June 2012
Sometimes life gets so busy that I forget to notice and appreciate the little things. Here are some of the things I am loving lately:
I WANT TO REMEMBER… searching for the ever-elusive J, only to find him (sitting cross-legged, no less!) playing Legos with his brothers. My sweet boy is growing right before my eyes.
I WANT TO REMEMBER… how much fun the boys had during our first visit to the beach this year. They all played so nicely and independently that I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself! Perhaps this is the year I can actually read a book?!
I WANT TO REMEMBER… that old cell phones are great entertainment for little kids. The big boys found a couple of my out-dated phones (circa 2005?) and they have played with them for hours! I love that they call them their “Iphones”!
I WANT TO REMEMBER… the notes and drawings I find scattered around the house. I’ve been leaving paper and crayons out in the dining room with the intention of assisting independent creativity. So far, big hit!
I WANT TO REMEMBER… how much I love and appreciate my husband. While I’m wallowing in self-pity with an achy pregnant body, whiny kids and never-ending days, I want to always remember his sacrifice for our family too. We are a team and we are on this crazy adventure together.
The master bathroom in my house has much to be desired, at least compared to a lot of other homes. We don’t have the separate tub and walk-in shower, double sinks or lots of storage space. Instead, our bathroom is small and functional, with builder’s grade everything and little pizzazz. Master bathroom = boring. Now that we are preparing to put the house on the market, I wanted to add some interest to this room. So while it may be on the small side, a potential buyer would walk in and say “Wow!” instead. Step one: replace the shower rod and curtain. I am a bad blogger and neglected to get a “before” picture, but imagine an old silver rod and a seen-better-days shower curtain from our newlywed days (almost 7 years ago). A quick trip to Target and this is what we have now:
We purchased a curved shower curtain in oil-rubbed bronze (similar to this) and a white waffle-patterned shower curtain. I love the change! It’s a great start, but can you see my problem now? The shower curtain is “true white”, which makes the builder’s grade white wall paint look…dingy. Like not white. So paint is definitely on the to-do list for this room, along with:
I also want to get new towel rods in oil-rubbed bronze and some crisp, white towels. Hopefully these changes (while staying in a $200 or less budget) will have a big impact! What are your tips for staging a bathroom? What do you look for in a master bath when you are house hunting? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments!
I love link lists. There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things I’ve come across this week…
1. Well summer is officially here! And when temperatures are scorching, I think ice cream is in order. Wouldn’t a neighborhood ice cream social be a fun summer party? I loved this ice-cream shaped pinata and be sure to scroll to the end to see a great list of sundae topping ideas.
2. Need an easy idea for dinner tonight? I made these Lasagna Roll-Ups last week from Natalie’s blog…delish!
3. These printable coupons are really fun. I think they’d be useful for behavioral motivators around here…now to figure out how to implement it.
4. Laura at Bits of Splendor is launching Project Hope, a ministry for families that have lost babies through miscarriage. Her goal is to make 100 memory boxes and she needs our help! Here is the post with the list of needs…maybe you can donate something?
5. I loved this etsy roundup of little girl headbands! Do any of you Mammas have a favorite source for bows and other hair accessories?
6. This idea for liquid sidewalk chalk looks like something my boys would love. I’m curious though if it would stain? Not sure my husband would be very happy to come home to a Candy Land looking sidewalk!
7. Came across this book, Cleaning House: A Mom’s Twelve-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement and I’m curious to read it. Love this quote from the author: “Here’s to seeing what can happen when we tell our kids, ‘I believe in you, and I’m going to prove it by putting you to work.’”
8. tastes orangey is an etsy store I found carrying original paintings and prints by Clare Elsaesser. I was really drawn to her paintings with water…must be summer, I guess! Married to the Sea, Long Walk, and Island are my favorites. Oh! And if you order by July 29th, you can get 15% off with her Honeymoon Sale (use the code HONEYMOON)!
“Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I’ve ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing…. Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away.” –Ann Voskamp
What is it about summer and why does it go by so fast? I can’t believe that we’re almost to July already. I ran across the quote above and it really made me stop and think. Preparing for all of these new life changes has put me in an “in the future” mentality – my thoughts seem always to fall to “when the baby arrives”, “when we put this house on the market”, “when we open the boutique”, etc etc.
And while all of that preparation is important, am I missing out on the here and now? Am I not seeing the beauty and the goodness right in front of my eyes…today? Am I not soaking in my three boys at the ages and stages they are at? Lots to think about and my new goal for July: slow down and enjoy today.
It all started in December: a crazy idea that just wouldn’t let go. It came almost like a whisper or a quiet prompting, and I just couldn’t shake it! I toyed with the idea and prayed, prayed and prayed some more. And despite the risks and a lot of self-doubt, I felt God’s hand pushing me ahead. Fast forward to a very honest conversation with my cousin and the dream started taking a real tangible shape. Before we knew it, two cousins became business partners and the dream became real for the both of us.
To be honest, I’ve been sitting here at the computer, unsure of just where to begin. I desperately want to share with you everything! So I guess I’ll just jump in…without further ado, I want to introduce you to the beginnings of our dream: Big White Farmhouse, the online boutique!
Big White Farmhouse stems from the same roots as this blog: a way to honor our great-grandmother and to share the splendor of our family memories at her farm. Our store will carry home decor items, as well as accessories and gifts. We are really passionate about supporting the small American artisan, so all of our items will be proudly made in the USA! We also love decorating with both new items and antiques, so there will also be some one-of-a-kind vintage finds available as well. We are hoping to officially open the store in September, so I look forward to sharing with you our journey as we venture into the world of small business ownership!
If you haven’t noticed my near constant reminders, we’re having a baby girl in October! We absolutely cannot wait to meet her, but I’m not in too much of a hurry because we have so much to do! I’ll be honest and say that after the ultrasound, I did have a moment of being totally overwhelmed with the thought that we have nothing for her…no girlie clothing, no girlie toys, nothing! Another baby boy we were ready for, but a girl? We’re starting at square one 🙂
With so many other things going on in our lives right now, it’s really important for my family to be as frugal as possible. Our solution to be creative with our funds and get this little one a whole new wardrobe? Enter ebay! Now I’m no expert, but I’ve learned a few tricks along the way and thought I’d share with you!
- Search two ways: either by typing in exactly what you’re looking for (ie. “girls 3 months sleeper” or by filtering through using the categories provided by ebay. I like to look at both versions…sometimes you can find a treasure that may have been overlooked.
- One trick is to search for off-season clothing. I have been searching for fall/winter outfits and since most buyers are looking for summerwear right now, I’ve been able to score a few great deals!
- When you find something you like, be sure to read the entire description. I like to look for words like “EUC – excellent used condition”, “like new”, or even “new with/without tags”.
- Be sure to check out the pictures and double-check the descriptions for stains, holes, etc. I’m hesitant to purchase anything with spit-up stains, but if you’re an amazing stain-getter-outer, you may be more adventurous!
- Check the seller’s feedback. I always check the latest feedback to see what the previous buyers’ experience has been like. Very important!
- Now you’re ready to bid. My tip: decide what you want to pay for the item and make one bid. It is so tempting to get in a bidding war on ebay, but you may end up paying much more than you had hoped. Not good when you’re on a budget! (Trust me!)
- Be sure to check the shipping costs. Most are reasonable, but a few sellers have crazy prices. $6 shipping for a onesie weighing 3 ounces? No way. For most children’s clothing, I think $3.50 and lower is an acceptable amount. But be sure to check for those free shipping auctions, those are my favorite!
- Last tip: say you find an auction for an adorable outfit. Be sure to check out the other auctions from the same seller! Oftentimes, they are selling a bunch of the same type (ie. baby girl clothing) and most will combine shipping if you win more than one auction…huge savings for you!
