Pinterest Crazy Love

I wrote this in February and had this draft sitting around so I am posting it but I will update to July real soon...

Yes, it is....a crafting and organizing month and I love every minute of it!! My new found love is Pinterest and it has sparked a ray of light in me that I somehow lost for awhile or maybe I hadn't but I tucked it away in my-"I'm a mom and need to do kid's crafts now"- wing...LOL! I have always loved to do crafts and such but when I became a mom I only had time for kid's crafts and teaching them fun things so this door that has been re-opened has really, most definitely been good for my soul, my artistic brain, my love for unique things, my sense of style and world of colorful clarity.

The organization side of me has always been there and sometimes I get insanely obsessed with it although still feel so un-organized. I just never have enough containers!!..hehehe. This month I have accomplished alot though, I've gone through closets to cupboards to kid's rooms to clothes to the pantry and I am feeling very satisfied..so far. But around every corner I find one more thing to clean out, de-clutter and re-organize every month. That is just me and always will be me until I am filled with a house full of containers, shelves, bins and labels I won't be most happy...smiling big!

The past year has been really a "find myself again" type of year and what I mean is, I always have time to give and do for others but I never did for myself and Pinterest, along with a few other things has really helped me do that. It started last March when I started my cupcake business. It was a way for my creative side to come out, my love for baking to grow and to satisfy a wanting, of sorts, of recognition, without having to go to work and start a career working toward a goal. I could earn some money, still be a stay-at-home mom but feel like I am using my creativity. It has been a great year and I hope it continues because it really is quite fun!

Next was my wardrobe, sounds funny I know but I was wearing mom jeans and sneakers..never did I wear sneakers as a teenager and young adult except for gym class and although there is nothing wrong with that, it wasn't me...I don't care for sneakers but I didn't necessarily need to go back to my heel wearing days either, I mean it's 20 years later, heels don't feel nearly as good as they did back then but I need style...just some style...that's it. So I slowly started changing things, adding items, taking items to Goodwill and although I still have more changes to make it is far better than it was. How did that even happen to me? Well, easy, I only had eyes for my kids and my hubby and I left myself go and I'm not even talking about weight gain, that came without warning after children and especially after turning 30 and now I'm 41 so well, at least my clothes and hair look good...hehehehe. I'm talking about just not being worried about being fashionable and trust me, I was very trendy in my day.....or again, maybe I just thought I was...hehehehe. Still, I feel much better about what's in my closet!

Then summer came and I got myself in my swimsuit, went to the beach with a friend and had so much fun I couldn't wait until the next time, in fact, I wanted it to be the next day, everyday. I didn't feel self concsious, I didn't care what others thought, I was there with my kids and friends and we were laughing our butts off and all the worries went right off of my shoulders and so did a little of my bad self esteem. :)

January 2012..I can't believe how fast time goes by...

My New Year's resolutions this year:

 1. To be a better Mom- my kids would tell you I'm the greatest Mom in the world but I feel I could do better with my patience and what I expect from them.

2. To be a better wife- to make him feel loved even more than I already do.:)

3. To be a better friend- I need to take the time more for friends. Time, is one of those daily things I struggle with.."I don't have time"..., "I ran out of time", Why didn't I take the time"...sometimes, life is going 100 mph and I'm just barely hanging on to the wheel..I used to stop and smell the roses more often and I need to do that again. I used to send my friends letters, through snail mail...I miss that for sure.
 

4. To be an inspiration to someone- just that, to be an inspiration to someone, to help someone in need, to continue to give back, to continue to show compassion for those in need.

Okay, that about sums it up...basically, to IMPROVE me!:)

I usually do the traditional "I'm going to lose weight" but when I thought about it this year, I need to improve me on the INSIDE and then the outside will naturally get better. Not my heart or my spirit or my soul even...my mind. I think my thoughts about myself need to improve and when my brain is strong I can do anything, like lose weight.:)

But, I decided to change things in our household also, get back to basics..I'm a stay-at-home mom, I should have plenty of time to clean, do laundry and still do something I would like within my daily week. We have cut back on "electronic" devices including the T.V. and now play more board games, read more books and I feel I have gotten back on track with teaching my children the very fundamentals I always said I would. They now help cook a meal once a week and I mean they do everything, I stand guard, and help and of course, watch so there isn't any injuries. They LOVE it!! My youngest, Vanessa, has even figured out how to chop vegetables in a safe way and beautifully!

We are also doing more baking, I just taught them how to make a semi-homemade loaf of bread and we are pretty much baking bread weekly now. We still do the occasional crafts, mostly at holidays but only because they are getting older and doing crafts is not to be desired as it once was but they will always dive into creating a painting for me or coloring still and my oldest loves to draw so they are just doing more independant "crafts".:)

We have added more chores and they are earning money and our time together has just seemed more valuable and my oldest who loves his DSI, is fine with only being able to play it for an hour on Wednesdays while Vanessa is at dance and that is it during the school week. They have re-discovered toys and their imaginations keep blossoming. Now, this is not to say we haven't always done all of these things but we got sidetracked for awhile. We were letting Hayden play his DSI too much and reading books was every couple days not everyday...etc.... So, we are back on track, I feel better about my parenting...sometimes I'm so hard on myself.

