Blissful Chaos

I'm Back!

2011-02-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

Whew... I have been gone awhile! Here's a few things we have been doing these past few months.

1. We found out we are expecting #3 in June!

2. Celebrated both of my girl's birthdays... Maddy turned 4 & Presley 2.

3. Spent the holidays surrounded by our family.

4. My husband got a new job; he'll start in March.

5. Spending a lot of time inside...it's way too cold!!!!!

Okay, now that we got all of that out of the way, let's get to some fun crafts. My girls are really bored this week due to the fact that we have been snowed in. The Blizzard of 2011 hit Chicago and we currently have about 22 inches of snow. So, I decided a much needed craft night was in store for my girls tonight. I found this cute idea somewhere on the Internet (I can't find the exact site now), but it's very easy and fun for small kids.

All you need is the cardboard roll from the toilet paper, construction paper, glue, pipe cleaners, and glitter to decorate. See how much fun the girls had?

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. Very excited to be back to the "blog" world and looking forward to reconnecting with everyone!

Halloween Craft

2010-09-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

They have these adorable pumpkins at the Dollar Tree. I scooped up 3 of them to make a cute Halloween topiary.

First I chopped off the stem on 2 of the pumpkins to make it easier to stack.

Then I busted out the Heirloom White spray paint and gave all 3 a good coating.

My wonderful husband screwed nails into the pumpkins to stack them.

I used my cricut to cut out the vinyl letters and Halloween Decor.

And the final project...

Isn't it adorable? I think I will put it in the entryway, but still not sure of the final spot. Will post a picture of it later with the rest of my Halloween Decor.

Now run off to Dollar Tree and buy these cuties up!!

FALL-MANIA

2010-09-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Have I ever told you how much I love fall decorations?? Well I do...like really!

Today I started with a few bins of my fall decor for inside the house. It prompted me to do an entire deep clean of the house too, which made my husband very happy.

I love the harvest decor for several reasons, the first because the entire house starts to smell like cinnamon. The second because I don't have many holiday decorations for the summer, so this transforms the house from a boring, every-day house into a festive Fall house!

Lastly, I love decorating for Fall because from now until February, my house is filled with coordinating holiday decor (Halloween is my absolute favorite). Doesn't it put you in a good mood to see all the decorations?

Here is what my mantle looks like everyday (booooring....)

And here's after I attacked it with fall stuff:

And now the glass table in the foyer..

I took the cloche from here (that I made from a GW cheese dome and candlestick) to display my ceramic pumpkin. Isn't it cute?

Snap Shot Saturday

2010-08-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

I have got to get better at keeping up with this blog!! Do you ever feel like the day just passes so quickly and nothing was crossed off your to-do list?? I am feeling like that a lot lately since I have started my photography business. Any free time I did have, is now dedicated to editing client pictures. I love love love it, but it is still a learning process. Hopefully the more I practice, the less time it will take to edit.
So on to a favorite photo from the week. Here is the original straight from my Nikon D60:

First I edited the eyes to make them "pop" more and then I made the mosquito bites disappear (if only I could do that in real life). Then I cropped the picture to get this...

Brightening the eyes is just a little technique that really adds a nice touch to the picture!

Entertainment Facelift

2010-08-16T15:18:00.000-07:00

As the end of the summer quickly approaches, I figured I would feature one of my husband's projects. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law recently purchased a new television. They already had a very nice entertainment system, but with a bigger tv it just wouldn't work. So, they purchased a tv cabinet in the discounted section at a furniture store to match the existing towers- regular $400 marked down to $50. Then they enlisted my husband to build a new "bridge" between the towers.

This is the before. The cabinet the tv is sitting on was $50.

This is the after. Isn't is perfect? My sister wanted something where she could still decorate above!

It only took my husband and brother-in-law a few hours to build and it gave the whole entertainment system a new look!

Snap Shot Saturday

2010-07-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

Today is SnapShot Saturday and I'd like to share with you one of my favorite pictures ever.

I love this picture for many reasons, but mainly because when you see it you immediately know that soft, kissable, chubby feeling of a 3 month old!! It makes my heart melt every time I look at this picture.

Here is the original raw picture from my camera.

And again.. the after!

What do you think??

Grab my button and share some photos!!

Hobby Lobby Love

2010-07-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks ago, in between Vacation Bible School, making shirts for the charity walk, and starting up my photography business, I managed a little bargain shopping at Hobby Lobby.

Boy, do I love their bargains!! I found quite a few things, but here's my favorite.

This adorable tin sign was down 80% to $3.76.

I decided the perfect spot to put it was under my cabinet in the kitchen.

What do you think?

What have treasures have you came across lately??

Sneak Peek Into my life

2010-07-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

I find that it is a lot harder to keep up posts during the summer. Between the nice weather, and later bed times, my "ME" time barely exists. So, I thought I would give you a sneak peek into the life of Tristen.

Fourth of July:

I made these delicious cake balls for our first annual Neighborhood Cookout.

The recipe is super easy-->

1 cake mix

1 can of frosting

Vanilla Almond Bark

First you back the cake as directed on the box in a 13 X 9 pan. Let cool 5 min.

Take the entire cake out of the pan and put in a mixing bowl with the entire can of frosting.

Mix together to make it mushy.

Form into 1 1/2 inch balls. Refrigerate 1 hr.

Melt Almond Bark per package.

Dip balls in to coat. Then decorate if you wish. Let cool before serving!!

This time I made strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. It was a huge hit!!

Last month, my friends and I participated in a walk for the Kidney Foundation in honor of our friend's son, who was born with kidney failure. I wanted to do something to help, so I volunteered to make the team shirts. They were really easy to make and you can see how here.

Our team name was "Evan's Angels".

I just love the angel wings on the back of the shirt. It was so amazing and emotional to see the sea of blue shirts with wings walking for this little guy!! He definitely has a lot of love surrounding him.

Another new thing that I have been trying to keep up with, is a craft day once a week with my girls. Here is one of their favorites...FINGER PAINTING!!

Presley rubbed it all over her hands like lotion and Maddy said "You look like an Avatar!"

This is right before Presley decided to rub the blue paint all over her belly. Madysen was concentrating too hard to look at the camera. Even though craft time usually involves a lot of clean up on my part, the girls LOVE it. It breaks the monotony of the day and helps them expand their level of creativity.

2010-07-09T23:58:00.001-07:00

Snap Shot Saturday

2010-07-09T22:49:00.001-07:00

With the recent start-up of my photography business, I decided to dedicate Saturdays as my photography day! So on this day I will share a favorite photo, or technique and invite all of you to do the same!

My favorite shot this week is of my daughter Madysen. She has grown into the stage where she doesn't want her picture take (makes me CRAZY), so to get a good shot of her is pretty rare.

Here is the original shot:

And after a little Photoshop magic:

I really love this one in black and white because it softens the face to create that true innocence and beauty of a child.

Vinyl Love

2010-06-25T19:49:00.001-07:00

Hello, my name is Tristen and I'm addicted to vinyl!

