Remember me? The girl with the number thing... yep, I'm at it again. I've got a few things up my sleeve for ringing in the new year. This post is probably more for me than it is for you, although if you would like to take some inspiration from it, that would be great!
I've been thinking about my 31st birthday for some reason... after throwing a pretty big party for my 30th, I figure this one better be low-key. Who am I kidding? It's not like adults really get much focus on their birthdays anyway. So, the plan was to enjoy an ice cream treat at Baskin Robbins, you know, the place with 31 flavors? Yeah, that sounds good.
But what if I stayed away from ice cream and all other things sweet UNTIL THEN? (My birthday is March 8, by the way.) I can strive to be a healthier person by my 31st, and then reward myself with something special and sweet for THAT DAY. Obviously I won't want to ruin a good thing going... I do feel compelled to knock my sugar habit... and could use some motivation (like numbers) to help me to do.
Also for my 31st, I'd like to get a gift from Thirty-One, an awesome company that sells bags, purses, organizers, and accessories. I spent quite a bit of money with them a few months ago when I got new luggage and other items for the house, so I vowed that I would NOT buy anything else until my 31st birthday... they are supposed to come out with new spring prints by then, too!
Speaking of getting organized, I feel the need to get a better handle on things around the house. I follow a couple of organization-themed blogs that put to shame any organizational skills I thought I had. I also think about little projects around the house often but once I start working on something, I usually get frustrated... like if I relocate a toy from the living room to Ian's closet in an effort to straighten up the living room, I am suddenly overwhelmed by the state of Ian's closet and want to fix everything around the house right then and there!
So, for the month of January, I've devised a plan. I've assigned a task to each of the 31 days of the month with some of the bigger projects spanning over the weekends. I'm posting the schedule here, so bear with me... or join me! I'm thinking about posting weekly updates of the progress, you know, before-and-after pics and that sort of thing, to also help with motivation. (And aspire to be like those blogs that I read? Nah...)
Weekend projects:
Jan 1: Activity table
Jan 7-8: Garage
Jan 14-15: Out-of-Town
Jan 21-22: Craft space
Jan 28-29: Filing
2 Train toy organization (decorate/label)
3 Pantry
4 Laundry room
5 Kitchen cabinets
6 Junk drawers
9 Refrigerator organizer
10 Living room bookshelves
11 TV cabinet
12 Indoor toys
13 Outdoor toys
16 Master bedroom dressers
17 Bedside tables
18 Bathroom cabinets
19 Master closet
20 Start craft space project
23 Ian’s picture project (gather crafts)
24 Organize kids’ artwork (in binders)
25 Ian’s room/closet
26 Seth’s room
27 Start filing project (Seth’s closet)
30 Kitchen area filing (follow-up)
31 CLOTHES! (get rid of what we don't wear)
So, 31 in 2012... here I come! Happy New Year, Y'all!
Addendum
I would also like to add that I am attempting to accomplish some reorganizing without purchasing a lot of new stuff to do it. I just need to work with what I have and perhaps repurpose some things, like covering cardboard boxes with decorative contact paper to make storage bins, for example. Also, the other night I reorganized the boys' bathroom while Ian was taking a bath... so as a work-from-home mom, I may have to get creative about how/when I can do my projects. And if it becomes too obsessive, I may need to back off. OK, we'll see how it goes.
Saturday, December 31
Tuesday, December 27
It's like magic!
I have heard John say this quote more than once...
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
And I'm really starting to believe it! I've been blown away by technology lately. I'm sure lots of folks got techy gadgets for Christmas. We actually didn't receive any as gifts, but with the help of gift cards and rebates, we've added a few new toys around here ourselves.
First of all, especially with having traveled recently, I've come to fully appreciate and marvel at the capabilities of a smart phone. John recently upgraded his to the iPhone 4s, and we've had fun playing with Siri, the phone's voice-activated assistant. She's oh-so-smart, sweet sounding, and well, a little sassy. If you ask her something silly, she might say, "I do not know the category of that inquiry, John." But the fact that John can simply put the phone up to his ear, ask "Where's the nearest Starbucks?" and have Siri direct him to his desired peppermint mocha is uh, pretty darn cool.
