Birthday Girl

New Year's Eve. I don't believe it. Where did the year go?

In our house New Year's Eve is a huge deal because it also my Emma's birthday. She turns FIVE today, which just seems so impossible. I can still so easily picture they way we had her nursery arranged. I can still remember her smell as I nursed her and rocked her for hours on end in the comfy yellow chair, see the shadows cast across her peaceful face by the soothing glow of her low light lamp. I can feel her soft curls and sweet breath on my neck as I hold her and tell her stories and sing along to Coldplay.

And now my baby girl thinks she is all grown up. She can't wait to go to Kindergarten. She loves to sing and dance to Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus. She has a very keen sense of fashion and loves to shop, though this is not something new for her. She watches Cyberchase instead of Sesame Street. She wanted, and received, an iPod for Christmas instead of toys. But she still loves to snuggle with me, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Not Very Creative

So I just realized I have not really posted anything creative lately. It is not like I have not been working, I think I am just drowning in projects right now and don't have time to write about them! I have, however, made time to goof off and read.

I may have mentioned in a previous blog that we read Twilight for our book club. Well, I actually read all four books in a week. I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed them! Eve and I saw the movie and LOVED it. I really think the casting is impeccable and Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson have great chemistry. He is so dreamy! ;) Yes, we have all reverted to 15 year old girls!

Eve and I decided to drag the husbands to see it too, so we all went to the Warren theatre, which was really fun. They have a balcony section where you can order dinner or drinks, the seats (which have seat warmers!) are super cozy. Good times.

So, having seen it twice, the book club/craft night girls and I saw it together tonight. (The boys saw The Punisher.) Eve said that even though she has seen it before it is like watching it for the first time each time she sees it. I think that she is on to something there. I NEVER go see a movie more than once in the theatre, so this is absurd and fun. My husband just rolls his eyes. I am pretty sure he thinks we need a Twilight 12 step program!

Anyway, if you are in the mood for a very romantic and sweet movie, I recommend Twilight. Go with the girls, or take your Edward with you. Either way I think you will enjoy it. And I think you will be surprised at how many people are smitten by this beautiful love story. And check out the soundtrack, too. It's awesome!

My Thanksgiving Dinner Contribution

It is Wednesday morning, and it has just occurred to me that I have no Thanksgiving plan. Actually, I don't host, so I have it easy. I am responsible for making my Nana's dressing, though. No pressure there, right?? At least I don't have to make the pies. My mom makes them. One day I will have to master pie crust -- it just won't be this year!

I have not even done my shopping yet. I cannot believe I am this ill prepared! I am usually a little more on top of it, but not this year. I think I am in denial because everything is coming up so quickly. I host Christmas every year, and a week after that is Emma's birthday. And I haven't even planned her perfect 5th birthday party yet. UGH. OK, back to the task at hand...

I have to hit the grocery store. I have to wash, chop and saute. Then we are off to lunch with my mom and Aunt Kelley. Then we are back home for a little down time, I will make the kids dinner, the sitter will arrive and Brandon and I will leave for a movie with friends this evening. I am not entirely sure how all this will play out, but I think I can get it all done. I can always finish up in the morning.

Hopefully you are all more prepared than I, and you will be able to enjoy your Wednesday. Maybe next year I will look back on this post and it will remind me to be more prepared. But probably I will have forgotten all about it and still be in the same rush I am this year. Oh well, at least I work well under pressure. Have a stress-free Wednesday and a very Happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Because really, that is what it is all about. Love to all!

My Very Unconventional Thankful List

I was not going to do a blog about all the things I am thankful for. For one, it would be long. And maybe a bit boring, because I am sure it would echo every "what I am thankful for" post out there. So I am mixing it up a bit. These are all things that I am thankful for, but they are not the typical things you would expect. So, without further ado, here is a short list of a few of the weirder things I am thankful for. They are listed in no particular order of importance.

• That Pottery Barn Kids does NOT sell the Star Wars sheet sets in King Size. If they did, I am fairly certain that it would be only a matter of time before my husband dragged them home.
• My husband's total acceptance and understanding of my crazy irrational fear of clowns. In a very understanding manner he eloquently and effectively explained to Emma why we cannot bring home the child-sized Gymbo clown doll from Gymboree. Thirteen times.
• Paper and fabric and all of the great designers out there that make them.
• Book, books, books.
• Appointment calendars, without which I would be a complete mess. Oh, OK, an even bigger mess than I am now.
• My gorgeous Kitchen Aid Mixer (in Claret). My kids love to make cookies, and nothing whips them up faster. I can't tell you how many hand held mixers I have blown up trying to mix cookie dough. It just doesn't work.
• Music - a special shout out to Coldplay for being Emma's bedtime music since day one and Jack Johnson for being Aidan's bedtime music from day one as well.
• Emma and Aidan's sleep-overs at CiCi's house. This occasional treat is the only only good night's sleep I get. Thank you, thank you, thank you CiCi!! My mom rocks!
• The color pink because it is Emma's favorite and she is so passionate about it.
• Toy Story and Toy Story 2 because of how much Aidan loves them.