There, I did it-- I admitted it.

I also must admit that I'm a sucker for monograms too. I mean how many S's can I have in one house?? With such a busy week for us, I was still able to complete a project off of my "To-Do" list. I have been wanting to do this for awhile.

Remember this adorable mirror I scored on sale at Kirkland's? Well, I love it on my mantel and use it display my holiday decor. But, when we are between holidays, it looks a tad bare. So, I didn't want this beauty to be naked any longer.

Enter my addiction to monograms!

What do you think? I cut it out using my Cricut and black vinyl. The font is from the Elegant Cakes cartridge!

New treasures = new projects

2010-06-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was our town's annual garage sales. I absolutely love having a garage sale and watching people buy your old stuff. It's funny, every year I am surprised by the true "junk" that sells first! The stuff I would think is a true treasure, ends up being packed away for the next garage sale!

Either way, as always, I sold a lot of our stuff, but I also acquired some more from scouting out the sales with my sis-in-law and mom-in-law.

Check out the awesome things I bought:

This adorable accent table for $3. Stay tuned for the transformation.

These gorgeous urns were only $2.50 each. I absolutely LOVE them and now am trying to find the perfect spot for them.

Now this cute, little desk for my daughter was only $.50!!!! Can you believe it? I even asked the lady, "Are you sure you only want $.50 for this?" So this was by far my best steal of the day.

Keep checking back to see what I do with all my new treasures!

April Showers bring May Flowers

2010-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

FINALLY, I am done with transforming the front flower bed. At least, for now I am satisfied. Sadly, it took a bit longer than expected, but I love the outcome. I have to admit that I am a bit picky, so when I have an idea in my head, I can't stop until I have it exactly that way. So, that explains the delay!

Here is a before picture from last year:

It is such a big space and I tried to make the best of it but was never happy with it.

So this year, my project was to do a complete overhaul on a tight budget.

I was fed up with the overgrown irises, so I ripped them out and added some small shrubs.

My wonderful husband and daughters bought me the fountain for Mother's Day. I added a bag of slate rock around it. Then the hubby made a berm in the front to add some dimension.

(Sorry, I had just watered).

The berm isn't total love just yet, but it's getting there!

We added landscaping edgers to keep the mulch contained better and give it a more finished look. I love the way it turned out!

I thought adding some stepping stones would be a great way to fill up some of the extra space.

For each side of my garage, I wanted huge urns, but they were soooooo incredibly expensive. So, I opted for a cheap alternative and LOVE the new planters. Someday I'll get the expensive, beautiful urns, but for now I'll love my affordable, plastic planters!

So again for the before:

And the after:

Now I'm looking forward to painting our front door. Any suggestions on a color? I was originally wanting black, but now I'm not too sure.

My Mother's Day

2010-05-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is such a fun day to celebrate all the wonderful mother's out there. It's a day to pamper, spoil, and appreciate moms. I love this day because it reminds me what an honor it is to be a mother and how I'm blessed with such a great family.

This year my oldest daughter was able to really understand the day. In her class at the library the teacher had all the kids make little baskets for their moms decorated with stickers. Then, they each planted lettuce in a pot and gave it to us at the end of class. It was by far, the sweetest thing EVER!!!

All week my husband told Madysen that Mother's day was coming and that she had to be extra nice to mommy. It was so cute. He used our new Flip video camera (total love) to get a video of the girls wishing me a Happy day and posted it to my computer in the morning. The best was that he let me sleep in -undisturbed until whenever I decided to wake up. It was AMAZING!!!! And my big present was a water fountain for the front flower bed of our house. All in all, it was a great weekend and I was truly spoiled to the core with love and kisses!!

I hope all the mothers out there were able to enjoy their day however they wished! Anyone can carry a child for 9 months, but it takes a special heart to be a mom. It's not always easy, some days are frustrating and difficult, but it is the MOST rewarding job ever created.

Flirting with Organic

2010-05-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

Since watching the documentary "Food Inc." I have started to make conscious efforts in changing the Smith Family's food habits. Part of that change has also included finding alternatives for all the chemicals I use everyday to clean. I have been in search of an All Purpose cleaner to use in the kitchen that actually works. I have tried other Organic products with disappointment, but I came across this in the clearance bin.

Introducing my new love :

Drum roll please.......

Seventh Generation All Purpose Cleaner!!

It was on clearance, so I figured I was wasting $1.98, but I had to give it a try. Had I discriminated against this just because it was thrown in the "not cool" bin, I would have missed out. I should have known better than to judge...

This stuff actually WORKS. Tonight while cooking, I made my usual mess on the stove. After dinner I decided to play with the girls instead of clean up right away. So, needless to say the grease had become one with my stove. I sprayed a bit of this on it, walked over to the sink to get a sponge.. and poof.. GONE!! No lie...

You must try this out..

The best part is that it is safe for the kiddies and pets. It's non toxic and biodegradable.

What could be better?? Good for the environment and it WORKS!!

I highly recommend watching Food Inc. too for all those that haven't seen it yet. It is very informative about our Nation's food system. I promise you...it'll make you think next time you are in the grocery store!

Baby Shower gift

2010-04-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Aren't baby shower gifts so fun??

My friend is having a baby girl soon, and for her shower gift I really wanted to make something different. So, I decided to make her a bow holder for the nursery to organize all the tiny hair bows.

I know these are all over blogland, but they are so adorable and easy to make! We all know one of the best parts about having girls is all the adorable bows to decorate their hair...what a perfect way to add to your nursery decor while organizing at the same time.

I also had the privilege of shooting her maternity pictures, so I thought a collage would be a cute personal touch.

Add some pink dresses, put it all in a cute pink basket, tie up with some pink ribbon and attach a cutesy girl poem and you have the perfect baby shower gift.

A girl can never have too much pink.

Motherhood

2010-04-21T20:54:00.001-07:00

Being a mother is undoubtedly, the hardest job ever. And, even though most days are insanely rewarding, some days are, in fact, a job. However, it seems as I talk with other moms, that I am not alone when I say, that we all seem to battle the same illness... the guilt syndrome. For whatever reason, men do not seem to suffer from this as strongly. (I'm not saying men don't feel guilty for decisions they make for their family, but I truly believe they do not carry the same weight on their shoulders as we mothers do.)

It starts as immediate as conception. You are so excited to be pregnant, but then the questions start. Are you going to stay at home? Are you going to breastfeed? Did your doctor say you could eat that because mine didn't? You aren't going to put a 6 week old in daycare, are you?

And the delight of being pregnant has suddenly been overtaken by the G word- guilt. You feel guilty if you do not stay at home with your children, you feel guilty if you use formula, you feel guilty if you have a c-section, you feel guilty if you drink pop while pregnant...and the list continues.

I battled with this syndrome terribly after my first daughter was born. I felt like I had to be supermom and do everything as "they" say. But really, who exactly is they?

I mean, I know they say nursing is proven to be better, but has anyone suffered drastic side effects from formula? Like I'm at the grocery store and a man is backing his car out of the parking spot without even looking, and almost hits my daughter and I. Do I say wow he must have been fed formula as a child?? NO!

