Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Welcome Home Wednesday: Nox's Pad - After

Another before of what the room looked at when we first saw it. I still wish we had managed to get a good shot of what the warped linoleum flooring looked like. To see more pictures and read more about the before of Nox's Pad go HERE.

Here is a quick, during picture. This is the room right after Hubby finished the flooring. It's the first room he's ever done flooring in and I'm so proud of him.

Hubby made a little art board for Nox too using an old guitar neck, Papa had given us. The pictures on the wall need updating, but at least they are where they need to be. The fan really makes a big difference. The original one was SO tiny and wobbled so much I thought it might fall at any second.

I really love his room.

I made his blankets myself and revamped some store bought curtains.

It is never this neat. The baby gate has become less and less used lately and the boys love to run upstairs and play. We are working on the clean up part.  

This past weekend we finally converted Nox's crib to a toddler bed. He's going to be 3 in 3 months, so I figured it was time. With Munch we waited until he could climb out. Nox is FULLY capable of climbing Mount Everest if he wanted to, but never showed any interest. It's much easier to just yell "Mama! Mama!", until I come get him. Part of me is going to miss that, but I kinda love having him run into our bedroom in the morning for snuggles. 

Friday, May 24, 2013

Five Things on Friday

1. I wanted to start this week by saying hello to all my lovely new readers! Hi and welcome! I hope you'll stay for awhile and introduce yourself. If you have a blog, I would love to come visit!! It's always so much fun to meet new blog friends.

2. Kayla over on Green Mountain Couple very kindly asked me to guest post on for Friends Friday. I'm honored to be sharing the post with Gayle over at A Gayle Force. I wrote about the bluebonnets in Texas. Go check it out HERE.

3. If you haven't already, you REALLY should head over to My So Called Chaos. Angie is having a massive group giveaway.

4. FAF is so much happier this week. I got a couple walks in and did 3 days with Jillian doing 30 day shred. Plus I've gone back to tracking my food. I feel healthier this week than I've felt in a long while...and really that matter more to me than any weight loss. I've been feeling so unhealthy and SO out of shape, but I feel like I really made a turn for the better. I hope this time I can stay on track and get back to where I want to be.
2013 Starting Weight: 165
Last Weigh In: 165
Current Weight: 165
Lost This Week: 0
Total Lost: 0
2013 miles as of last week: 141.6
Miles logged this week: 3.99
Total Miles Logged: 145.59

5. Have you got any wonderful plans for the holiday weekend? We haven't talked much about it, but I think a lot of our time will be spent knocking stuff off our to do list. I really wish we were going to Galveston again, but we decided to put our trip on hold and get some other things taken care of instead. Being a grown up really has a down side sometimes. So in between chores and catching up on some crafts, I'll be closing my eyes and wishing I were here:

If I don't see ya, have a wonderful long weekend!!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Grapevine Vintage Railroad

On Saturday my mother treated us to a day on The Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Having kiddos is such a great excuse to get out and do tourist type stuff. 

The boys weren't sure they liked the train at first. They are huge and loud. 

We stepped onto the train in Grapevine.

The boys loved getting their tickets punched by the conductor.

This shot is one of my favorites from the trip. 

The train stops at the Fort Worth Stockyard's. I really wish we had, had more time there. I've never been and I would have loved to explore a little more. We did have time for a stop at the candy shop. 

The boys got balloons from a cowboy clown. 

Then all too soon it was time to head back. 

I'm going to add a trip back to the Stockyards to my Texas bucket list. Would be fun to even make a little weekend out of it. 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Welcome Home Wednesday: Nox's Pad

The kitchen is currently in hold status for now and I'm getting really far behind on posts...so I'm moving on to  sharing other rooms.
This is Nox's bedroom. I really REALLY wish these pictures did the flooring justice. It was a HUGE piece of linoleum, that was extremely warped and kinda felt like a strange sponge when you walked on it. The pictures are way beyond deceiving.
 (above: view from doorway. window looks out over front.)
 (above: view from left corner)
(above: view of doorway and closet. note that closet does not actually have flooring.) 

(above: view from closet)

Nox's Pad To Do List:
  • Paint Thanks, Love!
  • Install new, non-crazy warping, flooring. Thanks, Love!
  • Install sturdier curtain rod and hang awesome guitar theme curtains. Thanks, Love!
  • Purchase and install new ceiling fan
  • Hang pictures/artwork
I'll share the after pictures next week!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Scrappy Saturday

Just a couple pages I finished recently. Sometimes it's nice for me to step back from working on Project Life and scrap something else. Helps get the creative juices flowing. 
Template Challenge Template by Katie Perriet and Delicious by Ellie Lash
Created using You Are My Happy collab - Sweet Shoppe Designs 
and Simple Set 9 Bonus Template by lindsay jane
I've been working on our calendar for the year. I have to have it done by the end of the month, so I'll be sharing it soon!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Five Things on Friday

1. Starting off with FAF again. Still not exactly happy, but a little more hopeful.

2013 Starting Weight: 165
Last Weigh In: 165
Current Weight: 165
Gained This Week: 0
Total Lost: 0
2013 miles as of last week: 137.28
Miles logged this week: 4.32
Total Miles Logged: 141.6
John and I have been helping each other get up in the morning. A walk hasn't happened every day, but we are getting there. 

