Makin' it more homey

I have this internal game I play with myself.  I hate spending money, but I have rather expensive taste.  I LOVE Pottery Barn (and where I'm from, that's expensive) but refuse to pay $45 dollars for pillows.  I like to call it "frugal," my husband likes to call it "cheap".  Whatever you call it, its workin for me right now.  

So when we moved in to this dream house of ours, I set my frugality on high and frequently visited my two favorite places to find little treasures.  Ross and TJ Maxx.  And boy did I hit the jackpot.  The first wonderful find were these fabulous baskets!  If you need baskets of any kind, go to Ross.  They have some amazing ones!  These were $8, $10, and $12! (please ignore the mass of toys coming out of them...).

 I got home and found these in my Pottery Barn catalog.  These cost $69-199.  A PIECE!  My Pottery Barn radar clearly went off :)

 

And then there was the floor.  We had this little cheap rug we bought pre-babies.  What you don't know about rugs before you have kids is that it really needs to be thick and large.  It is no longer something to break up floor space.  It is a play area, fall catching, movie watching, horsey-riding, grasshopper hopping area that must be comfortable!

So I went to TJ Maxx (not to buy a rug, but to entertain a cranky 2 year old) and I saw this ah-may-zing rug.  A few of them actually.  The price hurt my feelings a bit, but as any of you who have had to buy an area rug know, any good one is gonna cost you!  So I went home and discussed it with hubby and brought him back to get a second opinion.  And then it made its home with us.  And we love it.

 

So, just out of curiosity, I flipped through my Pottery Barn catalog.  And what do ya know?

Not bad, huh?

Happy Saturday!

Lately we haven't had many Saturdays to just be a home.  Spring semester is usually pretty crazy for us.  (Not to mention the addition of tons of sickness this year).  Though the sickness isn't totally out of our house yet, most of us felt good enough to have a little family time last night. 

I've had supplies to make Valentines suckers for a month now.  But the week of Valentines I was too sick to do laundry..much less make (really messy) candy.  So last night we took the opportunity to roll our sleeves up and make a lil sumthin' sumthin'. 

Here's what you need:  Some sucker sticks, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and sprinkles.

1) Melt some chocolate.  Place marshmallows on sticks (hold your breath) and dip.  

 2) Smack yourself for buying cream colored dining room chairs that the toddler uses to help you cook everyday

 3) Gently shake off excess.  Smack self again for chair purchase.

 4) Place chocolatey marshmallow into cup of sprinkles.  We used non-pareils.

5) Be aware that if Daddy is involved, you may have fewer suckers than you planned...

6) Explain to child what "a few" actually means.

7) Let set until hardened.  And you will have these cute little guys to give to friends for Valentines day...or eh...February 27th!

8) Use ungodly amount of extra chocolate to make everything in your house a delightful treat.  (Daddy made this very pretty graham cracker creation).

9) Enjoy! (and use every cleaner in house to clean off brown chocolate and red non-pareil stain from chair.)

Forgive me...

I have been on an unintentional blog hiatus.  It isn't because nothing is going on with us.  Quite the opposite actually.  In the past four months I've battled bronchitis 3 times, gave birth, celebrated 3 birthdays and Christmas, traveled to who knows how many cities, counseled girls on relationships, learned that a long hard prayer had been answered, seen way too much brokenness, taught a 2 year old 10 letters, watched WAY TOO MUCH Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, witnessed my little man learn to roll over...both ways, joined a small group, loved a small group, nursed a sick baby...twice, and sat down a couple of times in between all that! 

The Lord has been hard at work lately, expanding our capacities and teaching us a ton.  I have much to say but little time to say it.  Life has happened and I'm trying to keep up.  But in the midst of craziness, it has been very very good. 

And just to keep you checking in.... 

Busy Busy!

Is it really almost February?  I swear I think time this year is in fast forward! 

