait for those ones!

Here's the group of us. This was after our picnic lunch.

Four Generations

Grammie and Grandpa. I'm so glad my kids got to spend some time with them. Family time is so important!

I love this picture of dad and Caleb. I have a similar one from when Caleb was only a year old. I am looking for it!

Owen had fun too!

How big is Caleb?

One of our only family pictures. Unfortunately! Haha, we look like dorks!

Six months!

2011-10-20T18:50:00.001-04:00

I really do have more than one child and have many blog posts written in my head, but I just have not had the time or energy to post lately! I have some great vacation pictures to share with you all, so keep reminding me if I'm slacking! Ha! I just wanted to share a couple cute pictures I took of Allison yesterday since she turned 6 months old! Sigh. This is going way too fast.

So our adorable daughter turned 6 months old yesterday. I simply cannot believe she's been a part of our family for half a year! We think she's simply adorable and love her little personality that is developing daily.

She learned to sit up this month, she entertains herself quite well, and is jabbering up a storm! She remains a little peanut. At her 6 month appointment yesterday, she weighed in at 14 lbs 5 oz and is a petite 23 3/4 inches tall.

She's wearing a size 2 diaper and still fits some 0-3 clothing, but is mostly wearing 3-6 months. Her eye color is still a mystery to us! Mostly grey, but we see flecks of gold and sometimes blue and green.

Allison, you make us smile and we love you so much! Thanks for being such a fun addition to our family!

5 months is bliss

2011-09-30T11:05:00.001-04:00

Allison is seriously just the happiest, sweetest baby! She turned 5 months old on September 19 (I know, I know, I'm so behind on blogging!). She probably weighs around 13.5 lbs. She is in mostly 0-3 month clothes, but sleepers she needs 3-6 now because of the length. She is wearing a size 2 diaper. We still have no idea what color her eyes are going to be. I think they look pretty blue in this picture, but most days they have flecks of brown in them. By this age with both of the boys, their eyes were strikingly blue. I am sort of hoping her eyes turn dark like her daddy's!

This month she really started rolling all over the place and is starting to be able to do a tripod sit. The saddest milestone this month has been moving her out of our room and into her crib. She is sleeping great in her crib and it is nice to only have to listen to one person snoring at night now! Ha! Her medicine dosage was also adjusted this month and now she is happy as a clam! Giving her medicine 4 times a day can be a challenge, but she is a much happier baby with it, so that's our life right now!

We just returned from a trip and I was absolutely floored at how well she travelled. 10 hours in the car for two days and she was content nearly the whole time.

I have a ton of pictures to post from our trip, so check back soon! Hopefully I won't go a month between posts again!

Quick and Easy Beans & Rice

2011-08-24T08:14:00.003-04:00

Don't be deceived, even though these are quick and easy doesn't mean they aren't d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s. Just remember, I never post a recipe that I don't love and this one has stood the test of time. Yes, that's right, my children have eaten it on more than three occasions and they have loved it each and every time.

For this recipe you will need:

1 can garbanzo beans
1 can light red beans
1 can black beans
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium or 2 small mild red peppers
1 small onion
1 pack of Lipton Onion soup mix
Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil
Green onions for garnish

1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked rice per person (just use your favorite type, the beans are the star of this dish). I use a mix of brown and white rice, rinsed twice with enough water to cook the brown rice. Perfectly stickyish rice every time.

Prepare your rice as directed. I just use my trusty rice cooker. It simplifies my life. Here's a secret for perfect rice cooker rice every time. Add desired rice, fill with water so that when you dip your middle finger in and rest it on the rice the water is level with your first knuckle (between your first and second knuckle for brown rice)

Now for the beans. Yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. It's so easy, you will want to make this on a night you want good food, but don't really feel like cooking. The prep time for this meal is only about 5 minutes.

Put pan over medium high heat and add about 1 tbs oil. Chop your peppers and onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to pot. Meanwhile, open all your beans. Drain and rinse your black beans only, you want the liquid from the other two. Now dump all your beans into the pan. Add packet of onion soup mix and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Don't overcook, as your beans are already cooked. You just want to get your peppers and onions nice and soft. Sometimes the water content in canned beans is a bit different, feel free to add some water if they don't seem brothy enough to you.