OK, so there it is. A very small sampling of things that I really appreciate. Of course these things can't compare to my family, God's grace, my friends, good health, etc. You know, all those usual things I wasn't going to mention!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Catch Up

I cannot believe it has been a month since I last blogged. Where did October go? Where did the majority of November go, for that matter?! Only 10 days (well, 9 really) until December. How is this possible. Maybe I would be more productive if I did not waste so much time pondering where all of my time has gone! Here are a few of the things I have been up to this last month:

My darling girl finished her first season of soccer. I may have mentioned in a previous post that she scored THREE goals at her last game. I am so proud of her! This was her first team sport and she worked really hard. Here is a picture of her after she received her medal at the post season soccer party.

This is the beautiful pink soccer ball cake that my ridiculously talented mom made for the team's party. Of course it is pink, and of course it is complete with little pink ladybugs she made with icing. Seriously, is there nothing my mom can't do?? And did I mention it tasted great, too?

Aidan wanted to be Buzz Lightyear for Halloween. We found this extremely cool costume at The Disney Store. It even lights up! He loves the costume now, but he almost didn't wear it. It came with the purple hood thing that Buzz wears and Aidan did not care for that part of the costume. For some reason he thought he had to wear the entire thing. Once he found out he could go sans purple hood thing he was elated! I love my boy to infinity and beyond!

Emma made her mind up about her costume a year ago. She LOVES Wonder Woman because she is a Princess and a Super Hero. I don't think I need to point out that my mom made the entire costume, including the cool tiara and bracelets. Not shown are her super cool red boots and her golden lasso. We could not find blue fabric with white stars so she just appliqued them on. Emma is my favorite Princess Super Hero. I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, my girl can save the world.

I have managed to do a couple of small shows recently, but I decided to limit myself in this area as of late. I love doing shows, but there is always so much work involved to get ready. And with holiday orders, it just has not been feasible to do as many as I would have liked to have done.

The girls and I got together last weekend for craft night. It was so much fun. Eve worked on a few scrapbook pages and Lucy and I made frames. Jen couldn't make it, but she will be here for the next one on the 29th. Lucy will likely still be out of town for that one, but we are getting together again in early December. We are thinking about making these darling little cupcake bath bombs that Little Birdie Secrets was kind enough to share with the world. I think they will make fun little stocking stuffers and I know my kiddos will love them. They beg for bath ice cream every time we go to The Makeup Bar. If they are pretty easy to make I will let them whip up a batch themselves. They love to cook and they love to craft, so this will be right up their alley. I will make sure to post our results, no matter how they turn out!

Mission Organization: Day Four

This was a great Monday. Still is, I suppose, at least for another 4 1/2 hours. I made it to my MOMs group and I was even on time. I finally remembered to bring my friend's very belated baby gift. Emma had a great time in her class. Aidan and Brandon hung out and had fun playing with Aidan's "guys."

When we got home we had lunch, after which I promptly dove into Aidan's room. I got all of his toys organized in their bins, organized his closet and new dresser drawers, finished the "summer to fall clothing switch" and thoroughly cleaned the room. It looks so nice! It is really easy for him to choose which toys he wants to play with as well as put them back.

None of this would have been possible if not for my kids playing so well together today. I just love it when a plan comes together. Tomorrow I will tackle Emma's room. I hope all of you had a great Monday as well!

My Soccer Star

Emma's last soccer game was today. I am so proud of her! She played her best game yet. She scored three goals and really hustled out on the field.

Yesterday, driving home from her Saturday game, she asked if she was really supposed to take the ball away from the other girls, because that was not sharing. It has been a tough concept for the girls to grasp because we taught them to share and play nicely their entire lives.

All of the girls played so well. This was the first year for all of them, and it was amazing to watch how they improved week to week. This has turned out to be a great experience not just for Emma, but for all of us.

Organizing: Day Three

Today was so productive. Insanely productive one might say. I don't have the pictures to prove it yet, but I hope to have some posted in the next couple of days.

