a bad case of the grumpies

Does anyone else go through those days where you're just grumpy and you can't really explain it? My attitude stinks right now and it tears me up that I'm being such a downer. I guess you could say, I'm having a bad case of the grumpies and I don't like it!! I'm trying to snap out of it...really I am. We're going on 3 days of me being in a sour mood. I bet my family and friends just love me right now. Something's just got a grip on me and I'm trying desperately to shake it off.

As I struggle with this battle of mine, I reach out for this quote that ALWAYS reminds me that WE are the ones that make our life the way we want it to be (with a whole lot of help from the Big Guy Upstairs). For me, this quote will never get old.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”

Charles Swindoll

May your day be sweet and not sour...
it is up to YOU!!!

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And a little bit of random...

Last night, I delivered the goodies I promised my friend Sarah after winning the giveaway from last week. See!? I didn't procrastinate on this one. A deadline always helps.


Mikayla has her first dance class today. She has been prancing around in her tutu and leotard for weeks now. I just pray that she will walk in confident and show off her moves for the teacher.


Mr. Shaggy got his hair cut on Wednesday....

BEFORE

You'll have to wait until he's in the mood for a picture...for now this is what I've got! It's SUPER short and doesn't even look like my little guy anymore.

wordless wednesday - my little fireman

Yep, no words to describe...

**Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom**

tackle it tuesday - digging into fun!!

Today's Tuesday Tackle (say that 5 times fast!) is not housework...I think you all deserve a break from witnessing the mess that ensues in our house at times. Although I did clear off our bedroom dresser (again!) and have kept it clear for a week now!

Instead, I was able to tackle something fun! Austin will be turning 2 years old in just 21 days!! I mailed out the invites to his construction party over the weekend for his party coming up in a few weeks. I must say that I loved making these invitations! I know it might look a bit complicated, but I did it in stages, so it didn't feel overwhelming to me at all. I enjoyed it...even coloring in all the details...all 12 invitations. Remember folks, this is FUN for me!!

I don't want to fool you into thinking that I came up with this idea all on my own because I didn't. I got my inspiration from here. If you followed that link, you can see why I was madly in love with the invitation and I just had to work my magic to create it. So, the minute I saw it, I just KNEW that I had to track down the Stampin' Up! Little Trucks stamp set. I searched all over and found it on Ebay selling for at least $30. It's a retired set and apparently very rare. But my good friend Kim just so happened to have a friend who was willing to give it to her and then Kim let me borrow it. You don't know how ecstatic I was to find this out!! (If you don't know this about me...once I have my mind set on something, it's hard to change it!)

This particular card is called a criss-cross card and the tutorial can be found here (which demonstrates the technique using Christmas themed supplies...it's SUPER CUTE!!)

So, here's my tackle...





I actually came up with the wording of the invite after taking bits and pieces off of other construction themed invites I had seen around the web and putting them together into one.


Of course, I have tackled other things to get ready for the party, but I can't show you just yet. It will be a surprise! My biggest complaint about this invitation creating process is that I couldn't do more! I must say that when it's party time, I wish our house was a wee bit larger, so I could have more guests on the invite list! We're going to be combining family and friends this year again. Maybe next year we'll just have all of his little buddies over and do a family party separately.

So, that's my tackle...what's yours?

**Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.**

saturday is fun day!

So...normally I don't blog on the weekends, but since the kids are in bed and Ryan went off to do a couple of errands, I thought I would use the quiet to do a little blogging. Plus, we had such a fun day that I have pictures to share!

Yesterday, Ryan came home from work and said, "Let's go bowling tomorrow!" Uh, OK? We've never done that adventure yet, so why not? Apparently today (Saturday) there was some national bowling thing happening, so he had printed off a certificate for free bowling games...one for each of us. All we had to do was pay for the shoes (except Austin...we just let him go barefoot and probably could have done the same with Mikayla). After one game the kids were done, but they really did have a fun time. I loved seeing how excited they got when the ball rolled down the alley (thank goodness for gutter guards!). Austin would throw his hands in the air and Mikayla would shout out "yes!"

Here are my two favorite pictures from the day, along with a photo collage of the rest of our time...

{click to view larger}

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After naps, while Ryan helped the neighbor out using his mad electronic knowledge skillz, the kids and I played outside for a bit. After a rainy start to the day, it actually cleared up and was quite nice. We decided to pull out the chalk and I drew the outline of each of the kids. They thought that was so funny!



Our little neighbor boy down the street who is pretty close to Mikayla's age had gone on a nature walk with his parents and he wanted to make Mikayla a "nature crown". How sweet is that!? In the last month or so, the two of them have hit it off really well. It's been fun to watch them interact. Could this be love?

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On my "quick" trip to Target, I got stuck in the Dollar Spot section and found all of this...


