Another Good Day

Happy Friday Folks!

Today was another good day. Emma seems to be feeling a bit better, although she gets dizzy when she turns her head. I am thrilled the pain seems to be nearly gone, as well as the fever.

Emma and Aidan got to spend a couple of hours with CiCi again today. They always have such a great time with my mom. Today they went to a toy store and got Lincoln Logs, which I remember playing with for hours as a child. Then they went to the grocery store and bought ingredients for Emma's snack mix. I wish I could share a picture of the finished product, but the kids polished it off! I am so proud of my girl. She is so confident and creative when it comes to cooking. I am especially pleased that there were left over apricots. So yummy!

Our sunroom now sports a tiled floor. It looks as though the project will be complete next week. I am still amazed it has moved along so quickly. Despite losing nearly an entire week due to inclement weather, it very well may come in ahead of schedule.

Have you seen the new Provo Craft toy, the Yudu? Amazing. Jen and I keep saying we need to try to screen print, and here Provo Craft has designed a machine to make it easy for us to do just that! I think accessories might be a little expensive, but it might just be worth it.

Oh, another thing I fell in love with today is Anna Maria Horner's new "Good Folks" line. Delicious. It makes me want to start sewing right away!

Speaking of sewing and creating: this just in! Read etsy's breaking news report about the CPSC's one year stay of certification and testing of certain products! Yea!

Here's to a good weekend!

A Good Day

Today was a good day. I feel like things are getting back to normal. We left our house today and even Brandon was ecstatic to get out. We kept it simple since Emma is still not feeling well. We took the kids out to lunch and then went to the pediatrician. As I suspected, Emma does have an ear infection.

The kids got to enjoy a couple of hours of play at my mom's house today. Low key, but the change in venue was priceless. I think this change of pace did wonders for everyone's state of mind.

Exciting things are happening in the sunroom. This was the scene last night:

And this is what it looks like tonight:

Granted there is not a great deal of perceptible change, but the walls and ceiling are now completely taped, mudded and textured. And the tile has been delivered. The tile guys will be here bright and early in the morning to lay the floor. And someone else is coming to shoot more insulation in the attic above the new room. We are getting so excited!

I can't wait to decide on a paint color. I don't have much time to decide. I may try to post some swatches and get some third party opinions. I want to keep it light, but I want a little color, too. Decision, decisions. If only I had a fabric in mind this would all be so much easier.

The trim carpenter is coming Monday. I can't wait for him to build our cabinets. They will provide us with so much storage space. The best part is that I can simply close the doors and not have to stare at the stuff.

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday!

My Week Thus Far

What a week. We got hit with an ice/sleet/freezing rain/small-sprinkling-of-snow storm Monday. We have not left the house since Sunday. As a girl who likes to be on the go, I am climbing the walls with cabin fever. Brandon has taken it all in stride. He likes to stay at the bat cave. He is also recovering from strep, so the downtime has been a welcome gift. Emma is sick. We are taking her to the pediatrician in the morning. I am sure it is something viral, but I want to make sure she has not developed an ear infection. Thankfully this just came on and we did not have to drive her to the doctor in the ice. Aidan, who is much more of a home-body than I am, is just as ready to get out of here as I am!

I thought I would get so much done this week. After all, I could not escape the mounds of laundry with easily justifiable errands. I did make a dent in some of the household chores, but I did not accomplish half of what I wanted to get done. I did finish Aidan's birthday party invitations. They are pictured here:

I think they turned out pretty cute, and most importantly Aidan LOVES them! They are all addressed and ready to mail as soon as I leave the house tomorrow and buy stamps.

We started construction on our new sunroom two weeks ago. It is coming along at record speed. A guy was here to tape and mud the sheet rock today and he is coming back tomorrow to texture the walls. The tile guy is coming tomorrow as well. After that we just have the cabinet installation, heat & air installation, paint and wood staining, and light fixture installation. I can't believe it has come together so quickly! The kids are excited to have a new playroom. I am excited to have a place to organize the kid clutter. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow.

One last thing: you may have read today's earlier post. I have since written my congressperson and senators, urging immediate reform of the CPSIA. If you are interested in reading about this further, I recommend checking out www.handmadetoyalliance.org, Sarah Jane's blog, this etsy blog, or Design Mom's blog. The topic has also made it onto Change.org's website. I just can't imagine not being able to make, sell and buy handmade things anymore. It is just too sad. Thanks for your help in saving handmade!

Save Small Businesses! Save Handmade!

OK, so I plan on blogging about other things later in the day (after the little ones are tucked away for the evening) but I feel an overwhelming need to mention this immediately.

This is the link to Sarah Jane's blog. She has written an eloquent and informative blog about the ridiculous new CPSIA legislation. I won't regurgitate everything she has written, but I will urge you all to take action, whether you are a small business owner or not.

Thanks!

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!