John also has a Kindle on its way. Several of our family members and friends have Kindles or other e-readers. I'm looking around my living room at four loaded bookshelves full of books that haven't been touched in years and are just taking up space and collecting dust, so having books on a fun little gadget sounds like a good plan to me! (I'm in the process of trying to de-clutter the house, so that is my wavelength right now.) Also, the portability of a Kindle plus the ease of acquiring books to read on it sound like great selling points. I'm not really a big reader myself, but hopefully John will let me look over his shoulder and see what this Kindle business is all about.
Lastly, John bought a Kinect system for our XBox today. This allows you to do interactive games... a sensor picks up your movement, and you can do things like run in place to get down the football field or swing your arms as if holding a bat to hit a homerun. It was so fun to watch Ian try to figure things out and get so excited about "winning" the games! And before we had the Kinect capability, I was even impressed by the amazing graphics in John's most recent game purchase for the Xbox. But seriously, if you can ride the river rapids in your own living room, doesn't that sound magical?
When I think about how much technology has changed in just my lifetime and what it will do in my kids' lifetime, it's hard to even imagine the possibilities! And someone out there is the magician making this stuff work and coming up with new tricks while the rest of us oooh and ahhh. This is one magic show that I'm excited I get to experience!
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
And I'm really starting to believe it! I've been blown away by technology lately. I'm sure lots of folks got techy gadgets for Christmas. We actually didn't receive any as gifts, but with the help of gift cards and rebates, we've added a few new toys around here ourselves.
First of all, especially with having traveled recently, I've come to fully appreciate and marvel at the capabilities of a smart phone. John recently upgraded his to the iPhone 4s, and we've had fun playing with Siri, the phone's voice-activated assistant. She's oh-so-smart, sweet sounding, and well, a little sassy. If you ask her something silly, she might say, "I do not know the category of that inquiry, John." But the fact that John can simply put the phone up to his ear, ask "Where's the nearest Starbucks?" and have Siri direct him to his desired peppermint mocha is uh, pretty darn cool.
John also has a Kindle on its way. Several of our family members and friends have Kindles or other e-readers. I'm looking around my living room at four loaded bookshelves full of books that haven't been touched in years and are just taking up space and collecting dust, so having books on a fun little gadget sounds like a good plan to me! (I'm in the process of trying to de-clutter the house, so that is my wavelength right now.) Also, the portability of a Kindle plus the ease of acquiring books to read on it sound like great selling points. I'm not really a big reader myself, but hopefully John will let me look over his shoulder and see what this Kindle business is all about.
Lastly, John bought a Kinect system for our XBox today. This allows you to do interactive games... a sensor picks up your movement, and you can do things like run in place to get down the football field or swing your arms as if holding a bat to hit a homerun. It was so fun to watch Ian try to figure things out and get so excited about "winning" the games! And before we had the Kinect capability, I was even impressed by the amazing graphics in John's most recent game purchase for the Xbox. But seriously, if you can ride the river rapids in your own living room, doesn't that sound magical?
When I think about how much technology has changed in just my lifetime and what it will do in my kids' lifetime, it's hard to even imagine the possibilities! And someone out there is the magician making this stuff work and coming up with new tricks while the rest of us oooh and ahhh. This is one magic show that I'm excited I get to experience!
Wednesday, December 21
A Christmas Poem
Twas the week before Christmas,
and all through my abode
Not an appliance was stirring, not even the commode.
The laundry sat untouched in piles all asunder,
And the toilet was clogged, so where's the darn plunger?
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With a concoction of Benadryl and snot in their heads.
The dishes, they taunted this mama so tired,
As do many other tasks to which I aspired.