The dresser finally found a new home in Aidan's room. Of course there was an issue with the tip kit, and I will have to finish it up tomorrow once that pesky drill charges. Oh, guess I had better plug it in. Anyway, one of the straps is attached, so it is not dangerous tonight, but I do want to get the other on tomorrow before my little monkey tries to climb on it.

I moved my fabric bins and labeled them even though they are clear so I can easily see what I have. I did a ton of laundry, sorted out some of the kids' summer things to make way for fall fashions, completed two nap mats and a blanket, and started another blanket for a baby gift. Yep, I am feeling pretty good tonight.

As always, thanks to Brandon and my mom for all of their help. Without them I would not have had such a productive day. I am a long way from organized, but I feel I am really on my way!

Organzing: Day Two

DISCLAIMER: Okay, so I know it has been a few days since my last post, but I am counting this as my official second day of organization because it is the official second day I have worked toward my goals. So these posts probably won't be daily, although that would be ideal. I will do my best!

Whew, now that I have that outta the way, on to what I accomplished! First, I painted a dresser for Aidan's room. I know that may not sound like much by way of organizing, but it is. It has been sitting in my overly-crowded dining room for how long now I cannot precisely recall. So it is moving out of there tomorrow, hence freeing up space. Also, I will now have a better place to store Aidan's clothes.

Tomorrow I will install the anti-tip kit I purchased and move the dresser into his room. And I will make the drawers look great. I predict they will stay that way at least until I leave the room. After that, I make no guarantees.

The best thing about this dresser, other than providing storage for my little boy's things, is that it is recycled. It is Brandon's old dresser. A new coat of paint and new hardware, and it looks great! I will post a picture tomorrow after I get it set up.

I also got rid of the batting that ate New York. Temporarily anyway. I am going to keep it at my mom's house, crammed in a closet, for the time being. At least it is gone from my poor overworked dining room.

I have come to the conclusion that I am literally drowning in paper. There is paper piled up all over the place. It seems every flat surface is covered with the stuff. A lot of it is the stagnant stuff that I mentioned last time. I am doing my best to wade through it, shredding when necessary and bagging all of it for recycling.

The paper seems so innocuous, but it is a crafty foe. Once I have it under control, here it comes, sneaking up on me again, slowly at first, so that I hardly notice it or pay it any mind. In a few days I have a pile on the bookcase in the entryway. Then it creeps onto the island. I move some of it to the roll top desk, with intentions of sorting and shredding, but you know what they say about good intentions. Life is busy, and I tend to go all Scarlett O'Hara, vowing to think about it tomorrow.

I realize now that it is a daily chore, and with this I will struggle. I hope the recent purchase of a handy-dandy compact filing unit will help. It contains 43 folders, one for each month and one for each day of the month. My ultimate goal is to immediately file away any paper that enters the house in this unit. If I can make it a habit to do this and check it every day I think it will immensely cut down on the paper mess.

Lastly, I worked on my website today. I have decided to just feature my children's products. I have removed all of my stationery items. I still love to paper craft, and I will still occasionally list some things in my etsy store as well as continue custom orders for my regular clients. I must say that I feel really good about this decision. I am very excited to be adding lots of new merchandise and pictures, and I hope to have it completely updated soon.

I will try to post some pictures of my progress tomorrow. No promises, because I never know what the day will bring. Here's to a productive Thursday. And to all the kiddos, have a fun and safe fall break!

Day One of Mission Organization (for real this time)

So, my house is a mess. As usual. My dining room is still being taken over by the batting that ate New York. My bins of fabric are sorted, but not yet labeled and still sitting on the floor at the end of my dining room table. My island looks like, well...I cannot quite come up with a colorful enough phrase to describe it. It is a mess of paper, things that don't really have homes, a stray dish or two and some random fabric scraps that I have yet to decide if they are worthy of keeping.

My living room is getting better. We were able to clear out several big baby toys and empty a tub of random toys, thanks to the garage sale we had a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen through my vow to have no more toys in the living area. Going through toys exhausts me. I don't know why, but I have a sneaking suspicion is has a little to do with my family's guilt curse. What I should ask myself as I sort is: Do they love it? If the answer is yes, then I should ponder as to how deep the love goes. You know, do they love it enough to actually play with it? If the answer is no I should then move on to whether the toy is in good enough condition to donate or if it will need to be regulated to the landfill where it will no doubt remain until the end of time. I wish we could recycle toys the same way we recycle those pesky but oh-so-convenient water bottles we just have to have now and again. But I digress. I usually don't take the proper approach when sorting through the flotsam. This is a sample of the internal (and sometimes external, as you will see) struggle that I face when getting rid of toys.