That's it, I told you it was easy. Now, go make it and relish in the fact that you are making a deliciously healthy meal that your family will love.

Serve in pretty bowls and garnish with green onions.

the mind of a four year old

2011-08-23T12:24:00.000-04:00

Sometimes Caleb really impresses me with his thoughts. He asks very complex questions; things I didn't think a four year old would think about or even have the capacity to think about. And sometimes he just tells me stuff, that I have no idea how he knows. But it's stuff I wouldn't think he would know or even care about. One thing is for sure, God put this boy in my life to challenge me. In more ways that one!

Here are a few questions that Caleb has asked recently and some comments too:

(While driving across the river) Why do rivers and lakes and ponds and oceans all have different colors of water?

Jesus gave us woods so the animals can hide from the nasty city.

The sun makes spiky sparkles on the water. It's really cool.

What day is it? (I answer Friday!) That means tomorrow is Saaaaabath!!!! I love going to Sabbath School!!!

Did you know Jupiter is made of gas and that Pluto isn't a planet anymore?

Why does it take one year for the planet to go around the sun??? And did you know Earth spins in a circle every day?

I love the questions and willingness to learn that come with being four. Even if he isn't the least bit interested in his abc's, he never ceases to amaze me with his thirst for knowledge.

Saline Soothers Soft Wipes Review/Giveaway

2011-08-16T18:10:00.003-04:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

CONGRATULATIONS TO CALLIE (COMMENT 2)! PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON CLAIMING YOUR LOOT!

Saline Soothers is the latest product from the makers or Boogie Wipes. I've worked with Boogie Wipes in the past and should have known this would be another great product!

The first thing you notice when you open the package is the cool menthol scent. Their generous size of nearly 6x8 inches and quilted softness are perfect for a chapped nose. One thing that wooed me quickly was the fact that they don't burn on raw or chapped skin. They truly are soothing. They feel cool and refreshing and I really am hooked! I will definitely be adding these wipes to my shopping list during my next cold!

My husband also loved these wipes. As a chronic allergy sufferer he is constantly searching for something soft and soothing. These wipes fit the bill perfectly. They didn't burn on his chapped nose and were incredibly soothing.

Saline Soothers are currently available in a 15 count package and are available at Walgreens and coming soon to Walmart. You can also find them online at salinesoothers.com. Larger 45 count packages will be avaliable this fall. Yes, please! Whether you have a cold or allergies, these wipes are a must!

Like what you see? You're in luck. The makers of Saline Soothers are offering a prize pack to one lucky reader!

The prize pack will include:
2 Full Packs in different scents
2 coupons
3 Frangrance Free Sachets
2 Mint Sachets

Entering is easy! Leave a comment below saying "Soothe Me!" Giveaway will run until August 22 and winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

For extra entries:
Follow this blog.
Follow Cress Life on Facebook.
Follow Cress Life on Twitter.
Follow Saline Soothers on Facebook.
Follow Saline Soothers on Twitter.
Watch the Saline Soothers promo on YouTube.

Each extra entry requires an additional comment. Make sure your e-mail is visible in your profile or in your comment. Thanks! Play nice!

Numbers

2011-08-12T20:08:00.000-04:00

Can you figure out what these numbers represent?

1701

788

115

I have been a mom of one for 1701 days...

a mom of two for 788 days...

and a mom of three for 115 days...

That is a lot of smiles and kisses, tears and booboos, but most of all love.

Each day these kids remind me how blessed I am to have them in our family.

Now This is the Summer I Remember

2011-08-11T15:34:00.000-04:00

I grew up in northern California and Michigan so summers to me have always been mild and enjoyable. Going for walks, enjoying the many lakes and parks around where you live. Cool evenings that required a sweatshirt.

This summer has been particularly miserable, not only for us here in Ohio, but across the US. So humid and hot you can't breathe. Tripled electricity bill because the air won't shut off. Mornings you can't see out your windows because of the condensation from the humidity outside. Kids driving you nuts because the only places in your town to play at are McDonald's or the mall. Outside isn't an option, it's just too hot!