When from the TV, there arose such a clatter,
The sounds of dragons growling and maybe blood spatter.
The husband is unmoved by the house disarray,
And so I won't worry about that chore today.
So, I at my computer and he at his game,
The parents relax, in that, there's no shame.
Christmas is coming, there's stuff to be done...
Blogs to be written and levels to be won!
But who am I kidding? I need to get hoppin'
Thankfully I'm done with the wrappin' and shoppin'
Tomorrow we'll be busy packing and baking,
And hoping those colds the kids will be shaking!
But tonight it is quiet, with rain's soft pitter patter,
Even though tomorrow will be a whole different matter.
Christmas is coming, I truly can't wait,
But that doesn't mean I won't procrastinate!
and all through my abode
Not an appliance was stirring, not even the commode.
The laundry sat untouched in piles all asunder,
And the toilet was clogged, so where's the darn plunger?
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With a concoction of Benadryl and snot in their heads.
The dishes, they taunted this mama so tired,
As do many other tasks to which I aspired.
When from the TV, there arose such a clatter,
The sounds of dragons growling and maybe blood spatter.
The husband is unmoved by the house disarray,
And so I won't worry about that chore today.
So, I at my computer and he at his game,
The parents relax, in that, there's no shame.
Christmas is coming, there's stuff to be done...
Blogs to be written and levels to be won!
But who am I kidding? I need to get hoppin'
Thankfully I'm done with the wrappin' and shoppin'
Tomorrow we'll be busy packing and baking,
And hoping those colds the kids will be shaking!
But tonight it is quiet, with rain's soft pitter patter,
Even though tomorrow will be a whole different matter.
Christmas is coming, I truly can't wait,
But that doesn't mean I won't procrastinate!
Monday, December 19
Hot+Chocolate+What Else?
I can already anticipate the post-holiday need to detox from sugar, and the culprit is not really all the holiday goodies... it's the HOT CHOCOLATE! Oh my, I am seriously addicted! So before I force myself to give up my daily (or sometimes twice-daily) consumption of this delectable drink, I thought I would share some of my favorite ways to make it.
First of all, the givens... I mix mine up with milk. None of this water business, it's gotta be rich and creamy. I heat a mug of milk in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes, add my mix and maybe some other fun ingredients, and drink it up! Also, just like my favorite brownie mix is from Ghirardelli, so is my favorite hot chocolate mix. You'll notice it as the constant in the following photos.
What is your favorite way to drink hot chocolate?
First of all, the givens... I mix mine up with milk. None of this water business, it's gotta be rich and creamy. I heat a mug of milk in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes, add my mix and maybe some other fun ingredients, and drink it up! Also, just like my favorite brownie mix is from Ghirardelli, so is my favorite hot chocolate mix. You'll notice it as the constant in the following photos.
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| New find: peppermint marshmallows! |
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| With raspberry liquor... my favorite lately |
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| Can't go wrong with a little caramel |
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| Mexican flair with cinnamon and vanilla |
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| With coffee liquor... this one is SWEET! |
What is your favorite way to drink hot chocolate?
Saturday, December 17
From One "San" to Another
A couple of weeks ago we packed our bags, kissed our kids goodbye (who were in the care of Grandma), and boarded a plane to fly to a different "San" city. John has been out to the San Francisco bay area a few times this year, and this time I got to go with him! We left our home "San" with cold and rainy weather and spent a week where it was sunny and 60... pretty much all year round!
While we were there, we enjoyed dinners out with couple friends (a work contact of John's and his wife and also a childhood friend of mine and her boyfriend), ate delicious food, attended a Christmas party, traveled the surrounding areas, John worked, I relaxed, all in all, a great week! Here are a few pics.
I walked around the Fisherman's Wharf area and Pier 39... saw a scattering of sea lions there and lots of shops and seafood. It was fun to do a little touring on my own!
I ended up a Ghirardelli Square, and as I write this, I am eating my very last piece of "Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel" squares that I bought there. Besides my tattoos, the only other souvenirs I got were two little toy cable cars for the boys.
