Mr. OCD at School

I was chatting with some of the school teachers today and the fourth grade teacher asked if John David told me what she had been doing to him. She explained that she had noticed how particular he is about the things on his desk. Everything has to be exactly straight and in its place. She had been coming in while he was out of the classroom just so she could make things crooked and out of place. She was really entertained by it all.....he was not.

After several times she came in to find he had taped all of his things down in their place! That's my boy! =)

A Perfect Princess Tea

This is what the girls did when we got home from church.....

Little Man Update

If you're on facebook or you follow me on twitter then you already know that yesterday I spent the afternoon at the ER with Joshua and Aulora. On Monday evening Joshua had a very small fall in the kitchen but because of the way he landed he broke his collarbone. There's not a lot to be done for it other than pain medicine and a sling if he will wear it (he won't). The doctor said the bone will heal whether he wears the sling or not so we shouldn't worry about it.

Poor little man walks around with his hand up on his neck and is in pain when he tries to do many things. Picking things up or even trying to stand up hurts. Lifting him out of his bed has proved difficult too. We're told by doctors to expect 4-6 weeks of recovery time but some friends have said they've experienced less time with their own little family members. We're hoping for less!

By the way, if you had any doubts about the germs in an ER waiting room let me just tell you that my perfectly healthy 3 year old threw up within an hour of returning home from our visit. Thankfully she is all better now.....

The Trickster

Yesterday afternoon John David was very intent on finding out which cereal I liked the most. I started naming a few and then he rephrased his question and asked which cereal I liked the most that was in our pantry. There was definitely an air of mischief about him but I couldn't figure out what he was up to.

I found out this morning. As I poured the fruity cheerios (my favorite from what we had) out plopped a ball of goop into the bowl. Green goop. I don't know where he got it, but he found a use for it I guess. I think I should plot my revenge. Hmmm.....What to do, what to do.......

She Found a Loophole.....I Think We're in Trouble

John David: Julia, you need to stop holding hands with Preston.

Julia: I'm not! That is so over!

John David: Nuh-uh!

Julia: Yes it is!

My dad: Julia, when did that stop?

Julia: A long time ago. My dad told me that was against the rules and I couldn't hold hands with Preston anymore.

My dad: Oh. Okay.

Julia: I'll give you a million pieces of chocolate if you can keep a secret.

My dad: Okay, what?

Julia: Now I hold hands with Dalton.

John David: Julia!!! When Daddy said you couldn't hold hands he meant with ALL of the boys, NOT just Preston!



Julia couldn't come up with the million chocolates so my Dad had to spill the beans. Julia, you're so busted.......

Turning 30

I'm happy to report that turning 30 has not instantly wrinkled me, crippled me, turned my hair all gray (key word being "all"), made me eligible for AARP, or put me on a black list for The Buckle. (I will say, however, that on the day of my birthday I walked into one of my favorite stores and noticed for the first time their sign that says they are a store for teens and 20 somethings. Hmmm....I felt kind of, uhm, illegal after that - like I had to avoid eye contact and not speak unless asked a direct question.)

My parents were able to fly in from Denver to spend the weekend with us which was a terrific bonus. Parents in town = presents, babysitting, good food, and shopping. And of course just getting to be with them!


My mom looks pretty good for someone with a 30 year old kid, right? (In case you're wondering, John and my mom have a particularly good relationship. Really, they do.)

I think my parents knew I needed a good distraction from the getting old part of my birthday because they got me the perfect thing - shopping money and babysitting! I had the whole day all to myself with money just burning through my pockets. Best. Birthday. EVER.

Because shopping is FUN.

And shopping with NO kids is more FUN.

And shopping with NO kids and lots of MONEY is the "mostest FUNNEST" thing in the whole world I can think of!

What did I buy?

First off, I've been so uncool in the purse department. I felt the need for a sophisticated bag to go with my new sophisticated age. Of course I headed to my beloved T.J. Max where I found this Jessica Simpson one (for way less than half its retail value, I might add).

I love everything about this bag. It has lots of compartments and pockets, a really cute floral print inside, and it can go with all colors so I don't have to feel bad about not matching. (Because it's not like I ever actually switch out bags if I don't.) After a full week of using it, I give Jessica Simpson purses two big thumbs up!

