Enjoy Life and Love

Customized Wall Decal: Made by Me Monday

2012-02-19T22:20:00.002-05:00

Good morning! Today is the first edition of Made by Me Monday where I'm going to share my crafty projects with you and hopefully you'll share some back in the comments section.

For Christmas I got a Silhouette Cameo and have been doing alot of work with paper and experimenting with vinyl. I made a decal for our laundry room and knew exactly what I wanted to do in the nursery. William's room has a great six foot nook (we also have one in the master bedroom) where we have a large chair for reading and playing. Soon enough it will be home to William's own round child-sie table and chairs.

I wanted to use words of inspiration and creativity, also things that William can do in his own little nook. Once I came up with the words, I designed the decal in Silhouette Studio and then chose colors based on the vinyl I had available. Since I used a variety of colors, I had to cut each word/image separately so I pieced it together on the floor first.

After applying the transfer tape, the decal looked like this, backwards since it has to go on the wall correctly.

I applied the decal to the wall…..

…and then pressed it on with my little "credit card" presser. This step is important because it adheres the decal to the wall and prevents bubbles and tearing.

My favorite part is peeling off the transfer tape and seeing the finished product!

Ta-Da!!

I would love to help you design a decal for your children's room. Please stop by my Facebook Page or send me an email memorabledesigns@gmail.com

I have an Announcement...

2012-02-15T16:27:00.001-05:00

On this day, the day after Valentine's Day I have an announcement to make:
I am going to start a weekly post Made by Me Monday.

How is this going to be different? Well, for starters, I'd like for you to share with me things you've made in the comment section of these posts. My blog isn't "ready" for a Linky party yet, but it would be great one day. For now, we'll keep it casual. This will give me additional encouragement to share some of the craft things I have made on a weekly basis. It is easy to let blog posts get shuffled around when life gets busy, but I am going to stick to this. Hopefully, ti will also allow me to see some new things you have created without having to stray far from my own blog.

So that's all for now…time to make sure I have good photos for my first few posts!

Warmer Weather Where We Are

2012-02-12T22:35:00.000-05:00

Up until this weekend, Maryland had been experiencing April-like weather in January. This is odd, but especially odd since last year we had two snowstorms nicknamed Snowmageddon that dropped 18+ inches of snow in my front yard.

William and I took full advantage of the warm weather by going to the Zoo, the park and playing outside, which was really his first time doing so. He can't walk on his own yet, but loves pushing his fire truck around, so we bring it out with us. Keeps him from crawling or being in the boring stroller. As the weather has gotten -30 degrees again, I find myself sick, sinus congestion and sore throat. So, the rest of this post will be photos of our cute boy!

Laundry Room {Renovation}

2012-02-05T09:20:00.000-05:00

You may know that back in 2009 my husband and I started building our first home together. The side door with laundry room, closet and door to a half-bath seemed to work great. That is until we moved in. The laundry room became cluttered. We were using our side door 95% of the time for the past two years since we didn't have a front walkway until October 2011 and walking from the driveway to the front porch meant muddy feet. So this cluttered "passageway"became our entryway.

The laundry room was the builder's color paint until December 2011. Why did we wait so long? Well, my husband is a wonderful painter, but he also has a job with long hours which gives him little time for hobbies and other fun stuff, nevermind painting. It was me too, I couldn't decide on the color. We finally painted our kitchen Cliveden Gray Morning by Valspar on March 28, 2011. This is significant because I went into labor on March 30th so the dining room remained white until December 2011. Once my husband painted the dining room, I decided to carry the color all the way into the laundry room since they all connect.

Since the wire shelf was removed to paint, we decided to purchase a basic cabinet from Lowe's for $99 to hide our detergent, cleaners, etc. Installing the cabinet and hiding these things away made an immediate difference.

Then we started thinking about a drying rack since I am one of those people who hangs jeans, unmentionables (ahem) and sweaters to dry. In my searching for new design options, we came across this image on Pinterest and knew it was what we wanted to do. I started looking for the fold down drying racks, but didn't have much luck. What I did find was along the same lines from The Container Store. We purchased a fold-away drying rack and hung it above the dryer.

I also found this quote on Pinterest but created it myself with my Silhouette Cameo.

I am very please with our "new" laundry room. Cheers to my husband!

A Town Without a Grocery

2012-02-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

The town I live in has about 5,000 residents and is a "walkable" community. It ranks as 52 out of 100 if you use a town address in the search menu. We don't have any stoplights, only one main four-way intersection. It is a town where I can park at one shop in town and easily walk to the grocery, library, CVS, several restaurants (two pizza shops, McDonald's, Mexican, a full service restaurant and Subway are your options), two beer and wine stores, two really cute stores for gifts and housewares, and a few other service stores (hair, nails, dry cleaning) if I needed them. This has become especially attractive since the birth of my son because as any parent knows, doing the whole in and out of the car seat and stroller act gets old after a few errands. So, we would park, unload, do our errands on foot (also fresh air and exercise!) and head home.

Last week we lost our grocery store, Selby's Market. What is a small town without a grocery? According to a 2008 article on Yahoo!, a grocery store is a necessity in a small town because otherwise neighboring stores may increase prices out of necessity, residents can no longer shop in their own zipcode for food. There have been discussions that our property values have decreased because we do not have a grocery store, rather some food at CVS and some organic items at a small market on "the other end" of town. The Selby's have been a part of our community for 65+ years in one capacity or another. I have heard that their grocery was in this building (now a dance studio) and that building (now a gym) and then to its last location, anchoring one of our plazas. On the community Facebook page, residents have discussed the turmoil of Selby's closing its doors and what it means for the community. But you know what? I didn't do my part.

I am as guilty as the next person for doing my main grocery shopping 12 minutes down the road at Harris Teeter or 18 minutes down the road at Giant (hello gas points). The variety of produce, meats, cheeses and basic items, frequently at a wonderful price, lured me in. And I really like these grocery stores, I'm not going to say I don't since I don't lie on my blog (or in real life). So, I would frequent Selby's for staple items if I ran out and some things here or there such as eggs, milk, a frozen pizza and the BEST fried chicken ever. But I wouldn't call myself a loyal customer.

Why am I saying all this? Well just because I didn't give enough monetarily to support their business, the Selby family are some of the greatest folks in our community. A few go to church with us and they opened their hands and hearts from the first service we attended. They came out from behind the counter to say hello, ask how things were going and make your child laugh. They'd help you bring bags to your car. Heck, one Saturday morning they let my husband in before the store technically opened to buy coffee, Bisquik and The Washington Post. And to top it off, today, one of their sons called me about a beautiful metal wagon I inquired about in the store. I asked to purchase the wagon to use for William's birthday party a few weeks ago and they took my name and number. He called to ask if the party had passed or if I still wanted to borrow the wagon. He wouldn't even let me pick it up…he brought it to my home.

In the end, the Selby's business may not have been the success they had hoped, but my golly, they raised some wonderful children and they will all have a special place in our heart. Just because we no longer have a grocery store, doesn't mean we are a community without good people with good hearts and character.

Valentine's Day Projects {Silhouette}

2012-01-30T15:46:00.000-05:00

I'm about to start sharing more crafts, I promise. I have been using my Silhouette Cameo practically everyday to create birthday banners, cards, invitations or create with vinyl. Earlier this month I did a few Valentine's Day projects (all available for sale with personalization via Facebook and Etsy).

First is my Valentine's Day subway art. The Silhouette Studio offers some ready-made files to use for this, but I wanted mine to be unique, I didn't want to visit another blog and see the same exact item in different (or the same!) colors. I decided what words I wanted to use, adjusted the fonts and layout in Studio and used red and pink vinyl mounted on a 12x12 piece of painted white wood.

For my second project, my favorite apprentice (check out Halloween and Christmas) was needed. I found some cute frames with heart cutouts and got to work painting and personalizing. Someone ordered one for a friend too and the friend loved it!

Consignment Delight {baby boy deals}

2012-01-25T16:54:00.000-05:00

Just after Christmas I traveled to see my family in Connecticut. While there, mom and I went to Once Upon a Child where she has purchased great toys and clothes for William in the past. I went straight for the 12m clearance (50% off) section. William has plenty of 9m clothes and knew he needed some bottoms in the next size since some of his 9m stuff is getting tight.

I got a lot of great pieces. I'm so excited that I wanted to share because many people don't think about consignment for kids clothes. My question is always, "why not?"

First I went to the pants because I decided that if I found better jeans than the $5 ones I just gpt him at Kohls I would be happy. Well, I got a pair of jersey lines jeand from Childrens Place and a pair from Old Navy. Also found green maude pants with original Gymboree tags and gray cords from Old Navy.

You see those prices? Do you see the stars? I got them for 50% off listed price! Moving on….

All boys need cute overalls. Right now William has four pairs that fit, two of which are corduroy OshKosh and were $1 at a consignment sale in the spring of 2011 (go me!). Anyway, I picked up two pairs from Gap (khaki and striped on the left), a pair from OshKosh and black cprduroy ones from Gymboree. Same deal, 50% off list price. The polo shirts, both from Gap were a whopping $2.25 each! I also picked up a $5 bathing suit (only thing not on sale).

Getting killer deals on like-new baby boy clothes makes me feel good and gives me more money to spend on other things. Like new clothes for myself :)

Bit by the Bug

2012-01-23T09:38:00.005-05:00

We have had a bug in our house since Thursday and it is finally going away. We originally thought the culprit was food poisoning since Brad, William and I all got sick within ten hours of eating at our favorite Mexican restaurant. The possibility of food poisoning made us sad because of course it would be awkward for us to eat there again. Well, 24 hours later my mother-in-law was sick (she was also at lunch with us) and then my father-in-law (who was not at lunch). Phew -- must not have been food poisoning!!

My mom unexpectedly flew down from Connecticut Thursday night after her car literally died on the highway. My dear husband went car shopping with her on Friday after spending all day Thursday researching options. happy to share that she got a new (to her) car. She loves it! Unfortunately, on Saturday night she got sick so we definitely have something contagious in our company.

Therefore, I am spending the next couple days sanitizing and cleaning because I don't want to deal with this again!

Scallops with Tomato & Papaya

2012-01-17T10:30:00.000-05:00

I cooked this recipe a month or so ago right after I purchased a papaya at Costco because William loves melon. The recipe comes from the March 2011 issue of Ladies Home Journal, one of the magazines I subscribe to.

Ingredients:
4T canola oil
12 medium scallops
1T minced garlic
1T cumin seeds
1/2t Spanish paprika
1/2t ground coriander (I did not use them)
1t kosher salt
1c cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium ripe papaya, cut into bite size pieces

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops and sear, about 2 minutes per side. Remove scallops and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook for 10 seconds. Add cumin seeds, paprika, coriander and salt and cook for 5 seconds (release the scent).

Stir in the tomatoes until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the papaya and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the scallops to the sauce in the skillet, stirring gently to coat. Serve over rice.

Review: This recipe was great (if it wasn't I wouldn't take the time to share it with you!). The recipe came from Bal Arneson, who is apparently known as the "Spice Goddess" on The Cooking Channel. It tasted a little bit like Indian food and probably would have tasted different if I used the coriander, but it is pricey and I never took with it. I can't wait to serve it to guests since my husband and I liked it so much!

Let me know if you have recipes that use scallops, because I'd like to cook with them more.

NINE Months

2012-01-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I just typed "NINE Months" when referring to my son. He actually turned nine months on New Years Eve so I am almost two weeks late with this post…please forgive me.

Stats: At his nine month appointment William weighed 20lbs 5oz and was 28.25in long. He has gained about a pound a month since 6 months and has grown 2 inches. He is still in the 40-45% for both, but he is healthy and bigger than alot of his friends so who designed this growth curve anyway?! He wears a size 3 diaper (size 4 overnight), 9m clothes and a size 3 shoe.