I rode the characteristic San Fran cable car up to Union Square where all the shopping is. I spent a little while in Macy's... which had like seven levels of women's clothing alone and was actually crowded on a Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. It was kind of a stressful shopping trip!
On Wednesday, I relaxed at the hotel that morning while John headed down to the South Bay for some meetings. I was able to successfully navigate mass transportation on my own (bus to train to another bus to another train) in order to meet up with him for the evening's activities... nope, not a night on the town or anything... a gathering of computer programmer types who wanted to hear what John had to say! I listened intently to his presentation and didn't understand most of it... but what I could tell is the HE knew what he was talking about, and was well-received by his listeners! I was proud of him!
On Thursday, we headed north of the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge, hiked around a bit in the Muir Woods and drove up the coast.
A fun trip, a fun city, fun times.
While we were there, we enjoyed dinners out with couple friends (a work contact of John's and his wife and also a childhood friend of mine and her boyfriend), ate delicious food, attended a Christmas party, traveled the surrounding areas, John worked, I relaxed, all in all, a great week! Here are a few pics.
I walked around the Fisherman's Wharf area and Pier 39... saw a scattering of sea lions there and lots of shops and seafood. It was fun to do a little touring on my own!
I ended up a Ghirardelli Square, and as I write this, I am eating my very last piece of "Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Caramel" squares that I bought there. Besides my tattoos, the only other souvenirs I got were two little toy cable cars for the boys.
I rode the characteristic San Fran cable car up to Union Square where all the shopping is. I spent a little while in Macy's... which had like seven levels of women's clothing alone and was actually crowded on a Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. It was kind of a stressful shopping trip!
On Wednesday, I relaxed at the hotel that morning while John headed down to the South Bay for some meetings. I was able to successfully navigate mass transportation on my own (bus to train to another bus to another train) in order to meet up with him for the evening's activities... nope, not a night on the town or anything... a gathering of computer programmer types who wanted to hear what John had to say! I listened intently to his presentation and didn't understand most of it... but what I could tell is the HE knew what he was talking about, and was well-received by his listeners! I was proud of him!
On Thursday, we headed north of the city, across the Golden Gate Bridge, hiked around a bit in the Muir Woods and drove up the coast.
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| Crossing a creek in the Muir Woods |
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| Different than our Texas coast |
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| Oh, that picturesque bridge |
A fun trip, a fun city, fun times.
Sunday, December 11
Maternity Wards and Moving Vans
With a new year approaching, folks start to get a little retrospective, right?
In 2008, we had a baby.
In 2009, we moved.
In 2010, we had a baby AND moved.
In 2011, we did neither (phew!) and things have been pretty easy breezy this year!
Hmm, I wonder what 2012 will hold?
In 2008, we had a baby.
In 2009, we moved.
In 2010, we had a baby AND moved.
In 2011, we did neither (phew!) and things have been pretty easy breezy this year!
Hmm, I wonder what 2012 will hold?
Friday, December 9
Dear Seth...
Even though you are a little over 19 months old, I feel like you will be two before we know it! You're running and jumping and learning and talking! It is so fun to experience all these firsts yet again! And while we might be a bit more laid-back with you as a second-born, that doesn't mean your accomplishments are seen as less significant. And being the second child does come with its advantages… you were introduced to things like cartoons and chocolate long before your brother was.
You were born during the day* and it was a pretty surreal experience to have an actual appointment to meet you. So, you were positioned in the womb opposite from how Ian was, and you’ve been pretty different from him since coming out. I love how you are cuddly and content, expressive and energetic. We never doubt how you are feeling about your situation because you always let us know!
You are mama’s little ray of sunshine* greeting me each morning with a huge smile and a vibrant “hey!” At night you enjoy a little rocking before bedtime, and I sing You Are My Sunshine… this has been your little “song” since you were a baby.