That is life though, our children get older, we get busier, time goes by quickly and the next thing you know we are living in chaos. I decided to stop myself in my tracks. I was going too fast, literally not stopping and smelling the roses and missing things that I once did. That is where I am right now and it feels good...I feel refreshed and guess what? I lost 12 pounds! I didn't do anything except stop thinking about losing weight and been concentrating on my family and home and it has me busy(in a good way) and it is just coming off. I haven't stopped eating chocolate or cheese and I haven't done any exercising except playing with my kids. My brain stopped worrying about it and I have refocused on the priorities in my life (God, family, friends, house projects and hobbies) and somehow, that is working.:)

So, 2011 ended wonderfully, we went to Pennsylvania  for Christmas and spent some wonderful time with family and friends and it was just what I needed. For New Years we went to an annual party at a friend's house and walked downtown to watch the ball drop and it was a perfect night!

I do have some craft photos to share, the kids did some crafts for Thanksgiving for their grandparents. Hayden wrote on the turkey's feathers all the things he is thankful for about each set of grandparents and Vanessa colored hers with her fingerprints. I did some Christmas tags for gifts. Below are photos of both along with Vanessa's Thank You cards from her birthday party that I made. I know I have not been on here much and I need to get on more so maybe I will add that to my list of Resolutions!!:)

The End of Summer...School Beginnings...Discovering Me

Oh my, it has been since May since I wrote....wow!! Time sure flies when your having fun! Let me just recap my crazy summer. The summer began with a dance recital and t-ball games, both of which, I love to watch. The kids did so good this year, Vanessa danced her little body to The Banana Boat Song (she loves to sing it too) and was so cute in her hawaiian girl costume. Miss Calista gave her a framed certificate for most improved dancer, which she was awarded last year, but Calista didn't have the certificate and frame yet at the time of last year's recital so she basically recognized her two years in a row. Vanessa beamed so proud! Mommy did too!

Mr. Hayden Lee has excelled immensely on the baseball field. This is his sport, his absolute favorite and it shows. He had home runs every game and got many kids out, his catch is awesome. I was amazed when I saw how well he was doing. I knew he loved t-ball but didn't realize how good he has become. I showed up late for one of his games and I had three different parents, some from the other team, tell me how great he is...talk about a proud moment and at that point I hadn't even saw what they were talking about! I'm so glad he found something he can sink his teeth into, he can continue to blossom and become the ball player he wants to be.

His dad told him one time that baseball players and other athletes make millions of dollars...I think his eyeballs had green dollar signs in them and he will tell people he is going to be a professional baseball player....now, what is so funny about this is, at the end of the school year he had to write a biography about himself and he had drawn a picture of himself as president and that is what he was determined to be when he grew up, The President of the United States. Then just this week he was with his buddies and told them he was going to be a pop star so girls can hang posters on their walls of him and scream when they see him...can you tell what kind of kid he is? Hysterical!! He is so funny and serious at the same time, just cracks me up!

They are both characters!!

July was a whirlwind, the kids and I drove to Pennsylvania where I got to see some of my friends that I miss so much and we had a blast hanging out catching up, floating in the pool...ahhh..It was great! Then the kids went with Nana and Papa to Virginia Beach on their annual vacation. Then the following week they went with Grandma Janie and Grandpa Phil and had a blast, hanging at the pool and visiting the Baltimore Aquarium. While they were away, my hubby and I took a romantic vacation to Maui...ahhhh...it was glorious and beautiful and full of fun. We explored the whole island, in which some parts were just breathtaking. I love Hawaii, the Hawaiian people are so kind and I could easily retire there....oh the thoughts of fresh pineapple everyday are floating in my head...hehehe!

August zipped by quickly but we had lots of beach days with friends and lots of ice-cream, campfires, food on the grill and fun! I will miss those summer days especially sitting with my friend and chatting the day away...so relaxing. I always look foreward to the local art fair in August and my friend and I found some cheap treasures, we had so much fun that morning...I wish there were more art fairs to go to.

September was an interesting time for me, Vanessa started all day everyday kindergarten and Hayden started 2nd grade. The night before the first day of school, I was a weeping mess and the first day I was an even bigger weeping mess but I got through it and the rest of the week was a blur. I couldn't seem to find the energy to do anything nor did I want to. I felt lost...the quietness was too quiet and I couldn't find myself. It was the strangest feeling but I was lonely, bored and sad. I missed my baby girl whom is no longer a baby by all means but to me still my baby. The only bright light that week was breakfast with my dear friend and she made me laugh and lifted my spirits and I needed it so badly.

