Meal Organization

   As a wife/mom, one of my obvios jobs is preparing daily meals. Along with that, one of my most dreaded tasks has always been deciding what we were going to have for supper. I will open the fridge and stare blankly, then I will wonder to the pantry and do the same, and then back and forth to see what I have the all the ingredients for etc. Then call to the family for ideas only to hear "doesn't matter", or "I don't care". Lol, only really,  no help.

    A while back I saw an idea on pinterest for a meal board.  I made one.  It was the one in the photo frame with the horizontal clothes pins,  one for each day of the week,  holding a card with a meal written thereon. Really neat.  I kept losing cards, and broke off a couple clothes pins. ..we're rough here,  so I decided to use the same concept,  inside a glass frame, using the glass as a dry erase board.  It turned out great!

 

This did help my meal Organization,  but what I came up with next, really went the extra mile.  Using the same thought,  I printed out a list (organized by meat type) of the meals I make.  When I make my list for grocery shopping, I look at this,  and decide what I want to make for the week, and make my list from there.  Then, once home from shopping,  I circle all the meals that I have everything to make,  so no more going from fridge to panty trying to figure out what I 'can' make, it's right there on the wall!  Once a particular meal has been prepared,  I erase the circle from around it. Simple! 

I printed both these out using a regular ole word processing app, nothing fancy, and printed on regular white printer paper, and trimmed the excess to fit in an 8x10 frame. Dollar store dry erase makers are only $1 abs work fine :)

Hope this helps someone out there with their meal planning.  Time is precious, save it when you can :)

New style love

Hi all!

I decorate,  and redecorate, over and over (as do most women or sahm's anyway). I've always loved antiques and no matter my style preference at the time,  I try to add those in there.  I had went country,  then primitive (and I still LOVE all things prim) but I desired color.  Something that felt light, bright, and fun. In my last post I showed some of my new style I've fallen in love with.  I guess it's a mix of antique/shabby chic. I started with just aqua as my color (I seriously love aqua).I had some antique mason jars that I love, and made a few signs and what not. I painted all my trim and cabinets a bright white.  I must say,  whatever you call it,  I'll call it antique chic, I love it!  DIY everything here we come!  :p

An example of my style. 

I made this burlap wreath for the front door, in keeping with this style.  I love the way it turned out. I attatched this wooden flower I made. I cut the flower shape out of luan, sanded and painted it,  aqua (i❤aqua) and painted the middle with home made chalk board paint via pinterest. (Black craft paint+plaster of paris)

Flashback Friday! A little home makeover.

      So, we moved again. Even less fun this time than before, because guess what? The more kids you have, the more stuff you accumulate, and therefore the more you have to pack-load-unload-unpack etc. When you add the fact that one of those children you have happen to be in infant into the mix... this is gonna take a while! 

      Finding a place to rent close to hubs work was not easy.  All the nice places were crazy over priced for the area, and all the others needed lots of work. Besides those points, all of them we looked at were only 2 bedrooms. . . and I'm not saying I am too good for it, but I have 3 kiddos now... we just will not fit into a 2 bedroom place anymore. (unless maybe there was a full basement or usable attic space which was not the case in anything) We did however finally find a perfectly spaced home with 4 bedrooms, and a nice flat yard that we could actually afford. I was amazed this even existed, but when I saw the interior, I knew why it hadn't been snatched up quickly.

     I am a do-it-yourself kindof gal, and this made me cringe a bit, and think, can I make this a happy space? My before photos do not even shed light (a pun since it was so dark) on how dreary it was. Dark paneling on all the walls, dark wood doors on every room, dark trim, dark shag green carpet in living room, dining room, and a bedroom, and matching ugly green torn linoleum in laundry/entry room, kitchen, and bath. It was an outdated nightmare for someone who loves light, and bright.  Here are some photos . . . 

