A Christmas Tree Decorated

I decided to skip on the Thanksgiving decorations this year since we aren't having Thanksgiving in Sugar Land this year and we moved right onto Christmas. For some reason, decorating the house has been super easy. I don't know if it's because I didn't stress about or I just kept my expectations low.

Jerrod put the tree up and I put the garland on the staircase. Today after school, I pulled the ornaments out and gave the kids a free pass to decorate! Whoo Hoo!

They had so much fun and I just love the result I got and I think the kids had a great time being in charge...of something this year!

Bubble Santa's

Ho ho Ho!

We celebrate Christmas early!

This was all Jackson's idea. He thought it would be a great idea to make a lot of bubbles in the tub and then add it to his face...then, he asked for a Santa hat and this is what evolved. I think it was a great idea!

All about nothings

We've had a great time in the hill country this weekend. The highlight of the trip to get here was of course, Bu-cee's on I-10. Seriously crowded with hunters and the like. It was jam packed but the kids just had to get their slurpee's and we needed to stretch our legs. We also picked up some "beaver nuggets". I had heard they were good and we couldn't figure out what they were from the package so we decided to buy them. Bad move. Totally yummy somethings. We still don't know what they "are" but don't buy them...definitely addicting.
We really haven't done much which is the best part. Bailey and I ran yesterday together for a short while and then she followed me for a long while on her bike as I continued on. The weather was fab and the run felt great. The kids played outside in the yard and on the tree, etc. We also made our standard trip to Wally world and bought a few necessities (like Liquid Stitch for moi`). That is always another highlight....

We came home and I got started on my "no sew" no cost window valance for the kitchen with some left over fabric I had from another time. The Liquid Stitch was a real star in my opinion, but I had to wait to see just how good it held up. Later on, we did find a new mexican food as we were making our standard stroll down Main Street. It was yummmmy! Definitely the best one in town so far. We have tried a few and were disappointed with each of them, but this one- we will take our friends and family to! Here's what came about with the window:

After the boys went onto bed, I got to working on my window valance

in the kitchen. It's a french country toile print. I like the valance, but don't LOVE it. What does it need? I can totally change it...so super easy. Give me some feedback, please.

I am my Mom

We laugh innocently and with LOVE when my Mom and Dad come to visit us in Sugar Land. It doesn't matter if they are spending a few hours or spending the night with us, they always bring a cooler of food and usually a laundry basket of treats and snacks for all of us. It used to offend me...I thought she didn't like what I had at the house or that she didn't trust what I bought. Now, I know that one of her love languages is "acts of kindness" and she truly loves making food and feeding us. But that doesn't mean that we have stopped snickering when they arrive with the cooler and totebag/laundry basketfull of goodies.

We are headed to Fredericksburg this afternoon. I am busy trying to get things together for all four of us while I wait for Jerrod to get home from work. This was a last minute decision and I had already gone to the grocery store yesterday so I decided to pack up what I planned for our meals this weekend. I packed enough things to make beef enchiladas, taco casserole, sandwiches and chili dogs. Before I knew it, I had a small cooler and a bag with my ingredients and snacks for the road.

I didn't even realize it while I was packing....but when I was done, I just started laughing. My children are going to have to stop at every spot imaginable so that they can go to the bathroom after drinking the drinks in the cooler.

Remember those days? Fun TIMES!

Adoring Nester

Do you remember my post about Nester recently? Well, I decided to follow her lead and tackle some of the things in my home that I have been wanting to get to- listen, I adore her. She is so inspiring to me...

I love to create things, decorate rooms, tables, and spaces. She has inspired me to get started and do some of things that I love to do, again! I really did do what I said I was going to do- I took everything off my tables in the hallway, dining room, and bedside tables in our room. I went through cabinets in the kitchen, closets and the like to find things I didn't even know I could use. I found so much I could use in this house!! I stacked, layered and followed the rules she set for "tablescaping". It was a load of fun, but of course, I got side tracked with things around here so there is still a lot of work to be done. I did take a few pictures of the several spots: my console in the hallway and I made a little sitting area in my dining room with chairs from my kitchen table (I know, I hear ya, I must get some pillows to place on those chairs to make them look comfy) but I am seriously happy about the way these two little area look for now.

Mind you, I didn't spend a dime. I just did a little research and recovery right here in the house! I even bought my first jar of silver cream to recover a few things! How fun is that??!

I have merely gotten started....be on the lookout for new postings...soon! I am in full mode and I will give you a little hint, smidget of what's in store. I did purchase some scrapbook paper and am ready to install it in the most peculiar place this next week! I feel the need to warn you....it's gonna look good, it's gonna shock you and you are going to want to copy me. I promise!

