Thrifting is Fun

I have really been having a good time with my new found hobby. I try to go every Monday to the Unique Thrift Store when everything is 50% off. It's a hunt to find cool things & I find it very exciting. Here are a few of my purchases from last week:

This darling, darling 1975 vintage little girls dress pattern. Too cute. The envelope illustration is so wonderful.


Also found this barkcloth. Dylan likes it & is making me keep some, but I also listed a yard of it in my shop.


It's pretty thrilling to find something cool for a really good price. Also cool to be able to resell it & get paid for hunting it down!

We have been busy, busy, busy around here getting ready for the party tomorrow!!! I'll have photos to share afterward. Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Pencil Cups

Empty formula cans covered in patterned scrapbook paper. A cheery new home for art supplies.

*I Love*

My cookie scoop. Have I seriously not proclaimed my love for my cookie scoop on my blog yet?



Nice uniform sized cookies & so much cleaner than using a spoon & my finger. Also love the Chocolate Chippers recipe that my mom always used. They are the Duke family's cookies. The recipe came from my mom's old Betty Crocker cookbook from the 70's. The one that is now falling apart. I have been making these cookies since I was about 12 years old. I've mastered them. They are the perfect blend of sugar & salt and are oh so chewy. I can never eat just one. I recently sent some of these cookies to Dylan's office. Everybody raved about them. I love it when people enjoy things I've made. It is a regular practice of mine to always make a triple batch of dough whenever I make these cookies.

Chocolate Chippers

1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 6-oz pkg. chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

Cream shortening, sugars, egg & vanilla until light & fluffy. Sift together dry ingredients, stir into creamed mixture; blend well. Add chocolate chips. Drop from teaspoon 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

I also love open windows & fresh cool air circulating through the house, root beer floats, new magazines & my wedding ring. I love that I have sisters & love even more that those sisters are such cool people. Who send me unexpected surprises when I need it most & buy things from my little shop. I love feeling full & blessed.

Little Sadie Bits

Acorns found at the park



Her little bit of pizza dough set aside to rise. I found this in the fridge this morning.

Progress

Last week at Claire's 4 month well baby visit she weighed in at 11 lbs. 12 oz. She's in the 10th percentile for weight. We're happy that she's actually on the chart again. 40th percentile for height & 60th for head circumference. We've gotten the go ahead to start solid foods. I'm sure we'll have some rice cereal photos to share pretty soon.

In Party Mode

Little Miss Sadie will be turning 3 on the 8th of September. We are going to have a party for her this weekend while Dylan's parents are visiting. Dylan whipped up this invitation with his own adorable elephant illustration. Love it!


We've been making some recycled crayons as favors for the goody bags.


I've got plans for some fun decorations which will include a few of these lovelies & a cutie cute cake idea as well. It's been fun to think about this party where she's actually old enough to have a real party just for her.

I Wonder If She'll Always Be Like This...

We walk into the reception area of the pediatrician's office. The waiting room is hopping with kids. After waiting for the two moms in front of me to check in at the front desk, I step up & tell the lady at the desk, "Claire Todd for Dr. so & so." "Oh!" she says. "Jennifer has been waiting for you."

Jennifer is the girls' nurse & she wasn't waiting for us because we were late. She was waiting for us because she loves Sadie. It's like this everywhere. Sadie is the most popular person in our family at church. The other kids in nursery have all tagged her as their best friend. The girls in my activity days group tell her they love her. The young men & young women always talk to her in the hall & they want her to remember their names. Everybody asks how she's doing & where her glasses are, or that she looks great in them, if she happens to be wearing them. Most adults she talks to are really interested in her. I think because she talks so much & so clearly. Her imagination is just wild & most people enjoy that as well.

I imagine she'll always be like that. A cute, fun girl that people are just drawn to. Somebody that people feel really good being around. She's cool & as Dylan always says..."she's my hero."

Another One

For this one I was tagged by Dylan, Amber & Keri

4 Jobs I’ve Had:
1. bankruptcy court w/ Linda Hair
2. Bankruptcy Trustee Administrative Assistant
3. Melaleuca call center
4. a mom

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:
1. Bandits
2. Nacho Libre
3. Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (original one)
4. Harry & the Hendersons (I don't know. I can't think of anything)

4 Favorite TV Shows:
1. Lost
2. 30 Rock
3. the Office
4. Veronica Mars

4 Places I’ve Lived:
1. Las Vegas, NV
2. Rexburg, ID
3. Cleveland, OH
4.

4 Places I’ve Been:
1. Washington D.C.
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Austin, TX


4 Favorite Foods:
1. fruit
2. bread
3. desserts
4. my mom's lasagna

4 Least Favorite Foods:
1. gorganzola cheese
2. seafood
3. real Chinese food....panda express, I'm okay with that.
4. tofu

4 Favorite or Most Frequented Websites:
1. blogs....tons of them.
2. flickr
3. etsy
4. weather.com

Tag!

