Woo hoo!

So today started out rough.  And early.  3:34am to be exact.  But ended perfectly - I just found out I won the Initial Wax Seal Necklace from my FAVORITE jeweler, Julian & Co.  Wooo hoo!  You should visit their site - you'll leave with a wish list!

More on why my day started so early soon.....  pinky swear.

Egg Hunt - part 1

Happy weekend!!!  Just a few pics of the first egg hunt of the season - we have another one tomorrow!

Sorry I've been a slacking blogger.... between the Vegas Challenge and keeping the house perfect at all times, I've been swamped!  Thanks for all the well wishes and have a great weekend.  :)

Semi-Homemade Treasures from Canton!

Well, in some ways we were right. When we headed out to Canton a couple weekends ago, Mrs. Everything was all set with her list and measurements.... I was just along for the ride. And while we both found treasures, we did NOT succeed in crossing off the things on Mrs. Everything's list... but we had tons of fun, lots of girl talk, and enough retail therapy for both of us!

So... what did I find? So glad you asked! ;)

I was really looking for 2 things:  stuff to decorate my home (y'all know that's my fav hobby!) and stuff to dress up my kids.  I scored on both!

$2 hair bows - seriously, I couldn't make 'em myself for that!  Got Big Sis 4, including OSU orange....

What blew my mind... was that I got MYSELF a few things to wear!  (That usually only happens a few times a year.... like a couple weekends ago when my mom and sis came to town.  We went to the mall - took 3 kiddos with us - and I swear it was like a game show.  See how many decent things you can find - that fit and don't look horrible - before the kids melt down.  Repeat again in about 5 months.)

Got this cute burnout tee..... 

Got Big Sis this tshirt (not from Canton, but from the Canton of the internet... Etsy!)  It's from one of my FAV kiddo clothes shops... Punky Monkey kids.  You might remember the rocker tee I got G-man for his 1 year pics... same place!  Anyway, Got Big Sis this design, in a black tee (you shoulda seen the horrified look on her face when I let her help pick this out... she thought she was getting a onesie)

That tee (and black converses!) will go with this pettiskirt (which I DID get in Canton - and for $15!!!!) ... for the pics we're doing this weekend.  They're G-man's 18 month pics (shut up, I know he's 20 months!)... and we're going with a rocker/punk princess theme.  At the Dallas Arboretum, among all the sweet tulips.  I hope the juxtaposition of it all happens just as I see in my head... :)

G-man will be wearing his coolest jeans (duh) and either HIS Punky Monkey tee or this burnout shirt from Canton.  And no, I didn't realize - until I got home and got everything out - that I basically got my son and I matching tshirts.  Yep, just start his therapy sessions now.... ;)

Then another treat for ME!  One of Mrs. Everything's friends has opened a shop at Canton with her mom (talk about a dream - how fun!)   So we stopped by... and I found this cute & cas denim strapless dress.  Excuse the awful pic and just know that it's cute!  I wish I could remember the name of the shop - if you're interested email me!  Or maybe Mrs. Everything can leave it in the comments - they had cute stuff!

So the pics this weekend (which are with Kristie.  Of course.  I'll come back and show you her amazing work and you'll be begging me for her info.  I promise.  Just tell her I sent ya!)

Anyway, in G's pics by himself... he'll be wearing jeans, a white button up, and this funky little tie we found in Canton.  It's tooooo cute!

Okay, so when I think of Canton, what REALLY comes to my mind is stuff for my HOME! (And you know how obsessed I am with our house!) And there's no better place to shop than Paul Michael!

I've been wanting to put together a new semi-homemade centerpiece for spring.  Last year, I did lemons.  This year, I was thinking... GREEN. 
So I took these....  mossy rocks... moss covered vine... and some green (moss again?) spheres...

+ my trusty (and empty!) hurricane....threw it all together, and done.  

This centerpiece was almost as easy as last year's lemon one.  And I love how it can live right up until summer.  Or until I come up with something better.  ;)

Hope y'all enjoyed a peek into Canton, TX! If you ever get the chance, GO! (And if you need a shopping buddy.... holler at me and Mrs. Everything!  I'll bring my new giraffe tote that I got there for $10!)

