Because I just couldn't "resist"

My friend tftcarrie posted a fun and easy project last week. It inspired a recent garage sale purchase of a bunch of women's t-shirts - $.75 each. So with the kids asleep (otherwise the project would not be labeled as easy), piles of laundry on my ironing board and piles of dishes waiting in the sink, I went at it with a cheap paint brush and soft scrub bleach. It was one of those instant gratification projects that makes up for all the frustrating flops that even us crafters experience.  It gave me enough joy to breeze through those tasks that laid waiting.

So here I am (and if you don't recognize me, neither do I - I'm still not use to the 'dark side') with my new or re-fashioned garage sale T-shirt.

  

On a side note I went garage saling again this morning and for $35 I couldn't resist this mountain bike.  And to tftcarrie:  "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".  Unfortunately I'm quite out of shape and most my biking adventures will most likely be unbloggable, on paved roads along side my little boys. 

 

As for the $.25 helmet I purchased - I'm thinking of re-fashioning it.  Did anyone else get inspired by this post?  Good thing I also picked up some great fabric finds for $.50 this morning.

Integrated Fun

I bought this foam alphabet puzzle mat several years ago when I was living in Philadelphia.  It was picked it up at the ROSS up on Market street and although it was only $6.99 I began to second guess the purchase just steps into my journey home.  I had to somehow balance it up top the double stroller while dodging my way around traffic and pedestrians for 10 blocks.  I don't think us suburban moms would bring home half the junk we do if we did all our errands like most city moms -by stroller (but I could say a lot more about that and that is for another post).

It was worth the haul though.  We have gotten much use out of this mat.  Pictured here is William playing the "Jump to Spell" game.  It is kind of like a Spelling Bee except you have to jump with out falling as you recite each letter.  Your feet must land on the correct letter and then to the next without much pause.  Pizza is difficult because it requires a double jump on the Z before you try to make it all the way across to the A.  I can't remember what word William was spelling with that jump but I admit I didn't last long in the game.  The kids got me out on the words:  quagmire and upholstery (those both just came up on my spell check).

So that is how we, and I say we because I am still a bad speller, practice our spelling.  It is really fun.  We also play spelling twister on the mat so I suppose these activities may even count towards a bit of P.E.    

 

Wordfull Wednesday: My Worst Fear

I never know what to expect everyday during the quiet of naptime.  Pictured here are both little girls asleep with the entire contents of their closet on top of them.  I don't know what they were thinking.   Perhaps they were just trying to be like me in cleaning out their closet.  I'm just glad they didn't make it a real mess like they use to with their dirty diapers.

Is it all little girls?  I don't want to say they are naughty but perhaps instead I could label them as creative, independent, capable, determined, spirited, and full of life.  Unfortunately I am unable to capture and document all of their little episodes (because sometimes I need to take immediate action) but here are a few more:  coloring on baby Henry's face, getting into my 25 lb. bucket of flour, climbing into the tub fully dressed, denting the wall then peeling paint and plaster off (just before a house showing), cutting their clothes, cutting their hair, spraying mommy with the hose through the kitchen window, pouring and sharing a bowl of cereal in Clara's crib, painting the bathroom with toothpaste, locking themselves in a bathroom and consuming hand soap, and running out to the front yard naked to pee in the neighbor's bushes. 

There was no need for baby proofing with my boys but I have gone beyond baby proofing with the girls.  We have out of reach dead bolts on our doors, closets, and storage room.  So I guess my worst fear is what mess or trouble I will find them in next.  I keep reminding myself of late crops  and for as much trouble as they cause now, they just may become my right hand helpers in the years to come. 

So that brings me to an even greater fear.....from the words of our dear prophet Thomas S. Monson:

 
"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will-to your surprise-miss them profoundly" 

I fear that the days, and years are ticking by a little too quickly......that all my little ones will be on their own before I know it, before I learn to just relax and fully enjoy it.

Cleaning out my closet - The Big switch for Mommy

With the sudden change in temperature I found myself scrambling around trying to find appropriate clothes to wear.  What started as a simple task turned quickly into a big and messy project.  Henry was propped happily in his little bumbo and enjoyed grabbing at the variety of colors and textures that almost drowned him.  But that only lasted about a half hour and now after 3 days I'm finally starting to see the carpet in my closet again.