Don't get me wrong, I am a total supporter of breast feeding your child; I'm just saying if you choose not to, don't feel guilty. I'm not a psychologist by any means, but I think that we ourselves are the biggest critics of ourselves. I'm not speaking for anyone, but I know I am guilty of putting the most pressure on myself. Isn't that just crazy?

Since I've had another child, I feel like I have treated my guilt syndrome better. When I'm feeling that obnoxious G-word, I try to take a step back and realize that I am doing a fine job. Sure, my kids act up in Target from time to time, and yes I have been that mom who shoves a sugary sucker in her 14 month old daughter's screaming mouth to get her grocery shopping done. And I'm the first to admit that I swore I would NEVER do that, but I am guilty of it (that nasty G word again).

The biggest battle I still struggle with is who am I. Am I a mother first? A wife first? Somedays the kids are so time consuming that I have neglected any quality interaction with my husband. I am so exhausted by dinner time, that I have honestly forgot to ask him how his day was. I value being a mother as one of the most precious responsibilities, but I also value my marriage. My husband is my best friend and my rock. Our marriage is the foundation for our family, so that too is just as important. For us, we try to reconnect by having a date night once every few weeks. That too, can be a battle with finding a babysitter, but it is very important to make the effort. Otherwise, in all the blissful chaos you start to lose the strong connection with each other.

So, this post is just for all the moms who can relate. Take it easy on yourself. We are all doing the best we can for our children and families. No doubt, we all have our crazy moments. No one is perfect, but our kids think we are and that's all that matters.

SHREKTASTIC

2010-04-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

In honor of the new Shrek movie coming out, I thought I'd share with you my daughter's Shrektacular 3rd Birthday. I mean, this girl is OBSESSED with Shrek, so I wanted to make this party special for her.

For the cake, I used the small dome cake pan from Wilton's.

I covered it with green fondant. I hand molded Shrek's ears around a wooden dowel and stuck it into the head of the cake.

Because the cake was rather small, I made "Swamp" cupcakes, complete with dirt (oreo bits) and candy worms.

For the goodie bags, I filled them with pop rocks, slimy creatures, Shrek the Halls movie, magic potion (pixie sticks), and Ogre tattoos. I attached a tag with a picture of Donkey that I found on the internet and put a personalized thank you.

For the food table:

I made tags for all the food with fun names to go with the theme:

Weed Rat Pie, Swamp Scum, Seaweed Sludge, etc..

For the drinks, I made two different color punch red and green:

The red was Happily Ever After Potion, and the green was Swamp Juice.

I even put gummy worms in the green one and topped it with green sherbet to get the "sludgy" look.

Decorating was a tad tricky.

I found a template online of Shrek's face so I printed that on regular paper.

Then I glued the face to foam board and used a utility knife to cut it out.

Then I glued a Popsicle stick to it completing the mask.

I also made a few signs:

We played pin the tail on Donkey and listened to the soundtrack to all the Shrek movies.

Oh, I almost forgot the invitations.

They were a lot of fun to make.

Of course the Princess had to wear her Shrek shirt to the party!

(I tried to get others to wear Shrek attire, but no one cooperated!!)

The party was SOO much fun and the first year I really stayed with the theme. Hope you enjoy!!

Oreo deliciousness

2010-04-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

Since I'm slacking on projects, I thought I'd share some favorite recipes.

This one tops ALL desserts around this family. It is by far, the #1 requested dessert.

OREO BALLS

1 pkg. Oreo Cookies

8 oz. softened cream cheese

12 oz. Bakers White Chocolate

Put the entire package of oreos in a ziploc bag and crush.

Put in a large bowl with the cream cheese.

Beat with mixer on medium, until well blended.

Form into balls.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Follow directions on the back of the box of chocolate to melt.

Dip oreo ball into chocolate.

You can add sprinkles, nuts, or anything you want!

I usually decorate them based on the holiday! (little ghost faces for Halloween, red/green for Christmas, etc.)

Refrigerate overnight!!

Hippity Hop

2010-04-02T18:06:00.001-07:00

Can you tell Spring is here???

I feel like each year the winter gets longer and longer, so spring is such a welcomed blessing at our house. Somehow, Easter is already this weekend (can't believe it) and we have been having some nice 70+ weather. I LOVE IT!!

If you are looking for some quick, easy snacks for Easter Sunday, I have the PERFECT recipe. This was given to me by a friend (I'm not sure where she got it), and it is dreamy.

Brickle Dip

8oz softened cream cheese

1/4 C sugar

1/2 C brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 - 8 oz pkg. of Heath toffee bits

3 lb. bag of Granny Smith apples

Mix cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Then add the heath bits. Serve with sliced apples

**Tip: To keep sliced apples from turning brown, soak in lemon-lime pop.**

I don't really like apples, and I LOVE this dip. I literally could eat the entire bowl, so please try it out!

What a beautiful ooey, gooey masterpiece!! Enjoy!!!

LAXATIVES, PROJECTS, AND SUN

2010-03-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

To start off, we had a mini step today with potty training for Madysen.

She asked to go #2 on the potty. I was elated that she wanted to try, so of course I helped her try, and try, and try, and try, and try....for pretty much most of the last 4 hours!! But, I figured if she showed the interest, I better support it. We have been using laxatives for almost 2 months now per our pediatrician to help her overcome her fear of a bowel movement. At first, I thought this "treatment" was absurd, but after doing some further research, I see that is much more common that I expected. Needless to say, there was no BM on the toilet, but I was proud of her for her interest. Hey, she might be 10 and still need a diaper to #2..ya never know!!

Does anyone else have this issue with their toddler?? Please, any tips or suggestions are welcome!!

Okay on to something more exciting than poo in the toilet. Ha!

I made this frame a few months ago after seeing something similar at a craft show.

I thought the saying was so precious.

I bought an unfinished frame at Michaels for $4.99.

I taped the lines using painter's tape and wrote the saying with a black sharpie.

Hope you enjoy!

Looking forward to a week of beautiful weather here! I apologize ahead of time for lack of projects; I'll be spending as much time as possible outside!!

Have a blessed Easter week!!

THIS is the final rose...

2010-03-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Let me first start off by confessing that yes, I did have a neon beer sign hanging in the living room for the last 3 years. My husband was desperately trying to hold on to that itsy bitsy part of his "bachelor" days and with two small children, I didn't have the energy to fight it. Plus, I knew I had to have that "perfect" replacement before even trying to remove the darn thing. You see, my husband thinks that everything must be securely mounted with heavy-duty screws (like we get crazy earthquakes in IL), so I knew that I'd have huge holes in the wall.

I eagerly awaited the day when the neon glare would be no more. I often joked that when he turned it on, the kids and I would suffer from migraines.

Then finally, one day last summer we went to our friend's new house, and I saw these gorgeous, unique shelves our friend had built. His shelves were amazing, and I knew that Jeff could make something similar, but smaller to replace the beer sign.