Hope this is helpful! All of the clothing pictured above was purchased on ebay. My personal goal is to find like new items and spend $5 or less (including the shipping!) on every outfit. So far so good…I love the search. Do you have any tips for saving money on kids’ clothes? Any ebay tips I forgot? Please share! P.S. If you don’t have the time or energy to search through ebay or prefer just to purchase new, be sure to check out Ebates! They have so many children’s stores listed: Children’s Place, Old Navy, Baby Gap, Carters, and more…all giving 2% or more cash back! I used Ebates last year for Christmas purchases and was pleased to see a little money headed back my way 🙂 You can sign up here! I love link lists. There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things
I’ve come across this week…
1. Have you seen these YouTube videos from Everyday Food? Sarah Carey is adorable and I love all of the dinner ideas…I’m thinking my husband would love to come home to a Southwest Steak Salad! I just signed up for the daily video recipe too.
2. DIY to do for my Little Miss, in all my spare time (hah!): Quilted Patchwork Bibs…so cute!
3. Do you read Laura’s blog at Show Me a Day? I just recently found her and have been catching up through the archives. This post was so good and applicable to a lot of the blogworld. Definitely a must read.
4. Another new-to-me blog: Amy at Maker Mama! Her post, Five Things You Should Always Buy at the Thrift Store, is really intriguing. I rarely get to the thrift store these days, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing!
5. So I’m more than halfway through my pregnancy and I decided I probably should focus a little more on health and fitness and a little less on chocolate. I’ve been working out using the Complete Pregnancy Fitness with Erin O’Brien DVD and for me, it’s great. Everybody has an opinion about workout DVDs, but I like that this one uses “equipment” in the living room (aka the sofa, coffee table and a chair) and she’s not too annoying. Frankly, I’ll do anything to make delivery better and postpartum weight-loss faster!
6. Found this recipe for Cream Cheese Pancakes on Pinterest…has anyone tried this? I’m thinking it may be a good alternative to the low-carb breakfast staple of…eggs. This girl needs a little variety in her life!
7. Etsy find of the week: Chirp & Bloom! This onesie and the matching bloomers are on my wishlist, for sure! And the coin purses would make great gifts too.
8. For anyone who dabbles in quilting: check out a great way to practice your skills and help a wonderful organization here.
“We parents…have an important role to play. We can take our children with us and head out the door. We can go along as they clamber over rocks, splash through streams, dig in the dirt. We can hunt for hermit crabs, follow caterpillars, count stars. We can take them out of doors and turn them loose, and allow them to find sanctuary in their own special places. We can muse and wonder with them, gather stones and shells and seed pods, celebrate the seasons, and embrace all kinds of weather.
And here is the wonderful secret: Our children offer us an opportunity to rediscover the marvels of nature for ourselves. You don’t need any special knowledge, any equipment, or even much of a plan. You don’t need to identify a single bird or flower or constellation. All you need is a willingness to go, to look, and to drink in the mystery and beauty of the world before your eyes.” -page 114-115
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not exactly an outdoorsy girl. But I want to be, both for myself and for my kids. Since I’m pretty clueless in the nature exploration department, I searched the web and found a few books and blogs to help me get started. I figure the boys can help teach me the rest 🙂
Blogs:
- Go Explore Nature
- Nature for Kids
Books:
I feel like I’ve been talking about my life list for months now, even sharing my brainstorming process here, here and here. Today I thought I would share a portion…maybe it will inspire you? I’d love to hear what things you have on your life list too! 2. Go on an Alaskan cruise 4. Visit every NFL stadium and see a game 5. Run a race (5K, 10K, and anything with my Dad) 7. Go camping as a family 8. Learn how to make my own cleaning supplies 9. Complete a total gut renovation project (bathroom or kitchen?) 10. Plant a garden and keep it alive all season! 