What I wish I had known then....

I became a mother a little over 10 years ago.  And I often look at new mother's who are agonizing over their babies grumpy sounds or loaded up with an overflowing humongous diaper bag that has enough treats and outfit changes for a month.  And I think how much easier my life is now with 3 children than it was with 1.  Now that may sound crazy to some of you because back then I had a husband who was home WAY more, I had a child who napped for 3-4 hours a day and slept a solid 12-13 hours without fail.  But life was way, way, WAY harder.  Why?  Because of my outlook.  I was completely overwhelmed.  But not now.  Now I have learned that denial (and chocolate) are a mom's best tools.  And I'm only being slightly sarcastic....    So here is my list of things I would change if I could do it all over again.

1)  Do not panic.  Do not freak out.  Do not get upset by 99% of the things that upset you.  The only things that should stress you out in life is your family's health and delivering the necessities to your children.  Love, food, clothing, shelter & more love.  That's it.  Nothing else is worth the heart burn or ulcers you're giving yourself.

2)  When your toddler is throwing a tantrum, instead of getting mad and throwing an adult tantrum, (as if I would ever do this?) tickle them.  Make them laugh.  Crack some jokes and the tantrum will cease much sooner.

3)  Put on music if your'e in a sour mood.  Put on music when working around the house, doing dishes or when you're running low on energy.  It can instantly boost the mood of everyone in the house.

4)  A dry cleaner is a girls best friend.  It's overwhelming to be awesome at everything, including ironing.  Sometimes it's nice to make the dry cleaner feel special too :)  Spend money on things that will make your life simpler not on more clutter & accessories.  I found for as it little as $13 a month I can save hours of time and my husband looks far better on Sundays. Win win!

5)  Date night.  Every single week.  Enough said....

6)  Make the beds in every room.  And always open the blinds and let in the sunshine.  Instant happy boost.

7)  Get dressed, do hair & make up every single day.  It's hard to feel happy when you look like you "fit in" at Walmart.....

8)  Pick your battles.  Is it really worth fighting over outfit choices?  Hair choices?  Food choices?  Be a better negotiator.  You can pick out todays outfit and I will pick out what you wear to church.  You can pick out your lunch if I pick out dinner.  You both feel like winners & you still have some control.

9)  Don't be so critical.  That goes for criticizing yourself as well as others.  It's not worth it and it doesn't make you more humble just because you're self deprecating.  That sounds harsh- but it's true people.

10)  Don't wish away the days.  Don't spend your life "waiting".  Waiting for when you buy a house, or a bigger house, or a new job or another baby or a dream guy.... whatever it is, enjoy today.  You might not have tomorrow.  I have definitely spent too many hours wishing for things to be different and it's funny because I didn't even realize what I really had in front of me.  I guess that's why there's so many quotes on "Seizing the day" and "enjoying the moment", it's in our nature to want more.  Goals are great, pity parties not so much....

There ya go.  If 23 old me could read this as a new young mom I would've have saved a lot of heart ache.  But that's why we keep having kids isn't it?  You mess up the first two and then by the 3rd you've got it down pat!  :)

Project Document Life: Fresh out of bed

I just had the best morning ever!  And it was all because I pulled out the camera.  Who knew that's all it takes?  My oldest daughter is NOT a morning person.  However, this morning's photo shoot changed all that.  The light was all artificial.  The 3 kids were extremely wiggly, which always leads to blurry photos with bad light, but they were happy!  And who wouldn't be when their mom says just this once they can jump on the bed?  Here's what I got.  Not fantastic, but I love them just the same.  Because it will always remind me of the #onesinglemomentintheirlife that they woke up happy to go to school!  It's Friday anyway.  And on Friday's we sing a special, crazy song that I made up and can only sing to children & would die if any adult ever heard me.  The hubster and I made up this song years ago when we were first married and lived for weekends.  It's just gotten better/crazier.....



I love these guys.  And dang, I wish I had this kind of energy!




Next week's challenge: In the kitchen.  And there should be lots of opportunities this weekend.  Because it's a 3 day weekend and I'm so happy right now.  I don't have a single thing on my agenda except fun.  Play dates, date night, bbq, shopping, movies.  Maybe I'll go jump on a bed too right now- it's gonna be a good weekend!