See, I wasn't kidding lol.  We armed ourselves with lots of paint and primer and work ethic (cause painting paneling takes a long time and is a hard job... dont let anyone tell you different).  First we removed the old flooring . . . it was gross lemme tell ya.  Then we primed EVERYTHING. With the good primer, kilz I think, anywho, we asked for the best, and were pointed to it.  I was glad too, cause I would have had to put 10 gallons of color on the walls instead of just one coat (maybe 2 in places) if I hadn't.  Anywho, I have listed below before and after photos as an ensample of how, even on a budget (boy we are on one) that with effort, you can transform a space from something dreary, into something light and bright.  

Here is the Laundry/Back Entry Before:

and after 

we chose a pale neutral color for the walls, like a light nutty tan, and well, I love aqua, and thus the door.

And here is before and after of the kitchen. The new (inexpensive) linoleum and light walls really transformed the feel in there.  I also (while everything was torn out) hit those white metal cabinets with a fresh coat of epoxy spray paint from walmart. They shine bright white like new, it even covers rust spots, and was less than $5 a can. 

This is the other side of the kitchen, looking into the hallway.  That green was just awful.

And here is the after! So much lighter! and perfect space for my little coffee station I made. I also painted it aqua :)

The before pic of the dining room wasn't a good one. I love the amount of light that streams through those windows, but even that couldn't kill the dull in there with that carpet.  But look at the after! (lovin my aqua) so bright and airy

And then here is the living room. Ugly, ugly, ugly.  

And here is a before, even with our super dark brown leather, and near black- hardwood, this space is light and bright!  Really makes it feel happier. If that makes sense at all! 

In case you were wondering, there was natural (but damaged) hardwood under all that carpet. I squeeled a bit when we tore it up.  We had hoped to stain it, but it had been stained, in random areas, and I didnt have time nor money to rent an industrial floor sander to remove that, so, I ran to google and pinterest, and decided on the best method for painting. I swept, scrubbed, scrubbed again, let dry, then hubs rolled on an indoor/outdoor heavy traffic porch paint from glidden. It was awesome, and covered great. I gallon can covered living room, dining room, and a bedroom floors.

Here is hubs making that floor pretty.

The bath, tho lots of character now, is too small to get a good picture in, id have to take 10 at different angles to show it all, here is just a peek of one of my favorite things, the old existing medicine cabinet.  I primed these (odd trailer-like) walls and painted with my left over aqua, then repainted the mirror frame with the white. We intend to replace that vanity also, but I didn't want to wait till then for this before and after.

     The owner paid for the linoleum replacement before we moved it.  So, all in all, we spent about $200 on paint and painting supplies. That's really not bad at all for taking your living space from depressing, to light and airy.  :)

God Bless!

April is c-section awareness month (a birth story)

I just learned April is cesarean section month. First off I didn't know their was such a thing, and I think that is great. I was reading (tearfully) all these birthing stories (as most women do) and began to think back on mine. As most all articles circling c-sections are about the disappointment and shame a mother feels for being unable to do what she deems "born to do" (and I felt this too trust me) this article I read, shared on a friends wall, was the first that mentioned the real fear and loneliness you get in the operating room, cold table, room full of people you've probably never met, needles, doctors and nurses rushing, worried looking themselves, all this with no one to hold your hand, that fear that comes then is probably one of the worst, for me anyway. I was very dependent on my husband for that moral/emotional support and he wasn't permitted to be there. Anywho, that brought me to share my birth story, as I realized I never have.

My Birth Story

I knew how this would go, I was in perfect pregnancy health. Baby was growing great, I stayed in the normal weight range, perfect bp, perfect sugar levels, all was great. Bags packed ready for labor to start. I knew soon it would start, we would go to hospital, have horrendous labor pains, strenuous pushing and bam! beautiful baby girl.  Only it didn't go that smooth. It never really goes as you plan (well not for anyone I know anyway). Labor happened,

(here we are all checked in, ready to be parents!)

and kept happening, and then kept happening with assist of pitosin drip, from about 3pm Tuesday till 5:49am Thursday (that's over 30 hours here ppl). My Dr. was a gem, and a man who believed in prayer, he kept letting us pray and try for natural birth, he knew I wanted it badly, but my body just wouldn't do it. Her heart rate dropped to 20bpm, she was in distress, she was dying.