11. Attend a Saturday Night Live show 12. Attend the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics 14. Make homemade ice cream 15. Make every recipe from a single cookbook, like Julie & Julia 16. Support 100 Mammas in their Small Businesses 17. Donate my hair to Locks for Love 18. Learn how to shoot in manual 19. Have our family pictures done by a professional photographer 20. Write down all of the kids’ birth stories 21. Make a piece of clothing using a pattern 23. Build a treehouse in the backyard 26. Buy a dress for over $100 and not feel guilty about it 27. Read every book on my “College Bound Booklist” 28. See a show on Broadway 29. Read the Bible in one year 30. Run a successful home decor business 31. Open a brick-and-mortar retail location in New England 32. Take the kids boating and tubing 34. Learn floral arranging 35. Coach or help assist a middle school softball team 36. Take cooking classes with my husband 38. Learn how to flyfish with Dad 39. Take my boys (and husband!) to Fenway Park 40. Organize a getaway trip with my cousins 41. Learn how to make candles 43. Purchase an old home and completely renovate it 45. Learn how to can food 46. Make pasta from scratch 47. Give in 100 different ways (at least!) 50. Make every recipe I’ve pinned on my Pinterest board It’s that time of year again! This past weekend, I worked on getting everyone’s winter clothes packed away and our summer gear organized. I tackled my closet last and as I brought all of my pregnancy clothes to the front, I realized…I have very little to wear! After three previous pregnancies, most of my clothing has had it. Stretched out, peeling and um…too small (where did the time go when I was 22-years-old and in a size 0/2??). After a quick second of feeling sorry for myself that I’m only halfway through my pregnancy and already feeling like a house, I pulled myself together and off to the web I went. And as much as I wish I could drop money on clothing from HATCH or Loft Maternity or a great pair of designer jeans, my frugal self (not to mention my budget!) just won’t allow for it. Here are a few budget-friendly options that caught my eye: 1. Braided-Yoke Jersey Tank from Old Navy 2. Merona Sleeveless Ruffle Tank 3. Liz Lange for Target Sleeveless Knit Dress 4. Merona Belted Ruffle Top 5. Smocked Mexicali Skirt from Old Navy
Any other affordable maternity clothes out there? I know different stores are creating their own lines all the time, so if you have a favorite, please share!
I love link lists. There’s nothing better than word of mouth, so when a blogger recommends a recipe, a new shop or a great read, I am all about it! Here are a few things
I’ve come across this week…
1. Since becoming a mom, I’ve become a big fan of the tote bag. Loved this round-up on 6th Street Design School…the shape of #8 is perfect for the car and #16 makes an awesome beach bag. Be sure to check out all of the options!
2. Do you have a problem with soap scum like me? I’m getting desperate for a good solution, so I’m anxious to try this recipe.
3. One of my 2012 goals was to become less dependent on the Internet and make the time to connect with family and friends through good ol’ snail mail. Needless to say, we’re halfway through the year and I’m failing miserably! This party confetti mix is so fun, it may be just what I need to get started!
4. Craft idea for the boys: Tissue Box Dinosaur Feet!
5. My family went to Disneyland when I was a kid. And while it was loads of fun, one of my fondest memories had nothing to do with the rides and everything to do with CHURROS! These Baked Cheater Churros are definitely on my “must make soon” list!
6. Window shopping for our Little Miss has been so fun! My latest find are these adorable BabyLit board books – on my wishlist are Pride & Prejudice and Alice in Wonderland.
7. Came across this list of money-saving tips via the wonder that is Pinterest. Lots of ideas and more good ones in the comments. If you’re looking to save a few bucks this summer, be sure to take a look.
8. Are you on Goodreads? I love how easy it is to keep my “to-read” lists organized. If you’re on, be sure to find me here so we can be friends!
Apparently, I’m a sucker for any dessert that fits in a 8″ square pan and includes fruit (exhibits A and B). But nothing says summer like a cobbler, right? After a crazy, pregnant “I need peach cobbler right now!” moment, I scoured the web for an easy recipe, but nothing seemed easy enough. Until this one! One warning, in case you are particular about cobblers: this recipe makes a more cakey version. I happen to love it that way, but you may have a different opinion.
Ingredients:
8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges (I used six, didn’t peel and cut into small chunks instead. I’m a rebel.)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch (I didn’t have any, so omitted. Still tasted great)
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Topping: 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
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Mix together: 3 tablespoons sugar & 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with a pastry blender (or just your fingers), until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes. (It may just be my oven, but my cobbler was golden brown in half the time, about 13-15 minutes.)
Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla icecream!
Original recipe found here.