If you are a scrapbooker or crafter, get in your car NOW before everything is all gone! Seriously, I'm usually a little skeptical of dollar stuff, especially the arts and crafts, but these stickers and papers are actually really great! They are super cute, so of course I snagged two of each. I tried to limit myself to what really appealed to me. I can already tell they are going fast, so if you love what you see...go quick!

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Last night, I was in the stampin' mood and decided to get ready for my workshop and Stamp-A-Stack class coming up in September. That motivation also spilled into today and I was able to accomplish my samples for the "make n take", plus both my demos for the workshop. I'm keeping those 3 things under wraps, but I can show you one of my Stamp-A-Stack cards. Go check out my Stuck on Stampin' blog to see what I came up with!

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And, lastly, I was passed along some blogging awards by two very sweet bloggers.

Kelli @ Outside My Kitchen Window passsed along the FRIENDS award. It has been great fun getting to know Kelli. Not only do we comment on each other's blog, but sometimes we exchange a few e-mails every now and then. She always has a sweet thing to say and I love checking out her blog to see what her and her family have been up to! She has just starting doing some crafting, so I love seeing what she is going to share next. Thanks, Kelli!


I also was awarded the SPLASH award by two bloggers. Christie @ Just the 2 of Us, who is a new reader of my blog, as well as I am to hers. She is a 1st grade teacher and one look at her classroom that she shared last week, made me truly miss teaching! She has some super creative ideas. I found her through Xazmin's Mod Podge Mania! Thanks, Christie!

Also, Kelli @ Random Thoughts of a Supermom splashed me with this award. Kelli is so sweet! I love reading her comments and I have enjoyed getting to know her by checking in on her family. She has some super cute boys...3 of them! She has a love for crafting as well, so I enjoy checking to see what she's up to! Thanks, Kelli!


Well, time's up! Off to do a few things before I head for bed. My mom is coming in from Alaska for a week starting tonight to surprise my grandma (her mom) for her 80th birthday. We're having a party for her tomorrow, so it should be fun! Hope everyone has (or had) a great Sunday!!

a winner...and a yummy breakfast treat for kids!

Thank you to everyone who posted the Monthly Craft Challenge button {holiday edition} on their sidebar or blogged about it. It definitely helps spread the word, so that there are many more ideas to be shared, and with Halloween/Fall season coming upon us, we all need more ideas!! For those of you who did this and left a comment on Tuesday's post, you were entered into a drawing for a fun, little giveaway.

The winner of this "surprise" giveaway just so happens to be my good friend Sarah at Our Pumpkin & Sweet Pea. I swear I'm not rigging these drawings just so my friends will win! I have my sweet little assistant who drew from a basket full of names. She doesn't know how to read, so she can't be cheating either! *wink*

And because of my habit of procrastination, I am giving myself a deadline to deliver this gift by next Thursday. Which just so happens to be our next MOPS leadership meeting, which Sarah is the coordinator of. However, there's one stipulation, my friend Sarah...you MUST start blogging more!! *wink*

Don't forget to get crafting!! We'll see you back here on Thursday, October 1st and "meet up to link up" our Halloween or Fall-inspired crafts. Hope you'll join us! Click below button for more information.

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Now, onto a fun little breakfast treat for the kids! This morning after sleeping in a bit (Mikayla came back to bed with me after getting up early with her daddy and ended up falling asleep!), we woke up ready to have some breakfast. I was fixing some (frozen) waffles for Austin and Mikayla says to me, "I want waffles with peanut butter and jam on it." Say what!? I've NEVER heard her ask me this before and I've never offered it, so I'm not quite sure where she came up with the idea. The only thing I can think of is that when I make my homemade waffles (usually on Saturdays) I'll have them with peanut butter and syrup.

Anyway, I figured that sounded like a great idea, so I suggested we make a Peanut Butter & Jelly Waffle Sandwich for breakfast!

~ 5 Easy Steps ~

Step 1 - Cut the waffle in half.
(We use the plastic knives from IKEA and they work
great for kids to help in the kitchen!)

Step 2 - Spread peanut butter on the waffle.
Step 3 - Add some jelly
Step 4 - Put the other half on top
Step 5 - Enjoy!
(And in the words of Mikayla..."This is "uh-licious!"
Translated? I'm thinking she means delicious.)
Optional: Finish off with a glass of milk!

before bedtime

I must say that I am truly thankful for those few minutes right before bedtime when the night time routine is finished and we're waiting for the clock to strike 8:00. And no, it's not because I am excited for them to get into bed so I can have some time to myself...come on now I wouldn't want that. (OK, fine that has a little to do with it.)