The past two days have reminded me of summers growing up. The kids are outside almost all day. They have rosy cheeks, but not red faces. So nice during the day and cool in the evening. It's especially nice to be able to get out and do yard work without the fear of having heat stroke. My windows have even been open all day today with the a/c off! There is a nice breeze going through the house and it is only up to 75 degrees in the house.

This is the summer I remember!

3/4

2011-08-01T10:38:00.000-04:00

Almost one year ago exactly, I wrote this post entitled 2/3. Some people speculated that it was a teaser post announcing my pregnancy, but I had no idea that Allison was already a tiny miracle growing inside of me. We weren't planning on more children and in fact didn't think I was able to get pregnant. Five days later (one year ago today!) I found out that I was indeed pregnant with Allison. Talk about a pleasant surprise! So, that post should have been entitled 1/2 or 2/4, for only half of my heart was in that picture.

So, this is the revised post, one year later entitled 3/4. 3/4 of my heart is in this picture. I love how love can be multiplied and divided but always growing. Don't expect another revision to this post involving pregnancy announcements. Our family is complete and we are looking forward to all the new chapters we will have. The only revision you may see in the future that would read 4/4 or 1. For our family of 5, which holds 4/4 of my heart is 1 in Jesus Christ.

Hello, Big Girl!

2011-07-31T11:36:00.002-04:00

These pictures are evidence that Allison is no longer a newborn but an infant! I'm sad and excited all at the same time. It's so fun to get her to smile and find things that make her giggle. She's been enjoying spending short amounts of time in the exersaucer and in the past week we've really seen her head control increase. She's been enjoying tummy time a little more now that her new medicine has lessened her vomiting and makes her tummy feel better.

She almost constantly has her hands or arms in her mouth.

I forgot to post about her 3 month stats! She weighed in at 10lbs 11 oz. She's about 21.5 inches long. She wears size 0-3 month clothes and is in size 1 diapers. She may be small, but boy is she sure cute!!!!

I love this little girl!

Splash Park

2011-07-28T10:31:00.000-04:00

There are certain things I look forward to in the summer. This summer, one of those things has been going to the splash park. The big city where I live has an amazing family friendly park with fountains and a gorgeous walk along the river. We went a couple days ago and had a fabulous time romping in the water and making memories. I'm so glad that even B got to come! It seems like most of our day trips are sans daddy because he has to work. It's so nice when he can take the afternoon off for outings like this.

Owen seriously had the best time. Can you not see the utter joy on his face?

Caleb enjoyed himself too. They both loved laying down on top of the fountains.

Caleb's favorite thing was to doggy paddle his way through the fountains!

A perfect day for such a fun activity. That is Caleb sitting down in the background.

This picture cracks me up. I had no idea your tongue could bend like that! haha.

Allison was content to snuggle with mommy and nurse.

Caleb was hilarious. He was determined to give Barry a hug and get him all wet. He almost succeeded here.

Walking on his hands and knees through the fountains.

If she wasn't nursing she was sucking on her fists just enjoying the nice weather and sounds of the water.

Such a beautiful skyline.

We've been having a great summer so far and have really enjoyed doing some things locally instead of just taking a big trip for vacation. What fun things have you guys been up to this summer?

My Kids are Crazy and I Love Them

2011-07-18T14:29:00.000-04:00

Really, I'm talking about my boys, but you can count Allison if you count her puke all over you and smil about it ways crazy. Today I had to take Caleb to see the doctor. He got bit by a tick four or five days ago and last night we noticed one of his lymph nodes was the size of an almond. Everything is fine, I guess it's normal for your lymph nodes to swell when fighting off an infection, and in Caleb's case, something from the tick. I have to put some topical ointment on the bite site for a few days, but other than that he's A-OK!

Caleb was determined to dress himself for his appointment this morning. He came out wearing mismatched shirt and shorts, my winter hat, sunglasses and superhero cape. He also insisted on bringing a small pinwheel and his puppy. I let him. I also let him influence his brother into wearing his superhero cape.

I don't let them wear crazy attire everywhere, but sometimes it's fun. Sometimes it's fun to plaster my mouth with my mother of the year face and face the public with my crazy kids. Sometimes It's fun to watch them leap around the waiting room in their capes while other parents silently berate me for letting my kids be so crazy. My kids are only young once and I have let them develop their identity somehow, right? I guess their mould might just be a bit different and free spirited than the next crazy kid's!