I don't think we even made it home before I was nagging him to build it.

So here's the awful before (I'm so embarrassed to show this...)

Now that's one beautiful bar sign! *gagging...gagging***

And here is our version of our friend's shelves:

I really love it for our space.

I love the small lights he mounted underneath.

I love that now I have a space to proudly display our family pictures.

I do not love that the cord shows...but hey, it's better than a neon glow!!!

Out with the red...in with the green

2010-03-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

So, the kitchen project is pretty much complete (minus a few details like persuading the husband to get new countertops..oh yeah and the curtains). As with most projects, this has provoked a whole revolution of change. Of course it couldn't just be concentrated to the kitchen because our house is an open-concept. Now I must change the decor in my living room, computer room to match...and the snowball continues. (my husband just loves this part...NOT)

But, I understand that my burgundy sheers in the living room might just have to wait considering we are on a single income and the economy just sucks right now. So, if you come to visit, deal with the obnoxious clashing going on right now until I can score a deal on new curtains. I wish that I could sew because curtains are EXPENSIVE. Call me cheap, but I refuse to pay a lot for some fabric that hangs on my window who's only purpose is decoration!! :)

Anyway enough with my rant on curtains. Now to the kitchen. Here's a before in case you forgot...

To the exciting part:

Yay for mirrors from Ikea $2.99

My favorite part is above the cabinets!!

(the painting here looks like it's hung too high, but I took this picture standing on a ladder...when you are at a normal level, it's perfect.)

It's the small things that matter

2010-03-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

This week I have been showing you some projects I completed for my "mini" kitchen makeover. I tried my hardest to give the kitchen an updated look, but on a very minimal budget.

Some of my existing accessories didn't match the new look. What is a girl to do??

HELLLLLLLOOOO... enter can of Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray paint.

Even though I have already showed you my "new" hardware for the cabinets,

I think you need a good close up of the before to get the true impact!

See how much better the new ORB handles are??

(The lighting was totally different in the two pictures...I didn't change anything with the color of the cabinets.)

The next little thing I changed was my paper towel holder. It used to be chrome.

Now, I always thought chrome was my favorite until I came across ORB.

So, the paper towel holder had to be changed.

(Sorry no before pic).

I showed you here how I updated our kitchen stools to fit the new look.

Target must have known that I painted my kitchen and would

be in need of new placemats because these were $.74 each!!!!

I also changed out my crusty, nasty, white garbage for a new

"step" black garbage. (11.97 at Walmart.)

Add a coordinating rug from HomeGoods (7.98)

Even though these changes were somewhat minor, they made a huge impact on final outcome.

At times they were a bit time consuming (stools), but it saved us a lot of money and it looks great!

Sunday I will post the pictures of the entire kitchen so you can see it all put together!

Twine is the new black

2010-03-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone has at least three zillion of those plain glass vases, right??

(uhem..I only 2! My husband obviously doesn't send me flowers very often!)

Anyway...back to the project! Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick had a brilliant idea to take these vases and cover them with twine. ( She might have used jute, but same idea!)

What a perfect idea!!! I LOVE her!!

Just spray the glass vase with spray adhesive.

Then start wrapping with twine!

Hint: If any of the adhesive shows on the glass after you are finished wrapping, just use a little rubbing alcohol to take it off!

So, Hobby Lobby had all floral stems 1/2 off.

Here's what I started with:

I had to cut the styrofoam to fit in the vase.

After playing around a bit with the arrangement, I finally got it just right.

I'm not sure the right spot yet for it- maybe a centerpiece for the table??

But for now, it's on the counter.

Bleach T-Shirts

2010-03-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Can I start off by saying how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this project? It is super cute, super easy, and best of all-- super CHEAP. My inspiration for this project came from Jamee over at Homemaker.

(Visit her blog, and I'm sure you'll be hooked like me!)

First, you take a plain T-shirt. I got mine from the Dollar Tree!

Exhibit A :
Then, using my Cricut, I cut out the letters on cardstock.

I sprayed the back of the letters with some adhesive.

Then placed them on the shirt.

Exhibit B:

(Sorry for the turned picture, I could not get it to turn the right way. I gave up trying!!!)

I put some bleach in a spray bottle and added a little water.

Spray up in the air and let the mist fall down on the shirt.

*** Put something in the shirt to keep it from bleaching the back too!***

Let dry for about 10 minutes and then remove the letters.

I loved them so much I made my Godson one too! Aren't they just adorable???

I made the pink one first and used too much bleach, but I still like the outcome.

This is a cute, inexpensive gift any kid would love!!!

I will be linking this project to this party. Check it out!

Inspiration Week

2010-03-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have been working on several little projects to accessorize my kitchen, most of which came from some very talented bloggers. I decided to do an Inspiration Week in which I share with all of you a different project each day. On Friday, I'll reveal my entire new kitchen that I updated on a very strict budget.

To my first project--

I absolutely have a sick obsession with monograms and family names. I know, how many can you possibly put up in your house, right?? I came across this idea on Imperfectly Beautiful and knew I must make one. If you haven't visited her site, check it out! She has amazing ideas!!

My new kitchen has been pretty bare--lack of accessories and lack of money to purchase new ones. So a much needed trip to GoodWill produced a simple, black frame ($.99) for this adorable project.

I dusted off my Cricut and cut the letters using the Alphalicious cartridge and some black vinyl. I added some light blue scrapbook paper for the background.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Cheap and easy to make!

Here's the new accessory on my counter!

Photo Blocks

2010-03-14T15:25:00.001-07:00

I did this little craft a few weeks ago and am so excited to find a place for it in our house.

I came across this idea on a blog one night, but can not find it again. So, whoever featured this on their blog, I apologize for not acknowledging you. If you message me, I will post the link to your blog as my inspiration.

First, I cut some wooden blocks using my husband's compound miter saw. (Yes, I made all the cuts myself, with his supervision!!) I started with a 4X4 and cut 3 blocks of different sizes: 3 1/2 x 3 1/2, 3X3, and finally a 2 1/2 X 2 1/2.

Next, I painted the edges black. I printed my favorite photos on regular paper (better to modge podge with. I applied a thin coat of the mod podge to the blocks and applied the pictures. After I let it dry for 20 mins, I put another thin coat over the entire picture and block, giving it a nice sealed finish. I sanded the edges down to give it the "worn" look and here you have it.

This project will be on this link party:

Goodwill Weekend!!

2010-03-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

So, I went into Goodwill this weekend looking for some chunky, wood candlesticks for an upcoming project. Instead, I came out with a cart full of fun stuff and no candlesticks. Check out my treasures from this week:

This cute little white bowl only $.99!!!

Another adorable bowl $2.99

My favorite treasure was this coffee table for $24. Not only is it solid wood, but it is in great shape and super huge!!! I LOVE it! Now I just need to sand it and slap some paint on it. After pictures hopefully to follow soon.

Here is what I did with the first small white bowl. Add some moss with a few eggs and you have a cute Spring decoration!!