Eating: We finished breastfeeding on New Years Day since I had been weaning him since late-October. It just wasn't working for us the way it used to and I knew he could be healthy and thriving with formula. So I decided to cut myself some slack and start with the bottles realizing there are worse things I could do. He still eats baby food sometimes when he doesn't want to pick up table food. I noticed this alot when his teeth were coming in. But, most of the time he picks anything up and puts it in his mouth (even when it isn't food) so he eats whatever we give him!

Developments: He now has SIX teeth, although you can't easily see the top four yet, but they have come down from his gums. He was a trooper during teething because I thought he only had one and was shocked one morning to see four up top! William is a cruiser. He stands up and walks around everything. He is also getting awfully good at balancing and will stand on his own for what seems like a long time even though it is probably just about one minute. He climbs stairs (and fast!). He still says "Momma" and is getting more discriminate and only says it when he sees or wants me. He also has the "da-da" sound down and we are working on becoming more discriminate with that one. He likes to just play on his own, get the toy he wants out of his bin (or pot out of the cabinet) and play with it. That is awesome.

Fun things: He gives KISSES - open mouth, tongue out kisses that are awesome. But you better just give him your cheek or have your mouth closed. It is so sweet to get a kiss from him when you ask (most of the time). He is getting better at waving and doing "so big" when sitting in his high chair.

The Wonder of Christmas

2012-01-09T17:23:00.000-05:00

I know two weeks have gone by, but I had to share pictures of William's first Christmas with you! Really, we had a multi-day celebration.

We were at my in-laws for Christmas Eve for gifts, church and lobster. Unfortunately, William missed dinner because he crashed on a bedroom floor right after getting sick from his dinner (not lobster). Sad he wasn't at the table with us, but that meant we all got to eat at the same time! We all got some fun and thoughtful gifts including books, a ride-on zebra and a play farm. Those were William's of course ;).

Santa came to our house that night and my in-laws came over to see William open all of his presents at home. He got an airplane, Baby Einstein octopus, books, Melissa & Doug band-in-a-box (a hit, no pun intended), a drum and some other great toys. He just wanted to eat the paper. Figures. I got my Silhouette Cameo and a romantic night in Annapolis with my hubby which is very sweet. I got his marathon "stuff" framed from his first marathon that was in 2010 and a few small gifts.

After a delicious made by my husband the chef, we drove about an hour to Brad's cousins house which is where we celebrate Christmas with my mother-in-laws family. Its a big group, but not overwhelming (at least not after 5 years) since we see everyone pretty frequently. William was given even more toys. Oh boy.

On December 26th William and I drove to Connecticut to see my mom and sister. My brother would have been there too, but he took a job with the NBA in New Orleans so we didn't see him this trip. So on Monday afternoon he got to tear open more gifts! A wagon full of mega-blocks and the ride-on fire engine were his favorite along with a rainstick, cell phone, etc.

Everyone who told me Christmas is fun as a parent, you were right! I was up one hour before William on Christmas morning, anxious for him to wake up and see his presents. I know next year he will understand more since he will be 21 months old, so we also have to make sure he knows that Christmas isn't just a time for presents.

My Business is on Facebook!!

2012-01-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a busy one for me. You see, a few nights ago I launched Memorable Designs on Facebook. If you haven't "liked" it, please do!

In case you haven't been following Enjoy, Life and Love too long, I started a side business in August 2008 that I named Memorable Designs and used a blog and personal connections to promote my work. Keeping up this blog, the Memorable Designs blog, my personal email, my work email and my personal life proved to be a bit overwhelming so I got a bit slack on the blogging (other blog…is this confusing?).

As I have continued to grow my business creating photo books for weddings, babies, anniversaries and birthdays as well as video montages, I have started paper crafting again which is something I have liked to do for many years. In addition, you may have read that I got a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas (so exciting!!) so that makes my work much better, more detailed and more diverse. It also gives me the opportunity to design with vinyl which is alot of fun for me.

So as a bit of a business push, please think of me when you are planning baby showers or your child's birthday party and are interested in a coordinating banner, cupcake toppers, favor tags, etc or personalized party buckets, wall art, etc. I can't wait to start feeding my creativity even more and thanks for coming along on this journey with me :)

Time to Get My Craft On!

2012-01-04T17:29:00.002-05:00

Well friends, this year I got a larger (in price) gift than usual because I really wanted it and my husband knew I'd love it and get lots of use out of it. Let me introduce you to ____(insert name that I'm thinking of)___, my Silhouette Cameo!

Okay, this isn't actually mine since it is a stock photo

How do I like it you ask?? I LOVE IT!! I started cutting on Christmas Day and then sadly had to be away for a week while I was in Connecticut (sad about being away from the machine) and I was back at it the next day making hats for our New Years party!

I have only been using cardstock so far even though I have vinyl. I guess since I am more comfortable with cardstock (and have alot of it) from all my years scrapbooking. I have some great vinyl ideas, just need to go buy some wood and frames as a base for my projects! I am finishing up a gift that I will share once the momma-to-be receives it and also a birthday banner for another friend.

I can't wait to share my projects and maybe even create something for YOU!!

Oh What a Year It Was

2012-01-01T15:50:00.001-05:00

This was my favorite moment of 2011 (there is a photo before this but not so "clean" so I'm sharing this one instead):

March 31st, William Michael is born (3 days late!)

Obviously, becoming a mom was the highlight of the year for me. I went from an urban professional to a stay-at-home mommy taking music classes, going swimming on Tuesday afternoon and having Monday playgroup with all of my "new" aka Mommy friends. I couldn't think of anything better!

I have changed in other ways too. For example, I am not as organized anymore, but people still say how much I am. I am more relaxed and am happy just staying home and playing all day although pajama playdates are fun too. I have more time for my hobbies which is fabulous! I have also realized what and who are important in my life and cherish everything.

Here's to a fun-filled, crafty and blessed 2012!

Sugarplums

2011-12-24T21:05:00.000-05:00

"The children were nestled all snug in ~~their~~ his beds, while visions of sugar~~plums~~ danced in ~~their~~ his heads."

Holiday Craft #3: Christmas Scrapbook

2011-12-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

For my third holiday craft I'm going to share with you an idea that I thought of last year but didn't get around to making until this year. Last year I focused on organizing our Christmas cards and made my Christmas Card Saver. This year, I made a simple scrapbook with one photo from each Christmas past. There are definitely holes in our childhood years since I have to rely on our parents for the photos, so I worked with what I have. Since each year is its own 8x8 page, it is easy to add and move the pages around.

I bought an 8x8 red scrapbook from Michael's on Black Friday and made a basic (I know its boring and needs to be jazzed up) "title."

I had stacks of Christmas paper from a few years back when I literally made Christmas cards. I also bought a few sheets of black number stickers at Michael's to make it look uniform. I printed the pictures at home and got started. I didn't do anything fancy with different scissors or embellishments, just kept it focused on the picture.

This is a great project that is fun to add to year after year.

Holiday Home Tour

2011-12-18T18:58:00.001-05:00

Since Christmas is quickly approaching (at the end of this week!) I wanted to give you a tour of our home during this time of year. Every year I decorate differently and this year presented a new challenge by the name of William. From folding up the ends of my tablecloth to not pulling out the Spode or Christmas village at all ( :( ) I wanted to keep it as kid friendly and easy to assemble/disassemble as possible. Next year he will be more "into" the lights, etc so I'm sure we will have fun!

As usual, I didn't do much outdoors except hang my handmade wreath on the door. Once inside, our foyer really gets into the Christmas spirit.

William's handprint tree and our Christmas Traditions book - DIY post on Tuesday!

This lovely painting was made for me by a dear friend

In our living room we of course have our tree and also our stockings hung along the staircase with red ribbon since we do not have a mantle.

I kept things really simple this year and used a Christmas plaid tablecloth, the same runner I used in 2010 and put out different glass votives I have. I also added a gingerbread house that my friends and I made in the middle.

I really decorated a little at a time this year and like how everything looks, but wish everyone at our house wasn't sick so we could have more Christmas fun!

Holiday Craft #2: Shabby & Chic Wreath

2011-12-06T13:43:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to making a wreath!! I had purchased a wire wreath form some time ago, but hadn't made it a priority to actually do something with it…until now! As if I don't have enough Christmas decorations, I decided to use scraps of Christmas fabric from last year and turn it into a festive wreath. Try this for a pretty simple Christmas DIY decoration.

The fabric I used was: solid dark green, a white backed full of holiday phrases, lime and red stripe (used the most), a green, white and red snowflake, and a red fabric with holiday candy all over it.

I cut strips of fabric out of all the scraps I had. The strips were about 1.5 inches by 7 inches. Then, I just folded each strip in half, looped it around the metal, pulled the double end through the loop and pulled it tight!

To be honest, I have no idea how much fabric I used, but I think it ended up being about 225 strips. Since I didn't know if I would have enough or not and I wanted a random look, I made sure to rotate the wreath form and placement of the fabric as I was making it.

This was a nice and clean project, all you have to do is cut fabric, and I even did it during playtime. I hope you find some time to make your own wreath!

Holiday Craft #1: Handprint Tree

2011-12-05T22:17:00.001-05:00

I have decided to make December craft month at Enjoy Life & Love because I already have some cute and festive ideas up my sleeve. I will share at least one holiday craft project per week. There are two children's projects, a fabric-related home decor project and a paper craft. So please make sure to come back each week (I'm going to try and post on Tuesdays) and get some ideas, share your ideas, and let me know what you think!

This week's craft was made with my favorite sidekick: William. This is not the first or the last time his Momma will be dipping his hands in paint for the sake of craftiness, but soon he will not mind! I will admit that I found this idea on Pinterest, it is not an original idea of mine.

I purchased a 9x12 canvas at Michael's on Thanksgiving night when I decided I wasn't ready for bed and not in the mood to watch football. All stretched canvas was 50% off and then I had a 30% off total purchase coupon which made everything an even better deal. I also purchased dark green paint since I already had the other colors at home.

I buckled the little guy into his high chair,

painted his right hand with green paint and then did my best to get a fingers spread flat handprint

….six times!

I added details later -- the red edges, brown metallic tree trunk and gold star. I love it!

Eight Glorious Months

2011-12-02T08:26:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week our boy turned eight months old.

Every month I keep thinking "where has the time gone?" and the echo of mother's everywhere is that I will feel this way his whole life. Yesterday he rode in the kid's car cart at Harris Teeter and just kept steering away. Yes, I nearly cried because I couldn't believe it. Oh and it will make grocery shopping easier for both of us ;).

William has decided to start the "real" crawl after army crawling for three months. The benefit to this is that I can hear his hands and knees hitting the floor so I have a better idea where he is if my back is turned, which it really can't be. Yesterday I was just mixing a bottle and he was behind me and next thing I know he has quietly crawled over to and climbed up three stairs (Daddy was spotting him in this photo don't worry). Talk about startling! He is just very curious, so we bought two of those Superyard gates off Craigslist because we literally cannot do anything in a different room or even the opposite end of a room without saying "no" and we don't want to do that all the time. Plus, not too sure how inticing the Christmas tree will be when we put it up this weekend. He is cruising along, taking steps here and there while holding on and really likes balancing and holding onto furniture with only one hand.

The little guy has two bottom teeth, no sign of more yet. This past weekend Daddy taught him how to roll his R's like he is speaking Spanish and he does it all the time and then laughs at himself. He is definitely a Momma's boy and gave my friend a run for her money when she watched him and he screamed for Mom for about 90 minutes until he finally fell asleep.

As I write this, he is playing with a new tower of DVDs, rolling it on the floor and flipping it over. He makes everything into a toy which is awesome, I hope that means his imagination will run wild as he grows.