I pick up a stuffed animal. It has been in the bottom of the toy pile so long that my kids don't even remember that it exists. Well, it is clear, I should just toss it in the donate pile. But wait! Who gave this to them? Was it a grandparent or favorite auntie? Was it a birthday present from one of our closest friends? What if that person comes over, and after two years, just happens to mention said stuffed animal? What do I say?

Enter my husband. "Hey," he casually says. "You're not donating Mickey are you? The kids LOVE Mickey."

So you see, I have internal guilt AND external pressure. No wonder I never get organized. But all of this is changing! I am making my resolutions early this year. I am going to de-clutter my way to peace. Tips from a great article I found on a green living website: Tag all of your clutter with one of the following Clutter Codes.

Stagnant: things you can no longer use, such as a pile of magazines or catalogs. You know you are never going to read them, so put them out with the recycling, or better yet(my tip), drive them over to a recycle bin at your local school or library. Institutions with the big green bins actually profit from your paper donations! Clothes that no longer fit, old vitamins and pills, and expired coupons also fit in this category.

Stuck: This is a big one for me. Stuff you will probably, if you are honest with yourself, never use. I am talking old high school papers (you know you have them!), papers, mags, fliers, books you will never read or have read but will never read again, and (drum roll please!) unfinished craft projects!! Yep, I have a million of those!

Waiting: things you use occasionally or seasonally.

Active and Disorganized: My life. But seriously...clothes, papers, projects that may be used soon, but are homeless for the time being in that they are not stored, filed or put away properly. Think MESS here rather than CLUTTER.

Active: Things that you actively use, usually on a daily basis, like sunglasses, schoolbags, etc. This category also includes activities of the day or next few days that are in process.

Luckily, I already have the waiting category pretty much taken care of. Or so I think. I am pretty good about keeping seasonal items stored together in bins that are placed in the attic. It makes me crazy to have Christmas lights shoved in with the Halloween decorations, so I don't have a lot of work here. These other categories, however, will prove to be a challenge.

I hope these tips will help you on your quest to finding peace through organization. I would love to hear from all of you, so share your tips, struggles or success stories. Good luck!

It's Magic

Something magical is happening in my house. Right this minute. As I type this post. My kids are playing together in Aidan's room. Alone. Nicely. Quietly.

OK, so maybe I exaggerate a little when I say this never happens, but it has not happened much in the past. The last few days have been great. It is like a switch was turned on and they realized that they can actually have fun together without me there to referee.

This is not to say I don't love playing with my kids. We still have plenty of time together. But 30 minutes to myself? WOW!!!

I am not quite sure what to do with this new-found freedom. It seems a shame to waste it on something mundane like laundry. And yeah, I really should sneak in that workout. But I have not done that yet. Yesterday I read a chapter. Today I am blogging. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

What do you do with your precious stolen moments?

Saturday's Show

I had a great time at the Tee for the Soul sale! We had a good turnout and I got to meet a lot of great people. This is why I love doing shows. I am pretty chatty by nature, so it is tons of fun for me. My husband says I would talk to a wall if I thought it would talk back.

This show was unique in that my husband came along to help. He had a great time, too, or so he says. But seriously, it was nice to just spend the day with him. My sweet mom kept the kids entertained all day long. I know they had a blast!

I did not snap any photos this time. My booth was set up a little differently than before, but it seems I just posted pics. I will post more next show.

I have been working on some new things, and I am very anxious to get pics posted. The rest of the week is insanely busy, but I promise new things soon. I will be updating my website this week as well. If only there were a few more hours in the day...

Green Eyes

Emma and Aidan were playing so nicely together the other day. I was catching up on a bit of work and then I heard it. The ear-piercing scream. You know the one I mean. I ran into his room, where they were building towers for the Incredible Hulk to smash.

Apparently Hulk had ended up smashing Emma instead of the tower. After comforting her and calming her down, and after Aidan's stint in time-out was up, I had my little "toys are not weapons" talk with him. Again. He appeared to be listening so intently to what I was saying. Then he said to me "Mommy, I love your beautiful green eyes. Your eyes are so beautiful and green."

Well, what's a mom to do? I tried to keep it in, but I just burst out laughing. Then an intense feeling of dread washed over me. If this kid is this good at 2 1/2, what will I face in the years to come? I think we are all in a lot of trouble.