You still are a baby! But you are making headway into boyhood with each passing day. Your personality is still developing, but you do seem a bit fiery*. When you are excited about something, you speak animatedly, shriek with delight, laugh with vigor, and sometimes even do a little dance. When you are mad, well, let’s just say you have a little dance for that, too.
You have shown slight tendencies for left-handedness* although the verdict is definitely still out on that. (The other day you “wrote” with your right hand, I noticed.) Lefties tend to be interesting people and whether you are one or not, you are definitely one of a kind. I also hold you with my left arm and carry you around on my left hip a lot… has it been mentioned that you are a mama’s boy? And that is something I hope will never change.
You do have a lot of growing and changing ahead, and no matter who you become, you will always be mine.
You were born during the day* and it was a pretty surreal experience to have an actual appointment to meet you. So, you were positioned in the womb opposite from how Ian was, and you’ve been pretty different from him since coming out. I love how you are cuddly and content, expressive and energetic. We never doubt how you are feeling about your situation because you always let us know!
You are mama’s little ray of sunshine* greeting me each morning with a huge smile and a vibrant “hey!” At night you enjoy a little rocking before bedtime, and I sing You Are My Sunshine… this has been your little “song” since you were a baby.
You still are a baby! But you are making headway into boyhood with each passing day. Your personality is still developing, but you do seem a bit fiery*. When you are excited about something, you speak animatedly, shriek with delight, laugh with vigor, and sometimes even do a little dance. When you are mad, well, let’s just say you have a little dance for that, too.
You have shown slight tendencies for left-handedness* although the verdict is definitely still out on that. (The other day you “wrote” with your right hand, I noticed.) Lefties tend to be interesting people and whether you are one or not, you are definitely one of a kind. I also hold you with my left arm and carry you around on my left hip a lot… has it been mentioned that you are a mama’s boy? And that is something I hope will never change.
You do have a lot of growing and changing ahead, and no matter who you become, you will always be mine.
****
Wednesday, December 7
Dear Ian...
You are a few short months from turning four, and sometimes in my mind you are already there. It could be because you are always reminding me that "on my next birthday, I'll be four!" It could also be that you look and act so big to me, and I am still fascinated by this little person who has been placed in my care. Being your mother has taught me so much about myself!
You were born at night* and you still find the nighttime a great time to wake up and summon me. You rise so early in the morning, like clockwork, but sometimes (when I'm coherent enough) that is when our best conversations occur. I love how you are learning to talk more and more, expressing yourself, forming thoughts, conclusions, ideas, opinions... yet you still regurgitate so much of what you hear and reenact what you see. I must remember that you are always watching what I say and do!
You are my shining star* always ready to perform and show your stuff. "Mom, look at me!" Son, I must strive to teach you humility! Half the time your antics are silly, the other times, quite impressive! You seem to be a natural-born athlete, and I hope to know the best way to hone that as you get older.
You are ALL boy, claiming that your favorite color is blue* and expressing your fascination with guns, cars, fire, etc. You are a Daddy's boy. You may be rough around the edges and willing to challenge your mama, but my daily dose of the "I really love you, Mom!" keeps me going strong.
You are my right-hand* man. I can always count on your help around the house... cooking, cleaning, some small chores you even handle yourself. You are so willing to help, and while I think some of that is because you just want to be bigger, I also hope you have a helpful spirit that grows as you do.
No matter where you go and what you do in life, you will always be with me.
I'm sure the news of another tattoo comes as much chagrin to family members who weren't thrilled about the first one. I don't know what to say for myself here except that a) this is what happened when John let me loose in The City this week, b) getting inked is actually a bit addicting, and c) there's nothing that can be done about it now, so you still have to love me, tattoos and all!
And with that being said, note that I have another son and another arm... so stay tuned for the next post!