If you want to see where I got this awesome idea and a list of photo ideas go here!

1.5 hours with the bug guy

I've always said that the Pest Control Man is my best friend.  He is on my Christmas Card list even.  I live in Texas.  Next to big big hair and high heels with sweats, you need your bug guy to save you from GIANT spiders and fire-ant hills the size of an inner tube.  Kid you not!  Well I've never had a complaint about using this company until tonight.  I got a newbie.  And while I won't bore you with the actual 90 minutes of agonizing conversation, I'll sum it up briefly and you can take pity on me....

1)  Complete medical history for the last 5 years and a description of allergies and reactions.  (I immediately regretted offering the coke, I thought I was being polite.  Won't make that mistake again!)

2)  His experience with getting sucked into a  Time Share and he now has to hire a lawyer and pay an additional $3K to get out of it.  If you want the lawyers phone number, he gave it to me.  (ummm, thanks?)

3)  He was bugged because the cute little bunny in my yard escaped him and he really wanted it for dinner tonight.  I laughed of course, uncomfortably.  Um, yeah.  No joke.  He began to describe how to gut a rabbit.  (I became a vegetarian tonight)

4)  He kept telling me how the dinner I was making "sure smelled good" and he would "love some".  (Super awkward)

5)  He kept asking about photos, where we took them, who took them.  (Do I have a stalker now?)

6)  He told me 7 different times to remember his name and make sure to only request him from now on.  (Oh, I'll remember your name, but not for that reason)

7)  He added up the amount of computers in our house and then told me how he was really hoping to find someone to give him one for free.  The conversation lasted 10 minutes.  (Really dude?  I'm not giving you a computer)  I tell him we use them all, for work.  His response? "Yeah, that's what they all say."  (Oh, apparently you use this tactic on everyone.  Good to know I'm not special.)

8)  He asked who the radiologist was in the family?  (What?  How?  Why?  I don't understand.  I just want him to go away now)

9) He charges me an additional $55 for I don't know what.  I've never had this happen in 6 years with this company.  I'm too exhausted to ask what this is for & quite honestly I'd pay $100 more just to get him to leave.

10)  Still not leaving.  He begins to tell me about daily diet regimen.  (Imagine taking diet advice from Sugar Bear on TLC's Honey Boo Boo)

11)  He's in my entry way but still talking about my dinner and how good it smells and now looking again at my computer equipment in my office.  He begins to tell me how sad it is that he can't download anymore iTunes music on his computer because his computer won't work.  He currently has 800 songs on it.  (Am I supposed to feel sorry for him?  Because I just feel sorry for me right now.)

12)  His sob story works because I hand him $7 as a tip and literally shut the door on his face and wave and smile as I lock the door.  (I'm pretty sure he'll be back to rob me later.....maybe his name will come in handy for the police report.)

13)  I then look for some air spray cause it smells like a locker room after he leaves and my dinner is now burned.

14)  Maybe yesterday's post jinxed me.....  Not feeling so lucky anymore.

15)  I may have to make nice with some insects from now on.  Bug man, you're off my Christmas card list!

Winner winner chicken dinner!

I'm practically a four leaf clover today.  I won something!  I've been known to enter a few giveaways.  Aka: Publishers Clearing House, call me, I'm still waiting. But the only thing I've ever won was a Nickelodeon First Place runner up prize when I was 10 yrs old.  A year supply of Dinosaur Chef-Boy-R-Dee. I had one bite and vomited.  Even at 10yrs old I was a food connesuer and that wasn't palatable!  Out of 7 children in my family, not one of us would eat the stuff!  I'm pretty sure they've changed their recipe since then, but I still shudder at the thought of it.