Craft Night

Saturday's craft night was a huge success! We had so much fun. Eve, who had just had surgery the day before, even joined us! She was not up to crafting, but we were so happy to have her there for conversation.

Thanks so much to Lucy for hosting and making a great dinner. Here are a few pictures of the event. One note: of course I forgot my camera, so these were taken with my phone. Not the best, but good enough.

Jennifer concentrates on stretching her fabric over her canvas.

Here Jennifer carefully places her hand-drawn stencil design. So cute!

Lucy stretches her High School Musical fabric over her canvas. Her project is a gift for her niece.

Jennifer's final project. So cute! I love the color combinations here.

Lucy's final project. So fun! Her niece is sure to love this one!

My final project. I realize I look as though I am about to fall asleep. I was really tired. We had a garage sale earlier in the day.

A little about our projects:

We stretched fabric over canvas and stapled it in place. We then covered the fabric with Mod Podge and allowed it to dry. Once dry, we lightly traced our patterns onto the fabric. We then either blocked out or filled in the stencil. So easy, so fast and so fun!

I cannot wait for the next craft night!

It's Already Friday?

Okay, so clearly no video to post. But that does not mean it was not a productive day. Sure, there are still a million things on my "to do list," but I am happy to say several items have been crossed off!

The most pressing order is complete and will be delivered today. I set up a table for the garage sale. And most importantly, The Pink Ladybugs now have bows to match their uniforms. I think the bows turned out so precious! Thanks to my mom (again) for all of the help. If not for her, I would still be staring at piles of cut ribbon.

Back to the list. Aidan will be up from his nap soon. Wishing you all a happy, productive and FUN Friday!

Getting It Back and Getting It Together

Today was tedious. And long. And a bit frustrating.

I feel as though I spent the entire day on the phone with one institution or another getting the identity theft situation under control. What a mess. I have been assured that everything will be back to normal in a couple of days. Whew. What a relief.

Even though I had to deal with that all day, I still had time to have some fun with the kiddos. We cleaned up Aidan's room and weeded through a bunch of clothes and toys. We are planning a garage sale for this weekend. I am very excited because it means my actual garage will be cleaned out and restored to its former glory. For this I cannot wait.

Tomorrow I will attempt to finish up an order, finally make the Pink Ladybugs their long- awaited bows, and hopefully, if all goes well, go through the bins of toys that have mysteriously found a home in our living room. If I actually accomplish all of this I will video tape myself doing a little victory dance and post it here for all to see. And I promise I am not being pessimistic -- I just know my limitations. I always think I can get more done than is actually possible.

I am very much looking forward to the garage sale, though. It is always such a huge relief to get rid of stuff. And we have way too much stuff. Some days I feel like emptying entire rooms and starting over. I would say my two biggest problem areas are paper and photos. I have elaborate dreams in which I have organized all of my photos so well that I know when each was taken. In my dream they are ready to fall into scrapbook layouts, which I will of course hand journal. Unlikely, I know, but a girl can always dream.

WAREHOUSE SALE!!!

Yippee! I love doing the Tee for the Soul Warehouse Sale! It is a great group of designers, many of which are stay-at-home moms like me. If you are not familiar with it, Tee for the Soul is a great little shop in downtown Edmond. It is owned by a local moms. Every month they put together this event and it is always such fun! The vendors and designers change month to month, so there is always something new and exciting to see.

I hope you will join us Saturday, October 4th. The sale runs from 9-4 and will be held at Expressions Church, 711 South Kelly Avenue in Edmond. This is the perfect time to get a jump on your holiday shopping!

Print out the flyer and bring it to my booth (or just mention that you read about it on my blog) for 20% off one item of your choice! Hope to see you all there!

What a Day!

Sundays are always pretty great. I believe I have previously mentioned our family tradition of meeting everyone for brunch or lunch. So we did that today, and then my aunt took all of the kids to the candy store. And to ride on the coin operated machines. I think they used to be called penny horses back in the day, but today they are (a) rarely ever horses, they are instead helicopters and trains and motorcycles and (b) no longer cost a penny. The kids were, well, as happy as kids in a candy store.

We dropped by my in-laws and left the kids there for a couple of hours while we went to see Ghost Town. I don't know if you have seen it or not, but it is fantastic. Paramount once again dropped the ball by not promoting or advertising a really great film. I am not going to say anything else about it, because I hate it when people give away all of the details. Just go see it. You will be glad you did.