2. At the BBQ last weekend I was snapping a couple pictures and one of my best friends tried to get out of having her picture taken with her beautiful little girl. I got the picture, but her initial reaction made me sad. I love looking back at pictures of my childhood and seeing my parents AND grandparents in pictures with me.  I don't always remember the day or moment in the picture, but my heart fills up just seeing and knowing that they were there. I was reminded of this article by Allison Tate: The Mom Stays in the Picture and also of Aleida's Challenge (please head over to Plucky Momo to read about it.) The kiddos in your life honestly don't care if you think you are fat or if you aren't dressed to the nines. They don't care if you are all sweaty from working out or if your hair is a disaster. They just know they love you. Please don't shy away from being in pictures with them. If I shied away from pictures I would have none of Munch and I when he was tiny. 

3. I've been potty training (my FOUR year old - SIGH) and weaning my two year old off his binkie today. Two of the least fun things I have encountered in parenting so far. I will be having a glass of wine tonight. 

4. Picture of the week:
That's pose is Munch's current go to. Goofy.
5. Melissa over on A Vegas Girl at Heart gave her readers a heads up on Hobby Lobby's 40% coupon combined with their current shipping special of 1.95....with their new Project Life stock. I totally took advantage. Check out Melissa's post HERE. Just a note, you can only use the same code ONCE per day. I tried a couple different codes on a couple orders...so I'm hoping I'm good. Cross fingers!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Blog Issues

Yesterday, a friend forwarded me a reply she had tried to send me on a comment I made on her blog. Apparently, somehow, my email was no longer enabled. Which really annoyed, because I like when bloggers are able to reply to my comments and vice versa. (If you want to learn how to enable your comments check out this blog over at My So Called Chaos.) So I went in and I THINK I fixed it....no idea unless someone tries to reply to one of my comments and then emails me telling me they can't...which is impossible unless they know my email. SIGH. Anyway...I feel awful if people are trying to talk to me and think I'm being rude. I'm not. Promise! :o)

THEN on a whim, I decided to check my gmail account. I don't ever check it. It's not my main email, no one has the address, I just needed the account to use certain pages. It's pretty much ignored, unless I have issues with my yahoo/rocketmail account. (Which happens more frequently than I would like.) ANYWAY....there are a ton of replies to comments. Mostly from March. So somehow, the main email got switched from yahoo to gmail and then turned off? Now I seem doubly rude.

I'm so frustrated. I wonder how many other issues I'm having with blogger that I don't know about yet?

This face? Pretty much how I'm feeling right now about bloggy issues. 
If anyone has any tips. Please share! I'm awful when it comes to being tech savvy.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Project Life 2013: Week 4

My pictures didn't come out as well as I had hoped, but that's what I get for rushing them right? 
I really like how this spread turned out. I went with blues and pinks as my main colors...cause those are the colors used in the piggies on the first page. 

page one:
Used a title card from my Cherry edition. Obama was sworn in for a second term. The boys made me some piggies in class. We went for a walk and I was shocked by how much the boys have grown up. (The snap shots card is from a card booklet I picked up at Michaels. Recollections I believe.)

This is probably my favorite card, not because of the picture or how what I did with it (embellished using VERY old Club Scrap items.) It's the cute conversation I heard between Munch and Nox:
Munch: I love you. You love me too?
Nox: Yeah, love you too. 
Munch: Awe, that's sweet and cute too. 
I love it when I remember to add in little quotes from them. I know I've missed recording so much, so I cherish the stuff I do get down now that I'm doing Project Life. 

page two:
Playground after class, the boys in the car after dinner one night, John and I had a day date (our favorite). The boys went to Chucky Cheese while we were out. My favorite picture is the silhouette of Nox playing at McDonald's. He was trying SO hard to escape Mama and her camera...but I caught him!

Tomorrow I will be linking up with The Mom Creative. 
The Mom Creative

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

Just wanted to write a quick note to say Happy Mother's Day. I hope you had a wonderful day with your mothers and children (whether they be skin kids or fur babies.)
My Mum and the boys a couple months ago.
I am not always the best that I can be, but I try. I'm so happy I have such an awesome mother as a role model in my life. I hope one day I can be half the mother and a fraction of the grandmother, she is. 

There will be so many times you feel like you've failed. But, in the eyes, heart, and mind of your child you are Super Mom. 
-Stephanie Precourt-

Friday, May 10, 2013

Five Things on Friday

My Fat Ass Friday posts have become a little depressing for me to write and I'm sure more than a little sad to read. So until I get my act together, Fridays are going to be a little random. I'll try to still add a little note in keeping with FAF though. 


