I'm a nerd...

I'm a super nerd and I love little nooks and crannies.  So I made Ceddy his own little book nook.  It's adorable and just his size.  The rail can hold over 100 pounds so I don't see it coming down anytime soon.  I'll have a complete how to on my website coming soon...but here is the finished product :)

Cookie exchange and all that jazz...

I had a mini cookie exchange/craft/game night with some friends.  I had a great time celebrating with friends and eating yummy delicious cookies.  I edited out my friends and kids...not sure how they would feel about being on my blog.  This is the gingerbread house from hell.  It looked cute at one point before everything started to fall off of it.

 My art wall is complete :)

 My elf clothing...love it and it's a family tradition to have hanging over the fireplace.

Sadly, I have eaten way too many cookies and gained 1.5 pounds in the few days since the exchange.  Yes, I have an appointment with my treadmill.

Because I am a craft whore...

Here is what I did over the weekend...
Took a boring table I was going to donate but decided to recycle instead and made a cute toddler table for Cedric's reading nook.  I still have to install the book rail.  That shall happen soon!

I sanded and painted the table white...traced circles on it and painted them with the left over wall paint.

 Used tracing paper and wrote Ceddy's Name in a jumble.

 Clear coated it and cut the legs down to his height.  I also painted striped on the legs.  Very cute and cheap if I  say so myself. : )  I love reusing stuff.





Below is the new light fixture the hubs installed.  I'm so proud of him.  There was no light fixture at all in Cedric's room.  Just a lamp, and that is super unsafe for a baby.  So Eric drilled out the hole.  Put a ceiling fixture mount holder upper (the name escapes me right now) and climbed up into the attic and ran the wiring.  I LOVE IT!!!

Tis that time of year...

I have been on a craft, baking, art project roll.  The kids and I made dough ornaments today.  They are currently baking away in the oven as I type.  Hopefully, they turn out.  I made the grandparents little Ceddy hand print ornaments.  Spencer's hand is too big to do the same.  So he made little snowmen for everyone.  He also pressed an army man outline ornament too.  We had fun...hopefully..like I said they turn out.

The cookie exchange was a blast.  This will become an family annual event.  I love all my friends to death!  It was nice sitting around doing crafts with the ladies and kids.  Too bad the kids really weren't into the crafts  they made their ornaments but took off before they we started the stockings.  So us adults worked on them.  We all had fun sitting around decorating with glitter.  I love Christmas.  This year they are calling for a white Christmas.  I'm excited...I love this season.

I've been working on my website and I'm about to launch it..stay tuned...

New year's resolutions!!!

drum roll please...

-read less sad news via the internet
-be more of a positive person
-stop wasting my time with negative people
-workout more
-hike more
-travel more
-be more understanding with Eric...his work drives me crazy, but that's not his fault
-love more
-get my shit together with my businesses
-learn to knit or buy a loom...whichever comes first
-show people how much they mean to me
-stop being so sensitive
-stop taking on the worlds problems as my own...I'm only one lady with my own world problems to deal with
-create more!!!
-finish my basement
-read more books
-and just be me and nothing more.

Hard at work...geezzzzzzz

Mother Nature delivered my city with a lovely coat of snow and ice today so the kids are off of school.  This simply pushed me into the Christmas spirit and let me finish my "pretty tree" finally.  I've been putting it off because I didn't feel like dealing with the balancing act of ribbon for the tree.  But nonetheless.  It's done and looks rather pretty if I say so myself.

The kitchen is about done...minus under cabinet lighting, new floors, accessories and a new sink.  My hubby and I did this all ourselves and worked for what seemed like a small eternity, but finally it is done :) Pics below...

The first two are before pics...

 I'm not done with my art work to fill my frames...I'll take a pic of them when I'm done.

Kinda don't know what to think...