Here's my response to Heather's tag:

1. What is one of your fears?

I'm afraid of ghosts & sasquatchs. Also, I'm afraid of anything bad happening to my kids or my husband.

2. Which parent are you most like? What attributes do you share?

Mom - my domesticity & the way I mother my children. Dad - my fear of all things medical. my shyness. Both - creativity, practicality, being a little reserved.

3. Share a favorite childhood memory.

camping! Also, i have this memory of playing baseball at the park as a family for a family home evening. I remember being SO happy. Really, anytime we were all together with both mom & dad.

4. You must leave your home to never return....you will only be able to bring 5 possessions (family is coming with you) what do you take?

camera, clothes, scriptures, scrapbooks, blanket

5. What drives you crazy?

people clipping their nails in public, people who fall asleep in the temple, sadie taking FOREVER to do anything when I'm in a hurry.

Bean Activity

Sadie has been watching way too much TV, but it's just too darn hot & muggy to go to the park. So I pulled this little activity together for her. A container full of beans (food storage, of course), little objects to hide (pencil, paper clip, button, little toys), stacking cups or measuring cups & a spoon.

She's been hiding & finding the little objects & scooping up beans in her measuring cup. This could be done with rice as well. You will end up with some beans or rice on your floor, but it's worth it.

*I Love*

My girls' skin (so good to kiss). Maybe that's why I don't mind that Sadie is always in her undies.

I also love: Target. Hello Kitty. Las Vegas winters. Flip flops. Chocolate. Bright colors. Dylan's smell & his lips & his hair & his eyes, especially when he smiles. Honey Bunches of Oats cereal. Food. Candy. Music. Good music. Good live music.

I also love my friend Chanel, whose birthday is today. She is 100% herself & never ashamed to be so. Thanks for your example. Happy Birthday Chanel!

I'm going to try to do this once a week. Join in with me! Be on the lookout for things you love & are grateful for.

I've Been Painting Today

Ornate, thrifted picture frames painted wonderfully wild colors. These will go up in the shop either later tonight or tomorrow.

Look how old those photos are. I haven't ordered prints in quite a while.

A Little Off

That's how my day has been. Claire cried & needed to be held all day long. Gas? Teething? I'm not sure. But a little Tylenol seemed to help her out. I will be posting the *I Love* post sometime soon.

Thanks so much for all your support on the last post. It is good to know that we all go through these things. I plan on taking Heather's advice & taking some time for myself...out of the house. I just don't think it will happen until next week. And, I need to remember to take care of myself as well as the rest of the crew. I hope all you moms do the same.

Oh hey....check it out! This is my washing machine. It's old.

Sometimes I Get Sad

I try to keep the posts on my dear little blog upbeat & positive. The thing about blogging is you share only what you want to. I love each of the comments that I get. They build me up & make me feel better about myself. Truth is, there are things that I don't share with you all. For example, I don't share photos of my messy house. And sometimes, when I haven't updated for a while, it's not because I'm busy doing something fun. Sometimes it's because I'm in a slump. So here is the awful truth:

I've been in one of those slumps lately. Just depressed.
I talked to my sister on the phone about feeling homesick.
I talked to Chanel about feeling like a crazy mother.
I called Dylan at work to tell him I was fed up with the girls.
I'm tired.

Sometimes I don't want to be the mom anymore. Sometimes I don't want to be the one that everybody needs. I don't want to be the only one that can get them all to stop crying. Sometimes I wish I could come up the stairs without a baby carrier & 10 grocery bags in my hand. I wish I could take a nap whenever I wanted, or be able to eat my meals in peace....slowly....not scarfing. Sometimes I make myself feel really bad for being selfish.

I know that I need to enjoy these days while my kids are little. I know they grow up fast & I'll miss the little versions of them. I know that this is what I've always wanted...to be a momma. I know it will all be better soon....Sometimes I just can't make myself snap out of it.

And, on that note, I promise a more upbeat & positive post later today when I start a little series called "I Love".

Inspire Me

I finally started my idea/inspiration book. My mind has just been going crazy with crafting & sewing ideas & it came time to get it all down on paper so I could free up some space in my brain. Here I can sketch things out, jot down notes and ideas & tape ripped out pages from magazines and catalogs. Now I just need to find some time to try out all these project ideas.