Connecting with Caleb

2011-07-17T23:16:00.000-04:00

B and I were talking tonight and we've both realized that Caleb is no longer a baby or toddler. He's a full fledged kid. It's bittersweet. I love each stage of learning and discovery. And in all honesty, I'm ready for the next stage when it arrives. Each day I try to find opportunities to connect with him. B and I have both noticed that it's getting harder all the time. So often our days are filled with disciplining him that we don't feel like we are making adequate connections with him. Then we realized that it could be something as simple as a hug or story or project that are meaningful to him. I try to enjoy the simple things instead of making them feel like a chore.

We went for a walk the other day. Caleb rode his bike the entire two miles. I was so proud of him. He was so happy to get out and do something away from home for a change. I got this sweet little picture of him at the end of our walk/bike ride. He then proclaimed he wanted to live with me forever. Sigh, with a face like that, I might just let him.

Allison's DIY Nursery

2011-07-13T14:46:00.004-04:00

I figured it was high time to share some nursery pictures with you all, seeing as Allison is nearly three months old. This nursery was a literally a labor of love. Nearly everything in there was a DIY project. And I was on a budget. And it turned out flippin' a.w.e.s.o.m.e. Did I mention that I did the whole room for under $200? Yeah, that's right, it's cheap and stylish. Personal and meaningful.

The following things you will see in the photos below were things I DIY'ed. Pom Poms, wall letter, wall art, bird racks, crib skirt, crib sheet, blanket, rocking chair cover. I really enjoyed this project. Finding ways to save money, but still maintain quality. I love the final result.

The coat rack was given to my mom who passed it on to me. I gave it a nice coat of watermelon spray paint for a punch of color. I free handed the large A on the wall with a pint of sample paint from Home Depot.

This pillow from Hobby Lobby was the entire inspiration for the room. I loved the colors and texture in it. This room is all about color and layers of texture. I slip covered the chair with this playful fabric from Hobby Lobby.

The frames were the ugliest, banged up things you ever saw when I bought them all for $7 at Hobby Lobby. Nothing a little Dap Spackling and Spray paint couldn't fix. The gauzy, celery green curtains were a steal from TJ Maxx. $8 for the pair. They were very expensive at retail, but the stitching is a little messed up on the bottom. I.don't.care. They look amazing and add a rich softness to the room.

This carousel was given to me by my grandma. I miss her so much. I am glad that I was able to incorporate it into the room. It plays Somewhere Out There. My children love to lay on the soft shaggy rug and listen to it on rainy days.

The bow holder on the wall was also passed on to me by my mom. Can you tell what it's original purpose was? That's right folks, this plate holder now serves a new purpose as a hairbow holder.

I've been known to sew a thing or two an made this personalized blanket. I even followed this tutorial and made my own bias tape. Easiest thing ever. I also made the crib skirt, following this method... only I used my sewing maching. Also, easiest thing ever. And it makes changing the sheets so much easier. Which I made with the cutest white and pink polka dot fabric.

Those cute pom poms have been popping up everywhere lately and I decided that they perfectly mimicked the shapes in the crib skirt fabric. They cost a whopping $6 to make and are a focal point in the room. Last but not least, I got this adorable shag rug as a last minute splurge from Overstock. It's made out of jersey and is so soft and cozy. It almost felt like a sin having it in there since it's not DIY'ed, but let's face it, nothing I could make would be as cool as this rug.

I totally love this room. I hope Allison does too.

Here's the budget breakdown:

Paint: $31 (Behr Premium Plus in Light Chiffon)
Curtains: $8 (TJ Maxx, clearance)
Pillow: $9 (Hobby Lobby)
Chair Fabric: $10 (Hobby Lobby)
Crib Skirt Fabric: $10 (Hobby Lobby)
Sheet Fabric: $8 (Joann Fabrics)
Blanket: $ 12 (Hobby Lobby)
Bird Racks: Free
Paint for Bird Racks: $3 (Krylon- Watermelon)
Paint for Letter A: $3 (Untinted Sample - Home Depot)
3 Frames: $7 (Hobby Lobby)
Shelf: $10 (Hobby Lobby)
Pom Poms: $6
Rug: $78 (Overstock.com)

Grand Total: $198