DIY Baby shower gift.

Well it finally happened. My oldest friend has her first baby March 10th. She is so tiny and precious. I am visiting her in the hospital today and thought well I need to bring her something special. So I am going to share with you an awesome and pretty easy DIY baby gift for little girls. A headband holder.

Okay so things you will need

~ an empty big container of oatmeal
~wrapping paper of your choice
~ribbon of your choice
~ small candle holder with a flat bottom
~Stickers for a name if you so choose
~embellishment for the top

First you are going to wrap the oatmeal container in the paper of your choice. I had to wrap mine twice so  you couldn't see the original wording. Make sure to get the paper under the lid for a cleaner look. Then you are going to measure out the amount of ribbon you need to go around the container once. Cut it and make another one the same length. Wrap ribbon around the top and base of the wrapped container. I use E6000 glue it is by far the best that I have found. If you glue it with that its not going anywhere! Then I took a big flower and glued it to the top to give it a little bit of a decorated look. Then I used some sparkle letter stickers I had to spell out her name. Lastly turn the candle holder upside down so the open part is on your table. Put glue on the bottom (The part facing you) and stick to the bottom of the container for a more finished look. Now your headband holder is ready for some cute little headbands!

Here is what my finished product looks like! Hopefully she likes it.

Organization in progress...

Okay so a few days ago we talked about making sure that when you are organizing to ensure that everything has its own place. Today I am going to share with you the progress that I am making in my own home. Every little bit counts right? Well at least that's what I am telling myself!

I started with the coat closet. I put a crate in there for the shoes that we wear alot. Our everyday shoes. All other shoes are in our bedroom closets. Of course coats go in there as well as the vacuum cleaner, my husbands bowling ball, and the little ones bike helmet.There are hooks hung in the back of the closet that hold the dog leash. The orange crate at the top holds all of our winter scarves, hats and gloves. The blue bin is holding bags that we use to pack things for a day trip or for when B goes to visit grandma :) Lastly the white bin is holding all of our extension cords and outlet converters. Its may seem like there is no rhyme or reason for the items in this closet but it is all things we need easy access to. This may be different for your family just make it work for you!

 

Next we have my take on a command center. I love it. We have a small pocket organizer that I keep coupons in as well as receipts for important purchases (like receipts for items to remodel our bathroom.) Then there is a dry erase list. I love love love lists. I'm pretty sure it is how I keep my life together. This also makes it easy for S. When we are running low on something he just writes it on the list it seems to be working out pretty well so far. Dry erase calendar. Pretty self explanatory. I have my own planner that I keep everything in, but its nice if the whole family has a visual of what is going on. Next is the large pocket organizer. It has a "Store it" file for things that we need to keep like info for my 401K until the next statement. Then there is an "Action" file for things that need attention like bills and party RSVPs.

The next picture is of the separated try. It is the new drop center for things. There is a slot for each of us even though B doesn't really need one at the current time. Hubby puts his wallet, gum and sunglasses in there. I put sunglasses and my camera when it isn't being carried with me. It seems like a good solution to the catch all bowl we had before because this try is only for things that go with you daily.

No here are some of the dishes. I reorganized every kitchen cabinet. I did this because everything was so spread out and I wasn't making good use of the space that I had. So anyways things got more condensed together like this...

Then there is this cabinet. I wish I would have taken a before picture. This thing used to be a hot mess. Everything that was a packet thrown in a big mixing bowl and spices staked upon staked. Now everything has its own bin. Gravy's and dip mixes are in the clear container, while coffee packets and tea or in the yellow. Now I am a huge fan of the dollar store to find organizational tools BUT  I did splurge 6.99 on this spice organizer with awesome swivel action. Normally I wouldn't do this but being able to organize vertically did free up a lot of space.

Now under the sink was a big one that needed to be organized. So I got three shallow bins from the dollar store that seemed to work out pretty well. Cleaning sprays and sponges, garbage bags and swiffer pads etc.

 

Now for the bathroom closet. Everything has a place now and it is wonderful. The big pink thing at the top holds my hair stuff like blow dryers, curling irons, hair straighteners, three barrel etc. Then I have my earring tree because I usually accessorize in the bathroom in the morning so I don't wake S. Then there is stain removers and detergent. We don't have a basement so our washer and dryer is in the bathroom which I though may be annoying when we moved but I actually really love it! Paint as you can see. Don't let it freeze in your garage or its not usable!! Also it makes it easier for small touch ups if you keep at least a little of paint stored in the room. Then we have pet meds for flees and such in the orange, the two blue baskets contain jewelry like bracelets, charms for my necklaces etc and the pink basket is for makeup. Then the baskets on the bottom are split into lotions and body powders, hygiene products like face wash, toothpaste etc and meds/first aid.

 

Now I am not by any means the Queen of being organized but I am working on it. Just a little progress. I am currently working on the rest of the house but had to share. I am really proud of how things are coming along.