(this was not what i had expected)

 I was whisked away, scared more than ever, doctors were running, throwing coats on, tossing tools, I could see and hear their worry, which made mine worse. I cried. They finally let husband in to hold my hand just before they took her out. His hands were sweating more than mine. They showed her to me for a brief second proclaiming "beautiful baby girl" and she was gone, and so was hubs and I was alone again. And she was not beautiful. She looked awful, I laid there the whole hour and a half alone, in and out, between the meds and fact I hadn't slept in days, worried to death, wondering if she had even made it. She had a dark purple ring around her head for days, besides being severely cone headed, where contractions were trying to force her skull through a dilation of only 4. Failure? oh yes, I felt it. That wasn't the worst part. I missed the first cry, first bath, all that stuff, stuck on a stupid table in a room by myself for hours. Then, so medicated afterwords I couldn't hold her. It stinks, all that planning out the window. And healing, well, I'm a trooper, and it was rough. Very painful, I couldn't bend over and pick my baby up, or get out of bed alone for a week. Is this a rant... it kindof sounds like a rant to me now.  But she was healthy, and I was healthy, and in the end that really is all that matters. I'm blessed, we were both blessed that she is here with us, see how that works? :)

(here I am holding her, finally :) 

And then comes baby #2. Naturally the surprise was gone, it wasn't going too be bad. Planned c-section, we knew what was happening. Everything went smoothly, I knew what to expect.
 I was really only afraid for that alone time while getting all prepped and poked and ready to operate, until hubs entered, held my hand, and all was well again. They briskly showed me my "beautiful baby boy" and he and hubs were gone again. Anesthesiologist gone, Dr gone, just me and one nurse I didn't know, alone, in recovery. Then I started to vomit. Now, this is normal in child birth, and if I had a "natural birth" would have been fine. I vomited for the entire hour, and then still when they brought me to my room. I was numb from surgery so I couldn't tell the heaving had torn my inside stitches apart and that I was bleeding to death internally.

(and this is what I look like dying. . . see I can laugh about it now)

 Had God not intervened days later through much prayers, I wouldn't be here today. My stomach stayed purple for a year or more.  But again, worst part was that all that time I was getting treated, and having 2 simultaneous blood transfusions and what not, someone else was caring for my newborn son. I pumped so I could breast feed, but I really feel I missed the first week of his life. Much thanks to family for lots of pics and videos though. :)  But again, finally, I was healthy, he was healthy, and in the end that really is all that matters. Blessed, that's what we are.

(my torn tummy hurt to bad to sit up, I had to side hold him, but i got to hold him)

Baby #3 was much easier. Seeing it had been 6 years, I hoped and prayed for the chance to try a vbac, so yes, when surgery day came I was let down, but I really had expected it. The only bad part of surgery was fear of the vomiting happening again, but I expressed my concerns to the anesthesiologist, who was very accommodating. Wish I had his name, he was a blessing. When Dr. got me open and went to bring our daughter out, she said "woa dad, get your camera ready" then the nurses started counting with her "1, 2, 3, 4, 5!!" wow, the cord was wrapped around her neck 5 times!! "God has a plan for this one!" the Dr. said, as she finished by telling me in all her years (30+) of delivering, she has never seen it wrapped that many times.  If I had had a natural birth as "I" wanted, we may very well both have died. So again, very, very blessed, all well.

     So, if anyone actually read all this, I thank you :) you too probably had your own birthing story that happened nothing like you had imagined or planned. Its been over 9 years since baby #1, and looking back, though c-sections are definitely not what I had planned, and If i could choose( I'd def go back and have them all natural in a heartbeat if i could), I'm very thankful for my experience, and my family, which without the intervention of a c-section birth, wouldn't be.  My family has came about through means which I hadn't wanted, but none of that really matters, because they are here. C-sections are rough, I wont lie. I still have persistent problems, nagging pains, odd shaped belly, etc from them.  But I'm beyond blessed that I got to keep all my babies, and out of 3, that none had to be in the NICU (we've had lots of other family there though). I may not have got to be the 1st to hold any of my children, but I hold them still today, and that means more than anything.  Not all mothers can say that. (and those mothers are the real heroes, the ones who keep pressing on)

God Bless :)

Diy baby knot hat! Tee shirt upcycle Soo cute!