Anyway, moving on to my lucky day.  I won the most cutest, most adorablest, most perfect birthday banner and I'm giddy!  I want it up all year round its so stinking cute!  And the fabric is double sided so it could even be hanging on a wall without the words showing all year round.  I think it would look great in my sons room or our play room.  It's fun and bright and just makes me down right happy!  One of my favorite blogs, 71 Toes, had the give away and it's like she knew how important I feel traditions are.  It couldn't have been more perfect for me.  I think the best memories are the simple ones like a banner hung on your big day.  After all, you rarely remember the actual gifts you opened but you do remember the tradition of the way you celebrated it!

I wish I could give every one who is reading this (aka: hi mom & dad) one of these beauties.  It's absolutely the perfect gift.  But sorry, I can't.  But you can go to Sparkle Power's etsy site and find it her here.

Here's it on my fireplace
                    
Or in my entry....


My photo's don't do it justice, but wherever you put it, it will look adorable!

Here's a better shot of it from her store.

She has lot's of great treasures this tooth fairy pillow?  I suddenly feel trashy with the ziploc baggie under my children's pillow all these years.  I must correct that situation with one of these cuties....

Scallop banner?  Yes please!

Thank you Sparkle Power and 71 Toes!  You both made my week!  And our family will love this new tradition!

I needed to laugh today....

It's been one of those days.  It feels like I've been going non-stop for 20 hours and I ran out of chocolate kind of day.  Then I came across a text my husband saved on his phone.  He received this rather eloquent text awhile ago and it's the best cure for a rotten day.   Insert my husband's best Snoop Doggy Dog imitation and this just makes me laugh til I cry.  This is the perfect example of why we need to double check who we text.  And where was spell check during this typing fiasco?  Oh, and also stay away from Chico.  He doesn't take hints.... (my husband's comments are in green)

And in case you're worried your  IQ dropped 10 points reading this, you can say you learned something new.  "Na-mi" means "Know what I mean".  Or maybe you already nude dat!

Project Happy, Week 3- Service

I started my own happiness project 2 weeks ago.  You can see the start here.  Week one goal was more energy.  Unsuccessful, but I'm still working on it.  Let me give you a recap of my 2nd week goal which was organizing.  I'm still un-organized.  Yep, that pretty much sums it up.  Just kidding.  Not on the un-organized part though, that's true.  But there's a lot more to this being happy than I thought.  Maybe that's why this book became an actual book and not a paragraph.  I like quick fixes.  And while I'm not unhappy, I'd like a quick fix to extreme happiness.  (That's where chocolate & orchids come in I guess) So my goal of organizing the office wasn't completely successful.  But it's got 4 less boxes in it, all unpacked and put away.  (I still have the boxes un-flattened sitting in the hallway.  But they're outside the office, so technically it's an improvement right?)  I did however get pictures hung in K's room, my bedroom and M's room.  And the tools and paint cans that have been strewn about my house are all put away.  So I was able to cross off some things on my To-Do list and that always makes me happier!  I guess happiness is really how you choose to look at things.  I prefer a little sarcasm, laughter & basically denial.  That's my secret.  There, someone pay me a million dollars for my fool proof happiness secret!

Ok- moving on to week 3.  Service.  Serving others always makes me happier.  I actually find it easier to serve friends more than my own family so I'm going to work on serving my family this week.  Here's some ideas I hope to incorporate this week:

1) Creative dates.  Not just the usual dinner and a movie.  Go here for great ideas!

2) Love notes:  Here's a darling lunch box love note idea found here.  

3) Better family dinners.  I dare you to tell me that this chicken pot pie doesn't say love!

                                       you can find my recipe here

4) And maybe getting the hubster's car detailed.  Does a clean car make you happy?  It makes me happy!

Those are my goals for this week.  And I will continue to work on more energy & organizing.  As far as my happiness scale this week, I'm at an 8.  But I think my surge in happiness has mostly come from my children's first day of school!  Hallelujah this summer of messes and chaos and laziness is over!  I should've made this weeks goal organizing, now that I have an actual shot at it!

Now go be happy!