 

Also I would like to add aside from my spice rack splurge all of my bins and baskets that I organized with have been from the dollar store. I whole heatedly believe that is the best place to go to find things to organize your house for as little money as possible. Who wants to spend a fortune doing that? Well thanks for tuning in and as always leave your comments and opinions. Tell me what works for you. TTYL

 

 

Everything in its place, and everything has a place.

This is a saying that you hear all the time, maybe especially from your mother, am I right? well what does this mean to you? When you hear this you pick up, clean up, straighten whatever you want to call it. Well I'm sure that the majority of us have a rough idea of where things go and are supposed to go in your home, but if your not careful it doesn't take long for things to get a little cluttered and chaotic.

SOLUTION: Everything cannot go in its place if not everything has a place. Yes everything. I know this seems silly. You are thinking to yourself right now Dah lady! But if you think about it can you tell me that every single item in your home has a designated spot? A spot that maybe not just mom uses but everyone in the house because that place is that items known home.

GAME PLAN: Re organize! This is so helpful. We just moved in September and we got rid of a lot of things that we no longer had use for, so you would think that would help right? Wrong. Because when we moved everything got put in a place, but nothing seemed like it was in a well organized, permanent, really makes perfect sense that's there spot. So the game plan was to re organize! I started little by little one project at a time. The coat closet, baskets in the cubbies, other living room space, kitchen cabinets, top of the fridge (always gets cluttered in our house) spear bedroom, bathroom closet, bathroom cabinets, rest of bathroom and vanity, B's room, and lastly our room. I literally did one thing at a time. Its not so overwhelming that way.

THROW THINGS AWAY OR GIVE AWAY: As I was going through all of these steps and cleaning and re organizing these different spaces I was really being active in throwing things away that are no longer needed or giving them away to someone or some organization that could use them. If you haven't thought twice about it in over a year get rid of it. If you came across it cleaning something out and and forgot you even owned such an item get rid of it. Don't keep things just because. There is no need to keep items because you may one day need them if you haven't needed them in all this time.

BINS, BASKETS AND CRATES:  Use plastic bins, wicker baskets, crates etc. Whatever system works for you and in  your space. There is nothing better than having things organized and easy to find. Even get or make some labels that way no family member that can read can claim they didn't know where that goes :) My bathroom closet for instance has bins for different things. One for lotions and body powders, one for hygiene stuff like shampoos, toothpaste etc. and one for medicine items. This keeps like things together and easy to find. It also makes less clutter happen, Everything has a place and if it goes back in the designated basket then it looks like it did before it got taken out... Wonderfully organized.

Tomorrow I will be posting pictures of the newly organized residence! Hopefully this gives you a visual of what I am babbling on about and maybe even inspire you to whip your house into an organized shape! Until then ta ta for now! and remember Everything in its place, and everything has a place!

Some Wonderful Winter Fun

Well winter isn't just about the holidays, although all that stuff is fun too! Today I would like to share with you some of the fun things that we got to do with B this winter so far. We haven't had a lot of snow this season so there hasn't been any snowman building or anything like that, but I think that we are still trying hard to make things fun!

I try to find things that are put on by the community, I feel like its always good to support your community to it can thrive!

This year we went to a tree lighting at a local park, and this was really cool. Aside from there being a tree lighting they had musical entertainment. A really nice funny woman who sang a lot of holiday songs with the kids, There was hot cocoa and other treats and indoor activities like making crafts. The best part though, I have to say was they had awesome photo ops with Santa, Frosty the snowman, Rodolph, and even a Gingerbread man!!

Beez was a little starstruck but Rudolph!! He couldn't take his eyes off of him! So all in all that was a great trip and something that B really enjoyed and maybe I liked it a little too!!

For the first time ever this year we actually got to put lights up outside our dwelling place! Its so nice to have a home not a house or an apartment, but our home to our own! So this holiday season we were so excited to put lights up on the house!! Well, I was excited I don't know if my hubby was thrilled about going out in the cold up on a ladder and hanging all the lights but he did. What a guy huh??! B also thought he was very helpful in this process and loved to watch what daddy was doing!!

B also got to be in the holiday parade that our city puts on. I thought he would like it but man was I wrong... He loved it!! He truly had a blast waving to everyone lined up along the streets. He just kept yelling "HI KIDS" and throwing fist fulls of candy. I think we will definitely be doing this again next year! And no that's not coffee in his hands that is hot cocoa! LOL

Well that's all I have time for right now!! I hope that you guys are having as much fun reading these as I am writing them. And maybe even giving you ideas or inspiring you to spend some fun time with your families!!

Christmas Festivities

Well we had a really awesome Christmas this year.  I don't know if it was because we got to have our first Christmas in our new house or because it wasn't as cold as usual. I don't know but it was great but busy. As you guys know we did the 25 days of Christmas experiences for our son. That turned out really great and kept us remembering to spend good quality time together and not getting to busy in the holiday season that you forget what its all about.

Besides that the actual holidays were really busy but fun. Christmas Eve we went to my mothers house to celebrate with my moms extended family, and then after that we went to my husbands mothers house to celebrate with that part of the family and his siblings. It was a crazy and long Christmas Eve.

