A New Year Pinterest Challenge

So I've been thinking (uh oh!) about all the neat, interesting, fun, challenging, silly, creative, adventurous, practical, improving, educational, fill-in-the-blank ideas I have pinned on the infamous Pinterest.

Sometimes I get a creative itch or the need to organize something and instead of just creating or organizing something I sit down to the computer and start looking through countless pins.

I mean seriously.... my account says I have 1,535 pins! And my profile looks busier then my bulletin board hanging in my room in jr high (minus the picture of Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Lisa Frank stationary, am I right?!)

I know I have pinned sites and ideas with every intent to implament them. Some need specific resources, cost significant amounts of money and/or time but really, how many of them just need a little (maybe a lot) of effort?? I mean that's what it was created for in the first place, to inspire us to DO something!!

I'm not one for making resolutions, mostly because I can't commit to something I know I will fail at (365 days is a long time!) so in my world it's better to not even try...

BUT I really think it would be fun and challenging and exciting, not to mention productive to attempt to complete (at least) one pinned item per week. It doesn't have to be glamorous or extravagant (read: there are no gold medals at stake). It doesn't even have to be successful... Pinterest bloopers would be hilarious, I'm sure!

And as determined as I am to take on this challenge, I'd love to have you join me!! What do you say?? Ill post about my Pinterest experience for the week and then if you want to join the fun you can share about yours in the comments! Or blog about it and share the link.

It can be as easy as trying a recipe and share how it turned out, implementing an organizational tip, or totally creating a piece of art (did I hear DIY photo canvas, anyone??)!

I'm excited!! I'm going to make a DONE pin board to move my pins over once I've done or tried one. Then I'll share what I did back here on the ol' blog. First one will be this week!

Now, I'm off to pick an ALREADY pinned project to try!!

A special kind of Christmas

 
This year Christmas has been tough but it's also been special. Brandon has been away since the beginning of November and hasn't spent the holidays with us. I have missed him terribly and the kids tell me everyday they miss their daddy. Some days are harder than others and I appreciate all that he does for our family.

All the while, my mom has been staying with us while she gets her feet on the ground. We have had really good last few months, while we packed up her house and moved her put here and now this time just her, the kids and I. Of course, it's not all a party, but we have adjusted and worked together to make things work smoothly.

The best part has been making memories over these holidays and even figuring out how to incorporate new traditions! I just want to document all the fun things we have done together to celebrate and grow closer over the last few months, especially for Christmas.

We used the Jesus Storybook Bible (quickly becoming my favorite) as our advent this year. Along with reading through that, I planned out activities for us to do each day to enjoy the season and build memories. The plan didn't go as planned because life happens. We had a lot of sickness and we have been busier than I anticipated. Some of the things we were able to do:

- Read Christmas books and eat popcorn by the tree.
- Eat Christmas ice cream.
- Making Christmas cards for deployed soldiers.
- Candlelight bubble bath (Christmas lights for lighting)
- Made snow globes.
- Baking goodies. (Mmmm, Chex mix!)
- Decorate cookies.
- Christmas tree dance party.
- Ugly sweater Christmas party.
- Make ornaments.
- Christmas video for daddy.
- Birthday party for Jesus.

Christmas Eve day was a special one too! We did some last minute shopping and then settled in for the evening to spend some quality time together...

- We walked through the nativity scene with the fisher price nativity set. The kids and I talked about that sweet night our Savior was born and touched on the why too. Such a sweet time with them.
- We sang carols around the Christmas tree, worshiping together and celebrating God's precious gift to us.
- My mom is carrying on a tradition from her grandparents childhood called Tutes. You have to preform and earn your Tute. Traditionally they are filled with an apple and an orange, mixed nuts in their shells and a few pieces of chocolate. It was a real treat back in the day! We made ours with out the nuts and added a couple kid friendly treats. The kids were cute thinking of what they could do to earn their Tute! It actually gave me a great idea for next year and possibly a new tradition.... :)
- The kids each opened an ornament gift from us and pjs from Nana before tucking them into bed. Then Nana and I made like Christmas elves and brought all the gifts up from the basement to put under the tree.

Christmas morning we skyped with Brandon and he got to see the kids come down the stairs and then opened gifts with him for awhile before he had to go. We had great day of playing and relaxing together. We had a nacho bar in leu of a traditional dinner. All that the day needed was to have my handsome hubby home to be with us.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas with the ones you love!

From House to Home: Farmhouse Edition

It all started when my sweet husband said I could paint...

He knows I've been "patiently" waiting to cozy up the place and he gave me the green light earlier this fall to pick out paint colors. I put it off and browsed here and there. It's not something I wanted to rush into since it will be a long while before we do it again!

