Education in Decorating

Yesterday while studying my tax books browsing Blogland...
I came across this amazing post by Cindy at Cottage Instincts.
Did you see it? 

It was a fabulous post about finding your style... why you are drawn to certain things, etc.
She showed how she went through decorating books and made her fabulous notes...

Anyway- I was so inspired by her post that when I woke up this morning...
I ran right out piddled around for awhile and when it finally warmed up...

I headed out.
Off to the library I went.
In search of all the decorating books I could carry... (or find in our little library)

Isn't she pretty?

So, I found some decorating books...

and my warm blanket...

And because of this fabulous post by Donna at Funky Junk Interiors...

I got these too...

Oops... how did that little bottle get in there?

...probably to help me get through these wonderful easy to read,helpful books.

Seriously, if you missed her post about blogging... go read it!  I learned a LOT

...and made some new friends in the process!

Don't judge.

I haven't read it yet...

...and I LOVE 90210

And... apperantly, she dishes on some of the cast.

So, yes... blanket, book and glass of wine for me tonight!

Okay...

Go check out those two blogs I mentioned.

And...

...a New Year's Resolution...

I need to STOP putting salt on my French Fries from Wendy's....

Why do I do that?

They put those little salt packets in the bag.

...then I just can't help myself.

UGH!

~Amy

Sock it to me...

I'm an accessory girl.

...which means, I'm a sock junkie.

I love them, all of them...

okay, most of them.

and...

Because I said...

"This is ridiculous. Out of all the new socks I got last year, I only have one pair that is still mated. What happened?".

Santa Baby brought me 14 pairs of socks.

Love that Santa Baby!

I am going to see to it, that in a year from now, all 14 pairs are still together.

Oh sure, nothing wrong with wearing socks that don't match...

...if you are wearing tall boots.

But I'm the girl that would do that and then find myself in a situation in which tall boots would have to be removed.

There I would be...

...standing there with my red and purple argyle sock on the left foot and a pink and yellow polka dot sock on the right foot.

Exposed.

Yep, that is the kind of luck I have.

So I'm on a mission.

I know what you are all thinking to yourselves...

...we all have the same problem.

We all have that bag full of socks with no mates.

It's a part of life.

Forget it...

Those days are over.

I have photographed, cataloged, indexed... and put secret transmitters in every sock.

Okay, that's a lie.

The transmitter part, that is.

I couldn't figure out how to do that.

I was all set to post this...

and wouldn't you know...

...a sock has already gone missing.

It's true.

I wore my new pink fuzzy socks to bed last night.

...no, I don't normally wear socks to bed.

But is was 5 degrees below zero last night.

Do you know how cold that is?

It's cold enough to make you want to wear pink fuzzy socks to bed.

I woke up this morning...

...awww--- nice and warm toes....

...wait.

Why is my right foot freezing?

NO Sock.

Okay, fine.

It's just lost in the blankets...

...I searched, I ripped the bed apart.

I looked under the bed, under the pillows... IN the pillowcases.

Are you kidding me?

It's gone.

I have no other choice but to acknowledge that there is a Sock Snatching Fairy out there.

It's true.

All these years, we've been blaming the washer and dryer.

Unfairly.

So... a word to that Sock Snatching Fairy....

I'm on to you.

This is war.

My little Monkey lost his mittens...

Has everyone recovered from the Holidays?
I am ... happy??? to report that Monkey's Transformer count is at 6... I'll let you know the final tally at the end of the week, after all of his birthday extavaganzas.
In that quest for knowledge, I have taken it upon myself to learn all about the whole Transformer 'deal'... the good guys, the bad guys, etc. I won't bore you with it, but at least I can say that I've expanded my brain... (with useful information, when dealing with a little Monkey)

So... I'm the bad Mom.
Yep, it's true.
Have you seen the kids sitting on the bench during recess...not allowed to play because they don't have on all their snow gear?
Poor little Monkey had to sit on the bench one day because we forgot his mittens.
I know.
I felt terrible.
At least he had company... apperantly, I'm not the only bad Mom out there. (Thank goodness)
It's just that... well, in the rush of getting off to Preschool...sometimes things are forgotten.
And can I just say... what is with all the lost hats and mittens at school???
Where are they running off too?
I even had another Mom tell me that her son's coat went missing at school.
Um... how?
Anyway- I made a little ... thing... to help out.
I took a scrap of ribbon left over from Christmas.
Hot glued some clothes pins to it.
Tacked it up over his little shelf that holds his snowpants, coat and backpack.
This is temporary, but I think I'll make it a little more permanent for next year.
Paint the clothes pins, and put them on a piece of wood. Make it a little more... substantial.
But for now, this will get us through until the glorious days of Spring arrive.




There is supposed to be another pair of mittens hanging there... but they are... um... in transition. Yes, that is where they are.
Ahem... okay, fine. They are currently ... missing.