Document life: Week 2, favorite book

Wow, 2 weeks in a row?   I actually followed thru 2 weeks in a row?  This week wasn't an amazing shot, but I did it.  It wasn't set up with cute pj's, a clean room & styled hair.  It was a typical night of the girls (unsuccessfully) getting K to sleep.  He never falls asleep.  He's allergic I think.  But I will always love this photo because it is forever ingrained in my mind as the book that all my children have loved.  It was my husband's book as a child.  Notice the loved binding on Green Eggs and Ham :)

So go on.  Document your own life and follow this girl for inspiration!  Next week's challenge is "just out of bed".  Good thing I will be the one taking the photo and not in this one.  I got some crazy morning bed head!

And on another note.  This may not be a new idea to you, but I think it's brilliant.  My friend is in the process of making a really fun video from this inspiration.  I think it's a great idea and can't wait to make my own!

K's Room

Well I gone and dun it!  I'm checking off some things on my to-do list and K's room is done! (for now)

This was BEFORE we moved in:

And here is now:


The green striped comforter cover is fabric from Ikea.  The orange pillow came from Ikea as well.  The grey patterned sheets and blue blanket are from Target.


This tool chest I found at an antique store for $40.  My friend just got the exact same one last weekend at a garage sale.  For $5.  Boo.  The sock monkey quilt was a gift from my sister when he was born.  I loved the vibrant colors and have always wanted to incorporate them into his room.


We bought this dresser when I was pregnant with my first.  We were sure it would be a boy.  8 yrs later we were right!


The K's I spent a year (plus!) collecting or making.  And the bed was free from a neighbor.  Score!


 Everything is pretty much the same since his room in our last house, except for these road signs.  They used to be above my fireplace.  They look much better in a little boys room I think.  I can't even imagine them above a fireplace now!

One room down.  5 to go!

Dining room Progress

Here's a look at my entry and dining BEFORE we moved in:

Nice.  Little too Tuscan and dark for me.

Here's the light fixture that was in the dining room.  Pretty.  And formal.  Not me.

                             

Here is the new light fixture:



My newly striped walls:



The photos of my parents when they were little, both on horses.  I love these photos.....


The light fixture was another overstock purchase and I loved the price!  You can find it here.  Total pain to install in my opinion.  Definitely need two people.  You have to shove the 3 wires through 40'' of metal rod.  Surely the worst part.  TIP:  Measure how long it will hang before you order this.  It was going to be about 7.5 feet high with my 12foot ceilings.  Lame for a dining room.  We fortunately had matching left over rods from our entry way light and were able to extend it  or we would've been in trouble.

Left to do in this room:
-Look into drapes. (Can you do drapes with shutters?)
-Recover chair seats in fun fabric. (What color should I do.  I need some POP!)
-Buy fun upholstered chairs for the end and head of table.
-Need a buffet.  (Fun color maybe?)
-Rug or no rug?
-A huge horse photo on opposite wall maybe?
-Centerpiece. (I stink at centerpieces)

I'm looking into some horse photographs for the opposite wall from my parents photos.  Here's some ideas.  Which one do you like?


Option 1)

via

Option 2)

via

Or Option 3)

via

I don't know why, but horse art is on my mind.  I guess I'm living out the whole "I want a pony and I want it right now!" phase.  Whatever I do, I need to go big.  Huge art/photos are another obsession of mine.....  Which one do you like?  Or am I crazy?  You can tell me if I'm crazy.  I promise I won't be mad.  I probably won't change though, cause that's the thing about crazy people.  They can't change crazy!

Entry way progress

Let there be light!  We finally got around to installing the new light fixtures from overstock and I couldn't be happier!

This was the light fixture before:




And the entryway before the black paint....



And here is the updated look:



I am in love with my new light.  I found it here




I think the light looks perfect with the rug I found at TJ Maxx



And you already know how much I love my deer head from Z Gallerie and the frame is from Ikea, spray painted white.  The wall color is Black Suede from Behr in flat.  It makes me happy.  I missed my black office walls in my old house.  Now I have a little piece of them.  I have some more accessories to figure out and am thinking of a new table with a pop of color.  Hmm, what color though?  Stay tuned- tomorrow is stripes day and I'll be revealing my dining room light and walls!

