Hello Summer.

I guess summer is officially here.

I can hear the AC groan just looking at those temps and it's not even June! 

Hope this isn't an indication of how hot the rest of summer is going to be...

Project 365: Week 21

 

Yardsticks & Summer Slow Downs

Every once in a while, our MOPS Mentor Mom reminds us of how very precious and fleeting the time we have at home with our little ones truly is. Here's a brief breakdown of her illustration...

She takes a yardstick in her hand and tells us it represents a lifespan. The average lifespan is about 72years (it's actually a bit higher than that now, but we'll stick with it for these purposes), the stick is 36inches long, which means each year is represented with half an inch.

First, she breaks the yardstick leaving only 9-10inches (yellow portion below) because that's when most children leave home for good, whether for college or a job. So you only have your kids in your home for 25% of their life - the other 75% they are out from under your protective wing and on their own in the world. Gulp...

Then, the kicker is when she breaks the yardstick again so there are only 2.5-3inches left (pink portion below). This symbolizes when your kids head off to school at 5-6years old. Such a small amount of time to have these sweet little ones at home with us, while we are truly Mothers of Preschoolers. 

Her illustration always brings loads of tears and really drives home how

"the days are long, but the years are short." 

Keeping this in mind, I see a major slow down coming to this blog and my online time in general over the summer.  I'm going to take time to play under the fitted sheet while I strip the beds with Little Man because he thinks it's hilarious. Swimming at the pool. Playing & picnics at the park. Time in the garden with Little Man beside me putting food into buckets (hopefully not licking each item like he did with the broccoli). Making homemade ice cream. Family time. Vacations. Just fun summer stuff!

Goodwill Finds

This past weekend I went Goodwill shopping with the Goodwill Queen, also known as my mother. The Queen's top two savvy tips: shop in good neighborhoods (for the best merchandise options) & shop often! 

Those tips must really work for her because the lady has amazing luck at Goodwill. It doesn't hurt that's she's about 5'7 and a size 6/8 - plenty of clothes options in that size.  I, on the other hand, am 5'11 and a size 12L-O-N-G. Not as many second-hand options for me and unless I have plenty of extra time, I usually don't even waste my time looking at pants.

My mom did find a few cute things this weekend, including an outfit consisting of seersucker capris & a perfectly matching cardigan (see - so lucky!). However, I am the one who hit the jackpot! Here are my finds (straight out of the bag before the wash, so don't mind the wrinkles)...

Nike Dry Fit Top (still had the tags on it!)

Fun Summery Sleeveless Top

AnnTaylorLOFT Black Ruffle Top

such cute ruffle detail!

Navy Tunic/Dress from Target (still had the tags on it!)

JCrew Slim Fit Striped Blouse

Pink Belted Sweater

Orange Sweater

REI Half-Zip Pullover w/ iPod pocket (no tags but looked like it had never been washed/worn)

Cute Belt

Now they're all washed and ready to go! I'll have to wait another season for a few of those items, but sometimes you get the best stuff when you shop out of season.  

Project 365: Week 20

 

Happy Anniversary!

Today, my hubby and I celebrate 6 years of marriage.  What a ride this has been so far filled with many highs and a few lows too. 

Winter Formal 2001 - my Senior Year of High School

Our Wedding Day - May 21, 2005

I love that we have so much fun together, even if we're not doing much of anything. We enjoy getting out for date nights once in a while, but are just as happy to order pizza and snuggle on the couch with a movie. I have a feeling we'll be flirting in the kitchen even when we're old & wrinkly.

June 2008 - Exactly 1 month before our Little Man was born

Easter 2011

I'm so thankful that he's the one holding my hand as we walk through life together. 

Happy Anniversary!!

"She smiles at the future" 

- Proverbs 31:25b

Home Sweet Home

Ran across this quote recently and thought it was 100% accurate. 

Even through the temper tantrums & attitudes (and I'm probably just as guilty as my toddler), I'm still so thankful for a home that I adore filled with a family I love.