The little black shelf is a garage sale find. I painted it this fall (right before school started)
It is hung at his level... as he is responsible for hanging up his coat, backpack, and snow pants.
The little shelf normally holds his show and tell bag.




Can you believe that I had green and red tacks?
I know... how random.
(See... this is why I don't ever get rid of anything)
...which makes Hubby crazy, by the way.
Giggle.



I am linking up to Susan's Met Monday and Kimba at A Soft Place to Land

Hopefully, there will be no more "Monkey sitting on the bench".

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!
Monkey is snuggled in bed.
Sleeping?
Not yet.
Too excited for what tomorrow holds.
We've checked the Santa tracker...
...won't be long!

Wishing you and your families a blessed Christmas.
~Amy



FZXDY3TCA67E

I love it...what is it?

We have officially entered, "Christmas Break".
Monkey had his last day of Preschool for the year... and when I picked him up, I was handed a package from his teacher.
I knew immediately what it was.
Yep, I was right.
Inside contained one of those little ... Christmas creations that we all made as children. It doesn't matter the project, we just know its one of those... things that our kids make that we will treasure forever.
This is our first Christmas creation.
It hit me.... no matter how many times I change my Holiday decorations, this one thing will always be set out.
You all know what I'm talking about... you walk into a house and see how gorgeous their home is decorated... then you look closer...and you see these odd little, mangled .... well, you're not sure what it is... but, its... something. We then assume one of their kids made it.
Yep, I finally have my very own.
It happens to be a pinecone stuck into some sort of hard substance... painted.. and then some gold ribbon glued to it.
Lovely.
And then.... I pull out this item...



A cookbook!
Hooray for Teacher... how did she know that I collect cookbooks?
This cute little book is now my very favorite, to be treasured always, cookbook.
It is full of recipes from 3 year olds!

I'm swooning.... and giggling.

Can you read that recipe?

Mac & Cheese

You'll Need:

3 or something eggs

Directions:

We burn it and stuff. It gets hot and stuff.

~Jacob (age 3)

Here's another one...

Hamburgers With Dad

You'll Need:

this many ketchup

this much mustard

hamburger

buns

Directions:

Grab the buns. Grab the hamburger. Grab the mustard and ketchup. Grab the buns and put it on top of them.

~Boston (age 4)

To help with your Holiday baking...

Chocolate Cookies

You'll need:

sugar

what my grandma has, it was tasty

Directions:

Cook 'em when they ding.

~Will (age 3)

See ladies... I don't know why you get so stressed over your Holiday baking. It's very easy. Just get what Grandma has. It's very tasty!

Here is my son's contribution.

Pizza

You'll need:

2 pepperoni

1 sausage

2 cheese

3 crust

Directions:

Cook it 10 minutes. Put it out of the oven. Cook another pizza.

~Monkey (age 3)

He got it sort of right... we always make two homemade pizzas.... one sausage and one pepperoni...

Isn't this the cutest little project?

I hope the other Moms enjoyed it as much as I did.

Now get your fanny back in the kitchen!

~Amy

Where IS that table?

Hubby and I did some soul searching this weekend. It sort of happened by accident...but, it happened. We are going to 'take back our house'.
Yep.
Before we had Monkey, our house was always decorated, projects were completed... there was no clutter. I LOVE... and I mean, LOVE to decorate. However, if you asked me today what style I decorate in... I would have to say--- Hotwheels, trains, dinosaurs and books.
Yep.
We let Monkey take over the house.
Not just a few rooms.
The. Whole. Entire. House.
Sigh.
Anyway- just wanted to let you know that we are going to share our truth... even when it's ugly.
And of course, we can't totally blame Monkey for everything... like for instance what I am about to show you.
It's my fault.
All mine.
I take the blame.
Okay- I know we can't be the only house in America where this has happened...
See this?



Yes, its our table... oh, you don't see it?
Right... because it is under several loads of laundry.
Hey- score a point for me=== the laundry is done.
But, with all the running around we've been doing, the laundry has landed here.
I haven't seen the table for about a week.
It's true.
Oh, what's that? Yes... my missing bottle of Modge Podge. Guess that means I can finish up some of those 'projects' now!



There we go... much better.
I'll decorate the table for Christmas... oh, probably Christmas Eve!



Since I found my Modge Podge... I should start cracking on the gift for my MIL
... if only I could find my glass of wine.

~Amy

I am hooking up with Susan for Met Monday!

My Scientific Experiment...

