Playgrounds & Lollipops - Keeping It Real

Pardon me but this is my attempt at humor and keeping it real, a popular subject this week in blogland.

I had a fantastic outfit picked out to preview today, fantastic in that it is a perfect Fashion Don't/Fashion Do story. I bought a trend item (anyone heard of Jeggings?), put them on the other morning, walked out the door, got in the car, turned the car off and said to the kids "excuse me kids but mommy has to run back inside and change." I felt so weird and awkward in those Jeggings that I just had to run back inside and get into my comfort zone, my trusty Jo's Rocker Jeans. But I don't want to spoil all the fun. I will post my Jeggings story next week.

For now, this outfit below is truly my favorite outfit this week, even maybe, of all time.

{Okay Taylor, let's pose real serious now}

{Yes, I know honey, it is weird, mommy is a total dork after all, not a model}

When:
Friday March 12th, 2010

Where:
Our Home

What:
Robe: Barefoot Dreams
Shoes: Simply Vera by Vera Wang for Kohl's
Ring: Gift from previous employer
Glasses: Prada
Earrings: ? from Macy's that's all I know!

Why:
I woke up this morning with that nagging sore throat and slight body aches. I had strep throat a few weeks back, and while I may be being paranoid, I think I have it again. A doctor's appointment at 11:30 will reveal my fate. My favorite comfort clothing item hands down is this robe. Art bought it for me for my birthday right before Taylor was born and it is my best friend. So warm and soft and HUGE! I get lost in it.

When I decided to post pictures of me wearing this robe, I thought to myself, I should Rachel Zoe it up a bit. I always get a kick out of her traipsing around her glamorous all-white apartment wearing her HUGE white robe decked out in jewels and statement rings galore and 6 inch platform heels. It cracks me up every time. So here's my version of being Rachel.

Happy Friday everyone!

Spring/Easter Crafts and Decor

Some friends asked to see pictures of some of things I made around the house to get us in the mood for Spring. I went with more of a generic Spring theme rather than just Easter so that I could keep it around a bit longer than after Easter.

I did all of this on the cheap. I purchased two bags of moss from Stats for $4.99 each, 1 bag of eggs from Michael's for $4.99, 2 yards of burlap (also used on for the wreath on my header) for $5.00 (I didn't have a coupon at the time or else it would have been $2.49), 1 glass cloche from Stats for $5.49, and several birds, in total spending about $8-$9 on birds. The other items were everyday decor that I had in the house already. Oh, and the bird prints are from the Graphics Fairy, a free clip-art site, and the faux matte is made from card stock I already owned. The rosemary is just clipped from our backyard and the sticks are collected by the kids on our walks. Lastly, the little signs are a direct idea steal from Lemonade Makin' Mama (we all steal ideas, so don't act shocked!). The little metal stands for the signs are from the dollar bin at Michael's.

See the burlap table runners in the next two pictures? Just take a strip of burlap, as long and wide as you want it, and start pulling on the edge strands so they unravel. The pulling action creates the fringe along the edge.

At first glance these crafts and decorations may not look very festive and "kiddy" in design, but the kids are actually quite enjoying them. I got them involved in placing the moss and sticks, digging up some dirt to plant the rosemary in, and naming the eggs (the 3 grouped together are named Eggwin, Eggbert and Eggstastic). Everyday they have been asking to take the birds out of their cages so they can play with them.

It's been fun having our flighty friends around here that's for sure!

Happy Spring!

Excuse My While I Organize My...

...My Everything...

Beginning with throwing out creepy, crappy toys like these ones

What are these things?!?! I'll tell you. They're weird, strange, ugly, scary, cheap giveaway toys from Happy Meals. If America needs another reason why we should not let our kids eat fast food, these "toys" should be the poster children:

"Don't buy Happy Meals because your house will end up
being cluttered with nonsense toys like us!"

{for the record, I do buy Happy Meals for my kids once in a while and I don't apologize for it,
but these particular toys were given to my kids from our babysitter's collection of happy meal toys.
It's a long story.}

Anyhow, back to the point of this post.

Ever have a big project looming, but you just can't seem to find the motivation to kick start you into gear? That's where I'm at right now. For me organization, or the lack thereof is quite debilitating. I can't concentrate, I feel anxious, I have a hard time sleeping. I know, I have problems.

So while I have a bajillion dresses, skirts and pj bottoms that need to be sewn for an upcoming craft fair that I'll be participating in, I spent my weekend ORGANIZING! It just had to be done. I was inspired by Clover Lane's 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge for herself. And while I may not be Catholic and I am not resolving to do anything for Lent, I do allow myself to steal inspiration from just about any source that I can find.