I'm Painter Sadie!!!

That's what Sadie was yelling today as she experienced watercolors for the first time. These things are well worth the 27 cents. Going to have to go stock up on them. This set got a little water logged & the paints are almost gone already. I think her paintings are so pretty. The colors are great! That one on the end is my painting of our dog Maddy. I just couldn't resist little Sadie saying, "Paint wis me!".

The Biggest Battle These Days...

is avoiding the 6:00 pm nap.


She starts falling asleep while she's eating dinner. Not good at all. Sunday I had her stand up & run a few laps around the dining room table with me. Maybe not such a good idea with a sleepy head kid whose run-in with the table a few days prior sent her to the hospital for stitches.

What to do? What to do?

Naps are really out of the question. Strategic car rides....tried it. Just have to push through this I guess. There will be something else to battle before we know it.

3 1/2 Months

Man, I love this smile.






A little bit about Claire right now:

* she is bringing everything to her mouth....her hands, toys, blankets.
* she loves kisses.
* she smiles with her eyes, always has. Her smile starts w/ her mouth & then moves up into this little squint of her eyes. Too sweet.
* growing & gaining weight & healthy as can be.
* she likes to get out of the house, but not for too long.
* she gets cranky when she's hot (no idea where she gets this from).
* close to rolling over, but not quite yet.
* giggles & coos a lot.
* cranky when her diaper is dirty or wet.
* generally very happy & easy-going, but when she's mad....watch out!

***ETA: She did it. She rolled over today.

Also, I forgot to mention on my last post that I got 2 stitches near my eye when I was a little girl. About the same age as Sadie...I was three. Climbing on the wood pile in the back yard & I fell off. My scar is on the opposite side as Sadie & as I've grown older it keeps moving out, further from my eye.

Hello Emergency Room

* Last night Sadie was twirling around with puppets on both of her hands making them talk to each other & she ran into the dining room table.

* We got to the ER at about 7:00 p.m. She was wearing a black leotard/tutu number. She had no shoes on because Dylan was carrying her & her Little Mermaid underwear kept showing out the bottom.

* She was really scared to go because I had freaked her out a few weeks before, telling her how awful the hospital was & how she'd have to go stay the night there if she ran away from me in the parking lot & a car didn't see her & hit her.

* When she got her hospital bracelet, she commented on how we had made bracelets earlier that day.

* When we FINALLY got to a bed, I laid down with her to keep her from touching her eye & getting the numbing gel in it. We talked about her upcoming birthday. She decided that she wants a white cake w/ pink frosting, pink candles & pink sprinkles.

* They wrapped her up tight in a blanket. The nurse held her head still & I sat by her rubbing her belly & talking her through while the doctor put in one stitch. She cried the whole time.

* When it was over, I unwrapped her, took her in my arms, hugged her, rubbed her hair & kissed her forehead. She grabbed my face w/ both hands, gave me a big kiss on the lips & said, "I love you mama." She did the same to Dylan.

* She did not want to leave until she was given the popsicle the nurse had promised her.

*We finally got home at 10:30 p.m.

On This Rainy Day...

a craft was in order. Bracelets made from toilet paper rolls. Got the idea from scrumdilly-do. So I need to remember that Sadie very much enjoys a craft & I need to do them with her more often. She's usually very polite & sweet after having some creative time.

Have You Seen This?

Amazon Grocery! I saw this & immediately thought that I'd check out their price on diapers. $32.69 for a box....not bad. But wait! if you sign up for a subscription you save 15%.

SO....$27.79 for a box of Huggies diapers shipped for free to my front door every month (or 2 months, you can chose that). Not bad at all. In the size 1-2 diapers that ends up costing 14 cents per diaper. Pretty darn good for name brand diapers & I'm all about Huggies for Claire. At least while she's little & blow outs are more likely.

Also, you can change your order anytime or cancel at anytime with no penalties. COOL!

Just Hanging Out

Under Claire's activity mat. It's hot & muggy. Now I know what 85% humidity on a hot day feels like. We'll try to stay busy here at home today. I will focus on laundry & go up & down the 28 stairs to the basement where the washer & dryer are about a dozen times.

I've Been Funky Found

A big thanks to Jessica over at Funky Finds for featuring my Etsy shop on her delightful little blog today. Check out her site......there's lots & lots to discover!