Reflecting on the 90s

2011-11-30T08:42:00.001-05:00

You may have already seen this short piece circulating on Facebook, but it had me laughing so hard because of the truth behind it and the fact that I can completely relate that I had to share. The link to the original post is at the bottom, my notes about each bullet are in purple italics :)

While most things we experienced as tots in that headiest of eras seems pretty self-explanatory (plaid was everywhere, Leonardo DiCaprio was the molten ball of light around which the solar system turned, and there was no color too bright for your sweatpants) there are some things that will be a bit harder to explain. Here, a primer for when your future children want to know what the hell you were doing with your boxy, multicolored electronics. - First I liked JTT (Jonathan Taylor Thomas in case you weren't living on planet Earth), then Devon Sawa and then Leo - no last name needed after 1997 and Titanic.

NOV. 23, 2011

CHELSEA FAGAN

1. Topanga was at some point in human history considered not only a legitimate first name for a human being, but the kind of name that would inspire in malleable teenage boys a life-long infatuation. Topanga, in our day, was leading lady name-material. Topanga (pronounced Tah-payne-ga, for those who will have only ever seen in it written down) is the name of the quintessential girl-next-door who will live, along with Feeney, in our hearts forever. - Boy Meets World was an awesome TV show and part of the ABC Family lineup. Danielle Fishel (aka Topanga) really hasn't done anything noteworthy since, except I think she has a little gig on Comedy Central on a Talk Soup-like program. Like I said, not noteworthy.

2. At some point, we carried around little plastic eggs with tiny screens on them — in these screens lived our hearts, our pets, our raison d’etre, our very own Tamagotchi. We loved them, we listened to their tiny electronic screams of malnourishment, and we occasionally forgot to pick up their poop for long enough that they died a tortured, poop-filled death. They were perhaps our first foray into the life-consuming world of electronics and self-absorption, later to be fully manifested by Facebook. - I had a few Tomagotchis, plus the cheaper versions. Like beepers and cell phones were banned in schools, so were Tomagotchis. Apparently the beeping was enough of a distraction. My trick was resetting it from the tiny button in the back whenever I was a bad owner.

3. The black Power Ranger was black and the yellow Power Ranger was Asian because…we were so completely ahead of our time and beyond the capacity to even think in terms of something as inconsequential as race that… uh… I don’t know. Casting directors were racist in the nineties. - Oh an the pink Power Ranger was a girl, Kimberly in the original. And I think the red ranger was Jason. Hey, I have a younger brother.

4. Long before he was spending his days foisting his mediocre children on us, Will Smith was actually the perfect human specimen. He also undoubtedly holds some world record for saving the world the most times while simultaneously delivering flawless catchphrases and giving cool guy nods to the camera. The Men In Black rap song, at the time, was created and received by the public without the slightest trace of irony. Really. He was that good. - Men in Black was the first movie I saw in theaters with a boy in the sixth grade. In 7th or 8th grade he came out with his CD that had the song Miami on it and my friend and I listened to it all summer. Oh boy...

5. In some inevitable shift of the time-space continuum in which James Cameron continues to rob humanity of all that is good and sacred in this world, Fern Gully will be known as that movie that ripped off Avatar. It will be up to us to crusade for what is right. It is up to us to explain that Fern Gully was not only a predecessor to Avatar, but far better, in that it contained both Tim Curry as a singing pile of molasses and Robin Williams rapping about animal testing in the pharmaceutical industry. (As a side note, if you have not recently listened to the full lyrics of the “Batty Rap,” I recommend you do, as they are horrifying.) - I never saw either of these movies. All I think of when I hear James Cameron is Titanic!

6. A neighborhood boy who completely disregards your family and puts a ladder directly under the teenage girl’s window to climb up at his discretion is not only acceptable, it’s charming. It’s the kind of stuff that would make said family take the ladder boy under their wing and into their heart. The nineties were a simpler time, one where we didn’t have to worry about things like breaking and entering. Clarissa today would have steel bars on the inside of her window and her father would continually remind her that the next-door boy with his ladder and his touchy hands have no place in his household. - Oh Nickelodeon, how I miss thee. One of my favorite parts of Clarissa Explains it All was the intro credits where she would paint her name and it would be a little different each time.

7. Though on the surface, they are the exact same thing in every conceivable way, whether you liked The Backstreet Boys or N*SYNC said more about your character than all of the terrible macaroni art you could ever make for your child psychologist. Essentially, liking *NSYNC meant you liked Justin Timberlake, as he was clearly the Seabiscuit in that race from the get-go. You even liked him with his terrible, icy-blond mini-fro. Liking the Backstreet Boys gave you a bit more of a cultured palate, as there was no clear Diana in those Supremes. Nick was kind of the wholesome, if northern-Florida-redneck safe choice (save for his humiliating younger brother, Aaron). Brian was the shy, sensitive type. AJ was the hottt, dangerous meth addict. Kevin Richardson was mute with sexy, sculpted facial hair. No one liked Howie. Choosing between the two groups was like choosing between two beloved children, but once that line was crossed–there was no going back. - I was an N'Sync girl through and through. In the 90s I also liked New Kids on the Block (Jordan Knight was my favorite) but it evolved into N'Sync. I know a few of the dances from the music videos…oh wait, we probably have to explain music videos too since TRL doesn't exist anymore since MTV only runs reality shows.

8. “I wanna really really really wanna zig a zig ahh,” has a meaning, and all true nineties kids know it, but we must never share it. Like the Illuminati, it must remain between us, the keyholders. With great power comes great responsibility. - I went to a Spice Girls concert and somehow my mother let me "dress" like Emma aka Baby Spice. Enough said.

9. Lisa Frank is not the name of a woman, it is the name of a movement, a culture, a way of living. It is a theory, a concept, a belief in something greater than yourself. It is the belief that all girls are entitled to dolphins covered with rainbows, jewel-encrusted frogs, and unicorns in acid-trip colors hugging each other. It is the ideology that no notebook is complete until it literally hurts your eyes to look at from so much color saturation. It is the hope that no school supply, no matter how insignificant, will be left un-bedazzled. It is the knowledge that your eraser cap, and that of your granddaughter’s, and her granddaughter’s after her, will not be some boring little nub–it will be a diamond covered with butterflies in a rainbow of colors. It is the dream of a better tomorrow. - My Lisa Frank binder with a horse on it and folders with lipstick rocked.

10. Incredibly depressing women in Indiana covered in cats and glass figurines they buy at The Hallmark Store used to troll the web 1.0 to invest thousands of dollars in tiny stuffed animals filled with plastic beans. That happened. Beanie Babies were not just significant, they were the first example most of us had of envy, greed, and wrath. If someone messed up that little heart-shaped Ty tag, so help you God, that was the end of whatever contact you had with that monster of a human being. That tag-less Beanie Baby was now trash, and you had to deal with the consequence. It was at that moment, that de-valued Beanie Baby moment, that most of us accepted the truth… we’ll never have nice things. - If you don't have the tag intact, don't even bother! We used to get the new beanie babies at a place in town, a florist actually, The Growth Company. It was like a race to get there every few days to see the new shipment and they put a limit on the number each customer could purchase. I know my mom still has them since she keeps everything. I would be happy to put them on eBay or Craigslist and get rid of them!

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/10-things-90s-kids-will-have-to-explain-to-their-children/

Cyber Monday - Did You Buy Anything?

2011-11-28T09:33:00.001-05:00

Hello World - today is Cyber Monday, as if you didn't already know! I went ahead and purchased our personalized stockings from Pottery Barn (be on the lookout for them in a future post) and the last of William's Christmas presents:

Baby Einstein OctoPlush

Peek-A-Zoom

Band in a Box

Yesterday at Costco my husband found a toy William "had" to have so we bought that and it will be his big (cost and size) gift. I'm proud to say that I did stay under my $100 limit for him. I know that may still be alot for an 8 month old baby, but considering I have only purchased one real toy for him (his music table back in August), I don't feel bad. He might be getting bored with the same toys anyway, right? Haha, maybe not.

Just don't tell him what he will be opening Christmas morning!!

Thankful for my little Turkey

2011-11-23T09:01:00.001-05:00

I think it is obvious what, or rather whom, I am most thankful for this year:

Isn't his onesie precious??

I had to show off his latest feats..standing up everywhere, even without something to grab onto

Scooching fast enough that I can't stop him before he dumps out the cat's water to play in it

And silently climbing up on the dishwasher while I was out of the room for literally 2 minutes

Last Thanksgiving I talk about some other people I am thankful for. I think my gratitude for my husband has grown over the past year too because he works so tirelessly so I can be William's full-time caregiver. That is the best "gift" that he or anyone else could ever give me.

The role of my friends have also taken on a new meaning. I will admit, I have a handful of good friends and they are invaluable to me. You know, the kind that send you cards to cheer you up, say they are proud of the mother you have become, share mommy secrets, help take care of your baby and send you flowers for no reason (you know who you are!).

I also have some "new" friends this year -- my mommy friends. Over the past few months they have become more than mom's of William's friends, I am proud to say they have become my friends too (regardless of the babies). We get together weekly to have adult time and lend out cribs for naps, toys, provide food, laughs and even share Sophie's!

The afternoon we went apple picking (or at least tried)

A few different things I am thankful for since I have become a new mom? Silence! Time to myself! Good food, especially when I can enjoy it slowly and don't have to shovel it in my mouth.

I hope you enjoy your day(s) with family…I know you all deserve it :)

Way Behind

2011-11-19T13:52:00.001-05:00

Hello to my trusty followers! Sorry I have been so behind in posting lately, but life has caught up to me, ran ahead and now I am trying to catch up with it!

I have several recipes to blog about and am sad that I never did the fall home tour as I am now starting to put away my fall decor and pull out Christmas…I can't believe it. So thanks for hanging on for the ride, and I'll be back soon.

Natural Autumnal Porch

2011-11-11T07:23:00.000-05:00

This year I decided to make our front porch decorations stand out more than last year. I used the same vintage wood box, but did this instead:

Set the box on a large bale of straw and used it as a "pot" for a large chrysanthemum. I need to be better about remembering to water my flowers because the color has changed over a few weeks time since I'm a bit forgetful.

When my friend Emily was in town we added some gords and cut dried hydrangea from our bushes on the side of the house.

We also picked up our three pumpkins, two white and one green, to the steps. But, when I found this antique wash stand on the side of the road, I made the most of it and used it to add height to the other side of the front door. Now it is home to William's monogrammed pumpkin, two other pumpkins and some hydrangea.

I love it!

Time Out Tuesday: 1st tooth!

2011-11-09T07:26:00.002-05:00

William's first tooth has come in! Actually, since I am a bit behind on the posts, he has cut his second tooth too, within three weeks of each other. This picture was taken midway through the arrival of #1, he already wanted to start practicing good dental hygiene :).

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:31:00.001-04:00

Happy Halloween!!

Since William is only 7 months old (today actually!) we are not doing any real trick-or-treating this year. But, that does not mean we haven't gotten dressed up in costume a few times with some friends!!

Check out some of our costumed playdates:

Monogrammed Pumpkin

2011-10-27T08:18:00.001-04:00

While trolling the pumpkin patch, I fell in love with this deep green beauty. Maybe because we have a baby boy or maybe because I thought it looked more elegant than orange, I picked it off the vine. Everyone was telling me, "you picked a green one" which I realized since I'm not color blind, but I liked it.

To make it more personal without carving it (because what is safe about carving a pumpkin with a baby?) I monogrammed it with gold paint. Very easy steps: create template from computer, cut out stencil, trace and paint.

Come back in a few days to see where the pumpkin "lives" at our house.

Hand-me-downs?? Hand them Over!

2011-10-17T10:14:00.000-04:00

If you don't "like" or "agree" with hand-me-down children's clothing, you aren't going to like this post, so just stop reading. I do not have any issues with second-hand clothing for William. Why? Well, I inspect it before I buy it, wash it before he wears it and save a whole bunch of money in the process!

Take the past week for example. There were two large community yard sales in town. At one, I picked up four long-sleeved shirts from The Children's Place and a pair of linen pants (size 18M for the summer) all for $3. A nearby church had a sale and I picked up something like three sweaters, two pairs of pants from Gymboree, 5 long sleeve shirts (two from Janie and Jack), and a dozen books for $6. Yesterday I went to TotSwap, a consignment sale, and got him a great three-piece shirt-sweater-pants outfit for $2.50 and a LeapFrog musical drum for Christmas that was $5 since Sunday are 50% off days.