I mainly worked in the kid's rooms. Here's a recap by the numbers:

6 40 Gallon trash bags filled with donations and hand me downs, between 2 rooms
2 trash bags filled with garbage
8 storage bins completely cleared out
4 drawers completely cleared out
1 very happy mom

Here are some before and after pictures.

Bags from Taylor's Room filled with clothes she doesn't wear anymore,
toys, stuffed animals, books, etc.

I can't stand messy bookshelves, it's like disrespectful to books.

This is her nightstand drawer. What a mess!

Ahhh! Much better :) Hi Baby Jesus!

Empty dresser drawersUgh, the nightmare that is her closet! I could use the excuse that we just moved in 6 weeks ago, but to be honest it gets really bad like this at least every couple of weeks.

this is a stash of books I found in her closet. She and her brother like to pick an item (this week it was books), and take a million of that item and hide them somewhere. The hiding places change. One time its the closet, next time it's under the bed, next time it's behind a chair. Are my kids the only ones that do this?

Syd's clean bookshelf
Bags from Syd's roomA clean closet for my boy :)

While doing this I had a few Ah-Ha moments (I love those). We are really trying to get Taylor and Syd in the habit of keeping their rooms somewhat tidy. To me its a value I find very important. Growing up I learned to try and take care of the stuff I had because I wasn't going to necessarily get something new if I trashed what I had.

I get so frustrated with Taylor, more so since she's older, because I see her just throw stuff wherever, and not take care of her things. But it dawned on me that A), we need to do a better job of leading by example. So instead of just telling her to clean her room, I need to show her what the expectations are and how to manage those expectations. DUH! And B) these kids have TOO MUCH STUFF! How can I expect them to keep things straight when they have 10 Barbies, 20 t-shirts, 40 toy cars?!? We need to cut down, and stop bringing things into the home. I kind of felt a little disgusted with myself and disappointed that I filled 6 bags of stuff.

Anyone have any thoughts on teaching the fine art of being tidy to young ones? I could surely use some guidance in this department!

On a lighter note, it wasn't all work and no play. Sunday morning the kids practiced with the big daddy camera and took some pretty sweet shots. Syd took the one below of Taylor.

Taylor took this one
And Syd took this one. The camera was getting heavy at this point and he couldn't continue to hold it up, which is why Tay and daddy are crouching down to get in the shot

And meet the chillest baby boy ever. Carter Brandon Gerding was born on February 19th and is just a doll. One second he was awake, and then the next he was asleep. So peaceful. No ssshhhing, swaying, bouncing, patting or rocking was required.
It was a unique experience for me :)

And finally, I will be on and off the bloggity blog for a few days as I tackle my sewing. I made my craft project list, went to the fabric store yesterday and picked up some sweet goods, and will begin a sewing extravaganza!

Have a great week everyone. Details on the craft fair will be forthcoming.
Oh, and I will commence the Two Things I Love Around My Home next week!

Making Your Own Chai

Oh Chai Tea Lattes, how I love thee. Oh how I hate paying $3.50 for you though at Starbucks. Here's a recipe to make your own chai at home, and stick it to Starbucks at the same time! That alone should make your day.

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (ever wondered why chai is so sweet, here's your answer!)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Empty condensed milk into a jar or plastic container with tight-fitting lid. Stir in the sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Store in refrigerator.

To use: Brew a cup of strong black tea, such as Assam, then add two heaping teaspoons of concentrate or more to taste. Stir well until concentrate has fully melted.*

To give: Pour into small jars with lids and tie with an attractive bow, or wrap the jar first. Attach a tag with instructions to keep the mix refrigerated and how to use it.

To keep: Store in refrigerator for up to 6 months.

*Sprouts surprisingly didn't have Assam so I just used good old English Breakfast

Look at how thick it is. YUMMM!

I love that you can see all the spiced goodness happily floating around the mug. What kind of spice wouldn't be happy floating around a cup of Chai? BTW, since this is technically the chai spices added to brewed tea, it doesn't quite have the same milky taste as an actual chai tea latte from Starbucks (or any coffee shop for that matter), but trust me, it doesn't matter. It is good just this way. I promise.

ENJOY!

Playgrounds & Lollipops - "Sometimes You Just Need your Boyfriend's (ahem, Husband's) Shirt

When:
March 2nd, 2010

Where:
Errands, Hanging with the kids, Dinner with the bestest (old) neighbors ever

What:
Shirt: Banana Republic
Jeans: Jo's Jeans
Shoes: Forever 21
Locket: Tollipop girl interchangeable locket from Etsy
Headband: Self made from fabric scraps
Belt: Gap

Why:
I LOVE LOVE LOVE basic, clean, crisp white button down collared shirts. I think there is just about nothing sharper than a white shirt. And so versatile. With jeans, with shorts, with slacks, with a pencil skirt, over a bathing suit, and on and on. I wear this shirt at least once a week. This particular button down is the Boyfriend style from Banana and I bought it for the lose, yet somehow perfectly form-fitting silhouette, and I love the pocket and roll-up tab detail on the sleeve. Oh and it's long enough to stay tucked into a pair of jeans, very important feature in my book.