C25K update: The Vegas Challenge

As y'all know... I have been commiting myself exclusively to the c25k program for 2 months... jogging at least 3 times/wk. (Amazing that since joining a running challenge with my online friends, I haven't missed a week yet! Is it the inspiration and motivation I get from them? Or the fact that my weekly starbucks habit depends on it as my reward? LOL)  I completed the c25k about 2 months ago... and I've been adding 1/4 mile each week.  I'm now running 3.75 miles at least 3 times a week!

Anyway, last week I got back into The Shred.... and let me just tell you this. That is a whole different set of muscles! As in.... I had to use the handicapped restroom for the next few days so I could use the bars to lower myself gently down. Everything - I'll spare you the details! - hurt like hell.

The challenge:  to work out 5 times/wk... or 20 out of 26 days until the Semi-Homemades and Everythings head to Vegas!  At least 12 of those 20 (3/wk) have to be jogs - the rest can be jogs or strength training.  I've got some girlfriends on FB I can check in with for motivation.

The progress:  I'm 10 days in... and I've worked out 8 times!  It's amazing what kind of motivation you can find when you're staring at your first vacation.  In.two.years.  Today I even worked out at 5am because I had plans tonight.... and Sat I even jogged 3.5 miles with a hangover!  ;)

Working out more changes my whole outlook on diet, too.... I'm trying to eat more lean proteins, all that.  But I was wondering... do any of y'all use a calorie counting website... like  MyPlate on livestrong.com?

And for all you running experts out there... when should I quit adding distance and try to add speed?  (I'm currently running 5.0 mph.)

Oh, and I was planning to give you another installment of running music (rap volume 3 - or is it 4?)  Stay tuned for that next time!

Must Have Giveaway

Have y'all realized that mom's day is right around the corner?  I'm so glad I found Julian & Co so early into my mommyhood.  I love, love, LOVE my Julian & Co necklaces.  I got the Square Birth Necklace from mr. fix-it for my first mom's day (back in 2006!) with Big Sis's name and birth info.  And then I was lucky enough to get the Large Gallery neck with G's stats after his birth. 

And to celebrate their newest arrival (isn't that cute?) - the Initial Wax Seal Necklace - they're giving one away!  Ahhhh, this would make me so happy!  I love these necklaces so much, that you may remember me telling y'all how I bought one for a friend of mine when the adoption for her son was final.  They're just perfect... for a mom, a bride, a friend, yourself.
Simply visit their blog and enter - it's so easy!  And if you win... come back and tell me how much you LOVE your new necklace!

GREENday

Hope y'all had a special St. Patrick's day!

This week has been full of uncertainty... but we took time out yesterday to enjoy the weather (it was still nice when we got home from work!) And we celebrated with green jello for dessert (my, have times changed, lol!) I wanted to get a pic of the kids together... this is what I managed to get....

Hope your day was fun!

And when I've felt kinda down this week.... these 2 pics (and the memories that go with them!) lift me back up. Here's my 2 crazy kiddos after church last Sun:

And their fav activity, as of late.... G crawls into Big Sis's lap and she reads to him. Awww.... the sweetest thing!

It's almost weekend, y'all - and March Madness, too! Go, Pokes!

Wishful Wednesday: Lotto!

Awww, I just love, love Wishful Wednesdays with Kelsey! (I'm totally bummed I missed last week's... it was about wedding gowns... maybe I'll swing back around and do it later this wk. You know me - I don't concern myself that much with actual timing!)

This week's topic:

'I wish' .... I could win the lottery REAL soon, and I would hope to______!

**The real question is would you
1.) quit your job/career
2.) continue working

My first thought was... everyone will know what my answer is! But now I'm not so sure.... y'all know I adore my kiddos and would love nothing more than to spend more time with them. So, would you guess this to be my answer?

'I wish' .... I could win the lottery REAL soon, and I would hope to work for myself!

Yep! I'd put that money into my millions of business ideas (all of which are creative.... y'all may remember this one, about my dream business, from a past Wishful Wed.) I'd do something I was passionate about... on MY schedule... not worry about the $ I'm bringing in.... and spend tons more time with my beautiful babies!

Then, after a couple of years of establishing my new dream business, I'd use the earnings from that business to begin mr. fix-it's custom building company (giving the economy time to heal in the process)! Ahhhh, to dream!

Be sure to visit Kelsey's Wishful Wednesday and tell us what YOU would do if you won the lottery!

Off Track...

