Cakes

 Cakes turned 1 on Thursday! Time has flown by, and I can't believe it has been a year since she was born. She is a delightful baby, very sweet and very happy. For all of her sweetness, she for sure has plenty of sass and drama too. She is crawling, pulls herself up on things, and prefers to feed herself. She is so pretty and even has curly hair. She also is a die-hard Daddy's girl.

Her party was so much fun, and I mostly used her decorations from her nursery, so it ended up being pretty cheap. Happy Birthday Cakes!

I just went for a spring/cupcake theme. If anyone needs to borrow the giant cupcake mold, let me know!

Isn't she totally darling, how I love those curls!

I decided to start another Birthday tradition this year. Costco makes these cute photo collages for $8.99. I thought it would be fun to do one for each kid on their Birthday.

The Mr.'s Birthday Party

So we celebrated The Mr.'s Birthday in January. It was the week that my Grandpa was in the hospital, so during that whirlwind, I forgot to post about it. The Man's birthday is December 27, I always have a little guilt waiting until January to celebrate, but two days after Christmas is too hectic. I also tend to go a little bit overboard on Birthdays. One of my favorite traditions that I started when The Man was born was to write him a letter. Mostly it tells him what has happened in the past year and a list of funny things that he has said throughout the year. This year I also started a survey I found on Pinterest, you ask your child the same questions every year. This year was hysterical.

Cars2 is pretty much the biggest thing to hit our house since Cakes was born. The Man of course wanted an all-out Cars party,  and we actually used most of his toys for the decorations so it worked out swimmingly!

His favorite thing was first the presents, and next the cake. Bless Harmons, so yummy! The printouts, I of course pulled off of Pinterest.

The Man table. The Man is so lucky to have little boy cousins close.

Rip and tear Baby!

I so love Mack, he adds so much laughter, fun and kindness to our home. He is a hoot and says the funniest things. He also is fully potty-trained and bink free! Yes, I know he was a little old for a bink, but whatev!

My Crafting Nirvana: Craft Room on a Budget

Okay, so I have fantasized about having my own space for crafting for years. I however didn't ever think that I would get it right now. I thought maybe ten or so years down the road when we needed a bigger house I would maybe get it, heavy emphasis on the maybe. So when we were looking for houses, it wasn't a priority at all. Hot dog, this house had one! Well, it is the laundry room too, but hey I can share. I had been holding on to things for years, hoping that one day they would come in handy, and lo and behold they did. If I can remember where I got something and how much it is, I will put it in. This is one of my favorite rooms in the house! Crafting is so much more enjoyable and takes far less time now that I know where everything is. Here is the tour:

So this is the only before picture I have, it doesn't quite do the crapiness of the room justice. This is the laundry closet.

The big black piece of furniture was originally part of a three piece hutch. I took the middle and my Mom took the two sides for her craft room. It was given to us by friend so it was free! The shelves were built by Papa Jones, notice the bottom one waiting for a sewing machine. The wall color is one of my favorites, Stone Lion from Kwal Howells, a gallon was $30. The hutch thing was originally cream, so I just painted it with Kwal's Black Liquid Vinyl, I think that the gallon was also around $30. The cute pink bucket, was $6 at Reams, I think they still have them

 

I love, love, love the inside of the hutch. I looked everywhere for cute containers, like I looked for at least six months. I finally found these at IKEA. The pink ones are actually planters, and they were $2.99 each. The galvanized tins were only $.79. These were the only cute affordable containers I could find, and who doesn't like pink! Each container holds a different thing: glitter, scissors, paint, markers, letters and all my other crafting crap.

The pink planters are just a little bit larger and they were $3.99 at IKEA. I love the big galvanized buckets, they were the priciest at $5.99. They are so big, I love them! One holds ribbon, the other one holds vinyl and the last one holds paint. Papa Jones also made this shelf.

Oh my beloved paper holders! I was stumped on how to store paper. I had seen plenty of racks and holders but I wasn't willing to fork out the money for them. Most of you that read the blog, know that I am addicted to finding cheap things on the KSL classifieds. Well, one day under the free section I saw these. Pure awesomeness,  I love them. My dad also put in the counter top for me. Papa Jones gave me his labor and the shelves and counter tops for my Birthday, but I think that the slab of Formica was only $40.  Seriously the Craft Room would not be without Dad and Big E.

The desk is awesome, it has the one layer you see, and then a layer right underneath it the rolls out on wheels. With the room being kinda small, it is nice to roll in the desk and save space. I bought the desk from a Hilton downtown four years ago that was redecorating. I think it was $40, honestly people, KSL classifieds rocks. The lamp is from IKEA, and it was $4.99. I pulled the cute Crafting Subway art off of Pinterest (sorry I don't have a better picture) and I made the white coffee filter topiary and used one of the IKEA containers for it. My awesome cousin Kennedy made the cute duct tape pen, she also rocks.

This is the widow well, I wanted a space to have projects in progress and this was it! The baskets came from Reams as well and I think they were only $2.99 each. I bought the hurricane from Michaels in the Clearance for $4.99. The balls inside the Hurricane were originally in an ugly wire wreath that I bought in the Clearance section of Hancock Fabrics for $2.50.

So there it is, beautiful isn't it. I know that I am pretty dang lucky to have a Craft Room and I love it. Like I said it has been a work in progress. I still need to cut vinyl for the walls and put up some framed pictures that Mack painted for inspiration! I am really thankful for Big E for knowing how much I wanted my own space and giving it freely away. Happy Crafting!