The big switch for mommy is complicated not just by season but also by a variety of sizes.  This family of six children came upon us quickly, all within 8 years which means to accomodate my body, my wardrobe has been in constant transition.  I wish I could keep it as simple as the kids with only 10 set outfits and one plastic bin as storage for the opposite season.  Instead I have a huge bin of transition/fat clothes, another bin of super pregnant/maternity clothes, and even more piles for what I would like to label "regular me/skinny clothes".  To complicate it even more there are certain items that are specifically designed for easy nursing and others that make nursing almost impossible.  The problem is within each of these categories there are various seasons so if I am looking for something specific (like I was this past weekend), I really have to dig.  I'm still trying to think of ways to simplify this process because in all honesty I certainly hope to be blessed with more children.   And as happy as I am to pretty much be back in my "regular clothes" I wistfully folded and put away my awkward pile of "transition/fat clothes".   I'm not ready to just pass it all on.

As for this current season I feel I have way more clothes than I even need.  In the past I had the habit of picking up one pair of good shoes and at least one outfit but my habit has caught up with me and now I simply can't justify it.  Besides, just being able to pull on the fall/winter "regular me/skinny clothes" is thrill enough- I enjoyed my spring/summer "regular me/skinny clothes" in the summer of '07 but last year's fall/winter clothes were those from the less desirable "transition/fat clothes" pile.     

Now some may be wondering what has happened to my interest in style, fashion, and trends.  Well I have come to believe it is all relative - check out the sartorialist for example.  What makes an individual look great are the simple principles such as fit, color, proportion, quality and condition of the garment, as well as being well groomed.  In fact, I believe current "trends" often confuse people and in return of wasting a lot of money they are led to looking quite staged and often times awkward.  I just want to be me when I dress.  I want to have fun but at the same time be practical.  So for me that means use up, wear out, store away, or re-fashion what I already have.  And don't forget the magic words "machine washable"! 

Well maybe I think too much about clothes.  But thinking about it ahead actually saves me time and money.  I can easily toss aside catalogs and pass up great sales when I know my closet is already full.  

It feels like Christmas!

Look what we woke up to this morning.  We haven't even put out our pumpkins yet and the kids are talking Christmas.  Everyone was so excited - Paul was hitting us with snowballs and Peter bent down and ate the snow fresh from the Church parking lot.  I'm not sure if I'm ready for this though and also wondering if the last remaining watermelon in our garden would taste good in an icy slush.   

Happy Homemade Messes

The Bagel business has been a great success so far.  That is except for a few piles of flour dumped around the kitchen and several flour footprints trailing through our home.  

Peter is not old enough for the mixing, measuring, and forming of bagels so he will start out as a sweeper then work his way up in the business.  He is in line to  begin training in the rolling and forming.  

William heads up advertising and marketing, and also helps with distribution and delivery.  He will soon start his training in weighing out the ingredients.  

James just got promoted as head mixer and ingredient weigher.  He also assists in the rolling and forming and is head of accounting, customer orders and relations.  

Paul graciously took the position as head pan washer and also over sees the distribution and delivery of our goods.  He still serves as our in house consultant.

That leaves me as the sole boiler and baker at 5:30 am.  I actually like the quiet of the morning and if it wasn't for lack of sleep I would offer our bagels more than once a week.  

We are working hard, making messes, cleaning up,  and having fun with the whole process.  But I am tired and told Paul "it is hard to make a buck isn't it"  - he laughed and said "Maybe we should have tried this years ago".

Going Dark

Thought you all should know that I dyed my hair today - just for fun and for some other practical reasons.  When we move I'll be leaving behind not just friends and family but the best hairdresser ever.  So in the spirit of this move to MI and simplifying my life I am officially eliminating any sort of color processing from my hair routine.  After years of highlighting my hair I had no idea how dark my 'natural' color really was.  I don't feel like myself - I look like one of my sisters!  But that is a good thing.  It will take some getting use to but it will be nice to be free from the commitment to highlights.