This year right after we got home from D.C. (like...yesterday?), I took all the Christmas decorations down.  I was glad to have my house and some space back, but it felt really sad and boring.  All the lights, color and greenery went to nothing but plain walls and an empty mantle.  So, I decided to bask in all the loveliness I could take and began decorating for Valentines Day.  Nothing like pink hearts to happy-up your house!  I am using two little crafts I've spent some time on lately as the basis. 

I'm really into wreaths right now.  And I LOVE the thought of using them for things other than Christmas!  So I decided to try to make a few that can work for Valentines.  My first attempt was a coffee filter wreath I saw on a blog I follow (Nesting Place).  LOVE IT.

Start with a cheapo straw wreath and some (note: A LOT) standard coffee filters.

Get your glue gun and get ready to not be able to feel with your finger tips for a few days.  Fold filters into fourths or eighths and start gluing.  (if you have kids this will be a 3 day project.  If you don't, probably a couple hours).

This is where you get tired and want to give up...don't.  Its totally worth it.  Pick up that phone and tweet about it or send a picture to some friends...accountability for what it looks like in the end, ya know?

 And after all your work....viola!  A beautiful, puffy, shabby chic wreath that you can use for just about any occasion.  I had this one tied with a Christmasy ribbon on my back door for Jesus' birthday.  Now it is simply hanging with a ribbon taped (yes, taped) behind it and a cardboard glitter heart sitting inside.

Add some milk glass (weakness) and a few twigs and you've got yourself a whimsical winter mantle.

And now...for the other.  Start with another wreath form.  I used a straw one but I'd recommend a foam one since it is more uniform.  Then I found some yarn left over from some crocheting projects.  

Now start wrapping!  

Here is a picture of my almost finished wreath.  It would have been done by now but my yarn keeps getting tangled up from someone using it as a jump rope.....

Happy Valentines Day!!

Tis the season!

Wondering where we've been?  The answer is a little bit of everywhere.  Apologies to all those who have been anticipating an update on life (ie: pictures of the babies)!  I have been trying to find time to send a little update but life just hasn't slowed down.  I caved when I got a text from a friend pleading for an update.  Oops!

So lets see....we left off at Eden's Mickey Mouse birthday....

We spent Thanksgiving with my extended fam in Belle.  Love that place.  Life just seems slower and more restful there.

  I cant hardly handle this.  My Papa and Eden looking at fish

 Lil family photo complements of my skilled step dad

And then we decorated.  I LOVE THIS HOUSE.

 It was a family affair

 We celebrated a sleeper!  Praise the Lord!!

 We got a little snow on the most perfect weekend

 We ate doughnuts. We. Love. Dunkin.

 We got Miss E a little something to bless us with :)

 Made some new friends while enjoying Shelby for Christmas:)

 We bombarded this little stud with pictures.  How cute is that dimple?

 Got more snow!  Wooo White Christmas!

 Went to DC to be a part of the Al!ve conference.  It was amazing!

Prayed for the nation.  How breathtaking is this pic?  Hundreds of college students praying for our country and its leaders!  Lord hear our cry!!

And got the flu...or something equally as icky.  Sorry....no pics for that. 

Meeska, Mooska, Mickey Mouse!

 Our little girl is totally obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Hence the above Mickey shaped food.  (I'm just thankful shes obsessed with something easy to shape food into!)   

Balloons...could have been the only gift she got and she would have been totally content

I cant believe this little girl is 2 already!  And now....

 

We're a family of 4!!  Wow how time flies!

Happy Birthday to our dear sweet Eden!  You are a good and perfect gift to us!!

Things We Love

We love the fall....I think we've mentioned that before.   We joke that we do everything in the fall.  We met in the fall and started dating the next fall.  Clint's birthday is in the fall.  We got married in the fall.  And now BOTH babies birthday's are in the fall.  It is our favorite time of year!  The cool air and presence of football make us nostalgic every October.

One of our favorite things to do to celebrate is to enjoy these amazing (and healthy!) muffins with a cup of hot coffee.  ENJOY!!

Pumpkin Muffins

1 Cup pumpkin

1/2 cup  ground flax seed

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)

Mix all ingredients together (batter will be very thick!)

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  

Makes 12 large muffins

Yum!