January

Phew. January has been a huge blur. I lost my Grandpa on the 12th of January. What an amazing man, husband, father and grandpa. His heath had been slowly declining for years, and I remember watching him at Christmas and thinking that this might really be his last one. On New Year's Eve, he suffered a stroke that took his ability to speak and swallow. It was awful. I went to the Hospital and it broke my heart. That is when I truly mourned for him. I remember coming home to Eric shocked. Shocked that I knew that he wanted to go, and shocked that I wanted him to be free of all of his pain, frustration and constant illnesses.
My grandparents had such a special, unique love. There relationship was inspiring and there was never a question that they absolutely treasured and loved each other. In true Grandpa fashion, once Grandma said it was okay to leave her, he did.
The funeral was lovely. Everything a funeral should be. Grandpa's request was that the funeral be completely done by the family. Everyone did such a nice job. Big E and I even got through our duet. Honestly, I left that funeral wanting to be such a better person. That's the kid of man my grandpa was, someone that inspired others to be their very best and greatest. I will always be so grateful for my little Mack, that he has such a marvelous person whom he is named after. I hope he develops so many of Grandpa's qualities.
I love that Grandma of mine, I will always be so glad that my family is close. What a blessing for Grandparents to be such an huge influencing factor for their grandchildren.

So I am sure we have appeared to be frantic and crazy, and we kinda have been. I know I missed Birthdays, prior commitments, lunch dates and so on. But sometimes life is like that. Sometimes life has to stop for a few moments so we remember how great and blessed it is.

Christmas was awesome, absolutely delightful and magical. I love the excitement and surprise that The Mr. had this year. The only thing that kid has wanted for months has been a Mack truck from Cars. I kept on trying to emphasize that it was Jesus' Birthday. Mack has seen everyone else have a Birthday but him, all of his cousins, mom and dad, and Bump and Mango. He has been desperately awaiting his, I told him it was after Jesus' Birthday. Then he insisted that I call him Jesus. Interesting. I finally came to the conclusion that he thought if his name was Jesus it would be his Birthday. I love that kid.

Big E way surprised me this year with a sewing machine. This earns him a lot of bonus points. In fact, this week we have been painting and redoing the Craft Room in which said sewing machine will be stored. I can't wait to have all of my stuff organized and in one spot. I am a lucky gal.

Growing up, I always wanted to open jammies on Christmas Eve, and vowed that I would do it with my family. I usually buy myself a nice warm pajama set, but this year I went for a nightgown. A full-on ankle/wrist nightgown. I love it. Big E despises it. Utterly hates it. When I told him I bought it and was so excited to wear it all the time, I am pretty sure he thought that I met "a nighty", like his type of nightgown with very little functional material (or material at all). Wow that was one disappointed hombre on Christmas Eve. Before you feel sorry for the man realize this: A) the nightgown is actually quite slimming. B) I do wear his type of nightgowns whenever the situation calls for it. I have children for crying out loud. I can trapeze around the house in that. C) He refuses to let me buy a Christmas sweater. I f I can't have a sweater, by crap, I will have a nightgown.

Speaking of Big E, we had an awful, horrible conversation today. He thinks we should trade in my beautiful Pilot for a mini van. What the holy flippin' crap? Seriously? I thought that we had agreed on this: I would never drive a van. I know there are those of you out there who drive one and love it. Good for you, I am sincerely happy for you. It's not for me. I clearly should have put this clause in the pre-nup along with my tummy tuck and breast lift after the last baby comes. I will keep you posted on this issue, as it is of the utmost importance. Seriously it is.

Cakes is nine months old, where has the time gone? She is darling, sweet and peaceful. Her nine month check is tomorrow and I am expecting to her that she probably is a little small. I am also going to ask about her freakish flexibility, not quite sure if she has hip joints.
 

Christmas pics coming soon!

Thanksgiving

We had a lovely Thanksgiving, and have so much to be thankful for! In an "out-of-body" moment, I suggested that it might be fun to host Thanksgiving for Big E's family at our house. Um... last time I checked, I had never even baked a turkey before. The days leading up to it were incredibly stressful. But had I not been a complete idiot, and if I would have known it would have turned out so lovely, I wouldn't have stressed half as much. I didn't poison anyone with raw turkey, the gravy wasn't jello and I figured out a great seating arrangement. It really was great. Eric's brother's family, Brad and Lisa and there four kids came, along with Big E's parents and sister Christie and Arturo.
The whole day was calm and so nice. Everyone brought great food, helped get ready and helped cleaned up. It was fun having our house full of laughter and voices. My father-in-law took some lovely pictures, here we go!

Pretty dang beautiful table if I don't say so myself!

This is our "Thankful Tree" one of my very favorite things that we did this season.

The Sister-in-Laws

Our children LOVE their Uncle Arturo, and I am pretty positive he loves them back.

Love this beautiful girl, loved her from the moment I met her!

Check out those awesome rosy cheeks (and the little bumps, I have tried every brand of lotion. Any recommendations?)

Someone got somebody else hooked on Angry Birds.

October Catch Up

 October in review:

Big E and I at the USU vs BYU game. Lots of fun, USU lost - sad days. But a six hour date night: AMAZING!

Big E and The Man. making cookies so we could BOO our neighbors. I love The Mr.'s apron.

Took both boys to the Fire Station.

This was the best picture I could get. Thanks Christy and Heather for the invite, The Man still talks about it.

These kiddos make my days great, I am one lucky Momma

Total random sidenote, but I have been trying to switch some of my makeup for cheaper brands. Big fan of Sephoras line. I have only tried the cream eyeliner and the eyeshadow, but I love both. Cheaper and more in the container.

Big E's Birthday extravaganza week starts today. Should be a fun week. I sure love that boy, and he is so good to me.

Thanksgiving decor is up, and when I am not so lazy, I might post some pics.

Happy November!