Happiness ProjectvWeek 2: Organizing

So a follow up from last weeks challenge. Epic FAIL!   I chose MORE ENERGY as my first challenge.  Sleeping more, eating better, working out, drinking water, etc.  After 1 week of this goal I'm actually up 1 pound!  And no, it's not muscle or I wouldn't be wearing sweats today.  Working out is actually really miserable.  How do people enjoy it?  I don't get it?  It doesn't make me feel happy other than a huge relief when its finally over.  Last week, on a scale of 1 to 10,  I was around a 7.5 on the happy scale.  After last weeks challenge, I have to LOWER my happy scale to a 6.8.  Basically, week one stunk!  I need a new happy challenge.  Maybe a happiness project for the impatient & lazy?  Yeah, that sounds more up my alley.  I'm going to continue working out & eating right this week BUT, at all costs, avoid stepping on the scale.

Let's move on, (shake it off girlfriend) and focus on something else.  Ahem, ORGANIZING.  An organized home is a dream of mine.  I'd love to have closets that were well designed.  I love labels and baskets & clean counters.  After this last week of failed attempts at upping my happy dance, I think I can find happiness success at finishing up some pesky projects that are cluttering up my closets and counters.

Here are some of my goals for this week:
1.  Hang new entry way light
2.  Hang dining room light
3.  Hang pictures & art in master bedroom
4.  Attach letter K's to K's room
5.  Hang road signs in K's room
6.  Hang art in M's room
7.  Unpack boxes in the office

Obviously, my To Do list is basically finishing moving into my house.  I think it will make my brain more zen-like to not see stacks of photos and art leaning agains every wall in every room of the house.

Happiness Project Score Week One:  FAIL
The nice thing about week one being a complete disaster is there's no where to go but UP!  Like my Pollyanna attitude?  I prefer describing it as Pollyanna attitude rather than calling it what it is, DENIAL.....But anyway, back to happy stuff.  Here's some organizing genius that are inspiring me this week:

 via

                                                                                    via

via 

via Pottery Barn

Good luck finding your happy's people.  Hopefully you'll have better luck than me..... 

Living with M

My daughter should start her own blog or etsy site.  At 10 years old she has more creative genius in her pinky than I'll ever have.  And while I complain about the endless amounts of tape, needles & thread and scraps of paper that are continually cluttering up every. single. room. in. my. house!  I will say, she comes up with some amazing creations.  Here's a few of my favorites (mostly) from this week.  Yes, just this week!  That's a lot of crafts!

She made this bunny for her little brother.  He lovingly named him Germy.  That's a brother for ya!

Her first try at a pillow, actually, her first try at sewing.  Pretty good eh?


This is what I found on my desk this morning.  And a lot of tiny scraps of paper to boot.  There are always scraps of paper around....


Here's where the tape comes out.  Friends come over and the TP dress designs come out.  This is her attempt at Project TP Runway....



 A quick little water color of a grasshopper before lunch. Again, brother's request.



My favorite- the owl.  She mastered french knots after just showing her once.  Impressive eh?  We have a new obsession for owls here.  Real owls creep me out just a little though.  I prefer the funky colored creative owls myself.  And don't get me started on snails.  They're gross.  But not this one.  This one is Adorb!




I'm pretty sure she has a fun career ahead.  Hopefully she can hire someone to clean up after her, because that is a full time job!  Trust me, I'd know.....

navy obsession

Navy blue.  I feel like I'm looking at my closet from 1996.  It was all about navy and brown & gold.  Well it's back baby.  And OH! how I've missed you!  My sista is busy ripping off wall paper and re-texturing two bathrooms.  I was excited to hear about her navy bathroom (and possibly bedroom) walls!  I can't wait to see how it turns out.  But until then, I've been collecting navy wall ideas just to ensure how purrrty they will be!  And I've got to say, you can't go wrong with navy.  It's stunning!

 Looks fantastic with white trim and accessories.

 Looks amazing paired with orange and lime green!

 Beautiful with dark brown furniture....

 Love it with the chartreuse towel.....

 I've had my eye on this bathroom for awhile.  Gold stenciled ceiling say what?!

So navy walls work in a living room, powder bathrooms, nursery, dining rooms and bedrooms.  Um, so they work anywhere?  Exactly what I thought!