Kitchen Stools

2010-03-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this past week. I have not forgotten all of you, just been really busy. My 3 year old has started a few classes this past week, so I have officially become a "soccer mom". I never knew how much I would LOVE it! She started tumbling on Tuesdays, which is so fun to watch. The teacher has asked that the parents do not stay in the gym, but watch from the windows. This is a very big step for Miss Maddy because she has never participated in an "independent" class. Surprisingly, she didn't even notice I wasn't there. I instead took the 45 minutes to walk the track with my husband, killing two birds with one stone. We were able to have a little time to ourselves as well as fit in some much needed cardio!

We would peek down at the little tumblers, and even though the teacher had to keep reminding Madysen to stay in line, I was beaming with pride. One of the minor disadvantages of staying at home is that my girls have become pretty shy when it comes to social settings. I have tried really hard to keep Maddy involved in different programs around our area, but she never really engages in the activities, just stays glued to my leg. Finally, tumbling has broke her out of her shell (maybe even a little too much!!) Needless to say, we had a blast watching our little Princess have so much fun with all the other girls.

Now on to some projects...

Time to show you what I have been working on. We used to have these stools in our kitchen.

I do believe these stools came from someone's trash that my sister-in-law spotted as a treasure. The stools were just "okay", but when I painted the kitchen, I knew they needed a facelift. To update them, I just painted the legs black.

A cheap, easy way to update something I already had and make it work with my new space! Hope you enjoy!

Amazingly delicious

2010-03-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

For dinner the other night, I made this.

I realize the picture does not capture the true deliciousness of this 1/2 Organic Mexican pizza, however it was fantastic. Here's what you need to make this heavenly pizza:

1- premade crust (Usually come in pkg of 2)

1- 14 oz can Refried beans, divided (I used organic)

1.5 lbs ground beef (try grass-fed beef...it's amazing)

1- Taco Seasoning Packet

2- small Roma Tomatoes (organic)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (organic)

Lettuce (organic)

Sour Cream

Doritos (not so organic)

Brown the ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning and water (per pkg).

Meanwhile, brush olive oil over the crusts of the pizza

Spread refried beans evenly over each crust.

Top with seasoned beef and shredded cheese.

Bake 350 for 10-12 minutes

Then add diced tomatoes, lettuce, and crush up dorito's!

Sour cream optional.

This recipe will give you enough to make both pizza crusts. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Whistle while you work...

2010-02-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

Let's see... I have been nonstop busy trying to finish the kitchen. My wonderful husband helped me and we finished today. I'm SOOO excited with the outcome. Here's the before-

****WARNING-- DISASTER AREA AHEAD ****

Of course, I didn't remember to take a before picture until after we started dismembering the kitchen. I just started taking stuff off the walls and putting it on the counter while my husband so graciously started taping. So, I apologize for the craziness.

Can you see the hideous gold handles shining at you?? I know, the glare is unbearable!!

Here is a sneak peek of the after (not decorated yet!!)

You can take your sunglasses off, the glare is GONE forever!!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE these new handles. Actually, they aren't "new", but the hideous gold ones I mentioned above. I just took some Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray paint and painted the entire handle...wood and all! Much cheaper than new handles-- new ones were going to be around $70!! So instead, I spend $3 on a can of spray paint and another $3 on spray primer. The result-- LOVE !!

I promise to post more pictures as I complete the kitchen accessories. Wait until you see the treasure my Sis-in-law bought me from Goodwill. SOOOO excited to show you this week...

Kitchen reveal????

2010-02-25T22:03:00.000-08:00

I will be excited to reveal my kitchen make-over, but I am not finished painting yet. My little ones came down with a virus, so my main priority was cuddling with my two sickies.

It is so funny how I have started to obsess with decorating/changing our house. I love that my husband put all his blood, sweat, and tears into building our house. His whole family put their efforts into it too, which makes it that much more special.

So, as I curse when I hit my shin on the ladder, and my arm is numb from trying to paint a 9 ft. wall, I love every minute of it. Sure, could I have paid someone to come paint it? Would it have already been done and we wouldn't have to be eating dinner in the computer room?? Yes, and yes, but why take the easy way? Every swipe, every drip mark, every splatter of that paint I own. I feel like I appreciate the details more because I recognize the energy it takes to make something look perfect. I take pride in my work, even if it isn't perfect. And that is what make our house a true HOME.

My husband and I both enjoy "hands on" work and now it has become a little hobby we do together. Even our oldest daughter picks up on the "fun" and pretends to make projects right along with us. Not only does it save us a lot of money, but it has become fun.

The best thing I could teach both of my girls is to be strong, independent women. If you want your kitchen painted, why not do it yourself?? You appreciate things a lot more when you have your own blood, sweat, and tears in it!

It's Baby Time!!

2010-02-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I promised to post pictures of my favorite room in the house. Hands down, this would be our nursery. When I was pregnant with our second daughter, I knew I wanted to redo the nursery and try something more daring. I bought the bedding before I knew what we were having because I just loved the neutral colors. However, I do admit it is a little more on the masculine side, but I tried to balance that with some pink accents.

I can't seem to find a really good picture of before--so here's all I have.

The nursery was frog themed with "Hippity Hop" painted on the wall. I went completely gender neutral because we didn't find out the sex of our first child. So, I tried to be creative with the nursery, but I never really loved it.

After I got the new bedding, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. So, here's my favorite room. I hope you like it!

As I look at the picture I notice that the lampshade is not straight..which bothers me, but you get the idea. I have two crazy toddlers, it's hard to keep it perfect!!

Exciting!!!

2010-02-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

Today my chalkboard wall was featured on Summer's blog called Sumossweetstuff for one of her favorite projects from this week. I was so surprised because I LOVE her blog. Be sure to check her out here. She not only has the cutest crafts, but also yummy recipes. Thanks again Summer!!!

Now, for this week...it's baby fever! Not what you are thinking...no babies for us anytime soon. However, with all my friends expecting or with newborns, I have decided to show my favorite room in our house...my nursery. Check back on Monday for pictures of the dramatic transformation! Everyone have a great weekend!

Chalkboard wall

2010-02-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

So, I finally finished my chalkboard wall. Between sicknesses and laziness, it only took me three weeks. My husband, with his OCD, was ready to kill me. I had this awkward wall with a lot of empty space. Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick gave me this brilliant idea. She had a similar wall, so my inspiration came from her!!

I taped off the rectangle, making sure it was level. Then I began the adventure of painting the magnetic paint. (I wanted the chalkboard to be magnetic to hang the girls art on it and free up the refrigerator.) HINT: If you plan on using this paint, be prepared to do about 13 coats AT LEAST!! The can says 2 coats... YEAH RIGHT.

So, after the magnetic paint, I did 3 coats of chalkboard paint. Then it was time for some trim. I bought the cheap skinny trim from Home Depot.. 2.95 for 8 ft. Then my lovely,

wonderful (catch the theme??) husband painted it black. I cut the trim (power tools are awesome!!) and used the nail gun (again AWESOME) to finish out the project.