You were born at night* and you still find the nighttime a great time to wake up and summon me. You rise so early in the morning, like clockwork, but sometimes (when I'm coherent enough) that is when our best conversations occur. I love how you are learning to talk more and more, expressing yourself, forming thoughts, conclusions, ideas, opinions... yet you still regurgitate so much of what you hear and reenact what you see. I must remember that you are always watching what I say and do!
You are my shining star* always ready to perform and show your stuff. "Mom, look at me!" Son, I must strive to teach you humility! Half the time your antics are silly, the other times, quite impressive! You seem to be a natural-born athlete, and I hope to know the best way to hone that as you get older.
You are ALL boy, claiming that your favorite color is blue* and expressing your fascination with guns, cars, fire, etc. You are a Daddy's boy. You may be rough around the edges and willing to challenge your mama, but my daily dose of the "I really love you, Mom!" keeps me going strong.
You are my right-hand* man. I can always count on your help around the house... cooking, cleaning, some small chores you even handle yourself. You are so willing to help, and while I think some of that is because you just want to be bigger, I also hope you have a helpful spirit that grows as you do.
No matter where you go and what you do in life, you will always be with me.
****
I'm sure the news of another tattoo comes as much chagrin to family members who weren't thrilled about the first one. I don't know what to say for myself here except that a) this is what happened when John let me loose in The City this week, b) getting inked is actually a bit addicting, and c) there's nothing that can be done about it now, so you still have to love me, tattoos and all!
And with that being said, note that I have another son and another arm... so stay tuned for the next post!
Sunday, December 4
Clips of Snips
In retrospect, I shouldn't have set the camera down next to the TV that was playing Barney. And while it wasn't that obvious to me while we were there, this place does a pretty good job at providing every distraction imaginable.
And were you wondering where the oh-so-supportive big brother was during the actual haircut?
And were you wondering where the oh-so-supportive big brother was during the actual haircut?
Saturday, December 3
The votes are in...
Well, I'm not talking about your votes because nobody seems to comment on my blog anymore. (Thanks, Mom. Got your comment at least!) However, it did seem there were enough votes in favor of Seth getting his first haircut (whether I blogged about it or not), and even though this mama was a little hesitant, we went ahead and took the plunge.
The other thing we put to a vote was where to take Mr. Seth for this milestone haircut. Ian has been to three different kids' hair salons in the area, so I asked him which one he liked the best. Ian's vote was for Sharkey's. He also gave Seth a little pep talk about being brave for his first haircut. It's fun that big brother can witness and participate in Seth's firsts.
Seth was very well-behaved and didn't fuss a bit. Then again, he has attended Ian's haircuts, and we had even introduced him to the fun cars you can sit in and the sound of the clippers. I was afraid that I would be sad by how much his new haircut would make him look like a little boy. Honestly, it kinda reminds me of him at a younger age since he has LESS hair now like he did then! I guess I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...
The other thing we put to a vote was where to take Mr. Seth for this milestone haircut. Ian has been to three different kids' hair salons in the area, so I asked him which one he liked the best. Ian's vote was for Sharkey's. He also gave Seth a little pep talk about being brave for his first haircut. It's fun that big brother can witness and participate in Seth's firsts.
Seth was very well-behaved and didn't fuss a bit. Then again, he has attended Ian's haircuts, and we had even introduced him to the fun cars you can sit in and the sound of the clippers. I was afraid that I would be sad by how much his new haircut would make him look like a little boy. Honestly, it kinda reminds me of him at a younger age since he has LESS hair now like he did then! I guess I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...
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| Yeah, looking a bit unruly on top there. |
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| Before shot of the back |
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| He liked to watch himself in the mirror. |
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| Lil' stinker! |
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| The back after |
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| Mmm, thanks for the lollipop! |
Friday, December 2
In queue...
I just love the word "queue." Not too many words have four vowels in a row, you know. Below is a list of posts I intend to write soon, things that have just been rattling around in my brain a bit. The list is more to help me keep track, but if you want to "vote" on which one you'd like to see first, feel free.