I picked a main level {we have a split level house} color and a different color for the kitchen walls. I also decided to paint the cabinets... Crazy, I know! That still has to be done.

Once the color was on I got a vision of what a homey place would look like to me... A farmhouse with shabby chic added here and there is what I saw! Just had to see if Brandon was on board, it is his space too, after all!

He liked it! In fact, he was ready to pack up and buy a farm!! Whoa! I just painted... Although, that sounds like fun but not ready for that... Yet.

I have been keeping my eyes peeled for accent/decor that fits that picture and the bigger the deal the better! I have had the most fun on the few thrift store hunting trips we have made!

The puzzle isn't complete but it really is coming together and feeling so cozy already. All I have is phone pictures for now because I can't find the camera battery charger at the moment...

Come on in, and take a look around our 'farmhouse' in progress...

Our entry way. First sign of a toddler inhabited home... nothing on the lower shelves of the table. ; )

Cozy living room. Love my new shag rug, it's so inviting and soft!

Second BIG hint of a home where 2.5 toddler's roam free range: bare Christmas tree at the bottom third of the tree. Anyone else relate??

Don't be fooled... this was a brief moment in time that all the toys were thrown behind a chair cleaned up just long enough for a nice photo op! But that's what a home is for, right?! To be lived in...

{Curtains: Target}

{Shaggy rug: Home Depot}

{Lamp Silhouette picture: Day Spring}

{Antique patchwork quilt: My great aunt made it, I found it when we were moving my mom out here to live with us!}

One of my favorite new areas, the coffee bar area. The mugs add a perfect touch of color and a little eclectic feel. The chalkboards have now been written on as well!

{Shelf: Hobby Lobby}

{Chalkboard signs, Farm Fresh milk sign, ceramic white milk bottle, Ceramic measuring spoons, 

coffee canister: World Market}

{Coffe cups, tea towels: Anthropologie}

{Antique Ball Mason Jar: My BFF}

{Spice rack: Etsy}

{Spice rack jars: World Market}

{Spice jar labels: Pinterest}

I'm planning on holding off pictures of the kitchen until the cabinets are done... I think I'll do a before and after.

Thanks for stopping by!

Evie's Room: Progress

The transformation continues....

This has been such a fun project to keep my mind busy and exercising some creativity. Evie loves it so far, too! She says the blue walls are her favorite color now. :D

So, some details....

(And I will get better pictures once it's all done and when I get things hung up on the walls.)

Pink bed: I found that on crags list! It was perfect and when I showed it to Evie, she was so excited!! Right now it just has a mattress that doesn't need a box spring so it's the perfect height for her. Later when she a little bigger we can get the box spring so that gap at the head board won't be there.

Green dresser: That was in my brother's room growing up! I snagged it when we were moving my mama out here. It was already painted green and antiqued! The only thing I may do is paint the hardware on the drawers. I haven't decided yet...

Yellow bookcase: That is actually an old record holder! It was my grandpa's and it's perfect for books. It's all ready painted yellow and antiqued. It's so retro looking and I love it. 

Curtains: Just panels from Ikea with yellow pom pom ribbon tied around them.

Mirror: It's actually the top to an old dresser some one was garage selling. I only wanted the mirror part so they sold it to me! It used to be a cream color with gold accent and I just painted it and added the fabric flowers. It's the perfect size for Evie right now! As she gets older we can hang it on the wall so she can still use it.

Closet: Is a work in progress... I got all the containers I need and now it's just a matter of labeling and organizing all of her toys and keep sakes. There will also be less clutter in there when I get her stuff hung on the walls, that is taking up a lot of shelf space right now.

I thing that wraps it up! Since these pictures where taken a rug has been added and fabric for her bedding has been picked out.

Cool Jazz-y Sea Life

I've been plotting and planning for a change in Evie's room for a few months. She has had the same nursery decor since she was born and it was cute and just fine. But I found this print by Katie Daisy and absolutely love her style!

(source) 

So this is the theme or inspiration of her room, if you will. And it makes it easier because every color is in this print! I am filling the room with color!! It's seriously so much fun. 

All but touch ups are left on the paint on the walls. Then on to the fun part of all the details.

I picked Cool Jazz and Sea Life (pictured) in Behr paint for her walls.

When Nana takes the littles to the park...

When Nana takes the littles to the park, then our van will magically turn into an ice cream train.

And when the van turns into an ice cream train, then the littles will wan to name it sprinkles.

So it's only natural that Nana would have to take the littles to get an ice cream cone!