So, you are right, I don't know exactly which size he will be when, but really, I still think I am on the winning end of these deals.

Time Out Tuesday

2011-10-11T12:14:00.001-04:00

Halloween Footprint Ghosts

2011-10-03T09:11:00.000-04:00

This is one of my favorite projects and it was William's first real craft. Here he is with the finished product:

To kick-off our Halloween decor, I decided to make ghosts out of William's footprints. I saw a similar idea in a magazine a while ago, but I made some modifications and made it even easier.

Materials you need:
baby or child
wood
saw
paints: black, white, yellow
paintbrush
Sharpie
numerical stickers

I started off at Lowe's and purchased one piece of wood and cut it at home into a few different size pieces. (I did different sizes because I made these for William's grandparents too, but I used one footprint instead of two.) I also picked up a can of $1 black spray paint. I covered the basement floor in newspaper and gave each piece of wood two coats of spray paint on each side and all edges.

Then, I put William in his highchair and painted the bottom of his bare foot white and stamped it on the wood. Now, the first time I did this, I dipped his foot into the paint and then stood him up on the wood, but this resulted in a messy ghost that wasn't hardly recognizable as a footprint. By painting his foot, I had more control over the amount of paint used and could also spread out his toes if that makes any sense.

While the paint was drying, I added some additional details: a yellow full moon and the year 2011 in 3D white sparkle stickers so I didn't have to worry about neatly painting numbers. Then, I drew faces on each ghost with a Sharpie.

I love how this project came out and want to do it annually. Once William has a sibling, I can use one foot from each of them to have a big ghost and little ghost. One of the best parts is, since it is wood, I don't have to worry about it getting ripped in a box, paper fading, etc. I can just sit it anywhere in our house until Halloween!

Now We Have Everything

2011-10-01T09:51:00.002-04:00

There was a quote I found while pregnant that I wrote in my baby journal:
First we had each other, then we had you, now we have everything.

As I parent, this is so true. 6 months ago we welcomed our son, William Michael, into our lives and had no idea what lie ahead. Would he be happy with us as his parents? Allow us to sleep? Like to smile and be held by lots of people? We didn't know the sex of the baby before delivery, but I always told people I felt it was a boy because I could only think of boys names and I considered that a sign. My husband was sure it was a girl as we both of our mothers. Well, we know what happened there ;)

Happy half birthday little man! Now Momma has to start thinking about your 1st birthday party because the months sure do fly by spending my days with you!!

Canvas Prints

2011-09-28T19:06:00.000-04:00

Ever since we moved into our house I have been looking for art to hang above our bed in the master bedroom. I had a framed quote above the bed, but we took it down when we realized we had a frame hanging in the room with the same quote: "Love forgives all things, endures all things...." A while back I was shopping for fabric for living room pillows and I absolutely fell in love with one print. It is white, black, gray, gold and purple. I wasn't sure about how my husband would react since we have sort of an agreement about floral things, but the boldness of this pattern means it doesn't scream female.

So, I went about making my own frames to stretch the fabric around and create canvas panels. The pictures are pretty self explanatory so I won't editorialize much.

Supplies:
wood (I used 3 pieces of 1x2x6 for two 19x19 frames)
saw
wood screws
screwdriver/drill
measuring tape
fabric
staple gun

Make sure all pieces are the same length or you won't have an even square

This is when I used a drill to make the holes for the wood screws

Cut enough fabric so it will wrap around the wood and can be stapled in the back

I wrapped the edges like a present so it looks clean

Glass Fall Centerpiece

2011-09-22T08:14:00.000-04:00

Last week the temperature in Maryland dropped which meant Fall really has arrived. So, while the baby was playing in the living room, I decided to switch up my table decor in the dining room (our main eating area). I went with something very simple, at least for the time being, because I already had all of the elements at home.

These five multi-level votives are meant for candles, but since we don't have many dinners by candlelight in our house, although I wouldn't mind if we did ;), I filled them with....

...orange glass beads. I used these beads last year too, but in a different way.

I also chose to use the same placemats as last year, but bought plum colored napkins at World Market.

Now once I get out to the farm this year, I'm sure some pumpkins will be added!!

Time Out Tuesday

2011-09-20T13:13:00.001-04:00

These were taken within five seconds of each other. The infamous lip!

Bookworm

2011-09-12T10:07:00.001-04:00

You see, our little boy likes to read books, especially on the floor.
He really doesn't care where you read, as long as the book is not a bore.
This weekend at the church book sale, kids books were only a dime.
So I bought him $1.60 of books that he can call mine.
He sits on my lap and pulls books to read from the shelf.
Looks like we have ourselves a little reading elf!

New Shower Curtain = New Mood

2011-09-06T13:41:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, this pattern caught my eye at World Market. The blue and green paisley was serene:

I could just picture this in our guest bathroom, so of course I bought it to make it happen! When we moved into our home, I had a really hard time finding a shower curtain for that bathroom. Funny story: when registering for wedding gifts, I actually registered for the same shower curtain at two different stores without even realizing it for our master bathroom. I guess it was exactly what I wanted. Anyway, this is what the bathroom used to look like:

The color was semi-metallic and I liked the texture, but it was pretty boring. And now the the reveal:

I like our new one MUCH more and it plays off the beachy theme in there. I don't want to make it too much of a "kids" bathroom, at least not for a few years and the bright blues and greens are good for a little boy anyway. The new pattern goes with my accessories too.

The Magic of a FoodSaver

2011-08-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

This machine is my new best friend:

Originally used in our house for freezing meat during hunting season, crab meat in the summer and fresh fruit from nearby farms, it now freezes William's baby food.

I have been using this tray which makes 1 oz cubes:

Once I puree a fruit or vegetable, I freeze one tray's worth and keep any remaining puree in the refrigerator and use that first. The next day I pop out the cubes and put them into 3 inch bags I cut from the roll. I use the "manual seal" option to seal off one end before putting in the cubes. I usually do three because that is two feedings worth so it is easy for me to thaw.

Then, I use the "vacuum seal" to suck out all of the air and seal up the other side of the bag. And that's it! NO FREEZER BURN! After my other post about baby food, a few friends on Facebook told me the bad part was freezer burn. Well, this prevents it.

Glass Stenciled Mirror {tutorial}

2011-08-16T12:29:00.000-04:00

Two of my good friends, Nick and Sarah, got married at the end of July. They have been dating eight years and had known each other four years before that. We went to middle school and high school together so I have known both of them for a long time (or what seems like a long time).

A few years ago (or maybe less?) they bought what seems to be a beautiful historic home in Connecticut. I say "seems" because I have not actually seen it in person yet which is a shame on me. I know they were looking for antiques to fill their home and when I remembered I had purchased this mirror, yet not hung it in my own home, I thought of them.

I wanted to make a subway art mirror and although it didn't totally end up the way I envisioned, I was still happy with the result. Since I do not have a Silhouette and I didn't want to hand paint all the words, I went to a craft store to look at stencils. Lo and behold, I found blank stencils - hallelujah! I thought it would be easier to make my own stencils rather than lining up each letter for every word with precut stencils (I'm still not so sure about that). Once I got home with the blank stencils, I printed out various words that I wanted to use on the computer.

I grabbed a Sharpie and traced every word onto the stencil. I realized that letters with "inside areas" like P, R, A, and O were going to require an alternative plan since cutting the stencils out eliminated the center areas completely. So, I added an extra cutting line to try and preserve some of these letters since I didn't want it looking "off."

Once the words were cut-out, I started with their names because I knew I wanted it in the center and it was significantly bigger than the rest of the words.

For the etched glass effect I used NAME OF BRAND paint which I am thrilled worked otherwise I would have had to go to plan B which was doing this all on a piece of painted wood in contrasting colors and then inserting it in the mirror's frame. I did a few words at a time since it required me to paint a few coats, peel off the stencil and do touchups all before it started to dry.

Looking back, I think the words should have been larger to give it more of a subway art feel, but since the words are smaller, it is almost more of a mirror than I originally thought it would be. It also would have been much cleaner looking and more efficient if I had a Silhouette, but make do with what you have, right?!

PS: Sorry the photos aren't too great but it is hard to photograph a mirror!! Also, I blurred out some of the personal information on the mirror.

Saving $$$$ with CouponChief.com

2011-08-13T10:28:00.002-04:00

I am a sucker for good deals. When I get e-mails from my grocery store about the deals of the week or from clothing stores that I frequent, I always look and usually buy. Online, I tend to shop only with promo codes (you know, those codes that get you extra discounts at checkout) because of the money I save.

I have been playing around on a site called CouponChief which offers thousands of online promo codes! Woohoo, it's like a goldmine for folks who like to save money :). I was already captured on the homepage with a 15% off offer from The Container Store since we're working on improving the storage capacity of our office.

There is a great video tutorial on the site which breaks everything down real easily for users. Basically, before you purchase anything online you should visit CouponChief to see if there is an online coupon available for that vendor. If there is and your order fits the criteria, YOU save money. Can't argue with that, right?!

One feature that I signed up for is e-mail alerts for my favorite stores and categories. Now, the coupons will come to me before I even have to look for them.

Also, if you are feeling generous and want to share a coupon code with others, you can actually submit coupon codes which is like clipping coupons for others. All you do is enter the vendor web address, coupon code, offer details and expiration date. If you submit coupon codes you actually get money back when others use your submitted code. This is what they call Pay-2-Share. You get 2% commission (at a $25/month per store per month limit). Pay-2-Share is rather appealing to me, but I don't have experience with it yet to tell you if it works. So, if I would have signed up a few days ago, I could have seen the e-mail from Carter's in my inbox with the coupon code SAVEMORE. I could have gone to CouponChief and entered the code in my account and received credit if others used it. I know sharing is an extra step when everyone is short on time(believe me -- I know!!) but if you really do get money back, it is like saving money twice: by shopping and by sharing with others who shop.

So stop on by, create an account, play around and let me know what you think!

*I was asked by CouponChief.com to write a paid review of the site. Although I am being compensated, the review and thoughts are my own based on my experience using the site.

Gone but Not Forgotten

2011-08-08T17:28:00.000-04:00

Where have I been? Well, I was in Connecticut for one week, came back for three days during which my husband had Lasik surgery and was then off to Pennsylvania for 2 1/2 days. Now I am (finally) home and I don't want to leave! Don't get me wrong, I had fun on our trips, but this house needs some attention!

William and I drove 7 hours to northern Connecticut because my close friends were getting married. This is the couple whose gift I mentioned in an earlier post and will discuss in a future post. We left on Tuesday and my husband joined us Friday-Sunday and then we headed home the following Tuesday. Whew! It was the first time I was alone with the baby so long around the clock, but we stayed with some good friends and saw my family so I had some help for which I am grateful.

The wedding was beautiful and a lot of fun! The ceremony was at the Old State House and the reception was at The Hartford Club. Since these are friends from high school who started "liking" each other 12 years ago, I saw a lot of old friends which made it even more of a celebration. These two are made for each other and I am thrilled that they are now husband and wife!

The night of the wedding was my first overnight away from William. He stayed at my mom's house with her and my sister and my mom even had a little "meet and greet" with her friends before he went to bed. I know it bothered me more than it bothered him that we were apart! And no, I didn't sleep in the next day...I just couldn't wait to get up and go see him.

We brought the baby to a small zoo at Forest Park since the weather cooled off a little on our last day in town. He is always watching things that move (me, toys, our cat, etc) so I thought he would like the animals. He was pretty attentive for a four month old and I had him in the Snugli carrier most of the afternoon so I had my hands free to shoo away any unwelcome animals.

So, we are back to the real world and our routine and I will be posting about the special wedding gift soon!