After teeth are brushed, the kids get to choose whether to read with mommy or daddy or play for a few more minutes. Last night, they wanted to play, but Mikayla specifically requested, "Play for 2 minutes, then read." So, while Ryan was investigating why our oven decided to go on the fritz, I sat on the couch and watched them play. Yes, I actually sat still. I slowed down for a minute and didn't do anything. I had the best time!! They are becoming quite the entertainers. And I was thankful that I put everything else aside just to sit and be entertained.

The first video shows Mikayla goofing off. She seriously does this all the time!



In this next video you'll notice a bit of a wardrobe change from Mikayla. After doing the above "stunt" for a good 5 minutes, she realized she was a bit too hot in the purple jammies (um, I told her those PJs were for the WINTER, not the summer, but what 3-year old actually listens to that kind of common sense?)



*Please excuse the indecent exposure with the panties shot...I was trying to avoid it.

Sometimes I love just watching these two interact with each other. It makes me smile and my heart swells. I love that they are so close in age to each other...only 17 1/2 months apart. Looking back at that "surprise"!? I am actually truly thankful for it.

I have caught them playing together more and more lately (and yes, they still fight over toys...they aren't perfect) and it makes me laugh to hear some of the things they talk about. Austin calls Mikayla "sissy" and Mikayla calls Austin "buddy" (and sometimes she calls him Bolt - now that's funny!).

Man, I'm one lucky momma. I'm not sure I say that enough, but I totally am.

Thankful doesn't even begin to describe it.


**Thankful Thursday**

works for me wednesday - organize it!

Welcome to this little place of mine where I am proud to admit that organization is an obsession!!

Today's Works For Me Wednesday is a themed edition...
can you guess what it is?

Yep...

ORGANIZATION!!

So, I thought it might be fun for you to choose your own adventure by clicking on any of the posts below to find exactly what you might be looking for. Some of you are new to my blog, but some of you faithful followers may have seen all of this before.
Either way...have fun browsing!

Organize your camping stuff

Organize your car

Organize with baskets!

Organize your gift wrap

Organize your dessert recipes

Organize little girl hair accessories

Organize your scrap paper

Organize all those toys!

Organize your holiday decor

See?
I told you it was an obsession!

tackle it tuesday & craft challenge time!!

On Sunday I had the BRILLIANT idea (well, maybe not so much to my husband) to re-arrange our bonus room. I was tired of having my creative corner always looking like this and this. I came to the conclusion that I simply just needed more space! Since starting Stampin' Up! I've accumulated a few (a lot) more things that are necessary to continue my growing business, and I needed a place to put everything and feel like I could still function and keep things organized.

organized space = organized thoughts = getting something done!

While browsing a little at Michaels Crafts the other day, I ran across a 6-cube shelf that I just had to have. You know those moments, right? When something is on sale and you have really been needing something just like it.

And, so I bought it.

And that's how this whole re-arranging thing began. I needed to make the shelf fit and of course this meant taking a few things down of the wall, patching some holes, and repainting...all so I could move my desk over just a tad. Oh, and I can't forget that also meant putting together a few pieces of small furniture. {Hooray for husbands who love to help their wives!}

I wish I had a few more before pictures, but the actual "before" of this project was all a mess and I got deep in the trenches before I thought to take a picture of it all. But I got a snapshot of the "during", so does that count? Proof that it was chaos for awhile!

~DURING~

~BEFORE~
my own little corner in our bonus room

~AFTER~
time to spread out!

~BEFORE~
right next to my desk was the kids' play kitchen

~AFTER~
the play kitchen is now on the opposite side of the wall
(I'll show you the other side of the room redo another day)

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How I expanded
my space...

had the hubby put together a six cube shelving unit
and added 4 fabric bin drawers, 2 I bought and 2 I already had
(you know the one I had to have)

had the hubby put together a 3-drawer storage organizer
(*brand new* at a garage sale for $5.00)

swiped a bookshelf from Mikayla's closet that was not being put to
good use so I could have room for more stuff!

Actually, now that I look at these pictures...
I think I have room for more stuff!

Kidding!!
{kind of}

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And now onto what some of you have all been waiting for...
this month's MONTHLY CRAFT CHALLENGE assignment!
Many of you shared your ideas last week and I'm so glad you did. I have made a long list and I'm ready for many, many, many monthly craft challenges to come!

To get us all ready for the upcoming holidays, for the month of September, our challenge is to make something that is Halloween or Fall themed.

And to get the word out, snag this {holiday edition} craft challenge button below (see the html text on the left side bar) and post it on your blog to spread the word. Be sure to link back here so everyone can learn what this challenge is all about! Leave a comment and let me know you have done this on your blog and you will be entered into a giveaway just for shouting it out on your blog! I'll post a winner on Friday morning, so be sure to do this before you head to bed on Thursday.

You'll have one month to create and we'll all "meet up to link up" on Thursday, October 1st. So, what are you waiting for!? Get crafting!!
*wink wink*

For more details of these monthly craft challenges,
go check it out HERE.