The jeans are the oldest pair I own and I love the faded and worn out look they have acquired. Notice the old 80's roll over cuff action I have going here? It's my little trick to make a bootleg jean appear a little more narrow. Don't do the roll over to severe, are you might be mistaken for a time traveling lady from the 80's.

And the shoes. Oh these shoes, how I love them. Had to have them after my very chic friend Mary sported a pair. Thought for sure they were some expensive Euro brand, but nope! From Forever 21 for get this, $13.80!!! Hello new best friend! Not quite a ballet flat, not quite a bootie. I think they're the perfect mix of feminine and funky.

Late Night Ramblings

Has anyone seen this movie? I haven't, mainly because I am scared. Truly, I am. My friends tell me it will change how I look at what I eat. Hey, it even says so on the front cover. It must be true.

I haven't entirely bought into the whole organic thing.
Yes, you heard me right. GASP!!!! Shock! Horror! Hiss, BOO!!! I know, I know.
I know it's not something I need to "buy into", it's just hard for me to change.

Hey, I was raised on corned beef and hash and hot dogs and wienies remember? It's sort of difficult for me to change a mindset that is so hard wired into me. I tried to become a vegetarian in high school. I even went around the local supermarkets with my friend Misha and plastered "MEAT IS MURDER" stickers from PETA all over packages of steak. I'm surprised we didn't get arrested. But one night my dad said I couldn't leave the dinner table until I had finished my hamburger, and I sort of gave up.
And that was that.

I am not opposed to going organic and trying to cut down on our meat intake, but I'm cheap remember? I see the organic meat and it's literally 4 times as much as the regular old grocery brand. A gallon of milk is almost twice as much, although I did break down and buy it this week. I have gone all organic with my eggs. I was sold on cage free O eggs a couple of months back when I had both in my fridge, and I cracked 1 of each open in a bowl to scramble up, and the O egg was almost twice as big as the non-O egg. See, in my mind I can justify that because even though it costs more, it's like I'm getting twice as much for my dollar!

Anyhow, it's just a tough pill to swallow but I'm going to try on the big things we eat and drink everyday. The movie's on our Netflix cue so I'll let you know what I thought about it. If anyone has seen it please chime in your thoughts!


On another note, in case anyone is curious, I finally unpacked the box. In his defense it was mostly my stuff. However, in my defense, I unpacked a lot of his stuff. Oh well. Moving on...

I'm convinced that crafting and blogging are a lethal combination. My brain is on overload lately with all the clicking around from site to site to link to link looking at all these positively perfect crafty creations. I feel like my head is about to explode any minute! Never enough time or energy. And all the clicking and linking and nonsense puts all these crazy ideas in my head that I MUST CREATE and I MUST DO IT ALL MYSELF!?!?!

Anyone else ever feel this way?
An example to prove a point. In the last day I have somehow convinced myself that I need to:

• Make my own chai
• Make my own headbands
• Ditch the shampoo and conditioner and switch to baking soda and apple cider rinse for the kids (which I think I might actually do after talking to my mom and MIL last night)
• Make Taylor's birthday invitations myself
• Redecorate my entire house for spring

Ah, I think that's about it. Oh, and I have to do all above said things IMMEDIATELY! Because I am not a patient person and I want to cross things off my list and get things done!

Which brings me to my next question. Anyone read this book? It looks like an interesting read. Might check it out.


And finally, in an effort to save money we have ditched the cleaning crew that came twice a month. Although, when things get a little out of hand around these parts I do allow myself to call them in an emergency. The last time said emergency occurred the cleaning crew charged me extra because the house was "so dirty". NICE. I can't wait to see what they're going to charge me on Monday.

Hey, the post was titled Ramblings, so don't blame me, you were forewarned.
Good night my friends! I've got a headband to make.

Two Things I Love Around My Home

Happy Tuesday Everyone! It's time for the two things I love around my home today. Remember to play along as well and post a link in the comment section so others can visit your two things as well. Also make sure to visit BacWoods Fern since Kassi is the one that started this fun tradition!

Today my two things are

The bird display I created yesterday to get us in the mood for Spring! I printed up some great FREE clip art here and pasted the picture to a piece of card stock to create a faux matte, then threw together some eggs, a sweet little bird and moss on top of a mercury candle holder. My favorite piece though is the teeny tiny birds nest inside a miniature apothecary jar.

And second, I am loving the piano that was left here from the previous owners. The only one that knows how to play is Art, but it's been great hearing him practice almost every night. He is trying to master Moonlight Sonata.

What are your two things?
Have a great day everyone!