I am feeling especially blessed tonight. I snuggled up in bed with both of my kiddos as we read together Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Cookies and Henry and Mudge: The First Book. If you have not read the Henry and Mudge series, I urge you to do so. They are funny and real and full of heart. You can start with any book in the series and jump right in. We actually started with Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat. We fell so in love with it that we went to the book store the very next day and bought three more titles. (Click here for some Henry and Mudge fun.)

And if you have not read Amy Krouse Rosenthal, the author of Cookies, I urge you to check out her books as well. We have several of her children's books, and I have several of her adult books. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life if one of my favorite reads.

Wishing you all a very happy week!

Sick

Everyone here has been sick all week. Apparently there is some wicked virus making the rounds - the coughing, sore throat, runny nose, my head feels like it is going to explode and Oh, there is an elephant on my chest kind. It has put quite a damper on the week. Poor Emma missed out on school, soccer practice and her game today, as well as ballet. Aidan missed his beloved Gymboree. The good news is that we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think we will all be back to normal by next week.

Being sick does have one upside: you get to snuggle in bed with the whole family for hours on end, just reading stories or watching Little Bear. Errands that are so important every other day just aren't that pressing. You find that it is possible to just stay home, all day, for one whole day. Even if that means all you have to eat is Dora chicken noodle soup.

Saturday

Saturday's show was a lot of fun. My mom went with me, which was nice. It is just too hard to do without a helper for at least part of the day. I snapped a few photos of my booth. I packed up really early in the morning (about 4:30) so I ended up forgetting a few things, but I think it turned out fine. I figure I will just keep trying different set up arrangements until I find something I love.

I used two 8 foot tables this time. I hung several blanket from cute little bird clips that we screwed into my backdrop screens. I think the addition of the bigger, brighter pink gerbera daisies really perked up the backdrop. I placed the car seats with their covers on the tables this time, and people noticed them a lot more and really gravitated toward them. They really were the stars of the show, along with the nap mats. All in all I am pretty pleased with how it turned out, but I think it will be even better next time with the addition of the things I left behind.

I welcome any and all feedback! And please feel free to share your own booth photos or ideas!

Ghost Baby

My dear husband sent me this photo update of their day, taken with his camera phone, while I was away at the craft show on Saturday (more on that later). This is not a ghost baby, it is actually my two year old, Aidan, covered in powdered sugar.

Apparently while Brandon was helping Emma retrieve dress-up clothes, Aidan utilized his super toddler speed ability to push the antique wine rack up to the cabinet, climb up onto the counter and retrieve the brand new bag of powdered sugar from the baking cabinet.

He then sped through the house, depositing piles of the sticky powder in the kitchen, living room and our bedroom, covering himself in the process. Of course he had time to empty the bag before Brandon caught him. Not surprisingly, Brandon saw the humor in the situation and sat him down for a quick photo op.

I don't know if you have ever tried to clean up powdered sugar before, but it is not fun. Three days and two bottles of Swiffer cleaning solution later, my floors are still sticky. The stuff is like glue! I fear this might be a job for an industrial cleaning crew.

Update: I showed Aidan this blog and this is the conversation we just had:

Aidan: "Wow! That's me! I was making a mess. A big mess."

Me: "Yes, why did you do that?"

Aidan: "Cause I wanted to. Daddy cleaned it up. It's a big mess."

Me: "Yep."

Aidan: "That's sugar. I love sugar. It is so sticky."

Me: "Do you like to make messes?"

Aidan: "Yeah. I love messes."

A new low

I actually wasn't going to blog today, or at least not until right before bed, but I have to share this story with you. Immediately.

We have two dogs and we love them dearly. They are pretty pampered and they NEVER miss a meal. So why do they walk around scavenging like castaways half of the time? Sassy, our Airedale/German Shep mix just hit an all time new low.

Emma created a lovely piece of art in pre-K this week. She glued Cheerios in the shape of an "O" to a piece of construction paper. "O" is the letter of the week. I cleaned out her folder and set the papers aside. (I am stashing all of her papers in an archival box that I picked up.) Since I am busy getting ready for the show Saturday, I did not make it to the box right away. I heard a strange crunching sound and decided to investigate, whereupon I found our dear Sassy eating the Cheerios off of the construction paper. Glue and all.

Conflict

Emma's first soccer game was announced this week. Wouldn't you know it is scheduled for Saturday -- the same day I am scheduled to be in Stillwater for the Fall Into the Holidays Show. UGH.

My mom is going with me Saturday, so we will drive to the show and I will get her set up and then drive home for the game. I will then return to Stillwater after the game. This might seem like a lot of driving, but this is her first game! Missing it is not even an option.