I really wanted to post something about the Holidays…
So here is a picture of one of my little tables.
The big pictures are of my Mom and Dad… their Senior Pictures. The smaller is of one of my Grandmothers. I love these three pictures, and waited a long time to have them in my possession.
Okay, moving forward…




What did I do today…
Not a whole lot. Monkey’s gymnastics class was cancelled. (Yea! We didn’t have to go out in the freezing cold this morning)!
Hubby took Monkey to Preschool this afternoon (and is picking him up!) That’s another, “Hooray!”.
I did a few things around the house. Laundry, dishwasher…. Ya know, the usual.
Guess what else I did?
I hopped in bed for two hours while Monkey was at school and I cut up a shirt.
No! Not to wear… I’m a little old for the trendy, ‘cut and destroy your $70 tee shirt’ look.
Which, by the way… What is with the $70 tee shirts? I mean, seriously!
Anyway, I cut up a shirt… but, I’ll tell you about that later… like when I finish the project.
Yes, I know… must be nice to lie in bed!
Yes, it was.
Thank you. I was in bed because it hurt to walk… why????

Because I thought I should start working out.
That Jillian from “The Biggest Loser” tried to kill me last night.
I made it through… only because I swore at her. That DVD went on FOREVER.
Like… 20 minutes … how OUTRAGEOUS!
The nerve.

Anyway- to my anonymous friends out there that read this… I know you’re thinking…
Why is Amy working out? So not her style!
Clearly its not my style because nothing fits any longer.
For the past several years, I’ve blamed it on the shrinking effect.
Know what I’m talking about?
That … scientific thing that happens when you place your clothes in the plastic storage bins.
Ya know? You pack up your sweaters and put them away for the summer… then when you open up the bin a few months later, they are too small….
Clearly, something is happening in those bins. Something… scientific!
Okay- so not really. The clothes aren’t shrinking… I’m just getting bigger.
Fine.
There it is.

I do have a another reason for working out… my mom has lost another 8 pounds!!! And, she has once again, been able to back off some of her diabetic meds. A few months ago, she was on the brink of going on insulin shots… and now today, she has turned it around! And for the first time in years, her blood pressure is GOOD!
I’m so proud of my Mom!
Anyway- gotta run.
Jillian is screaming her head off.
Who started that darn DVD again?
UGH!

Snow Day!

I had written this a few days ago… and just realized I didn’t post it!


We are having a blizzard in Iowa. I don’t mean it’s snowing, I mean- a real, old fashioned blizzard. There is ice, snow, and serious wind.
And I couldn’t be happier.
Do I like the cold, and driving in the snow? Of course not.
However, there is something magical about a ‘snow day’.
So many of my friends are doing the same thing today… cooking hearty food, a load or two of laundry, perhaps an organizing project that hasn’t been tackled… and spending time with their children and husbands.
Why does that always happen with snow days?
I’m not a psychologist, but I have my ideas about it…
A snow day is a free day.
There are no rules. There are no schedules. No deadlines, nowhere to be, and nobody to answer to.
A snow day is a free day.
We stayed in bed a little longer today.
Instead of breakfast, we had brunch.
There have been movies, games, laundry, cooking and many laughs.
There were a few tears… that is inevitable when living with a 3 year old.
The tears were quickly wiped away when the promise of cookie decorating was put in front of him.
Christmas cookies? Absolutely not. Christmas cookies are a tradition he has with Grandma. And a tradition I have with some of my girlfriends.
And this is a snow day… no rules. We made dinosaurs, dog bones, skulls, and okay--- we threw in a Christmas tree. (We had green frosting, what’s a mom to do?)
There is a pot of soup on the stove.
My house feels warm and cozy… and safe.
It’s gorgeous outside, but you can see the cold.
Iowa is pretty again.
Everyone knows that I love Iowa… but I will admit, there are a few weeks in the year when Iowa isn’t at her prettiest. Those would be the weeks leading to snow… and the weeks following the snow.
Have you ever been to Iowa while she is under her winter blanket? It’s breathtaking.
A red barn in a sea of white. Quaint little shops with the old fashioned sign that have real evergreen garland swags with a dusting of snow hanging from their awnings. Groups of children sledding down a rolling hill. Simply beautiful.
Tree branches covered in ice that glitter in the sun. The scarlet red of a cardinal against the beautiful green of an evergreen and the crisp white snow. Nature at her finest.
Seeing smoke coming out of a chimney will make you feel warm and cozy.
I could go on and on.
Or I could tell you about the harsh winter and why it is bad….
But that is not for today.
Today is a snow day, and that makes it wonderful and magical.
Today, my friends… Iowa is closed for business.

And then the magical snow day turned into two more snow days… by day three, Monkey declared, “I’m going to Grandma’s.”
Agreed.
I shipped him off to Grandma’s.
There, he enjoyed another magical snow day. The kind you have at Grandma’s house!

The streets are now plowed, the stores are open, and we’re getting back to the daily routine.

…there seems to be quite a few “Mom’s Night Out” events going on this weekend….
Must have been those three crazy snow days that have made us crave margaritas!