I'm happy on one hand Ceddy qualified for First Steps, but then on the other kinda bummed he needs it at all.  Kinda seems like nothing is simple in this world.  I'm having a mini pity party for myself today.  I am just not looking forward to starting this endeavor and finding a good food therapist for Cedric.  The woman who did his evaluation told me it's difficult to find a good food therapist for an infant.  Cedric has a severe food aversion with taste and texture aversions as well.  I kinda feel relieved to a certain extent.  I'm tired of people offering helpful advice to me on how I should just "work" with him more or offer him different foods.  I don't want to scar him.  He has food anxiety.  I know...kinda weird considering he's 13 months old.  But he was born with severe acid reflux which resulted in him developing his food issues.  He chokes or gags on anything he's uncomfortable with.  So long story short no matter how long you know something and you tell yourself something that is obvious, hearing it from a perfect stranger is disheartening.  It was one thing when I looked at it as a weird little quirk, but to be labeled, defined and called a disorder...that kind terrifies me.  The lady used that word...disorder.  Wow...it stung me.  I never looked at it like that.  I never thought of it as an aspect that could follow him as he got older.  She told me these kids usually are fine with no future issues.  My momma ears perked up and thought, but it could?  I never thought of it like that.  I see my smiling baby and his laughing little body with bright eyes giggling and never have I thought of it as a negative attribute about him.  I'm weird...I've had my head in the sand, but I just honestly thought that was his little shtick.  Part of his charm and character.  I knew it was bad, and I knew he needed help...but I never let it register its severity until today.   I  kinda feel like crying.  I know there are way worse things to be upset over and he'll out grow this.  But a mother never wants to hear something is wrong with their child.  Ok...off to eat something chocolate and have a good cry then move forward. Below is a little video of Ceddy watching Spen and Eric ice skate yesterday.

I should be asleep....

I should be asleep, but my mind is full of ideas.  My brain is in creative mode and sleep is something it does not desire, but oh how my body does.  I have to go ice skating today...hopefully, I will have the energy.  Sheesh.  An opening bio popped in to my head while laying in bed for my site after a diaper change. Ceddy had settled down and my mind was racing of these creative endeavors. I had to write it down or it would be merely a memory of me having a great bio but not for the life of me remembering a damn word of it.  I feel like coffee right now.  But I can't...I need sleep.

 We haphazardly put up the Christmas stuff this year.  I'm in the mood for Christmas, just not decorating.  The kitchen has wiped me out. I'm also entering the phase of my life that most of my Christmas stuff needs to be replaced.  Either is was hand me downs or bought years ago.  The sparkles have fell off a lot of items and many are badly shaped.  Tis the Christmas season with unfluffed trees.  I gave Eric the fluffer job,  he sucked.  That term makes me giggle...I'm a nerd. I need to decorate my family room tree.  Eric and Spen put a tree up in the dining room in the front window.  It was funny Spen asked Eric when was there enough lights on the tree, Eric replied with,"When it looks like it's on fire".  It's our "family tree", aka the ugly one full of junk.  Of course Eric and Spen had to take it to the extreme.  It has a lot of lights flashing and ornaments that are broken adorning it.  I hope no one has a seizure looking at it. 

Ok...I think I feel slumber revisiting me...nighty night...or shall I say early good morning?

NEW CHAIRS!!!

Yay!!! I'm so stoked for my new chairs : )  I LOVEEEEEE them : )

 

Laaaaaaaa.....

Happy Happy Joy Joy...

My new chairs are being delivered today.  My kitchen looks horrid and is a mess, but this shall not deter me from ripping the boxes open and putting them together : )  I love new furniture!!!

Just had to use my mommy ninja skills to cover Ceddy up.  I had to remove all of his "noise" making toys out of his play pen while he's sleeping because he tosses and turns and sometimes hits them while asleep.  He gave me a big smile when I put his blanket over him.  I love baby smiles while they're asleep : )  Melts my heart.

Holy cow, I need to work out..enough said on that subject.

Dear Mr. Redneck neighbor please move!  I swear I want to write that to my next door neighbor.  He's such a douche.  Not only has he put his mailbox in my yard, refused to move it, but now he is leaving his delivered phone book sitting in my yard beside his mailbox.  It's wet and nasty. It is taking every ounce of strength for me not to throw it in his yard.  GRRRRRRRR!!!  I hate rude people!

I have been on a search for fabric all morning for a friend.  She deserves the best.  I came up with a close match to what she wants, but we shall see.

I hate reading the news...it's full of nothing but sadness.  I need to stop this bad habit.  It just brings me down.

I am determined to get my office cleaned and organized.  I hate it.  It's annoying and I really cannot get any work done in here.  Geesshhhhh...my house is a mess.  My kitchen is almost done.  I have a few art projects in there after the grouting is done.  I'm going to make a chalkboard out of a piece of metal to be hung on the back of the kitchen island.  It can be used for magnets when ceddy is older and he can use the chalk board now.  It will be right at eye level and something fun and whimsical for the kids.  I'm sure Spen will love it too.  Eric thought it was a great idea.  It just popped in my head last night while waiting for tiles to be cut.  Eric thought we should use a dry erase board at first, but I had to remind him chalk only really writes on a chalkboard as markers can write on our white cabinets.  I need to get some more accessories for the room...but it's coming closer to being finished.  New floors for the house will come this spring.  I wish we had an IKEA here.  I need baskets and kitchen hardware.  Oh, well...maybe target and lowes will be my saving grace.