This is terrible, but I am praying that we get rained out Saturday. We have a 60% chance, so it will very likely happen, I just need it to happen in time to postpone the game! I must say I do have pretty good luck when it comes to praying for rain.

On a sad note, a dear friend just lost her grandmother to Alzheimer's. Thoughts and prayers to you and your family, Jen.

Labor Day Recap

I did not get around to posting over Labor Day weekend. Here is a quick rundown of the exciting events:

• Friday was great. Got together with the girls for dinner, wine and wonderful conversation. We decided to start a dedicated craft/book club, so I am super excited about that. Good times!
• Saturday was busy. My mom took the kids to her house for the afternoon so I could edit a script for Brandon. I spent a portion of the evening in an urgent care center because I had an allergic reaction to something I ate, probably carrots. I will just have to see what the allergist finds.
• Sunday was great. We took the kids to brunch with my family and then visited Brandon's parents.
• Monday was relaxed. We ate donuts for breakfast and took the kids to the toy store. Emma has had her eye on a "moving baby" for months now. We were able to find just what she wanted, and just what I needed. I am guessing a mom designed the doll because while she does move and coo and make cute little noises when she takes her bottle, she also comes with a blessed off switch. Aidan, much to my surprise, chose an enormous Hulk toy. I must say it is a bit scary looking, but Aidan LOVES it. The thing's eyes light up, he slams his fists down and exclaims "HULK SMASH!" in a menacing tone. Not at all something I thought my little guy would like. He is growing up so fast.

I hope you all had a great extended weekend with family and friends. Have a great week!

Mission Postponed

So yesterday's mission did not exactly work out. My poor little Aidan is sick. Unfortunately he takes after me and suffers from pretty bad allergies from time to time. I watched the noon weather report today and all of the allergens seem to be in high categories, making it a tough week to live in Oklahoma. We are taking Aidan to see the pediatrician in the morning just to rule out anything like ear infection. I just want my little guy to feel better now!

I did run to the store while Aidan napped. I picked up four bins to store fabric. I am afraid I have grossly underestimated my stash! I am blaming the minky - it takes up more room than the cotton. The minky alone looks as though it might take up all four bins. I hope to get it all together this weekend, but I am not going to stress about it.

Emma and I worked on a fun little school project today. She had to make an "all about me" poster. I think it turned out pretty well, but I could have added more if I just had a little more time. Some projects scream at me when I am finished, but others haunt my thoughts. I will no doubt dream of this poster tonight.

Do you have any unfinished projects? Leave me a comment and we'll compare notes. Or maybe we will be inspired to complete them and finally put them to rest.

Have a great Friday and a safe holiday weekend!

Getting it together

Today I am on a mission: get organized.

Okay, so I know it will not magically happen in a day. My goal for the day is to get my fabric organized. I know it might not sound like much, but trust me -- it will be quite an undertaking. I plan to break my fabrics into simple categories and store them in clear plastic bins so that they are completely visible. As the day is still relatively young, not even 9 a.m., I know I can tackle this task today. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I will take on my paper stash.

I hope you will join me later tonight. I will post the results of my mission to make a little corner of my world a little neater.

Settling In

Emma had her first soccer practice today. I must admit that I had my concerns. I mean, she is just so girly. I realized today that I know nothing. Emma loves soccer.

The girls did so well. They lasted 45 minutes, which is amazing considering it was really hot today, they are all four years old (some of them just barely) and it was the first practice. Coach Rich, who is fantastic, held their attention and showed them how to run different drills, all while having tons of fun.

Settling in to a new schedule can be so exhausting. We are back in the swing of things with school, just added soccer to the mix today, and ballet starts after labor day. With our weekdays so jammed packed I am really looking forward to leisurely weekends. We are going to do our best to keep them light and full of fun.

Speaking of fun, I can hardly wait for fall and Halloween! I had to visit one of my local quilt shops, The Savage Quilter, today to purchase some fabric for the ladybugs my mom is going to applique on the girls' uniforms. While there I spotted the cutest Alexander Henry Halloween print called "Halloween Lane." I simply could not resist, so I got some to make Emma a little skirt. If you have not seen it, you should check it out. You never know, it just might spark your creative spirit as well!

I am a soccer mom

I will officially become a soccer mom on Tuesday. Emma will play this fall, along with the other girls in her ballet class. The team is The Pink Ladybugs. I cannot wait to see six of the girliest girls I have ever seen run around in their darling little light pink uniforms with matching pink cleats.

My ridiculously talented mom will be adding little pink ladybugs to the uniforms this week. She is a true artist. I can't wait to share the results with you.

