Dry Off

I have really been in the sewing mood lately and have gone sewing crazy!! Currently I am working on completing a gift for a good friends baby shower. I am making 2 hooded towels, some burp cloths, and I think I might even try a bib or two!!

Here are my hooded towels:

To make them I followed this tutorial by The Cottage Mama (LOVE her tutorials, she gives simple directions and good photos!!)

I simply can't wait to give them as gifts!! I am currently also making one for my own kids!!

Messages {Cork Board Tutorial}

As you recently saw, I made myself a fun new cork board. I thought I would take a minute to give you the details so you can make one of your own...seeing we are having a snow day here I am going to take advantage and get some projects off the to do list!!

To start I gathered my supplies:

• Craft paint-color of your choice for the frame.
• Burlap-I used about 1/2 a yard, but it will depend on the size of your board.
• Hot Glue gun
• Modge Podge
• Button covers
• Fabric scraps
• Thumb tacks

Next I painted my frame, I tried to keep paint off the cork as much as possible. You never know when you might want to make another change!

Once it was painted I added the burlap. I cut the burlap to the right size and then hot glued it around the edges. (This wasn't the easiest step and took a little patience, but I like the end result so it was worth it!)

I then let it cool. While doing that I took some fabric scraps I had laying around that matched the colors of my kitchen/dining room area. I then covered some button covers with it and modge podge it. Once that was dry I glued on the thumb tacks using E6000.

Here is the end result:

I did add some felt flowers around the bottom and some ribbon at the top to make it look a little more exciting. I am really enjoying how it turned out and am in the process of coming up with a fun idea for my son's room!

Back Again

You know the old saying 2 steps forward 3 steps back? That is where we are today. It seems like just when you think things have made a turn in the right direction and that you have made good decisions...life throws you a curveball and you are back where you started.

I recently decided to blog about our issues with Em....it was relieving for me to let it go. I felt a weight lifted and that hopefully finding the support of friends and others possibly in similar situations would be helpful, and it is.

We recently switched meds...AGAIN and were really hoping to have found a helpful answer to our current issues. Well today I found out differently. Apparently there have been some issues going on at school, there has been talk of suspension, and even switching schools. But where has this led...the issues that are presenting themselves have only shown up at school, we at home, have seen very little of these issues and really have seen an improvement. Where does this leave us, where do we go next, what concequences do we put into place, who is going to lead in the right direction for some answers with these problems? These are the questions I have running through my head, I feel like I'm stuck with no where to go. I pray every night that God will give us the answers and lead us in the right direction. In this we are lead to a new facility in Grand Rapids that will hopefully be able to shead some light on what is going on, at least I pray it does.

In the meantime, how do you just let these things happen to your daughter? How do let people know the sweet girl she really is when her behavior says otherwise? How do you teach her that these actions have concequences, when nothing seems to phase her, for everyone in the family? How do you continue to keep a happy and great family dynamic while these other things are going on? How do you make sure that your son has a happy childhood and makes great memories?

Here we are....back again.

Changed for the better

• 2 years ago today I lost one of the most important women in my life.
• 2 years ago today my role model, friend, mentor and confidont.
• 2 years ago today the world lost an incredible teacher.
• 2 years ago today my kids lost a wonderful grandma, better known as Memah.
• 2 years ago today I lost a mom.
• 2 years ago today heaven gained the most incredible, caring, inspiring angel

Two years ago today my mom passed away, rather unexpectedly. I miss her everyday.

I am who I am because I knew her. The mom I am today and the mom I strive to be is because of her.

I have been changed for the better, because I knew you...

"Sew" Much Fun!

I have recently figured out that I like to sew! I learned when I was young, my mom was a home economics major in college and taught sewing in her early years. I never really caught on, unitl recently when I decide to give it a try.

I channeled my inner mom and got right to work. I made Em a pillowcase dress and it was on from there. I cried a little when I finished it knowing that my mom would have been proud. Well since then I have taken on some applique projects and had A LOT of fun doing it!

Here are my latest applique creations, they turned out pretty good I think!! I may have to start taking some orders or my daughter is going to have a boat load of these!

I have a couple more ideas, and Jake has requested a "6" shirt. There will definitely be more to come!

Goals....Month 2

Okay so last month I started out with list of goals to accomplish for the month. I have to say, I did a pretty good job, of course there is room for improvement and a couple of items didn't get accomplished so I added them to this month.

Let's see how I did:

1. Organize Closet-DONE, and looks pretty good too!! (Sry no before and after pics of that!!)
2. Finish Emmah's room- still working, I have the curtains just haven't got to sew them and I did finish her magnet board, but she kicked it accidentally and I had to start over, I am getting there though!
3. Bathroom Curtains-found, just have to get a coupon and get them, some sewing required!
4. Take items to Goodwill-DONE
5. Craigslist-DONE, and even sold one!!
6. Chorechart-1/2 done, just have to find a frame or a spot!
7. Make Dinner 5-6 nights-DONE we have had a couple of slips, but overall done good to eat at home. Hoping to try some new recipes too!!

Okay that is over 1/2 and one won't take long to complete! Onto the next months list:

1. Finish Jake's room-wall decor and all!
2. Curtain over slider/kitchen window (found an awesome tutorial!!)
3. Create File System for important Papers
4. Fix silverware display (don't ask!!)
5. Finish Emmah's Room
6. Chorechart-finish this up, I also plan to post the tutorial for it as well!)
7. Redo Master Bedroom-found my duvet and hoping to do some painting, add wall decor, and some curtains or valances to the windows.
8. Eat/Cook at home 5-6 nights a week. (This one will be a year long goal!)

Hope that I can be even more successful this month!! What are your goals for the month??

Our Next Move

We headed to the Dr yesterday for some answers to what we have had going on in our house over the past weeks. We went armed with concerns, comments, questions, and open minds. We hoped to get some ideas of where to go next and what might be going on.

Well we didn't get all that we were looking for, but we are on the trial of a new idea. We'll give this new med a try and hope that in the meantime it helps her. The health concerns we deal with constantly keep us guessing and a little uneasy sometimes, but hopefully with some prayer we will know that we are on the right path.

These issues we are dealing with have come to really alter what we do on a daily basis, as well as any special activities. We rethink where we go and how often we go. It scares me that a 7 year old can alter my own daily life like she does. I don't want to give into her, but I don't always know how much of what she does.

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.
-Christopher Reeve

~LOVE~

Here is my project from a week ago...I combine some ideas and in talking to a co-worker came up with this:

I am excited on how it turned out and plan to paint the frame black sometime this week and make it more of a year round decoration. I will definitely post some pictures when I get it done.

Blessed

I am truly blessed by some amazing people in my life. So today I am choosing to list some of the many things I have been blessed with....

1. The Hubs!! He is able to bring me back down to earth when I am going nuts!! He is the love of my life and is always there when I need him. He continues on this great adventure of life with me and for that I forever thankful.
2. The kids, Emmah & Jake! They are great!! I mean who could ask for better kids!
3. My friends. I have great friends who seem to know just what to say, and when! They know when to step in, when to give a hug, and when I just need to cry. Those are the best kinds of friends to have!
4. Kindness. I have been shown some incredible kindness, by having dinner delivered, beautiful clothes for my kids, and positive words of hope.
5. Family. I have a GREAT family, and even though we are genetically loud, we are a lot of fun and are there to support each other. I feel a lot closer to my family these days and I feel blessed to have them.

This is only a short list of how I have been blessed. How have you been blessed? I know one thing that I have learned that when you are blessed...bless others, and I plan to!