The second week was better, I met two friends for breakfast that week and we had lots of laughs...now I was feeling better..starting to feel like me again. Brian, I and the kids went camping that weekend and I just LOVED that. We all did.We had so much fun and laughter with 6 other families, I can't wait until we do it again next year. After that weekend, I felt I could breathe, I could laugh, I could clean the house and relax and still feel like I accomplished something in my day. The next morning I had my first MOMSnext meeting and it has given me another great thing to look forward too. The women I adore and enjoy so much, it is going to be a great year.

I feel each day getting better but I'm still re-discovering ME, what do I like to do?...Well, before I turned on music during the day, now I crank the music loud...before I would sing a little, now I put on pretend concerts...laughing...sound ridiculous I know but it's me and who I am...I discovered I absolutely love when I organize something, so every room in the house is getting a makeover, sort of...at least getting de-cluttered!

Today, I met another friend for breakfast and it felt soooo good to not have to watch the time, to know I still had the rest of the day to get my to-do list done. I'm easing into this all day to myself lifestyle but even still at 4:05 p.m. when the front door opens and my two children come running in and I hear" Hi Mom!!!" "Guess what I did today at school/" and backpacks are slung over chairs and coats and shoes are whipping off and "I'm hungry, may I have a snack please?" and all the loudness and chaos....is wonderful  music to my ears!!....smiling with tears.

End of The School Year Festivities and More

It is coming, I can't believe it, so quickly coming to an end...the school year! Before we know it we will be swimming in the lake, making smores and running around the yard catching fireflies...ahhh...I really cannot wait. But, first I have my motherly duties of field trips, t-ball practice and end of the year parties and teacher gifts.

April, where are you going so fast?

We are already in the middle of April, time sure is flying past...I feel behind for some reason, maybe it's the load of "stuff" I have to do or maybe it's time management. Sometimes I feel as though my head is spinning and all I hear is Mommy, Mom, Kristen, Mommmmm, Mom where are you?, Mom, can I do this?, Mom can I do that, Mom, where is this?, Mom, where is that?, Mom, do you know where my ----- is?, Kristen, Have you seen my------?, Mom, what's for dinner?, Mom, what are we doing next?.....ahhhhhhhh, I need a giant hot tub and a three hour nap some days. Life is funny sometimes, mommies juggle twenty different things at the same time, all the time, and we ask our children to do one thing and it can take them hours to do it....sometimes I feel like I look as tired as I feel but yet I wouldn't stop anything. I read "Baby Blues", in the comics section, of the Saturday paper, every week and I laugh every week because it relates to me or my children somehow and I remember one of them listing all the things we do as moms and wives from care taker to laudry folder to bill payer, it was hilarious and it was so true. I wouldn't change any of it for the world though...it is what I am supposed to do...I am supposed to be a teacher of all things...smiling.

So, Easter is coming up and like all other holidays, the kids and I have to dig our craft stuff out and start our Easter fun. We are making a garland out of bunnies, coloring eggs with that new spinner gadget, making cards for the grandparents and chocolate bunny pops. I will post pics soon of our fun! Happy April!!

Shamrock Shakes, St. Patrick Crafts and a clover hairstyle

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and the kids and I will be making crafts again. I just love holidays, any holiday, we always have so much fun creating things. This year, I found a few ideas from another blog that I love and they are really cute! We are going to make these cute handprint leprechauns for family. Thank You Tip Junkie!!

Then, similiar to our valentine heart garland, we are going to make a shamrock garland using shamrocks made from different paper.

 Then I will be making cards for friends with vintage images like the one below and seed cards for spring.

and while we are doing our crafts we will be enjoying shamrock shakes. YUM!!!

I also will be making St. Patty cupcakes for Vanessa's class as a special treat and, of course, let her help, she LOVES to bake!

The final thing I will be doing is a clover hairstyle on Vanessa on St. Patty's Day. This is sooo cute!

 Check out the video on how to do it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZmgn76d6YE&feature=player_embedded

Hope everyone has a magically delicious St. Patrick's Day! I just had to use the Lucky Charms saying! Until next time, have a beautiful day!

Valentine Fun!

The kids and I love to make crafts and cards for every holiday, we have been doing it since they were itty bitty....the whole table gets covered in scissors, glue, tape, markers, crayons, paints, glitter, ribbon and scraps of paper. It is so much fun and I look forward to every moment with them. Well, first we did some really cute boxes that we are going to fill with goodies for their teachers. This craft came from http://www.marthastewart.com/ where you can find all kinds of cool craft ideas. I am on that website pretty regularly, since I am a HUGE fan.

Then we got into my art supplies from college and found my water color paper, which makes working with watercolor paints so much easier for kids. I traced a cookie cutter heart 9 times on two sheets of paper and then each child painted them with watercolors the way they wanted, notice I told them to paint outside of the lines on purpose, here are pics below:

Hayden's paintings

Vanessa's paintings

Then I cut them out and strung them together to make a garland and it turned out so pretty. I must apologize for my photos though, for some reason it just wasn't capturing the finished result the greatest because of lighting but you can get a glimpse of how cute it turned out.

Next up will be some Valentine cupcakes for Vanessa's classroom, she is so excited to decorate them! Stay tuned! Hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day!