I'm a planner, always have been. I do it professionally. I build plans and then change them, constantly (hey, that's retail!) I'm a planner when it comes to my personal life. We're going to lunch this week? I'd love to know where. You're planning a birthday party.. say, late summer? I'd love to help you start pulling together ideas. Mrs. Everything and I have been planning Summer of 2010 (the first summer where neither of us will be pregnant since the summer of 2006, when Big Sis was the only kid between all of us!) since.... oh, probably summer of 2007.

I love to plan... and I always have a plan..... mr. fix-it and I have had a long-term plan since we moved to TX... I'll spare you the details, but the premis is this: work as hard as we can, in order to afford ourselves flexibility to chase dreams and take risks...

But, no matter how meticulous you are in that plan.... no matter how much effort you've put into it.... no matter how 'fail proof' it is... I'm starting to realize, the truth is this:

In the end, it's just our plan - me and mr. fix-it's. Apparently, someone else has bigger plans. I'm going to (try!!) to trust in those.... continue to work my ass off.... even if it appears that our plans are changing. It's kinda scary (and disappointing and a huge mix of emotions) and I'm not sure what the outcome will be... but as mr. fix-it said... it always works out, even if we have no idea how it possibly can. I have the best husband... :)

It's really happening!

Yep, Moving 2010 is underway! I came home last night to an official for sale sign in my front yard! Pictures of our beautiful casa were taken yesterday and will be listed asap. Big Sis noticed the sign this morning and asked about it..... she wants to know when the new momma and daddy will bring their kids to the house so she can go live in her new bedroom. ;) Sounds so simple, right?

March 9

4 years ago today..... I became a working momma. I say that because on March 9, 2006, I left my 10-wk-old Big Sis at daycare (that's her, above) and went back to the office. And isn't it crazy how I always remember it all every year when March 9 rolls around?

Reading back through what I wrote about this day last year, I found myself still feeling the same way (isn't it nice when you agree... with yourself?) ;)The recession has had a big impact on so many moms I know - moms who were staying home, but had to go back to work.... wives who are supporting the family while a husband has lost a job.... and more!

Tell a working momma how great she is today! (And she'll probably tell you how great YOU are - and that you've made her day!) Hugs to ALL my mommy friends!

Semi-Homemade Girly Bedroom Concept #1: A Mad Hatter's Tea Party

I was originally going to share with you the millions of ideas I have come up with or come across for Alice in Wonderland parties... but.... as I thought about it more and more, I've decided:
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Alice in Wonderland is a contender in the next theme for Big Sis's room!
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What do y'all think? I'm going to brainstorm other ideas, too... Show you some of the details.... then maybe I'll set up a vote! ;) What's funny is, I swore to myself before I ever became a mother, that I'd never.ever.eva! do one of my child's rooms in character. But... this is kinda character couture, dontcha think? ;)

And so... concept #1..... Big Sis in Wonderland!

The inspiration:

Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton, in theaters now

The color palette:
What's awesome about this theme is how the color palette plays into Big Sis's current bedding perfectly. Woo hoo! This takes the pink & green from her bedding... color scheme from Paper Presence!

But this adds the dimension of color I want... the purple and blue that are totally necessary...

The walls:

Y'all know how much I love vinyl decals for a big bang for your buck! Lil Decal Shoppe has the cutest stuff! Like this big Alice decal

and these chess pieces! So cute, marching around the room! (Also found some fun teacups that could also be set up to parade across a room, too!)

Oh, and then you can customize the room (y'all know how much I love that!) with this decal from Personal Touches

It almost seems necessary to have a big tree decal in a corner... but it would have to be really dense, if that makes sense... and almost dark... maybe too scary! ;)

The new Alice movie is so vibrant and bold.... I'm thinking I'd want to incorporate lots of color on the walls.... and her hot pink/lime green bedding (which I don't have plans to replace yet!) would work in perfectly. Still brainstorming on details like chair rails, bead board, anything as a wall interest!

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The furniture:

Teacup nightstand ~ I'm waiting to hear back from Donna on where to find these giant unpainted teacups.... I'm picturing painting them vibrant colors... (love the Cheshire cat one!) and then putting a tabletop on it.... as a nightstand or something! Check out the amazing Mad Hatter Tea Party she threw - love it! Here's the inspiration for the teacup nightstand:

Read me bookshelf: I love all the fun phrases in the movie! I've been thinking I'd get a (cheap!) black bookshelf for her room.... and put a vinyl decal on the side that says Read me! (a play off Eat me and Drink me!) To give you an idea, here's what I'm thinking, shown on my armoire...