1. Let's start with a little FAF.
2013 Starting Weight: 165
Last Weigh In: 165
Current Weight: 165
Gained This Week: 0
Total Lost: 0
2013 miles as of last week: 137.28
Miles logged this week: 0
Total Miles: 137.28
I really just need to focus on one day at a time and stop beating myself up over days past....cause let's be honest, that makes things worse. I'm gonna link this post up with Angie...even though it's not all about my weight and fitness. 

2. I have been a terrible bloggy friend lately. I'm distracted by LOTS of things lately. Hopefully, HOPEFULLY...that will lessen soon...or there is a possibility that it could get worse, BUT I will try to get better. 

3. We are having a BBQ tomorrow. I told the boys it was a party...Munch took that to mean it's a birthday party...for him. His birthday is in October. 
I am super excited to spend time with family and friends. We don't do it near enough and I've been missing them lately. Hopefully we can start getting together a little more frequently. Ice Cream Social maybe?

4. I have no idea what we are doing on Mother's Day. 

5. Nox insists "Munch is my BEST brodder. He wakes up the sun." I think it's the cutest thing EVER. 
Now if they could just get along for five minutes ;o)

Monday, May 06, 2013

Project Life: Week 28

I'm happy to report that I'm still making good progress....although I did get a little distracted during iNSD. Did anyone score any fun deals?

full spread:
This is the first week (I think) that I didn't number. Do you think I should add one, or just leave it?

page one:
The boys and I had breakfast with one of my best friends and her daughter, I won a kaboo bag and it came in the mail! Also girls night with my sister and cousin. I started mixing in the Cherry edition core kit I got from  a blog swap. I also used a stamped card...which is rare for me. I really need to use my stamps more and use them a little more creatively. 

page one detail:
My favorite card on page one is my kaboo bag card. I painted during one of our painting sessions. I'm so happy I put it to use! I used an address label for the journaling. 

page two:
went completely digital on this side. I included a couple recipes we tried this week. The sundried tomatoes were made using tomatoes from our own garden. The fruit for the cobbler was all from our local farmers market. The honey dew is also homegrown. It was a surprise in our veggie garden. We compost and this was an awesome gift from our compost bin. 

page two detail:
I really love our collection of instagrams from our trip to the farmers market. It was such a fun day. 

I will be linking up with The Mom Creative tomorrow. 

The Mom Creative

Friday, May 03, 2013

FAF: Weeks 15 and 16

2013 Starting Weight: 165
Last Weigh In: 162
Current Weight: 165
Gained This Week: 3
Total Lost: 0

2013 miles as of last week: 132.78
Miles logged this week: 4.5
Total Miles: 137.28

Well it's official. We are now 5 months in...and all I've managed to do is maintain my starting weight...which I suppose is better than continuously gaining. 

Who is up for a pep talk? I know I am. 

via: Helen Dardik 
via: imgfav
via: Eat & Love
via: Fab

via: Greatist

Alright, I feel better now. I hope we ALL have a happy and very healthy week. 
I'm linking up with Angie!

Thursday, May 02, 2013

May Goals

Meh, I'm way late writing this post. I'm still a freaking mess. It's getting depressing. I cannot believe it's May already. This year is completely flying by. I guess the year always does...

April Recap:

*Start tracking my food again. Nope...okay...a few days...and then not so much. Ugh. 
*I kinda have been dragging on working out since my birthday injury, but I need to get myself back in gear. Not so much...a little...it was really good some days...
*Start up a shop on Etsy or Storenvy. YES!! I DID IT!! So excited, because it took me forever...BUT YAY: Craftcherry is open over at Storenvy!
* I've gotten a little bit of an itch to sew lately, which I haven't had in a while...so I want to get a couple things completed this month. Not so much....I DID buy fabric. I even prewashed it. But I did not cut it. Bah.

Okay, seriously need to fix this funk...and for May I've put even more on my plate. But first, let's pause for a happy intermission and maybe make a little wish. Wishes are fun right?



May Goals:
*Track my food. I don't know why this is so hard. I've done it before...no problem. I NEED to do it again. 
*Work out. Need to find my motivation. If someone finds it...can you PLEASE send it back to me? (Tonight I am setting my alarm to get out for a walk or run in the morning...hopefully a run.)
*Add more items to the shop. 
*Digi scrap our 2013-2014 calendar (ours starts in June...it USED to start in March, cause that's when we first moved in together....one year I was a slacker...so now it's June.)
*Blog more and be a better bloggy friend. I've just been awful at keeping up with reading and writing blogs. I promise, I'm still here!
*Make some me time. 
*Family and friends...time...make it. 

Phew okay. Ready to make this month better than the last and linking up with Angie.
Monthly Goals