Fresh Cherry Pie

2011-08-04T16:15:00.000-04:00

I know I said I don't bake, but here I am, at it again! This is only the second time I have made cherry pie (the first being Thanksgiving) and the first time I used canned cherries since they weren't in season.

I used this recipe from The Food Network with a few tweaks (in parentheses):

4 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries (I used fresh and had to pit them by hand!!)
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (I compromised and used 1 1/4c)
4 tablespoons cornstarch (my small local grocery was out of cornstarch [not kidding] so I used tapioca mix since other recipes call for it)
1/8 tablespoon almond extract
Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie (I used Pillsbury refrigerated dough)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot
1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Directions

Place cherries in medium saucepan and place over heat. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. I cooked mine for about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and tapioca together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, if desired, and mix. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. SIde note: The cherry mixture is DELICIOUS at this point so you might want to start off with extra cherries since you may be eating a few while the mixture is thickening. This took me 8 minutes. I think if you cook off less juice in the previous step, the mixture will thicken more quickly. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water, too thin, add a little more tapioca. I added 1T of tapioca at this point. The mixture does thicken considerably once it cools!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Moisten edge of bottom crust. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie. Make a slit in the middle of the crust for steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.

mmmmmmmm DELICIOUS!!

Project Update!

2011-07-24T08:58:00.000-04:00

I am pleased to say that I finished some of my projects!! My darling husband took WM out for a few hours yesterday to do manly things (Home Depot and lunch at Roy Rogers) so I could bond with my sewing machine which I sadly had to disassemble and put back together once it started messing up stitches.

My top priority was #5 and I am happy to say I finished it three days before my goal date. But...I can't share the finished project because the wedding isn't until next weekend and I don't want the bride to see it in advance!

Project #2, new burp cloths, was next and that is when the sewing machine drama happened, but I finished!

And finally, I did start project #3 but haven't put the snaps on yet so I will wait to share those. All in all, a productive afternoon!!

Zucchini Pineapple Bread

2011-07-21T16:47:00.000-04:00

You read that right: Zucchini Pineapple Bread. In Maryland, everyone's zucchini are growing like mad and a family member gave us a few of his. On top of the ones we have, we can't eat them fast enough and last year's freezing didn't go so well so I decided to try something new.

I don't usually bake from scratch and I was reminded of some of the reasons while prepping this recipe. I had to use two bowls, one for wet ingredients and one for dry making more to cleanup. I also had to use my hand mixer and used my food processor to shred the zucchini so I had to clean an addition two tools. It wasn't as bad as I thought since it went in the dishwasher, but it sure did take up alot of space!

I used this recipe from Cooking Light because hubby doesn't like nuts in bread and most zucchini bread recipes call for nuts. We love pineapple and I was hoping it would make the bread a little sweet. Since I had all of the ingredients, I made this on a whim and am happy I did!

Here are a few "process" photos:

I was debating about halving the recipe since it yields two loaves, but I decided that if I was going through all the trouble of making it, I was going to make two...one for now and one for later! It came out tasting great and I would certainly do it again. Here are some photos of the process. Let me know if you try it or have suggestions for a garden overrun with zucchini!!

Time Out Tuesday

2011-07-19T13:48:00.000-04:00

Helping Daddy celebrate his birthday!

We were very pleased with how well WM behaved at Brad's birthday dinner. He was asleep when we arrived and made some noise once he woke up so I sat him on my lap and he fell asleep again sitting up! Once he woke up when our food came, he played in his stroller and then helped Daddy with presents and the brownie sundae. He was in such a happy social mood...it was perfect!

Projects in the Pipeline

2011-07-18T10:28:00.000-04:00

Right now I have several projects in the pipeline, but none completed to share :(. Surprisingly, or not so surprising if you know me, they all involve fabric. Here is what I am working on so you can hold me to it:

1. Three new pillows with contrasting corded trim for our living room (Goal: on the couch Labor Day)
2. Burp cloths for WM. All the fabric is purchased, washed & ironed (Goal: before 7/26)
3. Bibs for WM. New idea since I saw it on Creative Mommas and decided WM needs larger bibs, but the next size up in store are huge (Goal: When I finish the other projects :) )
4. Burp cloths as gifts. Two friends recently had girls and I want to make them some gifts! (Goal: Mid-August)
5. Wedding gift for a July 30 wedding (Goal: MUST be done by 7/24 eekk!)

Baby Food in a Flash

2011-07-14T20:52:00.000-04:00

Today we went to a farm in town that has pick your own produce. We went for the peaches (only $1.49/pound!), but left with peaches, blackberries and a dozen zinnias for my dining room table. My husband doesn't eat peaches so I decided that even though I only picked 7 today, I'd make my first batch of baby food. W is still only consuming breastmilk, but in the winter, he will have "fresh" peaches!

Since the peaches are organic, I scrubbed them good with a produce brush to get off most of the fuzz. Then I cut large cubes and put it all in a steamer pot. I brought the water to a boil and kept it boiling for 10 minutes. Then, I let the peaches cool and tossed them in the blender. What makes this even easier, is that my blender has a Baby Food setting which I was finally able to use! I pureed it down until it wasn't chunky at all.

I have these 1oz silicone trays from my baby shower which is a bit easier to use than an ice cube tray (also 1oz) because it is flexible silicone. I got thirteen 1oz portions and they are in the freezer. Tomorrow I'm going to pop out the cubes and store them in a labeled bag in the freezer so I can use the storage tray for my next creation.

For the price I paid, not only is this a cheaper option, but it is also healthier for our baby boy!

Baptism party {the food}

2011-07-09T09:45:00.000-04:00

Back to William's party!!

Typical of me to start with dessert first ;)
From the beginning I knew I wanted to do cupcakes rather than a cake. Granted I would have purchased the cake which would have been less work than making cupcakes (maybe), but I didn't want to have a bunch of leftover cake. I made cupcake toppers to make the cupcakes for festive. I designed the emblem with a cross and the words God Bless William in Powerpoint and printed two dozen. I did buy a scalloped punch, but when I used it, it worked in the reverse way that I needed if that makes sense. So, the individual trips to Michael's and Jo-Ann's and $30 spent didn't help. I resorted to cutting out each circle individually with scrapbook scissors. Same idea, more work. I used a drop of hot glue to adhere the toothpicks to the cutouts before adding a blueberry and topping each cupcake.

For the first time I finally decided to make a watermelon ice bucket! I saw this idea a long time ago (or so it seems) and I finally had a reason to do it. I used the watermelon on the fruit kabobs, which is why I had it. I hollowed it out with an ice cream scoop on Saturday and then kept it on the counter overnight covered in saran-wrap because I was worried about it smelling rotten. Well, it stayed fresh, so I filled it with plain ice cubes and special blueberry ice cubes I made.

Sadly, this is the only food shot I have and it doesn't capture it at all. The party started and ended so quickly, and everyone was so hungry, that I didn't get the shot I wanted. We had beef brisket, pulled pork and hamburger sliders. Tossed salad, fruit kabobs, cheese and crackers, pasta salad, etc. I also made a few different drinks and put cute little tags on the pitchers to identify them. Stay tuned for the recipe for Fruity Mint Tea which was a hit!

God Bless William: Baptism Party {decorations}

2011-07-06T07:51:00.002-04:00

As noted in my latest Time Out Tuesday, William was recently baptized which was very special for us. Following the service at the church, we had about 16 adults and 4 children (of eating age) over for lunch. I began thinking about this party weeks and weeks in advance since everything is a bit more complicated now that we have a baby around, and here is what I decided.

My nice blue and green handmade table runner would stay on the table because I was inspired by its colors as well as William's birth announcement which was baby blue and kiwi green. The green is perfect for summer and a bit unexpected since typically it is blue and white that is used (or at least what I have seen).

A few weeks ago while on vacation, I visited Dollar Tree once the little guy was in bed to hopefully find papergoods. Well, I did! I purchased light blue dinner plates, kiwi green dessert plates and dinner napkins and napkins that were green with white polks dots. I ended up wrapping the clear "silverware" in the polka dot napkins, tying them closed with white curling ribbon and standing all of them upright in a square glass container from our wedding:

The train napkins were leftover from another party

At Dollar Tree I also found blue/green/clear glass marbles which I purchased for a vision I had. I have a small glass globe vase as well as one that is a cylinder and I wanted to put the marbles in the bottom surrounding a candle. I also bought plain white candles (in glass votives) at Dollar Tree to prevent wax from dripping on the marbles. It also made assemble quite easy. Place candle in container and surround with marbles...done!

My mom added a few twisted streamers in our dining room with white curly ribbon at the corners to add additional color. Everything came together great!

I hope you'll come back in two days to hear about the food!!!

Thrifty Home

Independence

2011-07-04T07:49:00.000-04:00

A new ode to some of the young soldiers and Veterans in my life.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Brother-in-law Justin on the far left

And to the republic for which it stands,

Eric, husband of Stevie (Matron of Honor at my wedding)

One nation, under God, indivisible,

My cousin Christopher who is an angel among us

With liberty and justice for all.

My cousin Gideon, 3rd from left in the back

THANK YOU, I love you :)

See this post on Veterans in my life from 2010.

Summertime Locavore {sort of}

2011-06-30T12:57:00.000-04:00

Summertime is here which means one of my favorite things is happening: farmers markets! We have our own garden, but all of the farmers markets are a few weeks ahead of us when it comes to having vegetables ready so I am shopping there for now. I consider myself a summertime locavore. I do realize that all-year "true" locavores would be disappointed in me since I only buy local beef (from a family member's farm) and produce, but you have to start somewhere right?!

Two weeks ago week we ate our first plain tomato. We simply washed it, sliced it and ate it plain and to the delight of my taste buds, it was incredible. The tomato came from an orchard less than one mile away (very lucky for me).

So, reap what you sow (if you have a garden of your own)! We have been eating all homegrown lettuce from our garden for a couple weeks now. The flavor is unlike anything I've ever tasted, but don't come to our house if you don't like lettuce that packs a punch.

We're actually going to plant more in place of our onions, which are very strong and pungent as onions should be, so we can have lettuce longer through the summertime.

I have been picking and shelling peas everyday and sometimes we put them in hot water for a short time to soften them up or we put them raw into our salads.

The cucumbers are ready too!

Time Out Tuesday: Baptism

2011-06-28T14:58:00.001-04:00

Our son was baptized on Sunday and it was emotional for us as parents. Here is one photo of him looking a bit angelic :)

$11 at Harris Teeter

2011-06-25T09:49:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I stopped by Harris Teeter to pick up a few grocery items. I will preface this by saying that the trip was not on a whim and not for my weekly shopping. William is being baptized on Sunday so after the service we will be having more than a dozen adults and a handful of children over for lunch. Only one other time have we had that many people over and I did not have a newborn, but I digress.

I get Harris Teeter's eVIC emails since I am part of the program and shop their regularly. I received one the other day that told me a few things:
raspberries BOGO
shredded cheese BOGO
asparagus $1.99 (instead of $3.79)
Texas Pete 10/$10
Coupons doubled up to $1.98 face value (usually it is only $0.99)

After doing 98% of my party food shopping at Costco earlier this week, I went to Harris Teeter to get a few last minute items and some of these newer things that caught my eye. I was armed with my short list and my coupons. Here is what I bought:

The Hershey syrup wasn't on my list, but I remembered my husband requested it for chocolate milk so I added it to the basket.

The total cost of my purchase was only $11.27!! How did I do it?? Why, let me tell you :)

- If items are BOGO or x/$x at Harris Teeter, the price divides out. So, I only bought one container of raspberries which is all I needed, and paid $4 instead of $8
- The asparagus was only $1.99 which is a discount of nearly $2. Why is it always so pricy??
- The Texas Pete was $1 for the bottle, plus I had a $0.40 coupon that doubled so it only cost $0.20
- I bought the salad dressings in case guests don't like what we have here on Sunday and because they were BOGO at $3.25 and I had a $1 coupon that doubled so I got two dressings for $1.25
- The shredded cheese s good on top of hot tomatoes, pizza, salad, etc and since it was $2.79, but BOGO, I only paid $1.40
- I needed the concentrated OJ ($1.67) and lemonade for one of the beverages I am making Sunday and the lemonade one was less than $1
- The Nabisco Triscuits were BOGO $3.89 and I had a $1 off coupon that doubled so I got both boxes for $1.89.
- And then there is the Hershey syrup that did nothing for me except add $2.29 to my total.