I also found a number of new tops at T.J. Max. They're waiting patiently in my closet for spring weather right now.

John met me at Olive Garden where we had lunch together and he gave me chocolate. And a very special card. And chocolate. Did I already say that? Chocolate? Oh yes, my man knows me well. He went with me to Best Buy where we found this Flip HD video camera for 1/3 off its normal asking price. I really wanted a way to record movies of the kids and so far I love it.

At Hobby Lobby I bought this entry table that I've been wanting. I like getting furniture at Goodwill or off Craigslist, but I haven't been able to find anything the right size for this space. Besides, I really like this table! (The wallpaper is coming down at some point, but not yet. I don't feel like it yet.)

I also found this frame and easel at Hob Lob. I'm especially fond of the picture that's in it right now. =)

Aren't these little birds so cute?

I found a sign to go above our coat hooks by the back door.

There was also some pretty new jewelry from Macy's and some new shoes from Kohl's. It was a full day! I came home at 5:00 to pick up the kids and my parents and we met up with John at Red Lobster for dinner. Afterward, we came back home where the kids had helped my mom make cupcakes earlier in the day.

My dad bought flowers and they decorated the dining room. (I think the picture taking becomes harder when there are so many kids to look after.)

Julia was disappointed there weren't 30 candles on the cupcakes. My mom finally convinced her that one for every 10 years was fine.

Blowing out the candles and officially turning "old".

Each of the kids got me a card. The princess one was from Julia. And the gift bag was packed full of new oven mitts, dish towels and wash rags, and candles from Target. How sad that these things excite me. =)

One more picture to prove that I don't look different (do I?) and to show off some of the new jewelry and the new sweater I bought. My mom said it was a good look for 30.

Thanks, Mom.

Thank you Mom and Dad for coming and making my day so special and fun. You've become champions of birthday celebrations in my book. I love you both!

Thank you Baby for loving me so much and buying me chocolate. You make me happy! Here's to my next 30 years with YOU!

And thank you babies for celebrating my day with me. My monkeys make everything more exciting (and noisy). My life is certainly full!

30 is great.....why did I wait so long?

Julia Plays Piano

I bought a Flip video camera with some of my birthday money (more on that subject later!) and wanted to share this video of Julia. She called me to the living room and wanted me to bring the camera....

My Daffodils Are Coming!

I planted a ton of daffodil bulbs in the fall. I barely finished before the snow started coming. We've been waiting all winter for them and here they come!!! We're so excited!

Homemade Burlap Curtains

When we moved in our house, I tried to use the curtains we already owned so John David's room got these. I never really liked them because they look kind of girly but they did their job decent enough.

I got to thinking though - what about burlap? It's cheap and rough and scratchy which equals boyish right?

So I used about one yard of burlap for each window. (Sorry there aren't more pictures - for some reason some of them were corrupted.) I used stitchwitch to hem up the sides and bottom and then used more stitchwitch to make the rod pocket at the top. Super easy.

I used some grosgrain ribbon I had to tie it up.

I added a big brown button with hot glue on each side.

I love the result and my 9 year old is happy to not have such girlish looking poofy curtains anymore!

Burlap is only $2.99 a yard at Hobby Lobby (Hancock's Fabrics carries burlap for $4.99 a yard). I used a 40% off coupon to bring it down to only $1.80 a yard (right? $1.80?)

I already had the ribbon on hand and of course the rods were already there. (Although the rods were only about $5 at Walmart if I remember correctly.)

The buttons were kind of a splurge at $2.50 each because I was impatient and didn't shop around.

Overall, not a bad price for restoring my son's manliness.

Go to Twice Remembered to see lots of other homemade things for "Make Your Monday".

Sewing Machine Cabinet Makeover

Not long ago, I mentioned this little sewing cabinet I picked up at Salvation Army for $10. I needed a side table for our formal living room and this $10 was what the budget would allow.

Here it is now! (Ignore the cord - I'm working on it.)

(Why are my lampshades always crooked in pictures? I don't think they look that way in real life. Strange....)

I sanded it down, primed it, painted it, glazed it, and distressed it.

The hardware is the same and I really like it.

I love all the curves and lines of this piece! Funny that it was just made to be a sewing cabinet.

I'll be posting more projects soon. There hasn't been much posting as I've been busy doing things to post about......