Puddle Run

This girl has a really hard time resisting puddles. She loves to jump right in 'em. We got a lot of rain today. When the crazy hard rain & massive thunder & lightning eased up I let Sadie go outside & get a little wet. She likes to run up & down the driveway, which runs the length of the house (the garage & our parking spot are in the back). Right through the puddles that collect in the middle. She sure knows how to have a good time.

Apartment Views

So, finally.....a few photos of our apartment. In our living room I like the three front windows. That door goes out to our patio in the front. Sadie & I go out there to blow bubbles & use the play dough & sidewalk chalk & what not.

These cabinets are in the dining room. There are two. One on each side of the windows. I don't have anything cool to display in these. Really wish I did.


My kitchen. Well, one side of it. The other side has the stove, which is filthy. I'm not sharing a filthy stove w/ y'all. Yucky old cabinets, crazy red countertops & linoleum like stuff on the walls.


I asked Dylan if I was crazy because the pink bathroom tile is actually growing on me. He replied with a "yes."


This is the doorknob to the bathroom. We have a few glass doorknobs in the house. The rest are metal.

Just a few peeks inside. Hope this settles some of your curiosity.

Chin Up, Cheer Up

* I've been meaning to get out & check out some of the nearby thrift stores. Last week we hit up the Unique Thrift Store where we found this Barbie car that Sadie just had to have. I remember her hugging it & saying, "I love you car". We need to go back on Mondays when everything is half price.



Also, I grabbed a bedspread/curtain set because I just couldn't pass up the fabric print. It's a little bright, but I kept trying to tell myself no & I kept coming back to it in the store. I gave it the sniff test & decided to go with it. I've already laundered it & made a tote for the shop. Can you imagine this fabric on a bed & curtains! Whoah! Cute as a tote bag though.



* We received word back from Claire's cystic fibrosis screening finally. It was negative. We feel so happy & so very blessed. Really, what is there to complain about? Well, other than the 83% humidity today. She's looking so much more plump. You may remember a previous photo of her on her changing table looking like she could break.


*This morning Dylan put all the dishes that had been drying in the kitchen away. He took the time to do this even though he had to go to work early today. He did this for me. Because he loves me & you know what....it made me feel really loved. What a great way to start the day & the week. Thanks Dyl.

Sour

* This heat/humidity is making me super grumpy.

* I've wanted to yell swear words at my kids all day. I haven't though, just in my mind.

* I do not want to make dinner tonight, so I didn't pull chicken out of the freezer. Now what are we going to eat?

* I have things to post here on the blog, but no pictures to go with them. Can't make a fourth post in a row w/ no photos.

* Everyday can't be a joyful one. I was starting to get sad that summer is coming to an end. This heat is supposed to stick around for a few more weeks....NOW I'm ready for fall.

Take Better Everyday Photos

Okay, first off...I'm not trained at all in the art of photography. When I even start to read about it my brain shuts off. It's so hard to grasp & I'm amazed by people that get it. They're smart! One day, I will take classes & then I'll look back & think my photos are crap.....no, just kidding. Anyway....here are a few things to remember when you're trying to take nice everyday photos of your life:

1. Turn off your flash. This will make a huge difference! The flash is very unflattering on both people & objects. Now, when you're shooting without the flash you need to make sure you have lots of natural light on our subject. I open up all the blinds in my house, so there's always a lot of light flooding in. Then, if I need to grab my camera for a shot, I don't have to run around staging everything.

2. Pay attention to light. Once you get used to what good lighting conditions are for taking photos, look for it! Sometimes I am inspired to take out the camera & start shooting, not because my kids were doing something cute, but because the light in their room was amazing. The best place to take photos is outside. The light will be amazing, but be sure to put your subject in the shade so they don't end up overexposed.

3. Eliminate distractions in the background. Seriously. Your kid may look cute as can be, but dangit, my eye keeps getting drawn to that vacuum behind them, or that mess of toys. Get in closer on your subject if you need to, or shoot from above.

4. Try a different angle!! This one is my favorite. We see lots of straight on shots. They can be boring. I typically take at least 4 shots, from various angles & then pick the one I love the most. Pretend that you're a rock star w/ the camera & before you know it you will be!

5. Take lots & lots of photos. We have this luxury with our digital cameras. Take lots of photos & you're bound to get one or two that are amazing.

6. Get to know your camera. If you want to get more involved, start with reading your camera manual front to back. Pay attention to white balance & ISO & start experimenting under different lighting conditions.

I hope this helps. Let let me know if you have any questions or any other tips. And when you feel like you've taken a "rock star" photo, please share it with me. I'd love to see.