And now back to your regularly scheduled program...

So that {ahem} 3 month blogging break was not intended. But boy did it feel good!! I just didn't feel like blogging for a long while and I knew if I made my self do it I would be doing for an audience and not for myself. Not that I don't love you lovely readers, I just want this blog to be real and genuine!

We had a lot of goings on, like everyone else I'm sure, {like moving my mom from her state to our state, and Brandon going a big trip, etc.} and I'm not sure if I could or if I even want to back up and fill it in. So I think we will just be moving along...

My mom is living with us for awhile to get her feet on the ground here and to help me with the littles and because we, plain and simple, like having her around! Especially 3 very specific littles {aka, Nana's Biggest Fan Club}.

This last week has been busy with getting back into a routine after being at my mom's house for nearly 3 weeks, packing and selling and donating LOTS of stuff. :) Since the weather has been A-mazing the last few days we have gotten out of the house a few times to soak it up before winter actually decides to show up... anytime now, just 15 days until Thanksgiving, you know!

Eli {6 months}

Eli, baby, you are half way to a year old!!

I'm how old, mama?!

You are 6 months old, Eli!!

Right now you are....

• still nursing exclusively and won't have a thing to do with a bottle or pacifier. You must be determined to be different from your brother and sister any way you can. I gave you your first try of food {peas and bananas with avocado} and you didn't mind it. You spit most of it out but you would lung at the spoon when I put it in front of your mouth. After about 7 'bites' though you just wanted to play with the bowl.
• still sleeping in our room but now you are sleeping in a rocker beside our bed, 90% of the time. And at nap time. I'm nervous about making the switch to your shared room with Caleb. And I'll admit, it's a little too much closure since you are our last baby! You can stay in our room a little bit longer. ; )
• rolling all over the place. If I lay you on the floor you will be all over the room in about 5 seconds. You are not a fan of staying still. At all. 
• pushing your self up on your knees for about 2 seconds. And you make sounds of determination when you are pushing up. And just last night you got up on your hands and feet, like you were doing a push up!! You held yourself up for about 5 seconds. Daddy and I just looked at you in shock!
• sitting on your own for only a few seconds before you fall over. It seems to be longer each time we try. My goal is to get you sitting up on your own before we have family pictures taken in September. I'm not worried. :)
• smiling all the time, still. Everyone you meet comments on how smiley you are! You just love people and anyone who will pay attention to you.
• loving your exceriser. It's one that has a seat that spins around the outside of the activity table and you are already walking yourself around the whole thing. Don't let those rollie pollie legs fool anyone, you have some strong gams!!
• done with the swing. You don't want anything to do with laying down while you are awake, unless you can roll. You are almost done with the bumbo too! You are pretty close to getting yourself out of it. You love sitting in the high chair with us at meal time.
• loving bath time and you can't wait to be able to join sissy and bubba in the tub to play! At bath time you just laugh and get so excited watching them play. When I dip you in the tub for a quick scrub down, it's difficult to wash you because you are so focused and determined to grab at the toys in the water. I'm excited to have 3 little fish in the tub!
• a determined little one. When you see something you want, you are focused and try to reach for it or grab it and get frustrated after trying and trying. 
• wearing a size 4 diaper and are out growing the 6-12 month size clothes you have. Good thing your brother hand-me-downs are right in line for the seasons! You will be in 12 month size before the seasons change. :)

Love you so much, little Eli! Happy 6 months!!

First haircut.

Caleb got his first haircut this week!

It was long over due, but I was having a hard time letting go of his sweet little curls. 

The good news is that even after his hair cut, he seems to have a pretty good wave and... his hair seems to be thicker, too! We were hoping at least one of the kids would get my thicker, curlier hair. :)

Before:

After: 

He looks like such a big boy now! 

Evie's 3rd birthday.

We celebrated our oldest's special day 2 weeks ago, family style!

• First she woke up to a decorated house and a living room full of balloons!!

• And daddy surprised her with a mylar princess balloon and donuts for breakfast! She had her own princess plate to eat on all day.

• And she got to open a couple presents.

• We did a lot of playing the rest of the morning!

• After lunch and nap, we did one of the birthday girl's favorite things to do...swimming!! {Sorry, no pictures} 

• For dinner we had Chick-fil-a {the birthday girl's favorite!} and ...

• Then, cupcakes!! With strawberry 'pink' frosting and sprinkles. :) 

• Everyone sang to the birthday girl and we all enjoyed a cupcake...

...almost all of us. Just six more months buddy!!

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!! These last 3 years have flown by but the have been a blast. Mommy and daddy enjoy you so much and we love you with all our hearts!