So Crafty - November Blogathon

There's nothing like the feeling of fresh sheets, a sleeping baby in the next room, and snuggling in to watch some reality TV when you suddenly realize you didn't blog today and your laptop is all the way in the living room - Oy Vey! But here I am... I made it.... #novemberblogathon

There's something that happens when you're a mother. You become obsessed with little tiny fingers and little tiny toes, and you want to take those tiny fingers and toes, paint them, stamp them on paper, and hang them all over the house or send them to, eagerly waiting, grandparents. 

If you've ever tried to paint the foot of a toddler than you're also familiar with how to wrestle a badger without getting paint all over them, yourself, and your kitchen. For the first several months of Dean's life I would make "month appropriate" crafts. I would buy a 6 pack of month appropriate cards from Target for $4 and send them with craft included to family members. 

Please observe the smudged foot prints. He was only 6 months old at the time and I did this while my husband was at work. I decided to stop doing the foot prints solo after this....

Is he the cutest lucky charm you ever did see? This one took A LOT longer than I'd planned. Lots of cutting, tiny pieces, and gluing - during nap time, of course. I purchased the shamrocks at the Dollar Tree for a dollar for a pack of 12.

We made the crab with our Mommy & Me group. The other children were making butterflies but I felt like Dean was more of a crab-man. Even with another mommy helping me we managed to get red paint all over one of Dean's hats which had to be trashed. Strike 2! 

Now that Dean is a little older and more willing to sit still for a mili-second I'm feeling brave. Below are some of the ideas that I've got swirling around in my head for the holiday season. Grandparents beware!! There are more foot prints headed your way... 

Find out home to make this here....

Find out how to make this here.....

I want to start making something that is a little classier that we can put out for the holidays year after year. Possibly make it tradition of reindeer feet on canvas - sounds chic, no? What are some of your favorite crafts? Any tips on how to wrangle a baby honeybadger? 

Until tomorrow my crafty friends!!

30 Facts About Yours Truly - November Blogathon

It's finally here! Welcome November and welcome Blogathon...

I've been thinking about this post all day. Mostly because I have no idea which 30 facts I'm going to share. Then I started listing ridiculous things: I'm right handed - yawn... I have brown hair - obvious. So bear with me. Hopefully this list will be more fruitful and exciting than the aforementioned snoozeville facts.

HERE WE GO...

1. I was born with cleft lip and palate
2. I used to be obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer between 5th grade - Sophomore in high school. Super embarrassing! 
3. I have a hippie dream of owning a summer camp. I love the camaraderie between the campers and the counselors. Camp was always a magical place for me. 
4. On that note, I used to go to craniofacial camp. It was a camp where all the campers had craniofacial deformities. Such a great feeling to be "normal" and around people that were just like me for a few days. 
5. I have a fear of Gary Sinise. It's not logical but it's a real deep down fear.... Blegh
6. I have the strange talent of being able to tell what mixes most dogs are. I have yet to discover where this talent comes in handy in my life. Although, it has impressed my husband from time to time.
7. I miss reading! Having a one year old does not leave me much time to sit and crack open a book. At least, a book that's author isn't Dr. Seuss. 
8. I have a guilty pleasure of reality TV. Bravo is my secret drug... 
9. My husband and I celebrate the day we met as our "friend-iversary".
10. I always wanted to move to NYC. I got as close as Syracuse.... Brrrrr...
11. I have my bachelor's degree in Psychology
12. I changed my major 3 times: Public Relations, Aesthetics Specialist, and Business ... I'm still not sure I made the right choice.
13. I love being a mother more than I ever thought I would. I thought I would miss going into an office, wearing heels, and sending emails... Turns out I don't but benefits talk.
14. Thank God for Pinterest because my family would be so sick of the only 2 meals I could make - spaghetti and breaded chicken cutlet.
15. I love a parade. Especially if there's a marching band in it. 
16. I want to be a snow bird when I grow up... Mountains in the summer and beach in the winter... Sign me up, please!!!
17. I want to be a tough girl when I'm out on the farm but the quick movement of a bug, animal, piece of grass and I will jump out of my skin because I'm obviously being attacked.
18. I think I only want one child. Not sure if this is a fact considering I'm not sure how I feel about it yet but I'm putting it out there. 
19. I make fake trips on Expedia so I can have a number in my head of how much I need to save for - if I ever got the chance to travel to Europe. Then something in the house breaks and my Europe money turns into A/C money. 
20. I used to be a really good singer. I performed in school, church, and summer camp.
21. I have to wear special earplugs on an airplane because I can't regulate the air pressure changes
22. I really enjoy cleaning my ears with a q-tip. 
23. I'm a cryer. It's my reaction to anything in life. Happy - cry. Sad - cry. Scared - cry. Excited - cry. Nervous - nausea and probably cry. 
24. I can play the spoons. Thank you Dollywood and our family vacation circa 1996.
25. I really want to find a church that I feel at home in. I grew up in church and I haven't found one that I've been comfortable in since I left Syracuse 2 years ago. 
26. I'm a matching freak. I think it hinders my fashion daring-ness
27. When I was a bartender, I could blow fire. 
28. I used to be a bartender... Is this one cheating?? 
29. I'm my parents' only child but I have 4 siblings from my dad's other marriages. 
30. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, moved to Florida when I was 3 years old, and I still consider myself a New Yorker. 