My receipt says that $24.36 in coupons were redeemed because a few of the in-store deals are considered eVIC coupons. In reality, it was $16.31 VIC savings and $8.05 in coupons.

Yes, I am pleased with myself considering I got fruits, veggies, dressing, crackers, cheese and salad dressing! AND I am done shopping for the party!

Time Out Tuesday - Celebrating Dad

2011-06-21T08:09:00.000-04:00

Tour of the Gardens

2011-06-20T08:11:00.000-04:00

Since we moved into our home in November 2009, this is only our second spring/summer growing season. In April 2009, my husband did build and plant a vegetable garden on our property even though our house wasn't built yet.

Our vegetable garden has really grown...extending well beyond the borders of our original vegetable garden area. This year, we actually planted the tomato plants outside of the fenced in area since their scent typically makes them deer resistant (we did lose two so far). Since the tomatoes grow so large, this gave us more fenced in space to try new plants and more of them.

My flower garden has grown since last year. A few months ago I did a brief post about my early spring flowers. Well, those flowers have passed their prime and others have continued to grow into beautiful summer blooms. This is a photo of my flower area (which really needs to be weeded). We have two rose bushes, a red and a light pink. Right now, several groups of gladiolas (purple, orange, and pink) are growing and will probably bloom in a few weeks. Those are the tall plants in front of the roses in the photo below. Last year they were beautiful. Then, the leafy plant in front is a daisy and the really small plant is a lily, next to the other variety of lily on the end.

We also planted berries this year! We have blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. Two plants are growing fruit already so hopefully we'll at least get to taste a few berries this summer. Like many plants, the berries will be more bountiful the second year after planting. Next to the berries on the side of our house, my husband planted 11, yes, eleven, pepper plants. There are at least five varieties of peppers and if you have never tasted a homegrown one, you are missing out. My garden taught me how flavorful green peppers can actually be.

The front of out house is all flowers: lilies, sweet pea, spiky purple flowers, a boxwood and white otto lucan. We also have some basil mixed in. I am all for symmetry in the front, so that is the same on both sides.

Along the other side of our house, next to the driveway, is where my three birthday hydrangeas live along with some sedum, catnip and several herbs including rosemary, tarragon, mint and oregano.

Tech Update

2011-06-18T13:15:00.001-04:00

Well, after 3.5 years I finally got a new phone! My Samsung Juke has been replaced. Since I had a Blackberry for work, I didn't care if my personal phone was just a phone. But. Since I left my job to be a stay at home mom with this little guy:

I decided it was time to upgrade. We will see how posting works with images...my apologies if the photo doesn't appear after the colon above where I wanted it.

Beach Babe

2011-06-07T08:57:00.000-04:00

We took our little babe to the beach for the first time and he didn't seem to mind one bit! we were only there about 30 minutes so mommy could take some pictures, but we'll be going back with some friends soon for a longer visit which probably means more beach time.

Look how cute he is! :)

We also put his feet in a pool for the first time. Since we're in Maryland, the water is still cold so I don't think I'll actually be bringing him in this year, but we'll see.

New Pillows!

2011-06-01T05:03:00.000-04:00

My home now has some updated summer pillows thanks to this quick tutorial over at A Pretty Cool Life. Cheryl said it takes ten minutes, but it took me about twenty. Why is it that cutting and pressing always takes longer than the actual sewing part?! Let's just say I learned my lesson in the past when I wasn't careful on these steps and had to start over. So I guess that is why I am so careful about it now!

I actually made two sets of pillows: one for the rocking chairs on our porch which originally had this pattern, and a new pair for our couch which I just completed. I even made a pair for my mom's living room while she was in town!

The tutorial I used this time was even easier than the one in my previous post because it is only one piece of fabric and you only sew two short edges (the flap) and two long edges. I'm going to let you visit the original tutorial for more details, but here are some of my photos.

Time Out Tuesday #3

2011-05-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

I will admit that Time Out Tuesday is my only "regular" posting right now, but I am getting better! Getting back into blogging after baby is a bit like getting back to exercising after baby. You mean to do it today (and tomorrow and the next day) but you find something else to do today, tomorrow, and the next day. But of course I always manage to share pictures of my little guy!

This past weekend W met his Uncle Kyle for the first time.

He also attended his first wedding. Believe it or not, he was not the youngest guest -- there was a three week old and another six week old! He slept/ate through the ceremony and slept through a good bit of the reception, music and all. He looked even cuter than he did on Easter I didn't know that was possible ;).

Five Ingredient Roast

2011-05-13T19:07:00.001-04:00

Last week I made a great five ingredient roast from the blog, A Year of Slow Cooking which was recommended by my friend IRL Emily who frequently uses her crockpot for all sorts of recipes.

The recipe calls for five ingredients, all of which I had at home since we have a deep freezer full of meat. My husband has farmers in the family so we pretty much purchase one year's worth of red meat in February.

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef roast (mine started frozen)

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup dijon mustard (I used honey dijon since that is what I had)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar (I used 3T)

Instructions:

Toss everything into the slow cooker (the best part of using this cooking method in my mind). Turn the roast over a few times so there is some sauce/seasoning on both sides.

Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

I cooked ours for about 7 hours and we got six or so servings out of it. Let me know if you try this or have another good suggestion -- love the tips!!

It's So Very Cheri, Not Baaad Sundays, Sundae Scoop

Time Out Tuesday #2

2011-05-10T10:37:00.000-04:00

On Saturday this smile absolutely made me cry. Sure W has made "milk drunk" smiles while nursing and smiles related to bodily functions, but this one was during playtime and in response to what else...funny noises I, as his mommy, was making. I haven't captured his smile again, but this one photo could hold me over for awhile :) I consider it an [early] Happy Mother's Day/Happy Birthday smile.

This is my family and it is perfect for me. The baby definitely has his Dad's blue eyes, but I'm not sure you can tell here. This was at our Mother's Day dinner (who wants to fight the brunch crowds??). When I came down from feeding W on Mother's Day there was a beautiful framed 8x10 photo in our entry way of my husband and I kissing W after a bath, a photo that my mom took during her first visit to meet the baby a few weeks ago. When I went into the kitchen there was another photo, one of me and baby taken when he was 11 days old. These are the types of gifts that make me cry. I also got some birthday gifts from my in-laws since today is my birthday!

And just to show how much he has grown in 6 weeks, here he is propped up to a semi-sitting position that I'm sure wasn't too comfortable for him, but posed for the sake of a picture, in the family cradle (more on that here).

Right now he is napping, a great birthday gift since I had time to take a nice long shower, start giving myself a pedicure, have hot(!) coffee and read a few sections of Sleep is for the Weak, a funny book on motherhood that a friend gave me.

Take some time to enjoy your little ones today!!

Instant Nursing Cover

2011-05-09T17:19:00.003-04:00

Since baby W was born nearly six weeks ago, this is literally the first creative project I have done (except pose him for pictures). It isn't that I don't have any time, but when asked if I use his naptime as "mom time" or to sleep, my answer is the latter. Oh and I have been getting some housework done, hand-me-down clothes put away, etc.

We are starting to leave the house for longer periods of time and I am breastfeeding our little guy and supplementing with formula because he wasn't gaining weight as quickly as the doctor had hoped. So, I spent a quick 5 minutes LITERALLY and made something I had the supplies for, but never got around too -- a strap to make any blanket an instant nursing cover!

They sell nursing covers like these:

Photo from Growing Your Baby

for anywhere from $22.50 to more than $50! As someone who knows how to sew, this is ridiculous to me, so I was off to create my own!

Actually, all I wanted/needed was a strap to go around my neck. This way the strap can be attached to any blanket I have with me. I purchased two items: suspender clips and one yard of ribbon. I chose navy grosgrain because it is neutral and the grosgrain seems a little stronger than the silky ribbon.

All I did was insert the first end of ribbon through the loop on the suspender clip and folded it so it would stay.

Once my hot glue gun was warmed up, I applied a line of glue close to the clip and then covered it with the ribbon. I did this three times so it would be glued on good. I folded the end of the ribbon under so it would look "pressed" and glued again.

I got a blanket from the nursery and attached the first end to approximate how long I wanted the neck strap to be. Once I measured, I did the same thing with the other end and wa-la -- DONE! When I used it for the first time yesterday, it was too long so I wasn't covered as much as I hoped (it was 22 inches) so then I trimmed it to 18 inches this morning and it works great.

Keeping it Simple, DIY Showoff, Get Your Craft On

Time Out Tuesday #1

2011-05-03T17:08:00.000-04:00

To share more pictures of our little guy as he grows and does cute new things (like grabbing at his toys), I am going to start Time Out Tuesday. I will take a few minutes each Tuesday to share my favorite recent photo (or two) and any notes about W.

Yesterday was his one month appointment and he already weighs 9 pounds 11 ounces -- no wonder my arm gets sore! The doctor said that developmentally, he is at a 2-2.5 month stage which of course makes me proud :). He has moved up in weight to the 50th percentile but is still in the 25th percentile for length.

Happy Easter!

Look Mom, I grabbed it myself and am holding on!

Versatile Blogger Award

2011-05-02T16:07:00.000-04:00

I have been given the Versatile Blogger award! Pretty impressive since I have been MIA for 4 weeks. Let's just say it came from a good friend with kids of her own so I thank her for that :)

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.
Stevie, mother of Moore Babies has been my friend since a few days into college at Clemson. I was her bridesmaid, she was my matron of honor, she became a mom (twice) I became a mom (once), and she now has a blog where she writes about fun activities she does with and for her daughters. Too bad for me she lives all the way in Florida which is not close to Maryland!!

2. Tell seven things about yourself.

1. I am currently on maternity leave with my son. He is wonderful and amazing and all of those things new moms think about their children. There are select photos of him here and here (he had a little jaundice after birth).

2. My husband and I donated the home we purchased to the Smithsonian and it is going to be in the new museum of African American History. No, I am not kidding. Our name is going to be on a plaque and everything :).

3. I like gardening...flowers and vegetables, but this year everything is slightly on the back burner due to the new baby. I know my husband wishes I'd be more into the gardening this year, but it is tough. Last year we had some beautiful flowers and delicious vegetables.

4. I'm not a big fan of driving at night.

5. This past winter I hit a deer (at night), but since my driver's door was damaged, I had to climb over the center console of my Pontiac G5 with a long puffer jacket on 6 months pregnant to survey the damage. That was a sight to be seen on the side of the road!

6. I love my Kindle! It was a Christmas gift from my husband after I was a sore loser in a holiday raffle and didn't win one at a holiday party. It i great, especially with the baby since I can read one handed.
7. I cherish my friends...there are a few that have been with me through all sorts of times and they mean the world to me. I hope they know who they are!

3. Pay it forward and award the Versatile Blogger to 15 bloggers. I am selfishly cutting this back to five (awful I know...) because I awarded a handful of bloggers the stylish blogger award before and W is up from his nap and I want to finally finish this post!...

Go check out these fabulous blogs!!
1. Hanna @ Bouffe e Bambini
2. Emily @ Choose Joy
3. Abbi @ Dear Abbi
4. Lyndsy @ lgriffis
5. Billie @ The Unexpected Mother

4. Contact your everyone and let them know they've been awarded!

How I Stay Organized

2011-04-22T19:54:00.001-04:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner asked how we stay organized. Since this post doesn't involve photos, I can write about it now!

My level of organization has changed dramatically in the past three weeks since I became a mom.