This is our first team sport. I feel great that we have an experienced "team mom" that knows the ropes because her older boys play. I am sure there are many lessons to be learned this fall, and I eagerly await them all.

Until next time, dear readers, goodnight.

Pre-K

Emma started pre-K this week. Being the social butterfly that she is, she was ecstatic. I took her to her classroom, wished her luck on her first day and kissed her goodbye. She was off like a shot, showing her new friends her "cool new Hannah Montana" shirt and her "beautiful pink princess lunch bag."

On that long walk back to the car, the one where I tried so hard not to lose it in the parking lot, I wondered how we got here so quickly. It seems like just yesterday that she had no idea Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers even existed. Now she wants an iPod for her birthday so she can listen to them any time she wants. Thankfully she is asking Santa for a "moving baby doll" for Christmas, so she hasn't abandoned her childhood just yet.

I don't think I am a "helicopter parent" that hovers over my kids too much. I don't want to stunt their emotional growth, or keep them from growing up. I just don't want it to happen overnight. So maybe I am a little overprotective. I skip the begining of "Finding Nemo" and I don't let them play in the backyard by themselves. It just seems so hard to find a good balance, but I realize if I just take a deep breath, look inside myself and pay attention to my children's cues, it will all turn out OK.

Her first day was great. She made some new friends, as well as reconnected with some from last year. She loves her new teachers, Ms. Johnnie and Ms. Amy. We found out, a little too late, that her room is "peanut-free" and I had packed her requested peanut butter sandwich for lunch. She had to eat lunch across the hall with her preschool teacher, Ms. Bobbi. That was also great fun, because Ms. Bobbi holds a special place in our hearts. I asked her what she wanted to take in her lunch since peanut butter is now out of the question. She replied, in her very grown-up manner, "I believe I will try either tuna or quiche. How does that sound, Mom?"

My sweet little Emma, I think that sounds perfect.

It has been awhile...

Hello friends!

It has been a few days since my last post, but that is because I have been hard at work! My dining room, which is serving as my temporary makeshift sewing studio, is proof. My floor is covered in kiwi green and turquoise minky swirl fuzz! It is so messy to work with, but so worth it in the end.

The top photo features my ginger blossom toddler car seat cover. It reverses to the fabulous turquoise minky I mentioned above. The Giddy Up infant car seat cover is so much fun! It reverses to a delicious carmel minky.

I have not only been hard at work sewing, but I have also been designing and preparing my new booth space for the upcoming "Fall Into the Holidays" show in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The show is Saturday, September 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. I hope you will stop by if you are in the area. It is always fun to do shows because I get the opportunity to meet so many great people!

I hope you will all seek out a market or craft show in your local area this fall. They are great places to pick up unique, often hand-crafted gifts for either you or a loved one. And with the holidays approaching quickly, it is the perfect time to shop!

Have a marvelous Monday!

Snuggle Up

I recently find myself obsessed with blankets. I am not sure why, but I think it might be genetic. After all, my kids want me to make every single piece of fabric I bring into the house into a blanket for them. But, alas, there is only so much room, so I occassionally have to decline.

While I love making blankets from fun, hip prints, I find myself leaning toward sweet vintage prints as of late. I have been lucky enough to happen upon several darling little repro-vintage numbers, and I cannot wait to share my results with you, dear reader.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend! Here's to a perfect Sunday, curled up in one of your own favorite blankets.

Cooler weather and car seat covers!

So a "cold front" finally moved in to cool things down a bit. Such a relief after so many scorching days with temperatures over 100 degrees. The kids were at last able to play outside without imminent threat of a heatstroke, and I took the opportunity to snap a few photos of the latest additions to my line. First up, the sassy and sweet Ginger Tile infant car seat cover. Cover and canopy reverse to a luxurious turquoise minky. Delicious!


And speaking, of HOT, the new Rockin' Guitar car seat cover is so much fun! Cover and canopy reverse to a fabulous red minky.


I also got a new shipment of Michael Miller fabrics in today. I am so excited and cannot wait to get started!

Introductions, please!

Welcome! Blogging is new for me, but I have been encouraged by several friends to try it out, so here I am.

My name is Brigitte. I am the owner and designer behind sahm-i-am designs. I have a fun line of children's accessories, as well as handmade cards and invitations. I am a wife and a stay-at-home mom of two little ones, Emma, four and Aidan, two. My family is my everything. Reading, sewing and papercrafting are my passions.

I hope you stop by often to see what we are up to!