Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Nursery Update - Wall Art

Well, since the "nursery" is currently crammed with all things OTHER than actual nursery items, I'm focusing my thoughts upward and thinking of the walls.

Since we live in an apartment and can't paint the walls, hanging art is probably the best way (other than fabric) for me to add color and interest. I'm thinking of doing two collections of three pieces each in two different sections in the room. Perhaps one over the chair (that I've yet to buy) and another on the wall opposite the crib with matching frames and prints in varying sizes.

Here are some I've been eye-ing...a mix of images and verse. There is still the possibility that I'll get a wild hair and paint something on a canvas too!

One of my favorite verses, I think this one is a must have.

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest



This sailor boy print is so fun and whimsical, I love how modern yet still vintage it looks with the wood grain.


A very sweet birth announcement that picks up on the pennant craze.

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest





All of the prints from Sarah Jane Studios are sweet perfection. The dreaminess of this one just catches my breath.

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest



I have long-admired her artwork and think the design and colors would be a perfect fit in the nursery's theme. However it's currently sold out, so I may have to do some sweet-talking to the seller and see if she'll relist it!

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest



This one would surely get some giggles at a baby shower, I think it makes a perfect gift!

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest



Mercy, this is just so lovely...In fact, I see many prints here that I'm going to need to have for the rest of the house!

Source: etsy.com via Julie on Pinterest

Monday, September 26, 2011

Lousy

Wow, I've been lousy at posting this month.

#1. I haven't done much of anything fun or important enough to pull out my camera.

#2. Most of my free time at home is taken up with situating the kids in their new room. We moved the kids into the bedroom next door and bought them a bunk bed and all the sewing stuff and baby stuff is in their old room.

There is still so much to do, including needing to weed through both of their dressers, get rid of what doesn't fit and consolidate them into sharing one dresser to free up the other dresser for the baby.

#3. Nursery sewing projects have been somewhat stilted by the moving of rooms. I did unbury my work table and started on something new so this means I have about 4 projects in the air. I am pretty darned close to completing the Finding Nemo cross-stitch! Just have to finish the little jelly fish and add the white sections. I'll be writing "Just keep Swimming!" instead of the baby's name at the bottom.

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This is pretty much done except for a few small sections.

I have the ocean mobile pieces sewn and stuffed, I just need to sew on some details and then buy the rings and attach everything together.
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I have the rest of the creatures done, I'll take a photo soon.

I started making this fabric toy ring set and am trying to wrap my brain about how I'm going to hand stitch some of the sections and make it durable enough yet still attractive. I didn't realize when I bought the pattern that it would require handstitching and now I'm balking at it.

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I also cut out the squares to make fabric baby blocks. I want to put his name personalized on the blocks (but was nervous to make such a commitment in case my husband changes his mind on the name decision again!).

#4. Halloween costumes are also coming down the pike. Fortunately the kids decided on something pretty easy and inexpensive so I ONLY have to make a vest, a pair of pants, two headscarves, one waist wrap and a skirt!

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Last year's costumes in 2010...Mr Tree

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And the Forest Fairy

#5. Increased contractions and increased fatigue added to a general laziness on my part and non-desire to do anything other than lay on the sofa and watch Dr. Oz. Unfortunately I'm still working full-time and will continue to do so until I go into labor. My husband has really stepped up in the cooking dinner department but can't load the dishwasher properly to save his life, so I don't mind doing that. I also actually really enjoy laundry, so I'm doing that too. I taught The Boy this weekend how to clean the bathroom sinks and scrub the toilets. He hollered at me when he found out I was using the toilet after he'd cleaned it! "I just cleaned that MOM!"

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This picture was from a vacation in July. I tried on this dress again this weekend. In this photo I just look chubby, now I really look pregnant.

#6. After the fun and excitement of summer, getting back into the school groove (and The Boy's 1.5 hours+ of homework every night), has been pretty boring.

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#7. Looking forward to the fun of fall and all the photo opportunities like the pumpkin farm...Halloween...Thanksgiving!

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The Boy and I at the pumpkin patch, 2010.

#8. Waiting for September to end so I can get a few fall decorations from my stash at Mom's house and decorate my buffet table. It's been pretty sad looking this summer without any color as I've just been decorating with the few things I had on hand because I didn't want to go out and buy anything. It didn't even warrant a photo, it's that plain.

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So cute and colorful for Valentine's Day...now it's just white and blah...

#9. We'll celebrate our first anniversary in late November, right about the time I'm ready to pop.

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I'm going to have to convince him that an anniversary warrants something nicer than baked chicken breasts and brown rice cooked at home for dinner.

#10. These two. I'm looking forward to seeing how they do with a new little brother in their lives. They are anxious and excited, pretty much the same as the rest of us!

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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

If you give a kid a camera...

If you give a kid a camera...

You will get some very goofy expressions.

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You will get a kid's perspective.

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You will also get some very relaxed smiles from adults that generally don't like having their photo taken.

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Did I mention that you will get some very goofy expressions?

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And sometimes you get a great surprise and there are some beautiful shots!

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The Weekend that Was - My Birthday

Yep, another year come and gone.

*sigh*

There is something to be said for having your birthday fall on a holiday weekend. Every 7 years or so your birthday is on the actual holiday and you're pretty much guaranteed a day off work and probably some sort of BBQ.

That didn't happen this year, my birthday was the day after Labor Day, but we did still celebrate with a BBQ on Sunday.

There were kids, happy to run around the yard and play...
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There were hamburgers on the grill, carrot cake and my favorite, banana walnut ice cream!

And there were pictures of me and my nearly-27 week pregnant belly...
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On Monday we were all off from work and school, so we headed up to the mountains for the afternoon and our favorite pie shop. Danny packed us a lunch of turkey sandwiches and SunChips and we ate in the shade of a big tree. Afterwards, we walked to our favorite candy shop for our usual sample tasting of wasabi peanuts, boysenberry cider and pretzels dipped in spicy mustard. We bought a jug of cider, a packet of licorice and the kids picked out some chocolate-peanut butter candy for my birthday.

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Me & Danny


It was warm and humid and we had a few sprinkles on us. Turns out, back in our city (45 minutes away) it was pouring rain! Lucky us, being able to avoid that.

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We stood in the long line at the pie shop and got our favorite apple-boysenberry with a side of cinnamon ice cream. There were, of course, many goofy faces and much silliness. Seems I can't take a photo lately without one or all of the kids making the goofiest face!

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The Girl has had this front tooth that's been wiggly for over two weeks, yet she just couldn't bring herself to pull it out.

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The Boy had been ITCHING to get his hands on that tooth. If it had been The Boy, he would have yanked it the moment he felt the slightest little wiggle!

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The Boy, reaching in for his chance at the tooth

When we got home that evening, Danny & I heard a ruckus upstairs and then moments later, cheering. The kids came down, chanting, "He pulled the tooth! He pulled the tooth!".

PhotobucketThe kids reenact the tooth-pulling

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And there it was, a big ol' gap where that tooth had been hanging by a thread.

The new tooth, permanent tooth is already making its appearance through the gums!