Kids Gardening

On a recent trip to Walmart, I found these cute Miracle-Gro Kids Mini Greenhouse Kits. They were only $1 a piece, so I picked up two thinking it would be a fun rainy day activity sometime soon. Well, we've had plenty of rain recently so I pulled the kits out. They turned out to be SO neat! I enjoyed them as much as Little Man.

As always, be sure to read the directions first ;)

 

I was a bit concerned when I bought them because I knew there wasn't enough dirt in there, but here's the really cool part: they have special dirt that expands when you add water. The dirt on the left is before we added water, the dirt on the right is mixed with 1/4 cup of water and it EXPANDED when we stirred it. It was crazy to watch it grow.

Then we added a few little seeds: Sweet Bell Peppers & Zinnias.

Now we wait for them to sprout and we'll transplant them to keep here. I think Little Man will really enjoy watching them grow from start to finish. Let's hope it ends well!

A quick & easy project with a little learning thrown in - love it!

White Bedroom Insanity

It has been said that the definition of INSANITY is doing the same thing over & over and expecting different results. I think an addendum is needed: putting a white duvet on your bed year after year with a black dog & toddler living in the house. Evidently last year's white duvet fail just wasn't enough for me. I had to try again this year. Let's rewind so I can tell you the whole story...

I love our bedroom. The wall color is a strange green that changes in the light, but it's warm, comforting, and beautiful. I love the deep reds and greens. The plaid curtains salvaged from our old duvet. The quilt. I just love it. 

But it's sort of heavy in color, which I love in the fall and winter. However it left me wanting something a bit brighter and lighter for the spring and summer. Combine these feelings with two recent posts from the Nester (found here & here) and I was ready for a change. But it needed to be cheap. Like the FREE kind of cheap.

So I started by removing every possible from the room: the quilt & pillow shams, the lamp shades, the curtains, all pictures, every other little accessories. I was left with a very empty space. I guess the room was breathing (or whatever). 

Obviously I couldn't leave the room like that, so I shopped the house. Here are the items that were brought back to the room: white sheets & duvet, white lamp shades, two white candles.  Hmmm...that's a LOT of white. 

I knew all that white wouldn't last long, so I didn't even bother to iron the duvet. A mere FIVE days later I was proven right. There are muddy dog prints on the duvet, black fur that is desperately awaiting an upcoming grooming appointment, and so many more wrinkles from a certain little person who loves to "mess pillows" at least 3 times a day.

The room is still bare, bordering on stark, and now a bit dirty, but it has given me a blank canvas. A place to think and get out of my dark red & green box that's been there for the last 4+ years. I would love to find an inexpensive quilt to use in the spring & summer. I think it would be fun & refreshing to have seasonal bedding. We'll just have to wait and see...and bargain shop :)

Meal Plan Monday: Clear the Freezer

This past week and weekend was FULL of purging & organizing, which I just LOVED! We did a MAJOR clean-out of our garage (more details to come), leaving us enough space for both cars and enough extra room to relocate the chest freezer from the basement to the garage. I created an inventory for the chest freezer last week, which really motivated me to finish up some of the semi-prepped foods & freezer meals in our regular freezer, so that's how I chose our meal plan this week.

Monday: Taco Bake (taco meat prepped in the freezer)
Tuesday: Stuffed Shells & Salad (Stuffed Shells from the freezer)
Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Sandwiches (Pre-cooked & shredded chicken in the freezer)
Thursday: Turkey Tettrazini (Pre-cooked & shredded turkey in the freezer)
Friday: Pizza Night
Saturday: Anniversary Dinner Date
Sunday: Hamburgers on the Grill

I also have some pre-cooked & diced ham in the freezer that I'm going to use to make a quiche so we can eat off that for breakfast this week. All that should mostly clear out our regular freezer, so we'll be ready to dive into the deep freezer!

Explore other meal plans at OrgJunkie.

Project 365: Week 19