Honey....

I just showed my wonderful husband the new camera I want next year....I think he almost passed out.

D300...we will meet one day. love, Simone.

Friday, November 25th

I feel like I have been working non stop for the last two days with no sleep, almost got run over for some ipods, and had to scream at hundreds of people all day....oh  wait.  All of those things did happen.  I feel like crud. 

I will never understand how buying gifts for others brings out the worst in a person.  It's just things.  Gifts will all be forgotten - but the way you treat people remains.

On a happier note - my baby boy is 4 months old today.  I might be too tired to do anything else - but I can tell you there will be snuggling! 

Me and my little man yesterday.  LOVE HIM! He makes my heart smile.  

Pinterest

Anyone else addicted to Pinterest???  Just me?  Okay.  I heart pinterest - I even made a follow me link on the side of my blog (if you haven't noticed, its above our families pictures).  So to make better use of all the useful things I pin - I decided that every week I will make something new, try a new hair style, and organize somewhere in my house.  Sounds like a good plan - its not like I am super busy already or anything....

Week 1:

 I did a new hair style! Turned out super cute (even though my boss told me I looked like a hippy) and I will post a picture as soon as I can figure out how to upload from my new tablet.  As I have said many times - I am not technologically advanced! PS...when I did it...I was so super excited about it that I downloaded a camera app and toke pictures before work and was almost late!

Last night I made a book.  Really fun - very time consuming.  I got the idea from this post on pinterest:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80417875/abc-scriptures-for-kids

Now, hers are much prettier than mine - but I don't use things that use scriptures out of context, manipulate them, or multipul versions so I made my own.  Thank you Photoshop! And thanks to a sale at Shutterfly - my books are on their way! Pictures of my own books will come soon.

Now I am off to organize my closet - which is in dire need! It may take me all day since I will have little helpers...but it will be fun.  

Happy Thanksgiving Eve - I work overnight tonight so I must organize and then sleep!

DIY - Girl's Room

We actually did this a while ago....and this post has been sitting unpublished!

For the girl's big Christmas present this year, we decided it would be fun to fix up their room.  When we moved them to their new room, the yellow room as it is called in our house, we got them new beds and pretty much just shoved them in there.  Well - now its time for a little girly stuff! I cannot wait for the next few months - a book shelf, built-ins from Paw Paw, and lots of fun stuff I have found.  And all this on a budget....fun!

First thing on the list....a dress up clothes station.

We bought a wood quilt rack ($10) from a facebook garage sale site.

See all the junk in the background - that's my homeschool area.  Still looking for a cool shelf / cabinet to redo .

Then it was off to Sherwin Williams....$6.99 for their sample paint sized paint...and we still have tons left over!!

Something new I learned....If you are a genious like me and forget paint supplies at the paint supply store (hello??) then you might like this! I forgot a paint tray...so I took a cake pan top and covered it with parchment paper.  Worked like a charm!

painted! 

This is in the girls room....we added hooks to hang the dresses....

....and pretty pink knobs for necklaces and purses. 

DIY Chore Chart

"Ella, your room is dirty."

Instead - maybe we should just say - go ahead.  Have a meltdown...now! That's about what happens when we say the words "clean up".  Melt down.  My oldest needs specific directions and time lines.  She does not do well with general.  So we decided in a last attempt before taking ALL the toys away (no snickering, Mom, I remember toys of my own things being tossed up the attic stairs - maybe I am seeing where Ella gets it from...) to try a chore cart so she would have specific things to do.

She loved the idea - and getting to craft!

this was the old chart - pretty pathetic! 

Supplies needed : Clothes hangers, craft sticks, mod podge, and scrap book paper.  

Paint the Mod Podge onto the craft stick.  Stick it to the white side of your scapbook paper. 

Handy dandy box cutter - or exact o knife

Cut the excess paper off your craft stick. 

My Mod Podge skills stink- and I had a helper  :)  But even when they are wrinkly you still can't see it from a distance. 

Hot glue your clothes pin to the back. 

Take time out to play with your middle child and her new ballerina.

I took a ribbon and hung it under their chalk board to hang their chores. 

Tadaa! I have to make a few more...but you get the idea! 

Sickness and Happy Momma Moments

My house is stinky with sickness...no really, it stinks. Everyone has been sick except for Craig.  Ella - fever.  Owen - fever.  Avery - EVERYTHING.  Let's just say we have been through an entire pack of pull-ups in 3 days and she is breaking my heart every night by waking me up crying, "my booty is bleeding" (its not - but to her I guess it is).  We can't be too careful with Avery - since she has a history of blood and immune deficiencies - when she gets sick and it doesn't run its course normally then we start to question whether or not her blood levels are normal.  Fun stuff, eh?  Took her to the doctor today - blood levels good - and she has a bacterial infection.  We knew it was only a matter of time before she got sick this fall.....

Last night, and remember I am sick too....she wakes me up at 2:00, 2:20, 2:45, and finally at 3:17 when I cannot listen to her cries anymore from "her booty bleeding" I let her sleep with us.  Not the best idea, since I had no idea what she had and my throat is so swollen I can't speak, but how long can you listen to your little one say, "momma I want to hold you" while crying her eyes out before you just let her snuggle with you??

Right before we fell asleep, I am brushing her hair off her face while she finally starts to relax.  I whisper, "I love you"....she whispers, "I love you more" (PS - first time she has ever said that..not love you, but the more!).  My heart melts.  We fall asleep with her in my arms.

Avery and I - August 2010, 14 months

How to curl your hair with socks!

**WARNING**  some hideous pictures of me are about to be seen....you have been warned....


Now that you have been read the disclaimer - let's curl some hair! (BIG thank you to my husband for helping me document!)

First - I started with damp hair.  It may look like my hair would curl on its own - but don't be fooled.  Left to its own ways it turns into a giant poof.  One thing I learned from doing this a few times - don't leave your hair too damp.  Mine worked better when it was dry all the way first and I ran a wet brush through it a few times.  When it was too damp it didn't dry well.

All three sections of hair are done the same way.  The first section is at the crown.  Take a circle of hair from the crown and pull it up for your first sock. 

Place your sock underneath - preferably a clean on. 

Start to twist the ends around the sock.  Make sure to get all the way to the end as if you were using a curling iron. 

Twist. 

Keep twisting down till you get to your head. 

Tie the sock in a knot. 

First sock down! (ahh this is the worst picture ever!!!) It doesn't have to be neat. 

Separate the rest of your hair like you are making two pony tails.

Do the same thing as the top sock - place the sock under your hair and roll your hair around the sock. 

Tie the sock in a knot when you reach your ear.  

Repeat on the other side.  (notice all of my socks are different!)

Done! Now go to sleep....

In the morning.....

Untwist the socks. 

Repeat on the other side and top sock, 

Tadaa! 

Curly hair.  :) 

Our week

Since my last post was kinda down....I thought I would show you what our week looked like this week.  A lot of nothing!  It was great.  We finally caught up with the rest of the technological world - I got a new laptop so I could leave my office when editing and because the store ran an awesome deal - we got a HP tablet too!! Awesome! I don't know what Im going to do with all these fun new toys - but I know I won't be bored during Ella's dance class anymore.  I am grateful for the slow week...because I had 2 sessions today, 2 tomorrow, one Monday, one Tuesday and one Thursday - sigh.  See why I wanted a new laptop?  :)