In the Past:
Schedule: When it was just my husband and I, all of our dates/commitments, etc were kept in my daily agenda planner which came with me to and from work everyday. I kept track of both of our travel schedules for work, potential visitors were penciled in, etc.
Food: When it comes to groceries, I kept a running list in a notebook and revisited it every week before I went to the grocery store with my coupons.
Coupons: For about three years I have kept my coupons organized in a small accordian "folder" by category: grocery, cold, frozen, personal care and household. Every Saturday the coupons get cut, organized and expired ones get thrown away.
Laundry: We have two laundry baskets in our bathroom, one for whites and the other for colors. This helps me see if I only need to do one load of laundry or run both. It also prevents me from having to sort the laundry.
Crafts: I am very lucky and actually have a craft room! I know I should share a picture of this, but right now I have all of my spring/summer clothes out in the room since I am trying to transition my closet and also pack up the maternity clothes (woohoo!). I have a large armoire in the room and the right side has shelves and it is all scrapbook stuff. Scrapbooks I have made, photos, paper, stickers, scissors, etc. The left side of the armoire has a shelf and also a hanging bar. On the bar I hang already washed and pressed fabric on hangers so I can see what I have and then I have other fabric folded in an old open suitcase along with all of my sewing notions. My sewing machine is on the shelf beneath the fabric.

Presently:
Schedule: I still use my daily planner, but it now stays open to the current week on our dining room table. It doesn't have meetings listed, but doctor's appointments and commitments to visit with family and friends.
Food: I bought a small notebook that has a shopping cart on it (genius!) and I keep my grocery list in there. I have a "Standard List" which is items I buy each week and then I add things that I need. This was real helpful when people helped me with grocery shopping when baby arrived (thank you Mom and Meghan!).
Coupons: I still cut coupons, but it isn't always done on Saturdays when the newspaper gets delivered. It is okay if it takes a few days, but my system is even more helpful now.
Laundry: Our laundry is still separated, but our son's is all in one hamper since everything is so small. I do separate it warm and cold based on what the tag says, and then I just wash the bigger pile first. My goal with his laundry is to get it washed, dried and layed out flat so it doesn't wrinkle. I have been able to put it away quickly, but even if I don't, at least it all looks good sitting on top of the washing machine.
Crafts: Same since I haven't had time to do anything sine baby arrived :)
Baby Feeding: I keep a notebook on the ottoman in the nursery to keep track of the time of feedings, diapers, and amount of feeding so I don't have to think about it. Since we are supplementing with formula, I prep a few bottles in advance by making sure they are clean and assembled and filled with purified water. That way all I need to do is mix in the formula. Since the water is room temperature, I don't need to warm the bottle (according to my pediatrician) so although I have to mix the formula with each feeding, I don't have to heat it up with hot water in the middle of the night. It has worked for us so far.

That is a little glimpse for now....

It's a Wonderful Life

2011-04-11T21:02:00.000-04:00

Our little man turned us from a couple into a family less than two weeks ago and it is true what they say about life not being the same. This is how I spend most of my days when I should be getting extra sleep or even taking some time for myself.

Nana (my mom) and Auntie B. (my sister) have been in town so we have had some great pictures taken with our baby boy. I don't want to bore you with all of them because I'm sure you will be seeing plenty of him from now on, but he is a precious little doll.

As for my blogging, I know it has already taken a "hit" but can you blame me? Just look at this little face! :) I'm also going to start brainstorming more boy-centric ideas since I won't be sewing ruffles and flowers for him. (Too bad I already know how to make those...) So please just bear with me as I get adjusted to my new life as a mommy and enjoy even more time with him.

Baby is here!

2011-04-04T18:15:00.002-04:00

Well, I am in love again. WE HAVE A BABY BOY!!!

Our little cutie surprised us on Wednesday night while we were watching a movie and my water broke. He was born 21 hours later, soon after 8 p.m. on March 31, 2011. Believe it or not, he was pretty big at 8 pounds 2 ounces and we just can't get enough of him.

I will share when I can, but for now I am very low on time (at least time I want to spend online). Please keep us in your thoughts as we embark on the journey of parenthood!

Overdue

2011-03-30T13:40:00.000-04:00

Do you know what one of the few things in life you don't get fined for if it is overdue?? A baby!! Our baby as due on March 28th, but I still know exactly where he/she is...in my belly moving all around. I feel very blessed that I was able to carry our first baby to 40 weeks considering some said I might have a hard time since I am 5'5 and a bit under 120 pounds (normally, def. not now), but I did it.

No complications, no bed rest, high blood pressure, edema, etc. I am VERY grateful. How I am VERY ANXIOUS. We haven't seen our baby via ultrasound since week 20 since all has been just fine, but time is up little one, we are ready to meet you!

I am hearing all sorts of suggestions from everyone on how to get things moving. From the traditional: walking, housework, yard work, spicy foods, the activity that put us in this position to begin with, bumpy roads...to the ones that I think have developed more recently: labor cookies, dancing, lifting, stairs, etc. Well my friends, I am proof that baby will come when baby is ready and although these may help encourage the onset of labor, they don't magically cause it to happen, or I wouldn't be writing this post right now.

So for the time being, my husband and I are doing things around the house together and doing some sort of activity everyday to keep us distracted. I am of course looking at the clock everytime I feel a new movement. I have completed some new projects and am working on drafting log posts for them so I can maintain this once the little one arrives (although I know it won't be as regularly for a bit). I will let you know when baby arrives!! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Kitchen Update

2011-03-28T07:22:00.002-04:00

What is the least expensive way to update a large space? Paint!! We moved into our home in November 2009, but haven't made painting a priority for a few reasons: (1) We have 1.5 acres of land that needs to be maintained, beautified, landscaped, etc (2) My husband prefers to do all the painting which is great since we don't have to pay anyone and he does a perfect job (honestly), but he also has a full-time job that had more than full-time hours (3) I hesitate when choosing colors.

The rooms we have painted are our master bedroom (January 2010), master bathroom (June 2010), nursery (November 2010) and now our kitchen/dining room (March 2011). I had three color blocks painted on the wall in our kitchen that I looked at for many weeks. I am very pleased that I went with the middle option and my husband surprised me by painting the kitchen while I was out one afternoon and finished it into the dining room until the gallon of paint ran out.

This is a before picture of our kitchen from Thanksgiving 2009 when my family was in town. All of the walls in our house came standard in this "bisque" color:

After:

Of course, once the kitchen was painted, we decided that we really do need a piece of furniture where the cat's bowls once were. We have a two-seater bar where we frequently eat and also our informal dining room so we haven't purchased a small kitchen table since I am picky about what I want. Well, our large kitchen seemed to get cluttered with mail, keys, etc. and we finally found a buffet-style unit that we liked for the kitchen so we bought it!

I purchased a small bamboo tray to collect our mail and also my husband's black leather valet for him to charge his cell phone, drop his wallet, etc. So far so good (and organized!).

Since our kitchen and dining room share one large wall, we carried the same color into the dining room.

Before:

After:

I love it and it feels so good to see color on the walls downstairs! And to think it all got done before our baby arrives and additional visitors. Next project for this area are curtains for the double windows in the dining room and panels for the sliding glass door.

P.S.: The color is more green than gray in person...sad it looks gray here!

Whatever Goes Wednesday

Spring has Sprung

2011-03-24T11:51:00.001-04:00

As my family and friends in Connecticut experience a fluke end-of-March snowfall, I can't resist sharing photos of our spring blooms at our home in Maryland. I know it doesn't look like much now, but considering most of the plants were rescued from choking vines in our woods and "split off" from a friend, I am very happy to see everything coming back strong since this is the first year we have seen them come up on their own. Maybe I am better with flowers than I thought :).

I am still waiting on our trees: cherry blossom, peach, apple and walnut, but here's a glimpse of the signs of spring so far.

Daffodils

Hydrangeas

Lilies

Sedum

tree (don't know the kind)

another tree

We planted our vegetable seeds a few weeks ago indoors in a Burpee container that was successful last year. This way, our veggies have already started growing by the time we put them outside in early May (depending on the weather). We start everything from seeds except for our Butter Boy tomatoes. This also makes it practically free. We also planted carrots, onions and lettuce into the vegetable garden already as seeds since they are more hardy.

Crazed Fan Weekend Hop

Taggie Toy for Baby

2011-03-22T07:58:00.006-04:00

This is a project I meant to complete months ago, but then I got distracted, which is par for the course. If you are a mom, or even if you aren't, you may have heard about "Taggies." Apparently children like tags on stuffed animals and other toys. Funny how this reminds me of cats and dogs liking empty grocery bags more than their toys, but I will withold judgement.

I bought 1/4 yard of this bright color striped fabric on clearance and then purchased 1 yard of three different coordinating ribbons. The total cost for material was less than $5.

I went with a raw size of 13x15 inches for the fabric portion of the Taggie which is because I liked that size, it wasn't too big or too small. I didn't use batting or any other filler, just the two pieces of fabric sewn together. But, before I sewed the pieces together I cut several pieces of 4-5 inch ribbon from each of my three colors: orange grosgrain, red satin, and lime green with blue dots grosgrain.

I folded the ribbons in half and pinned them around the right side of one of the pieces of fabric and then stitched them in place. Then, I added the second piece of fabric and stitched the two together. At this point, I couldn't see the ribbon anymore because the loops were "inside" the fabric.

When I turned the fabric right side out, I went around the edge with a tight straight stitch and wa-la, project is done! I have some extra fabric and ribbon so I will probably make another one because, well, why not?!

Making the World Cuter, Take a Look Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Tip Me Tuesday

We Did it Wednesday, Blue Cricket Design, The Handmade Hog, Somewhat Simple
Hookin' Up w/ HoH, Keep it Simple Sunday

Table Runners for Spring

2011-03-15T10:46:00.006-04:00

I have managed to be crafty while waiting for baby and last weekend I made two table runners: one that was a bridal shower gift and one for myself. The bride-to-be and her husband-to-be are cousins and recently purchased a large "old" home so I figured they would need some accessories besides all of the wonderful kitchen and bathroom goodies you get at a bridal shower.

I headed to Jo-Ann's and selected a main fabric (the beige with the birds) and two complimenting fabrics (the green geometric and blue geometric). I decided to make theirs 96 inches long which would leave excess if used on a 6 foot table or fit end to end on an 8 foot table. For the width, I decided to go with the width of a placemat since that looked good when I laid it out before pinning. I also decided to make both sides different so they essentially have two runners in one. The first side has the beige bird fabric in the center and one end has the blue geometric while the other has the green, and the back side is all beige bird.

For once I took the time to trace with a disappearing ink pen, the size of my blocks so I could make sure I wouldn't have to go back to the fabric store or have unsightly seams running down the center.

Sewing a table runner is very much like sewing a baby blanket except in my case, I was working with extra seams since I used a few pieces of fabric. I added an extra inch onto each measurement since I pressed a 1/2 inch seam on all edges to sew the blocks together.

Then, I laid out the fabric end to end so I could measure again and make sure I was happy with the placement. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

The runner I made for our dining room (which acts as an everyday table) was sewn to 120 inches since we have an 8 foot barn-wood table and I wanted room for the runner to hang off the ends. I used the same blue and green geometric fabric because the "main" fabric I selected for my own runner was a green paisley and also a blue/beige floral. I wanted something that would look good in the Spring and also through the Summer since I'm not quite sure how much time I will have to make another one when baby R. arrives.

For the top side of mine I knew I wanted a specific pattern and specific size blocks which I measured out. The back side ended up being a free for all based on the amount of fabric I had left, but the blocks are larger and still the same fabric.

In our dining room I set out my go-to set of glass pillars with a bowl for candles at the top and two additional pillar candles. These are the same glass pillars I used for Valentine's Day and although I intended to fill them with pastel Easter candy, I decided against it since I am trying not too indulge in too many sweets.