After all the frustrations with the magnetic paint, the final product is awesome. Now, I have

a easy space to keep the girls busy, plus I can display all of their projects!

I LOVE IT!!

And yes, for the record.. Maddy wrote MOM immediately on her new board! Couldn't get any better...

Valentine's Day

2010-02-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

With yet another winter storm, being stuck inside hasn't been so bad this time. I have tried to use the time to catch up on some Valentine's Day crafts that I really wanted to finish. The first is one I came up with while strolling down the aisles of Michaels. I saw these unfinished frames for $1 each and I knew I could do something cute with them!

I had some chipboard letters I found in the dollar bin at Target (gotta love the dollar bins there, they are amazing!). So, my wonderful, amazing husband (did I mention that he's awesome???)... anyway, he took the frames and painted them solid black. I had some V-day scrapbook paper as the background and glued the letters right to it. Add some ribbon to the back to hold it all together...and you have a very cheap, cute Valentine's Day door hanger!!

M-O-M

2010-02-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

MOM-- such a simple, short word but the meanings are endless. Just in the past week or so my three year-old Madysen wrote her first word- "mom". I was soooo excited. My husband got the bragging rights for her first word "da da", but THIS is monumental. I mean every kid says "da da" first, right? This is just unbelievable... she just turned three and now she can write a word!! How crazy is that???? Of course, I encourage her to write it all over now :)

So, to continue to brag on my children, I must point out that Presley also in the last week has started calling me "MOM". Not, ma ma not mommy, but just plain ol' MOM. It sounds so funny coming from such a tiny little person, but it is a blessing nonetheless. She dabbled with the word around 7 1/2 months, but this is the first time she has related it to me. I love it!!

With these two major milestones in our house, I have been thinking a lot about living in the moment. I know that our house is pretty chaotic right now- for example our dog Spike ate five feet of bubblegum tape last week. I was panicked because I thought that gum was seriously toxic for animals and my husband was supposed to leave for work within the hour. So, we called the vet who said to pour peroxide down the dog's throat to make him vomit. Meanwhile, Maddy, sensing the tension, started to get really upset that Spike was sick. Jeff had just enough time to help hold poor Spike down while we gave him the peroxide, then he had to scoot to work. Thankfully, I was left with the puking dog and crying toddler who thinks she killed Spike with her bubblegum! All this drama in just under an hour!!! After everything settled down, I thought does everyone have all this chaos?? I just couldn't help but chuckle a bit. I know that in a few years we will have different chaos and I will look back at this time and really miss all these innocent, fun times.

Poor Presley is sick with a cold today which totally makes my heart hurt. Another reason why the word mom is so powerful. She was so uncomfortable all night, barely sleeping and then all day today she just moped around. Several times while playing, she walk over to me and just sat on my lap and said "MOM" with her huge, blue eyes looking up at me. It is soooo hard looking at your baby knowing they are in pain or not feeling well. You feel helpless when the doctor says let it run it's course. Her eyes just looked like they were saying mom, please make me feel better. It's during these times especially that I cherish being a mother. I just can't fathom ever being without my girls no matter what. What an honor to be called a "MOM".

Not enough hours...

2010-01-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

So, I had planned to have this elaborate blog about my newest project involving magnetic paint and trim--however, I'm still not finished. Do you ever feel like there's not enough hours in the day??? I know that I could have had this project done, but my husband was off work the last two days and I just enjoyed hanging with the family. Today, we were gone for a bit, but by the time we got home, I feel like all I did was cook, eat, and clean. Now, add bath time for two wiggly kids, and before you know it, it's bed time. So my totally fun, awesome project I have been so excited about, was put on the back burner. I promise to share later in the week.

My second goal for this week is to DE-CLUTTER. I have been trying to clean out one disgusting junk drawer/cabinet/toy box/closet a week to start 2010 off clutter-free. I will also share some of those pictures too. I found that Sarah at thriftydecorchick.com has inspired me by her many before and after pics of DE-CLUTTERING. Sometimes it helps to see that other people have the same junk hidden in the same places. And, if you set realistic goals of tackling one problem area at a time, it isn't nearly as difficult (meaning you don't have to take away that much time from face book or American Idol and you still have a clean house!!) So, where are your problem areas??? Where do you hide all your junk that you swear you'll clean up later??

I HEART KIRKLANDS

2010-01-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

So, I finally was able to use my gift card from Christmas at my new favorite store...Kirklands. My sister-in-law introduced me to this little treasure of a store. The best part, it's very affordable!! Of course, as soon as I walked in, I saw all the huge "CLEARANCE" signs calling my name. Upon further investigating, I also found a whole section of $5 specials. HEAVEN!! Needless to say, I walked away spending my whole gift card and then some (thanks honey!).

My favorite purchase was this irregular octagon mirror regularly $49.99 marked down to $10. I couldn't believe my eyes, I almost fainted. So, a little lightbulb went off.... perfect for my mantle!

As you know, Valentine's Day is quickly approaching. I have yet to purchase many decorations for this day, but this year I wanted a few things without spending alot of money. So, I saw this crafty little project on http://soyouthinkyourecrafty-current.blogspot.com. A contestant came up with this idea and I fell in love.
So, I went to Joanne's and bought a styrofoam heart for $3.99 and some jute for $2.97. Using my new glue gun, I got to work wrapping the twine. I decide to add some red ribbon and hang from my new bargain mirror on the mantle. What do you think? It's a nice way to add a little V-day decor without overdoing it!

From Drab to FAB...

2010-01-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

So, I have been wanting to do a picture wall for like FOREVER, but kept putting it off. Over the last few months I have been keeping my eye out for cheap, black frames to complete my project. While visiting family in TN, I found a seven piece kit which included 3- 4X6 fames, 1- 8X10, and 1- 4X6 collage, and 2 shelves all for $9.99. Can you say SCORE??!! The largest frame for our family picture (which I haven't picked up yet) was $14.97 at IKEA and the the collage of 4- 4X6 was marked down to $3 at Kmart after Christmas.

I got all the frames and shelves out along with my fabulous vinyl wall saying and just began playing around with the layout on my floor. I measured the wall where I was going to put everything. Using the tape measure, I set it at the exact measurement and set it on the floor as my guide for the width. Then I just kept trying different positions until I came up with one I loved. I got my wonderful camera out and took a picture of it before my girls came to destroy my 30 minutes of hard work. Then I got on my computer and began playing with the millions of pictures I have of the girls, cropping and coloring them just right. After I printed all the pictures and put them in the frames, my wonderful husband (who just woke up from midnights) obeyed my directions and hung them all up for me!! :) He loves doing that as I bark orders "a tad to the left, no up, no down." ESPECIALLY when he's only had a few hours of sleep. Nonetheless, the project is done- SUCCESS... and my husband didn't even fall down the stairs trying to hang the stuff!! I LOVE the final product. Now to the adjoining wall (ignore that in the pictures, I'm trying to come up with a plan for that one.)

