the fun part.

Just in case the few of you that check in here and there are wondering- I did get Step #1 accomplished this weekend.  I wasn't feeling real motivated, but I have to say putting my goal in writing made me feel somewhat obligated- oh well whatever works, right?  If it's that easy "Tammy, you will start and finish painting your dining room this weekend" (BIG SMILE :) Anyway, all the canvas pieces are covered- yippee!

Step #2 - the fun part.  Each canvas piece needs to be embellished.  This can be done with scrap paper and/ or anything else fun found lying around the house such as buttons, brads, ribbon, beads, stickers, etc.  I think I might try to use a little fabric this time when decorating.  All embellishments can be attached with scrapbooking glue/ tape and of course mod podge.  Enough room should be left in or around the center of the canvas for a 4 x 6 or 3.5 x 5 piece of plexi glass.

We (at least Maddox and I) are really anxious for some snow.  Did I mention he slept on his sled in his bed Saturday night - I think he might have even wore a scarf to bed.  But we will take 60 degree weather and some croquet at the end of November.

S-I-X MONTHS.

Our lil' Miss Isla turned 6 months yesterday- we didn't think it was possible to love her anymore than we did the day she was born, but with each passing day we find ourselves finding love for her that we never knew we had. 
HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY ISLA E.!

"SIX MONTHS"

In honor of her half birthday she learned a new trick. 

(I think it's time for some crib mattress readjustments.)

GO VOTE FOR RO!

Go help a very talented gal out!  She deserves it and this room deserves it!

GO VOTE HERE!

And while your there browse for awhile :0)!

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Isn't it funny how one minute you are overwhelmed, plum tired, and telling yourself that you are not going to take on another project until you finish the ones that you have already started  or have wanted to start and then a half second later you find yourself thinking of what you can make, do, or come up with next.  After having children, I have found that if I don't have a page long list of things I have or want to do a strange feeling comes over me and I walk around the house aimlessly.  Because of this I have come to the conclusion that this is my reason for starting projects that I want to do, but shouldn't really being doing until the dining room is painted, all the christmas cards are made, printed, and delivered, presents bought and/ or made and wrapped, just to name a few.  But life's too short- right- so why not start another project.  That being said, I have decided to make some more canvas picture frames (here is one example) for an upcoming craft fair.  Although, not real quick and easy to make, I thought it might be a good way to come up with a little extra moo-lah which would benefit the "new printer fund".  Anyway, my reason for telling you this is because you can help me see this project through to the very end and make sure I finish what I start.  After all, I really need a new printer :0). Oh, by the way, the craft fair is the first weekend in December- What am I doing!?

Step #1: 
Cover these canvas ( I believe there are nineteen here) with 12 x 12 sheets of cardstock using what else but the almighty mod podge.  My goal is to have this completed by the end of the weekend- I know, seems easy, but small steps, small steps I say!  That's how I work best these days!

Isla and I are so glad to have this little guy back home, and Daddy too!

"PLAY"

Bath time and Supper time at the same time.  Isla says I'll take some of that macoroni.

"DOUBLE DUTY"

day off.

Isla and I enjoyed a "not for any particular reason" day off today.  Isla from daycare and I, of course, from work.  I have to say we did a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and then went back to a little bit of this and that again - jumping from one task to another has alot to do with both Isla and I's very short attention spans.  However, I think she is starting to take a liking to Baby Einstein DVDs which helps keep her preoccupied for at least semi-small amounts of time. 

"Uneventful" day's schedule:

• laundry
• christmas card making
• post office and target - where i rewarded myself with these from the dollar section and apparently I thought that wasn't reward enough so I got these "over the knee high" socks because I loved the little flower on them and they were on clearance

• more christmas card making (if I wasn't dedicating all of my creative juices and down time to christmas card making I would love to be doing this)
• more laundry
• put up little christmas tree in Maddox and Isla's room (yes all this Christmas Card making has inspired me) plus I wanted Maddox to be surprised when he gets home from grandma and grandpa's tomorrow.  i pretty much just decorate it with stuff we have around the house and some old wooden ornaments that grandpa got at a garage sale last year.

• cleaned up all Maddox's toys from yesterday and even vaccumed (well just that one room)
• collected recyclables- have I mentioned that I am somewhat of a recycling addict and I am extremely ecstatic that we now have this (one is for regular trash and the other for all recycables):

which means no more of this - yippeee!

• started organizing paper/ craft area (my goal is to get this area all cleaned up so that I can trash it again while getting ready for the holidays :0) )
• thank you card making
• bath time for isla (which she loves)
• a little more laundry and a little more cleaning
• so much left to do, but I am calling it a day

Did I mention that Isla was obsessed with my red toed socks today.  Anytime I was anywhere near her, she found a way to make it to my feet.