- Thirty Becomes Me, a follow-up post on this one
- Letters to each of the boys, basically what I love about them at this age/stage
- More to This Life (my recent spiritual grapplings)
- Mom-Brainers (simple no-brainers of motherhood)
- San Francisco... I'm going next week! (I could blog pre or post about this one.)
- Mod Podge for Adults! (contingent on whether I finish the project...oh, wait, I haven't even started it, yet!)
- Seth's First Haircut (contingent on if he actually gets one any time soon)
Thursday, December 1
Pinteresting? Maybe...
Here are a few ideas I've come up with recently, and they might just be Pinterest-worthy. So, do I just blog about them and then pin myself? That still seems kinda lame to me, but if it's all about sharing ideas, then here goes...
So when Seth got big enough to reach picture frames on his bookshelf, I had to take them down. I recently swapped the bookshelf in Seth's room for the toy box in Ian's room... since Ian is more interested in books, and well, Seth is always perusing the toy box. Around the time that I rigged up the frames that spell his name to hang as pictured below, I also cut off his floor-length blackout curtains and trimmed the bottom with ribbon.
The frames are hung with ribbon from a dowel rod that spans across the window fixture (and is hidden by the valance). The four-foot dowel rod cost $1.33 at Lowes. Also, I have plans to make superhero capes out of the leftover curtain "fabric." I don't even know what it's made out of... something vinyl-ish and sorta cottony? Anyway, I'm sure it's quite aerodynamic for superheros in flight.
Also in Seth's room we were having a problem with the rocking chair hitting the wall. At its best, it was transferring black paint. At its worst (especially when a small child launches himself into the chair) it was threatening to knock holes in our wall! A while back I attached this foam knee pad to the wall with Command Strips. Think knee pad used for gardening, although we had them on hand for kneeling on while bathing the kids in the tub. This particular knee pad used to be bright green until I trekked out to the storage shed one day and painted it the color of the wall!
And here's another one... so, you know those freebie magnets you get that are kinda flimsy and usually a little ugly? You can see a small stash of mine in the top left corner of the photo above. Well, cut them up, get yourself some super sticky tape (that's the red stuff you see in the pic), and add them to the back of PHOTOS! You can do any fridge-worthy photo; here I've just made some little scrapbooky picture frames as party favors.
So, I thought these were interesting... perhaps even Pinteresting!
So when Seth got big enough to reach picture frames on his bookshelf, I had to take them down. I recently swapped the bookshelf in Seth's room for the toy box in Ian's room... since Ian is more interested in books, and well, Seth is always perusing the toy box. Around the time that I rigged up the frames that spell his name to hang as pictured below, I also cut off his floor-length blackout curtains and trimmed the bottom with ribbon.
The frames are hung with ribbon from a dowel rod that spans across the window fixture (and is hidden by the valance). The four-foot dowel rod cost $1.33 at Lowes. Also, I have plans to make superhero capes out of the leftover curtain "fabric." I don't even know what it's made out of... something vinyl-ish and sorta cottony? Anyway, I'm sure it's quite aerodynamic for superheros in flight.
Also in Seth's room we were having a problem with the rocking chair hitting the wall. At its best, it was transferring black paint. At its worst (especially when a small child launches himself into the chair) it was threatening to knock holes in our wall! A while back I attached this foam knee pad to the wall with Command Strips. Think knee pad used for gardening, although we had them on hand for kneeling on while bathing the kids in the tub. This particular knee pad used to be bright green until I trekked out to the storage shed one day and painted it the color of the wall!
And here's another one... so, you know those freebie magnets you get that are kinda flimsy and usually a little ugly? You can see a small stash of mine in the top left corner of the photo above. Well, cut them up, get yourself some super sticky tape (that's the red stuff you see in the pic), and add them to the back of PHOTOS! You can do any fridge-worthy photo; here I've just made some little scrapbooky picture frames as party favors.
So, I thought these were interesting... perhaps even Pinteresting!
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