Happy New Year (better late than never)

2010-01-09T20:27:00.001-08:00

2010 is now here! Maddy and I celebrated by enjoying the countdown after a night of playing games and making mini pizzas for a late night snack. Poor Presley would have never made it to midnight, so we didn't even try. Instead, it was "Mommy and Maddy" time. We called Daddy at work right before the countdown so he could celebrate with us, which made the night extra special. Even though I hate that Jeff had to work, I really had a great night. Madysen is at such a fun age- asking funny questions, wanting to be a part of everything! She was my little party buddy tonight complete with party hats and all. It seems so mind blowing that it has been 10 years since the millennium, as I was a senior in high school. I believe I was probably spending the New Year at Shadow Lakes with a bunch of people, who at the time seemed like best friends, but are now complete strangers. Had you asked me that night where I'd be in 10 years, I don't know if I would have said a SAHM of two daughters! I probably would have said something like "traveling the world." I however, can look back and say that i have no regrets. I have enjoyed being young and carefree and now wouldn't change my life for anything. I prayed for this happiness for so long, I love every minute of it. I always was afraid to be a mom, afraid I wouldn't be good at it, but now it consumes me. It defines me. I am a mother. My girls are my life and I LOVE it. Of course, I too, am a wife and have a really amazing husband. I know a lot of people say they have a great husband, but I really mean it. Of course sometimes I want to beat him (ha!), but he surprises me everyday with how much he loves me and our kids. He loves me, even with all my imperfections. It has been hard for me to let my guard down and know that he isn't just going to leave. We are forever and our life together is forever. Coming from the life I have had, this was very hard for me. I have always expected the worst, and now I just know that no matter what happens our family can get through it together. What an awesome feeling to have!
Time seems to be flying by as 2010 begins, my one goal this year is to enjoy each day more. Many days now with two little ones, I drown myself all day with cleaning, dishes, laundry, internet...etc. I always think.. "Oh, tomorrow we'll do this.." I really truly want to focus on setting aside time each day to spend separately with each daughter. Lately, we have been battling a little jealousy from Madysen, so I really think this might help the situation. I want to be more creative as a mom, go to the library, finger paint, make projects...open up our minds to many new things. Being a mom is the hardest job in the world, and we should be proud of ourselves!!! For my children, I just want to teach them to be comfortable with themselves, teach them to be loving and compassionate, and to live life everyday. I want them to know they always have our (Jeff and I) love and support to do anything they want to do. That is something I never felt in my heart and I hope my girls carry that with them all throughout their lives. HAPPY 2010...let it be a year full of blessings and good health.

GARAGE SALE DRESSER REDO

2010-01-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SyxOt4CU3gI/AAAAAAAAGLg/iK2TF15ixoo/S270/beforeAndAfterButton.gif

I found this dresser at a garage sale and just knew I had to have it. However, the lady wanted $50 for it!!! Can you believe it?? I was thinking...absolutely no way no how. I'll just wait until she throws it away and get it for free :). Anyway, after much begging, I talked my husband into dealing with her and walked away with both pieces for $20. Add some paint... and you get this...

Does Santa pee standing up??

2009-12-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

2009 is quickly coming to an end, and I'm still wondering where the whole year went?? Presley will be 1 in just a few days; it's completely overwhelming. I still feel like she's my little baby, when I guess she's turning into a toddler before my eyes. Just the day after Christmas she started walking more than crawling! Her little personality is too much fun as she is the happiest baby I have ever seen. Her smile lights up her entire face and now it's just not that "gummy" smile as she has 5 teeth. I have a ladybug party planned and am attempting to make her cake as well. Maddy's turned out really cute, so I thought..what the heck, why not make life harder and attempt it again??
Madysen is now 3 and we are still potty training. She is still completely and utterly terrified to #2 on the toilet, so I would say she's 95% day trained and we haven't even begun night time yet. She will ask for a diaper to do her duties, then back to underwear. I'm afraid to push her because her pediatrician said just to back off and the let it happen. Last time I tried the "tough love", she was constipated for days and miserable. I know it'll happen, but its so hard when everyone else you know with children the same age compare stories. I constantly question myself wondering if I'm not doing something right, but I feel like I have taken everyone's advice and still no success. I keep praying to God that he gives her the courage to overcome her fears and it will happen. I just can't help to be jealous of those other mothers though who "just put underwear on their kids and that was it!!" Oh well, I suppose it will happen sooner or later! I'm just curious as to how many diapers I have changed in the past 3 years?? :) As we have started using the potty, Maddy has had so many questions about why boys stand, why girls sit, why the Walmart bathroom is icky, why she can touch some toilets and not others, and so on and so on. But, recently she asked out of nowhere, "Mommy, does Santa pee standing up?"... I just thought that was adorable! Someday, I know I will definitely miss these innocent moments.
Christmas was EXCELLENT this year, despite my husband having to work Christmas morning. Maddy was such a blast. We did the whole Christmas Eve tradition--cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer, and read The Night Before Christmas. Presley wasn't too interested in opening presents but was more intrigued with the boxes above anything else. Maddy however loved all of it, especially her roller skates!
And so, as 2009 comes to a close I remember this year as full of so many adventures..having a new addition to our family, a summer full of fun on our old boat, a great time watching Madysen interact with the neighbors and build new friendships, and wonderful holidays with the ones we love. We have all that we need- happy and healthy children, a strong, loving marriage, and many people who love and support us. Thank you 2009 for all the memories....

too busy enjoying life

2009-12-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

Wow... it's been too long since I've posted. So much has happened in the past few weeks to write everything, so I'll just highlight the most memorable. My baby girl is 11 months today and my other baby girl has her 3rd birthday in just 9 days! I can't believe it! We are planning a Shrektacular 3rd Birthday for Miss Madysen. I'm so excited because this will be the first year she will actually have little friends to help her celebrate. I'm going to attempt to make her birthday cake. I know, I know, what am I thinking??? I just want this birthday to be extra special for her. She has been experiencing a little jealousy lately, so I want this party to be all done up, just for her!
Recently, we celebrated Thanksgiving. Since Jeff's dad passed on this day 2 years ago, the day has since taken on a different mood. We really try our hardest to be grateful for the day and really celebrate the true meaning of Thanksgiving. We were so thankful this year for a healthy, happy family and for everyone being able to get together at our house this year. I hosted my first ever Thanksgiving and totally LOVED it! I really wanted to take some of the burden off my mother-in-law and have it at our house. The dinner turned out fantastic ( just a bit earlier than anticipated...darn Turkey bags) and we had our share of Smith Family Catch phrase. Hopefully we can continue the tradition....
Now, on to Christmas. Yes, I was one of those crazy mothers out on Black Friday at 330 am scouring for the big deals. I know, I know, but I was a Black Friday Virgin until this year. And, let me just tell you... I'm hooked. I had SOOOO much fun laughing at all the crazed people that I think I'll continue this every year. I did manage to get a lot of shopping done for not that much money, so I was happy. We did see one woman practically want to fight another woman because she was in the "express" line but had more than 10 items. Ashly and I were in the middle of their battle of words and all we could do was laugh. Ashly was an amazing Aunt dishing out elbows and shoves to get a pink digital camera for Madysen. God, I love that kid (well I guess she's an adult, but she'll always be a kid to me.)
And so, as all the chaos approaches with the holidays and birthdays, I just like to look back on the year and say once again how blessed I feel. I had never thought I would ever have a life like this. I prayed so many times to God to please just bless me with a normal life, a soulmate who loves me unconditionally, and a family of my own to love. After a several tough years, I finally have everything I could have dreamed of. I am so lucky to stay at home with my girls and watch them grow everyday. My husband surprises me everyday with the amount of love he has for me and the kids. Even though some days are harder than others, I see so many working moms that have so much more stress. I'm thankful that I don't have to carry that burden and just enjoy this moment!