Take a Look Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Tip Me Tuesday

Blue Cricket Design, The Penny Pinching Party, Sew Much Ado, Savvy Southern Style, Handmade Hog, Whassup Wednesday

House of Hepworth's, Somewhat Simple
Feature Yourself Friday, Newbie blog Party

Closet Do Over

2011-03-09T17:44:00.000-05:00

The baby's closet is complete! Or at least until we decide we need more shelving once baby comes :).

We took a trip to The Container Store to buy additional wire shelving for the nursery closet. The closet is a little bit more narrow than we thought and although it is long, the door size is standard which means you run the risk of alot of dead space if you don't make the most of it.

Did you know my husband is an engineer? Well, the wheels in his mind were spinning and we decided to install two adjustable wire shelves on the left side of the closet so I wouldn't just have these big stacks of stuff that would topple over. Before that he also removed the existing shelving, spackled and painted the closet. He is so wonderful :).

We may install an additional short shelf in the closet near the right side, forward facing, but we didn't want to do that yet.

Right now the closet is a little more empty than you may be used to seeing in a nursery, but that is because we don't know the gender of our baby! The baby does have more clothes than what is in the closet, the dresser is pretty full actually, but since this is also our first child, we are going to learn as we go with some things.

I love being organized!!

Fashionable Burps

2011-03-05T08:15:00.007-05:00

Baby spit-up can be gross. Baby spit-up can be messy. But who's to say that parents can't make it a little less distracting with an embellished burp cloth?

Although our baby isn't here yet, I am already a fan of the Gerber 6-ply cloth diapers as burp cloths. Readers of this blog also know I love to sew as one of my hobbies so I found some real cute unisex fabric and started my project.

For the burp cloths shown in this tutorial, I actually used outdoor fabric which has a great canvas-like texture, beautiful patterns, and wonderful colors. I also found it to be more obviously unisex since it isn't meant to be gender-specific like nursery and children's fabric. Jo-Ann's Fabrics had this fabric on sale 50% off so it was very reasonable and I only bought 1/4 yard of each (enough for two burp cloths or extra for another project).

Like all sewing projects, I pre-washed the burp cloths and fabric. When I was at Jo-Ann's, I made sure to buy fabric that could be machine washable and safe to iron so everything was ironed after it came out of the dryer.

I looked at a few different options and decided that I liked the way a piece of fabric 6.5 inch wide looked best. I cut all my fabric to a size of 7.5 x19 inches to allow for a 1/2" hem on all sides. I pinned a hem and pressed the fabric to make machine stitching easier.

Once pressed, I pinned the fabric to the burp cloth and used a zigzag stitch on all four sides. I LOVE making these and wouldn't be surprised if my baby has a large stash of them. Also, don't be surprised if we are friends in real life and you get some as a gift for your new baby. I am looking into selling them at a few community events in my town. What do you think?

Weekend Wrap Up Party, Craft Envy
I heart Naptime Sundae Scoop, Sunday Showcase, It's So Very Cheri
DIY Showoff, Just Something I Whipped Up, Making the World Cuter, Motivate Me Monday

Take a Look Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Tip Me Tuesday

The Penny Pinching Party, Sew Much Ado

March is Here - Finally!

2011-03-01T14:20:00.000-05:00

March is an important month for us, especially this year because that means we will be meeting our baby THIS month! I cannot believe it! Okay, so I am due March 28th so I guess technically we could have an April baby, but with the way I have been feeling, we're going for March.

This past weekend the baby grew, or settled comfortably, onto my sciatic nerve so now I limp since it effects my left leg. Talk about impairing movement?! I guess it is good that I am comfortable when I sit down since I am still working, but I am riding to work with my husband instead of taking the train.

Yes my bag is packed and so is the baby's, but my husband's is not...although I have made a packing list for him to keep myself sane. Each night we talk about our excitement and potential names (no, we have not totally decided yet) and how we feel like now we are just waiting for Squirt to decide that he/she is ready to come out into the world.

My Dream App

2011-02-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about the iPhone app that will tell you where public restrooms are based on your GPS location? Well, I think it is perfect for a few groups of people: those who are pregnant, those who are potty training, and those who are getting too old to control their bladder.

I would love if it had a cleanliness rating entered by those who have used the restroom so you could choose based on other criteria t proximity if you have that kind of time. That would be great for the general population don't you think?

If you have been pregnant, or are a parent or even spend a lot of time with pregnant people, you can imagine that as I gear up for week 36, this is becoming more of an issue. Taking two trains to work doesn't help either which is why I am going to start driving in with my husband to avoid some of the bumps and ups and downs.

Do I have the app? No I do not because my personal phone is a phone only (nope no data plan). Before you scoff at my traditional plain old phone, I will tell you that my Verizon bill is only $40 per month and it is great. My phone isn't eligible for an upgrade until June and Verizon tried selling me another basic phone for $200 before that time, which of course I refused to pay for. A girl can great a nice selection of summer shoes and dresses for that price! My work phone is a Blackberry (so I am connected) but the app isn't available for AppWorld, yet it is also a web-based application which now has a spot on my list fo favorites. If you know it is, please let me know!

Bakerella's Cake Balls

2011-02-24T10:05:00.005-05:00

Years ago, my cousin Kate who doesn't cook, or at least she didn't used to cook, raved about a blog called Bakerella. I have been reading the blog regularly, getting all sorts of great ideas, but wndering when I, a young wife who doesn't regularly have large groups of people over, would be able to make some of these awesome creations. Well, I did it.

I will admit, I started with the basic cake balls, but it was a start. This past weekend we were having friends over with three young children who I knew would get a kick out of the bite size treats. I intended on using green and white chocolate, but my dear husband who picked up the ingredients for me, only found milk chocolate. Bless his heart, I didn't complain! So they went from St. Patrick's Day themed to basic with some decorations.

I already had cake mix and batter in the pantry, as well as some sprinkles and powdered sugar, so I only bought two bags of melting chocolates which was less than $5. I baked the cake according to the standard directions on the back of the box. Once it was cool, I broke up the cake and transfered it to a glass mixing bowl and started turning it into crumbs (my cat appreciated the bits that fell on the floor).

I gradually added vanilla frosting while mixing because I've read mixed reviews about using 1/2 can of frosting versus a whole can, etc. When all was said and done, I used a little more than half. Once it seemed pretty well mixed, I dug in with clean hands to "smush" it all a little more.

Then you start rolling. If you like making meatballs, you'll be good at this. Oh and it is nice that you are playing with cake, not raw meat. I probably could have made my cake balls a little smaller so they were more bite-size for children, but I learned for next time! I just lined two cookie sheets with wax paper to make clean up a breeze and started rolling.

I got three dozen cake balls out of my one cake. I put the trays in the refrigerator overnight, since pregnant ladies get so tired ;), so they would stick together.

The next day I melted the chocolate wafers and placed 3-4 balls in the bowl at a time to coat with the chocolate.

Once coated, I transferred to wire cooling racks and added sprinkles or powdered sugar while the chocolate was still wet. I did keep some plain, but I knew the kids would like the decorated version.

I put about half of them in the freezer so I have an easy way to satisfy my sweet tooth. My husband really liked them so I will be making them again...hopefully I will take on a more creative version that doesn't look like an elementary school student made them :). I can just see myself hosting birthday parties, playgroups, etc and serving up all sorts of fun treats!

It's a Keeper, HoH, Get Your Brag On, Somewhat Simple, Weekend Wander, I <3 Naptime, Weekend Wrap Up Party

It's All About the Bump

2011-02-21T18:40:00.000-05:00

A few photos courtesy of my husband:

Confession

2011-02-20T20:34:00.000-05:00

My creative juices have stopped flowing. Okay, that's not totally true, but the projects I have in my mind are taking much longer to come to fruition. Today while my husband and I were out looking at "antiques"/rummage sale I actually turned down two reasonably easy project pieces because I remembered the projects in line upstairs in my craft room.

It isn't for lack of materials. No, I have already spent the money on the fabric, backing, paint, etc. It is just an issue of motivation which is unfortunate because I am not sure how much of it I will have once we bring a newborn home from the hospital.

I even have photos of a completed project and photos of another one in the works, but alas I haven't blogged about them which is shameful. I should be taking this time to create a backlog of posts for when baby arrives, but that hasn't happened either.

So my apologies go out to you, my followers, for the disappointment. I hope you continue to "follow" me because I will not let you down, but I just need a little extra time and some motivation.

Stylish Stationery

2011-02-13T12:14:00.002-05:00

I must confess: I love stationery. I also love writing thank you notes, which you may think is weird. I feel that a good thank you note shouldn't be cumbersome to the writer since the recipient obviously did something helpful or nice for the writer. If you took the time to select a gift for my wedding or baby shower, I believe you deserve a heartfelt thank you note from me.

I am in the throes of writing thank-you notes with a baby on the way. I figured, why not be cute about it and a little creative?! Back in the fall I was walking around Georgetown and stopped in Paper Source. While I was swooning over their selection, I wasn't feeling the same way about the prices since I was planning to purchase about 50 cards and envelopes. I headed to the clearance section and after some pondering, I left with textured "frost" colored A2 cards and textured "glass" envelopes which were all in the section with the big red sign that seemed to point at me and say "I love sales!" I bought three packs of 20 cards for $3.50 each and six packs of 10 envelopes for $1.88 each. My grand total = $22.46!! I did buy two "baby" stamps to personalize the cards with one or the other and used a black stamp pad I already owned. So, I wound up with 60 personalized, hand-stamped, high quality paper thank you notes for less than $35.

Can you believe that I actually didn't have enough?? So, I went to a small Crane and Co. stationery store in the District and was frustrated that their 75% off clearance was all Christmas...except for these, which worked out for me!!

These Crane and Co. cards are usually $14/pack of 10, but they ended up being $3.50 each so it was less than $11 for 30 additional cards. I have a good printer at home so I am going to personalize these with photos of me and the recipient at the baby shower or with the gift at the shower or with another appropriate pregnancy photo.

It may seem like even more work for someone in the eighth month of pregnancy, but I truly am thankful for the time people have taken to call and check on me, attend showers, etc. that it doesn't even matter!

Making the World Cuter Monday, It's So Very Cheri, Motivate Me Monday, Vintage Wanna Bee Talent Tuesday

Deal of the Day

2011-02-11T11:11:00.000-05:00

If you are a mom or a mom-to-be and you haven't enrolled in Amazon Mom, shame on you! Amazon Mom offers discounts when you subscribe to receive items on a regular basis. The items that came most quickly to mind for me were diapers and baby wipes. As a subscriber you get free 2-day shipping and 30% off if you make the item part of your Subscribe & Save program.

Well, we have had two wonderful baby showers, plus a book shower and are very blessed to have one more at my office next week. But, two things I don't have are newborn diapers (okay, not completely true...I do have a few days worth from my diaper cake) and wipes. I went to Amazon this morning and selected the Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes which come in four boxes of 192 for a total of 768 wipes.

If you do one-time delivery, the item is $24.48, but with Subscribe & Save it goes down to $17.14, which is 30% off. I used a $10 off coupon from one of the free baby magazines I receive and then used a 10% off code. And remember, I got free shipping. So my total for the item was a mere $4.69!!!

This means I saved at least $19.79 because without Subscribe & Save I would have to pay for shipping too. My savings almost equal the original cost of the item -- I love when that happens :)

I will be buying diapers next (saving $11 with my selected brand using this program) but am hoping to find another $10 off coupon this weekend in my stack of magazines so I decided to split up the orders.

Did you know that diapers and wipes are pretty much priced the same across the board unless you use this program? That includes Costco and Sam's Club! yes, I did look it all up online last week comparing Wal-Mart, BabiesRUs, Costco, Sam's Club and Amazon Mom and the price difference was like a max of $4 for the same pack of diapers. I know it adds up, but for the value of my time, I'm not going to drive an extra 15-20 minutes to save $4. I know some stores like BRU offers a program where you buy XX number of boxes and get one free, but still, since our BRU isn't "right around the corner," I think the value for me is saving with Amazon!