I have been mothering two sick kids.  Both kids have the stomach bug that is going around.  Spen has been sick since Thanksgiving with it.  We had to cancel all of our Thanksgiving plans and throw together an impromptu thanksgiving meal at home.  We usually go to both sides of our family. I ran out to the store and was able to put together a pretty yummy feast.  It was kinda nice just hanging out at home just our little family.  Eric and I baked and hung around the house in our PJ's.  It was kinda nice not having to run around town.  We looked through the ads and watched movies all day.  Later my mom stopped by with some left overs from her house.  It was a really nice unexpected thanksgiving this year.  Eric ended up running out the next day for Spen's big ticket item.  We were going to go shopping together on black friday, but with two sick kids we took turns running out to the stores.  Spen went to school today he's feeling better.  Poor Ceddy is still sick.  I hate when my kids are sick.  I'm waiting patiently for Eric and my turn.  My bets are that Eric will get sick first then me last.  That's how the usual turn of events always plays out.  Mom is sick last.  Although, I am one stomach flu away from my goal weight...ha!  So maybe a blessing in disguise?  Hehehheehahhahaa.  Ok...off to be lazy I go.

Shhessshhhh...

I'm so tired.  Eric and I have been installing counter tops and a back splash all day.  Two trips to Lowes and a third tomorrow...we ran out of tile.   It looks awesome : )  Pics will follow once we are done.  I need to go look at TJMAX for some accessories.  We ordered our chairs, on sale, free shipping!!!  I got my white frames for SUPER cheap!!!  They are empty but hanging on my wall nonetheless.  I love my hubby to death.  He is a picture hanging engineer.  I am an eyeballer.  I end up with umpteen holes in the wall, but he is precise and even breaks out all his tools to ensure perfection.  He hung 9 frames in a box pattern on the wall and matched them perfectly.  My hat is taken off to him!  My hands are so dry from the tile work.  It's going along pretty smoothly.  Fingers crossed we finish tomorrow.  Dear, Jesus let us finish.  I want my house back.  My house is a wreck due to the kitchen not being able to be used.  I also want my xmas stuff up.  I have so many things I need to do.  I need to take the kids xmas pictures and actually print them out.  I also need to print off some canvas pics and try wrapping them.  I ordered some for a client and I want to try to make myself some. I need to design my pictures for my frames in my kitchen...I'm over the moon excited about my ideas for them.

Ok,   I'm tired...good night!

Tummy pains...

My stomach has decided to hurt again...no fun.  More meds!!! 

On a brighter note, I made loads of progress today. My table is finished with painting, now onto the poly final coat!!!  Woo hoo!!!  I also made my typewriter art.  I loved how it turned out...I need to build a frame for it. Then hang it.  I'm watching two cheese crates on ebay for an art project.  Fingers crossed I win : ) 


I need to clean my house.  I have the lady with first steps coming Wednesday for me to fill out paperwork.  I have a long list of things to do.  As usual.  Short update.  I'll post pics later of the progress being made : ) Sweet slumber please fall upon me...because my body is tired, but my mind is running ramped. Calm down mind and let me sleep...off to toss and turn I go.

Soooo...sleepy....

Progress has been made today!!!

We now have a butcher block island...outlets replaced with new covers, kitchen table primed, and I started on my art project!!!  Holy moley we are on a roll.  God is good!!!  I love my hubby.  We both feel like crap today but we forged through.  Poor Eric even had to go into the office for a bit.  We still have a lot more to do.  But tomorrow I finish my art project and then I paint the table black.

Good night : )

So many projects!!!

My head is swirling.  I'm deliriously happy at the moment with thoughts of crafts, painting and sewing.

Currents thoughts....

I need these if any one knows where I can purchase these frames I will send a huge hug out to you...

I'm putting those on my kitchen wall and I plan on making family silhouettes to put in them.  I scratched the black scrollish IKEA frame.  With the damask curtains it would look too whore-house-ish for my taste. 

I also have few projects to do... Make this artwork.  I found an AWESOME tutorial online showing how to do this...and it will look fabulous in my kitchen.  Eric is off buying the wood now.  Squeal!!!

Ceddy's book rail needs to be installed.  I bought the rails for it... I found this awesome idea online as well.

 

I want to make these pillows...I need to figure out how...any tips will be appreciated immensely. 

I also want to make these pillows as well, but am coming up short finding the fabric.

I also have a project after xmas...I found it online.  It's making a bed frame bench.  I want to make it for my hallway up stairs.  I'm excited. I have so much to do...so little time...geeshhhhhhh....