Its cold outside, and our babies are bald!! lol! lets make some hats!

For starters, I traced an old knot hat i had, but made it a little bigger all around (needed it a size up) but i also found a printable one if you wanted your own at prudentbaby  HERE I really made mine the same way ;)

I started with an old tee shirt, and my pattern.

I missed the photo of step one, but pretty much as you would imagine, i laid the tee flat inside out,  traced my pattern (right on the bottom hem so i could use it) and cut it out/sewed it together, 

 I used my new serger for this, but have made them before with regular stitch followed by a zigzag on the outside to reinforce it. This is what i have now. (see the tee hem at the bottom)

Next step is to fold the bottom up evenly as shown and pin in place

a zig zag stitch is used to sew right along this seam

now turn inside out and press seams flat 

tie knot in top as wanted. you can fold the bottom up again or not, however you like... cute right

we will let the reborn doll model it here lol

you could also embellish them with buttons, flowers, bows, etc.

I made a couple for some friends of mine.  I just hand sewed little Initials on that i cut out of felt. Simple but made them so much more special! 

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Crafting!

Upcycle! Diy girls skirt from old hoodie!

I love to upcycle! Partly because I'm a creative spirit, and love to make things, and then also because I have a problem throwing anything away.

I had this Cabela's hoodie which I loved. It had barely been worn when I got wood glue (which never would come out despite all my pinterest stain removal efforts) all over the sleeve. I kept it for over a year (because I cant throw things away, remember). Whilst making an effort to get rid of some old winter wear I drug it back out, and came up with this cute idea... a skirt for my big girl!

I started simply with the sweat shirt

(notice i already started chopping then thought... may want pics of this) 

Then i cut the bottom off

 (I left alot above pocket for it to be approx knee length, would look even cuter, shorter)

I also cut the string part of the hood off, with about 1.5" of fabric in tact to be the waist band ( you may have to use something else, but this fit my girl perfect... and its an instant drawstring if it were too big.

 I turned the skirt part inside out and marked an inch or so wider than the waist of a nice fitting skirt on either side, and sewed in a straight line (or straight as I could) from that mark to the hem band on either side.

I sewed the hoodie string part into a circle right sides together to finish the waistband,

and marked the middle and both sides of it, and the skirt body with pins and pinned them both together, right sides together.

I then sewed these two pieces together (I used my new serger. eekkk!! best gift ever) stretching them out as I went so they were the same size.

Then just turned inside right, and ironed the seams down....Voila!!

  Adorable with tights, and my girl said its super comfy! Win win!

2014 In a Nutshell (as the ole saying goes ;))

So, i haven't blogged at all this year. Its been a whirlwind. Enjoy this little fast forward (or rewind) of our year.

First things first. . . surprise surprise!

Expecting baby number 3

I hand painted the playroom

Dr. Seuss theme

Some bump progress

We celebrated our big "10" year anniversary this year!

I gained weight quickly after the moring sickness left

Some more bump progress

Heres my 9 month selfie lol.

We grew a garden, my son helped a bit more than the princess, lol!

Got our room and the nersery ready for our Ms Molli Jolee

The Lord smiled on us, and blessed us with a perfect little sister, despite us not knowing until delivery that the cord was wrapped around her neck a record breaking 5 times!!! 

She came out so alert. She smiled the first day she was born, a real smile. Ive had several tell me she had to be an old soul to be so alert and make such expressions so young.

4 days old

One week old

one month old 

Mitchell and Mitch also had their first real father-son hunt this year.

Halloween was so fun we did it twice! lol!

(made elsa and olaf's costumes btw)

And we may have had the best Christmas yet! (tho i think we say that every year!)

All in all, I feel more blessed this year than ever before. I hope you and your family feel the same way :)  Wishing you blessings in this new year too!