There you have it! I did it... Phew! My husband even popped his head into the room to offer some facts. None of which I used - thanks anyway, babe. 

Until tomorrow my friends... #NovemberBlogathon

Week 12

Keagan and I went to the doctor this week and got to hear baby-saurus' heartbeat for the first time!! It was the most amazing sound ever. I started crying, of course, and Keagan and the BIGGEST smile on face.

My bump is also continuing to grow.. and some more awesome news - I GOT THE JOB! I start next week at Parenting Magazine as an editorial assistant.

 

 

The Bump.com says:

Most of her critical systems are fully formed!

She's about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow    and develop rapidly.

She's now developing her reflexes -- if you poke her body, she'll likely move.

She's opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too.

Her brain is developing fast!



Week 10

We've decided to start documenting my stomach growth. Thank God for pinterest and all of its crafty ideas. The nausea and vomitting are still around. I've learned that I have to eat every 2 hours to keep my stomach full. I have to eat through the nausea, which is a feat in and of itself.



I also had my a job interview today for Parenting Magazine... The irony is not lost on me. I'm very excited because the Executive Editor and I got along amazingly well. Keep your fingers crossed...


The Bump.com says:

Baby has working arm joints, and her cartilage and bones are forming.

Her vital organs are fully developed and they're starting to function.

Her fingernails and hair are starting to appear, too.

Plus, she's swallowing and kicking in there. (Can you believe it?!)

Wedding Crafts



Our wedding is 5 months away and all of the crafting I've put off for a year is starting to rear its ugly head. Unfortunately, my mom wasn't around for entertainment today so I had to do actual crafting.




Several months ago Mom, The Bearded Wonder (TBW), and I went to check out the Hobby Lobby.  If you don't have Hobby Lobby, it's like a Michael's or Joann's on crack... If you don't have a Michael's or a Joann's-- You're Amish-- it's the only explanation. We bought the little fishbowls for $.99 a piece and with a 50% off coupon we practically made money. I'm not having a runner to delineate where the aisle is. So I thought purchasing 20 fishbowls and putting votive in them would be a cute idea to make an "aisle".

After purchasing these little guys I left them in a bag and shoved them in the closet of the back bedroom of our house. I pulled them out a couple weeks ago and HATED them. I immediately ran to Pinterest to see if I could remedy the situation. Here's what I came up with....

Ugly fishbowls, a strip of lace, and white spray paint

 Close up

I wrapped the lace around the fishbowl

(Note the rubber glove... Unless you want white fingers...Invest)

 No judgements on the no make-up and pony-tail.

Check out my sweet "Fight Like a Girl" breast cancer awareness shirt!!

They didn't turn out too shabby!

Royce was being obnoxious helpful...

It was smart of me to get 20 fishbowls because 1 or 2 had to be put in the trash because the lace smudged.

Did you ever purchase something and then hate it when you went back to look at? Have a annoying  helper like Royce?