A simple decal on a closet door and the closet is playing along, too! This is Big Sis's current closet.... Alice'ed up to say Dress me! (Don't ya love that font? With a viney, fantasy look?)

The repurposed table & chair set: Remember this set from Big Sis's current pink & green preppy room?

Imagine if I... spraypainted it all Cheshire Cat pink. Painted light pink stripes on the table legs. Then got a decal of the Cheshire Cat's infamous grin... to put on the tabletop? So cute!

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The accessories:

I'm picturing fun throw pillows with lots of the catch phrases from the movie. Like "curiouser and curiouser!" Maybe "Dream This" (again, as a play on the "Eat this" and "Drink this" phrases). Appliqued white rabbits, pocket watches.... or maybe a set of 4 pillows, art prints of a heart, club, spade, diamond! These pillows would be cute in hot pink & lime green!

And you can find anything on Amazon... like this cute, plush Cheshire Cat.

The bedding: You could go over-the-top on bedding....

But we're going to stay with color-as-a-theme bedding that we already have! (At least until the next house...)
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The lighting: last but certainly not least!

I found a very similar (maybe this exact!) chandalier last weekend when Mrs. Everything and I went to Canton. How perfect is it?

Lamps: I'd either try to fashion a lampshade out of a Mad Hatter's hat... :) or repurpose what we have to say Light me!

So..... what do ya think of this Alice in Wonderland themed bedroom?

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The pros (as I see it):

Super fun

Super unique

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The cons:

Too trendy (but don't forget, we only have to live with this for 2 yrs!)

Too loud (but we like loud!?)

Too character-y (anyone buying my idea of character couture?)

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And for those just getting to know me.... my hubby is a builder and we move about every 2 years. I loooove decorating, esp kids' rooms, and if I had enough time and money, I'd go all out and do 1 of the kids' rooms every year. As in, over-the-top. But, I'm limited on both time & money, so I get creative and do it all semi-homemade!

Sweet Ava

Y'all, I'm asking any of you who pray.... or think good thoughts... to pray for my dear friend Jess and her family. Sweet Ava Kathryn went home to be with the Lord this morning. She was G-man's age and had the sweetest smile in all of Georgia. My heart just breaks for the whole family. Jess is one of those mommas you just adore - her love for her kiddos is what you first notice about her.

Jess, I love you, love Ava.... and sending prayers to comfort your family...

Wishful Wednesday: The Olympic Clock

So, the Olympics in Vancouver are over. I always start out excited.... and by the end, I'm glad it's over. In the way you're glad the holidays are over so you can just stop eating already. ;)

But while I watched about 2 minutes of the closing ceremonies, I was thinking.... the Olympics remind me of G-man as a newborn. He was born 8 days before the 2008 summer games began in Beijing so I saw ALOT of those Olympics. Both the highly televised primetime events... and the less popular events at the random times (in the middle of the day, in the middle of the night!) It's funny how certain things take you back to that crazy newborn stage and everything you were thinking/feeling!

Then I realized.... the last winter games would have been Feb 2006.... and Big Sis was a newborn and I was home on maternity leave with her!

So, for all of you wondering when you'll meet the 3rd Semi-Homemade baby.....

Yep.... maybe the 2012 Olympic games in London would be the perfect time! ;)

ETA: When Kelsey did an Olympian Wishful Wed, I figured I'd just piggyback onto this one... esp since I really should be doing a million things besides blogging anyway!

'I wish' .... I could have gone to the 2010 Winter Olympics to see one event, and it would have been the women's downhill!

All the fun girliness... the drama.... it was like reality tv married the Olympics! But then again it was really snowing... and I'm not so much an outdoorsy kinda girl... So could I have watched it from inside a cozi ski lodge....? With some doctored up hot chocolate (maybe some coconut rum)? I'm just saying... yeah, I'd probably hate actually BEING at the WINTER Olympics! ;)

This was me

Last week. At work. I thought this pic of the kiddos in our home office pretty much displays my 2 main emotions last week. Big Sis looks stressed out. G-man is crying.

Bear with me while I get my head back on straight. And while I help mr. fix-it get through some major drama at his job. Then I promise to be back to normal. Thanks - y'all are the best!