God is good

2009-10-17T19:10:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to say that for anyone who doesn't believe in God, I don't understand your logic. This past Thursday, I had the scare of a lifetime. I was getting pizza out of the oven and told Maddy to yell down to Jeff that the pizza was done. Presley, who absolutely worships her older sister, had followed Madysen over to the gate. As I was cutting up a piece of pizza, I heard Maddy yell down to Jeff, then all of a sudden, I heard this thump..thump, thump. I don't even know what I did with the pizza at this point because my motherly instincts took over. I didn't have time to wonder what the noise was, my brain already knew that it must be my baby girl going down the stairs. The rest is somewhat blurry, but what I remember is that I ran over to the stairs to see the most awful, gruesome sight any parent should see. My precious Presley was rolling down the unfinished stairs with her head hitting each one until she landed on the concrete floor. At this time Jeff too was at the bottom of the stairs, as was I. He later said that he doesn't even remember seeing my feet touch the stairs, that in an instant I was at the bottom.
Poor Presley was screaming bloody murder and I just was in shock. Jeff scooped her up as I began to fall apart. We went up stairs to check her out. She had several scuffs and marks on her head. I was completely frantic screaming "We need to go to the hospital!" I could tell by the look on Jeff's face that he was just as scared. I grabbed the phone to call Darlene. Dear Lord I probably scared her to death. She picked up the phone to me crying "Please come over, Presley just fell down the stairs."
While waiting the 6 minutes for Darlene to get here, I was still in "super mom" mode, packing a bag for the hospital and calling the pediatrician. The picture of Presley's poor head hitting the stairs would not escape my mind. Sometimes knowledge is evil.. all those medical shows and long conversations with Kelly had my head spinning with all sorts of terrible scenarios. Darlene got here and we immediately left for the ER.
This was probably the longest ride EVER as I was holding Presley in the backseat. Presley's mood started changing and she became eerily calm. At this point, my panic turned in to all out hysteria. She looked up at me with these huge, blank eyes and I just knew that something was wrong. My stomach was turning and I was seconds from vomiting. All I could choke out was "Jeff, you have to hurry!" I just kept looking at my baby praying to God that He would keep her safe. Her face was an unforgettable grayish color and she kept wanting to fall asleep. I knew I could not let her sleep, so as calmly as I could, I tried talking to her.
After being behind every slow car on the road, we finally pulled into the ER. Running to the front desk, I told the admitting lady what had happened and begged her to get my baby girl back. Of course there were about 30 people with masks on thinking they have the swine flu. Jeff took Presley and then she started vomiting. I was so scared that she was suffering from some head trauma, so I went back up to the desk and told the girl "Please, you have to take her back! She's puking all over, please!!!" So, they got her back and started the initial evaluation. At this point Presley started to act like her normal self, but I was still a wreck. The nurse even snapped at me to calm down, but I just coudln't until I knew she was okay. They took us into a room and ordered a CT. I was getting more and more sick and Presley was back to herself. In fact, when the doctor came in to check her, she was chewing on her foot!
So needless to say, Presley's CT came back normal and we were sent home. The whole ride home I was shaking and feeling nauseous. I ended up vomiting when we got home from my nerves. I have never, ever been that scared in my whole life. I am so grateful that Presley is okay. Not just okay, but not a bruise on her! It's a miracle. She has a little scape on her forehead, but nothing on her body. I am in shock!! God was definitely looking over us that night. When we got home, Jeff counted how many stairs, since the ER doctor questioned us when we said 20 stairs. So we exaggerated a bit.. only 14, but when you are rolling down them, does it really matter????
Today is Saturday and I still haven't recovered from this. I just keep replaying the whole event in my mind thankful of our outcome. I know that life can change in an instant, and I will forever believe that God was looking down on us that night. Every coo, every giggle, every cry... I truly and completely cherish because in the moment, I thought I might not ever hear that again! Even now typing this, I get emotional. Thank you God for your love! God is good.

Brrr... it's cold out there!!

2009-10-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

So many things to blab about. Presley had her 9 month appointment last week and was given the okay for table foods. I can't believe she's old enough for that yet. How come time flies so much faster with the 2nd kid?? My little girl already weighs 20lbs. She had her shots too, which she tolerated just fine. Being the terrible mom I am, I forgot to pre-medicate her, so my poor baby had a little fever that night. Presley is such an amazing baby though, you'd never know she had shots. She was her normal happy self all day! Dr. Paul also increased her dosage of the Axid to 1.5ml, and when we are done with the bottle we are switching to Zantac because insurance will cover more of the cost. What is with insurance?? You pay so much every month for coverage, yet you still are paying out the butt for every little thing!! It aggravates me so much that there are lazy people out there who refuse to work, yet keep having kids and FREE insurance. Meanwhile, my husband busts his behind everyday for us and we have to keep paying out of pocket for everything. Obama, please fix this!!!

On a lighter note, our family traveled to Anna, IL this past weekend for our annual Smith Family Reunion. We were so excited to catch up with the family and for everyone to meet Presley. Surprisingly, both girls tolerated the 5 hour trip wonderfully.

First Post

2009-09-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

This is my first time blogging. I've wanted to create a blog for awhile now, but put it on the back burner along with all the other "projects" I've wanted to do like clean the windows, organize cabinets and the lastest obsession, re-decorate the house. So, I just decided that tonight was the night to overcome my blogging fear and create one! Today would be as good a day as any considering the chaos in the Smith household this fine Tuesday. Maddy suspiciously ended up in my bed again this morning, so when we decided to finally get up for the day, she complained of having a belly ache. I thought.. wonderful start to the day. I hope it's not another one of her constipation episodes. So, upon eating 2 frosted donuts, she decide to vomit all over herself and the carpet. Feeling terrible for my little moo-moo, we huried and cleaned her up, then threw all the clothes in the laundry. I decided our best bet was to lay on the couch and watch Presley-poo play with her toys. Now remember, we're all cleaned up with new pj's on and about 30 mins later, another huge vomit. Thank God for leather couches. This time little Presley was in the line of fire, so that meant THREE changes of clothes (I had a lap full as well)! The joys of motherhood.... Needless to say, Madysen must have gotten it all out because she immediately returned to her normal, goofball self. So tomorrow is Mommy and Me class at the Library... hmmm.. that should be interesting!!