So here's to our lovely uneventful day off.  I think both Isla and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it- especially the minutes when her little hands where on my toes :0).  I apologize for my sloppiness, but no post-proofing will be done tonight - my pillow is calling my name.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY!

"GO AWAY!"

At 703 we are ready to say goodbye to all this wet stuff we have had the last couple of months (did I mention it is raining here again today - enough that the small creek behind our house looks similar to the mighty Mississippi) and hello to the cold white fluffy stuff.  One of my favorite photos of Maddox was one taken when he was about a year and a half experiencing his first "real" snow.  I think his face says it all.  I would call it "true happiness".  I could just stare at this photo for hours - what happened to my little boy who is now a little man.  Anywho, if its going to be cold outside, we are chanting 

"BRING ON THE SNOW"!

"TRUE HAPPINESS"

Heaven.

Heaven #1:

The other day I overheard Maddox telling Isla how fun Heaven was going to be.  He then proceeded to tell her all about the wonderful, simple things that would be there - toys, animals, food - just to name a few.  His chatter always seems to get me thinking.   This statement first making me wish I could be a three year old again and actually remember it and secondly about Heaven and what it would be like (through the eyes of a 31 year old)- there would be friends and family, coffee and marshmallow fluff, crafting, and of course wonderful deep deep sleep - awwwww just to think of it makes me giddy.  So so often I get caught up in "my" world and all of its happenings that I easily forget there is a bigger purpose, something greater than anything and everything that our life here on earth has to offer.  Life is so super to only think of what heaven will be like!  Thanks Maddox for unintentionally reminding me about the happiness of heaven.

Heaven #2:

Out of the blue, during bath time the other night, Maddox told me that maybe we go to the military before we go to heaven.  I was a little confused at first, but then remembered that he sometimes calls a cemetery a military.  For some odd reason, Maddox has always been curious about cemeteries.  We, of course, have done our best to explain to him what they are, but never once have we went as deep to explain the connection between a cemetery and heaven.  Oh, what his intelligent little mind comes up with. 

"SING TO THE HEAVENS"

In this picture Maddox is sitting in his bathroom on his stool, which he has turned upside down, singing a made up song about who knows what.  I am in love with his silliness. . . and I think I am in love with a three year old's unending curiousity and creativity- they are impressive little creatures that's for sure.

ready. set. go.

Miss Isla will turn 6 months the 20th of this month and isn't even sitting yet without support, but over the last few days has showed us that she can in fact almost crawl.  Since birth she has been an active little one requiring less sleep (I believe) than the average infant so her almost crawling  before 6 months of age has come as no surprise.  I feel like the gun is going off before I even knew it was race time.  I think I missed the ready, set - it is go time!

Speaking of our little wild woman, she is now ready to bring on the stocking stuffers.  I finished her stocking this weekend.  I made it with an old quilt that I bought at the local antique mall/ flea market.  Lined it with some red polka dot fabric and added a few accents and this is what I ended up with.  I love the intrigue and coziness of old quilts.  In its original form this quilt endured many a holiday, now it will hopefully endure many many more just a little bit differently.  I am obviously feeling a little sentimental today.

stocking.

With the Holidays fast approaching I was thinking that little Miss Isla needs a stocking.  Well actually let me rephrase that, I want a stocking for little Miss Isla.  Lets hope my finished product will end up being one that she will want to keep forever and ever.

HALLOWEEN 2009

OK, I wasn't going to do a Halloween post to prevent from boring you with more pics of the kiddos, but I couldn't help myself.

There is nothing quite like Holidays through the eyes of a three year old.  Maddox couldn't stop thanking me for his astronaut costume, for taking him trick-or-treating, for his candy, for his treat bucket with the mickey mouse ears on it (which I at first refused to purchase, but thought what the heck its Halloween), for pretty much everything that came to his mind on the car ride home from my sister's Saturday evening.  (He has been such a thankful little guy lately and I love it.)  Now he keeps asking me about Christmas and when is it going to be here. 

PS- I ended up making his helmet out of a 10 quart red plastic bucket that I spray painted white and added a few stickers/ appliques too.  It didn't turn out too bad if I do say so myself.

Isla in her Strawberry costume and Bryan in his police costume :0).  I love taking pictures on Halloween when Bryan is working because it looks like he dressed up too.

This BIG pumpkin is awesome.   They owner even uses a microphone and makes it sound like the pumpkin is talking to all of the trick or treaters as they approach the door .  The little kids love it until it starts talking that is.

 My nephew Landon, the nerd on the far right, was so funny.  As you can see by his face in the picture he really played the part well.

My niece Emily.  Perhaps the prettiest little witch I have ever seen.

Hope you had a great Halloween 2009!