After we got home we of course put out cookies for Santa and carrots for all of his reindeer :) Then B gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve, new jammies!! We then got to cuddle up and read Twas The Night Before Christmas before we headed off to bed. He loved the book and his new pajamas.

Santa wrote B a letter back!

B with his "Night Before Christmas" book and wearing his new Jammies

Well the night flew by and before you knew it we were up and B caught glimpse of the Christmas tree that was once so bare underneath but now was full of wrapped gifts just for him :) We let him open a few of his gifts before we headed to my mothers house! We have a tradition of going to moms every Christmas morning to open gifts with each other and have breakfast, (always Cinnamon rolls) But this year we made regular rolls and then even put some in the waffle press so we could have Cinnamon roll waffles. They were excellent! My Super mom also put out a hot chocolate bar which was the perfect beverage for Christmas morning!

My husband decked out in all his new Vikings gear

The hot chocolate bar!

After our early morning festivities with my moms, stepfather and brother we went back home to let our son open the rest of his Christmas gifts and his big Santa gift!! He really loved everything he got this year. Its the great thing about a two year old. Everything they get they think its the coolest thing ever!

We snuck his big gift in his room. It was his train table! So my hubby, bless his heart did a lot of pre- Christmas assembly so there wouldn't be any disappointing wait time. After all the gifts under the tree were opened he got to go in his room and she what Santa left. To say he was excited doesn't really even begin to describe what he was feeling. It was awesome for my husband and I to see him so thrilled and it made us happy that this year we were able to get him a "big" gift that he will truly enjoy!

B playing with his new train table

My fav pic of him from Christmas 2012

 

Then as though all that wasn't enough we went back to my moms for a bit to eat real holiday food :) Then after that off to my husbands Dad and stepmother's house a delicious dinner and some company of all of his family and brothers :) All in all it was so busy but we wouldn't have it any other way, it was also very awesome and we are so blessed to be able to spend good quality time with all of our family members.

I hope that your Holiday season was as bright as ours! Full of love and joy! As always have a wonderful day please share your comments and opinions!

The Luna Bug

So right before Christmas on the 18th actually I found the kind of dog that my husband had been wanting for some time now. He has always grown up with Australian Shepard's and so he wanted to get one as our first family dog. Well I found one and my awesome Mother in Law made the almost four hour trek to go check her out with me. We went through many small towns until we got to what seemed like the middle of nowhere, but that house right smack dab in the middle of nowhere held our newest family member!

From the second we walked in the door we knew she was a good dog. She was very mild mannered even though there were a million and ten things going on in the crazy house she was currently residing. That poor dog, I don't know how she made it as long as she did there. The family was eccentric to say the least. Well me my Mother in Law and B had all fallen in love so we decided to take her with us on the four hour trip to her new home.

My husband had to work that night which is why my Mother in Law came. It actually worked out really nice because we got home around one in the morning right before my husband got home from work!! Even better thing is that because it was after midnight it was officially December 19th, which happens to be my husbands birthday!! To say that he was excited was an understatement.

So now we are a happy little family of 5. Myself, S, B, Prince Catterpuss and now Luna! It actually works out perfect that we have a big backyard now B and Luna love it. So without further explanation here is the newest member of our family and the only other female in the house, therefore my pretty pretty princess :) Luna or Luna bug or if you are be Lula buug :)

Great break!

Well I am officially back after my break. The holidays are so crazy, I decided to take a break in January until things started picking back up more near Feb. Anyways hope everyone else had a somewhat relaxed start to their year!

I will however post about Christmas festivities, and our Brayden's Rockin Eve New Years party!! I am really excited about 2013 and I hope you guys are too. But for right now I think its a good time to reflect on 2012 and dig deep to find what it is I am truly thankful for and maybe the highs and lows of the year.

HIGHS - I think this year has been overall really good! S and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary, We have watched B learn so much and really begin to show his personality. I am so excited to see what lies ahead for him. He is a really awesome little person. We went through the home buying process and officially moved into our first home! That whole journey was kind of scary but a lot of fun and we love OUR home. Our home, I don't think that its something that I will never not be excited about. My best and oldest friend got pregnant and is having a baby girl in March :) I got a good promotion and raise at my job which put me at full time status, gave benefits and helped financially. We got our first family dog! I will post about her and her story soon!! She is an Australian Shepard and is super sweet. Her name is Luna or Luna bug, unless you are B (He pronounces it Lula Buuug) and S also started a new job. We now work different shifts but it works out for B and Luna and its nice his schedule is so flexible. So I would say this year was pretty awesome!!

LOWS - As for lows, after thinking about all the good things that blessed our family this year, all of the lows seem so trivial! I think lows are good things. They remind us that nothing is permanent and make us thankful for the things that we have! I hope your 2012 was a blast but if it wasn't make 2013 a year to remember!! I will be back to regular posting officially.... Now! Thanks and as always comment, share your opinion and stay awesome!