If you've been wondering where I've been- I've been Nesterized (and a few other blogs too listed on my sidebar)! I'll be back in full swing after I've caught up on the Nester and all her jazzy projects. For those of you that know about Nester, I went to Wally World last night and purchased my first set of upholstery pins. Yep! And proud of it! Ok, and noticed at Garden Ridge that they have decorator quality fabric for $5! Most of them are cut at 3 yards- making them less than $2 a yard! That will definitely be another story another day.

So here's what I have done so far:

A fairy, a Witch, Indiana Jones and ELVIS!

I am doing my best to keep up with this blog. I just can't keep it together enough every day to log on and of course, post pictures!! Pictures are my favorite part of the blog so for some reason I think it's not a post if it doesn't have a picture with it.
Here's a quickie post of the kids from Halloween. Bailey was a midnight fairy, Emma was a stitch witch, Jackson was Indiana Jones and Teague was Elvis. I had so much fun making Teague's costume and he wore the glasses for a whole 2 seconds. Actually, just long enough for me to snap a few pictures!

Nester

Currently, I am not attending MOPS, a Bible study or part of any organization/group that would require anything out of me. I had decided in the summer that I needed to get back to me and back to the basics with my family and so I did. It has been refreshing in many ways and I really like it, but I do miss seeing friends and having fun with other women just like me: trying to make it all work in this crazy life of raising kids and special spouses.

Eventhough I am unscheduled and feeling refreshed again, I am still not settled and still do not feel "complete". I need something more. I need a sense of accomplishment other than a clean home, clean kids (and laundry) and a dinner each night at home. I feel like I am where I am supposed to be. I am happier than ever at home, working around the house even if it is cleaning out closets or rearranging shelves (over and over again it seems) but something seems to be missing.


Somehow, someway, sometime this past week, I came across a blog that I started reading. Nester is someone that I don't know, but adore. She finds herself at home and making it what she wants with what she has- repurposing, rearranging, and redoing. Click on her name to check out her blog. Seriously inspiring girl and story.


She got me thinking about all the things I want to do at home. I am realizing that I still need interests and should spend a little time on them (they typically involve decorating or creating something). I am going to start a list of all the things I want to do and learn. Once I learn them, I am going to cross them off my list. What a sense of accomplishment I am going to feel.


Here's a start to my list:

1. find out about local sewing classes and take a sewing class on T, W or Th...soon

2. learn how to use the (new, still has shrink wrap attached) photoshop program that I bought one year ago when Jerrod and I started Christmas shopping- seriously, a year ago! Did I mention that it is unopened?!

3. take the clothes from the girls closets and my closet this weekend to Goodwill

4. complete my bathroom- it feels so incomplete

5. tablescape like Nester (heck, I wouldn't drop in this week...I am seriously rearranging all my tables and will be moving things all over the house. I figure this comes first so that I'll know what I have and what I need...right?)

6. complete the playroom. This is beyond torture for me. I dislike that room so much- so much so that it should probably be the first thing I tackle. I really need to paint the shelves and I know that is going to be so hard...they are icky oak right now.

7. run in a marathon- even if it's a half marathon.

Those items were amazingly easy to come up with. I am such a list girl. Total type A personality and need to list to see my accomplishments.

I'll let you know what I get accomplished, soon.

Community workers week

This week is "Community Workers" week for Jackson's class in Kindergarten. They are busy learning about all the important community workers like police officers, fire fighters, and the like. He is having so much fun!!

Can you imagine the stories that Ms. Janacek heard about as they discussed police officers from her kindergartener's??! I bet that was a day she learned a little about the Mommy's and Daddy's in the room!! Of course, Jackson couldn't say anything about me...but his daddy? That's different!!

Jackson is the one on the far left and see, somehow he knows what it looks like to write a ticket....Here is his again (on the far left) holding his water hose.
He is still having so much fun at school everyday. He comes home full of stories and one usually entails who got their "clip" moved on the discipline chart! He is so happy he has NEVER had to move his....seriously.

Fredericksburg photos

I've had a few friends asking for pictures of the house in Fredericksburg. I was finally able to snap a few pictures right before we were leaving this last trip.

Master bedroom:Master bathroom:Hallway bathroom:

Front bedroom:Family room:

Dining room:Another view of the dining room:Kitchen:Another view of kitchen:Computer desk in Kitchen:Coming into from the back door (pantry door):TV room:Back bedroom:

Love this little house and can't wait to share it with friends and family!!

Happy Birthday Jerrod! He's 40!

Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg

This weekend we went to Fredericksburg and it just so happened that this is the weekend for Oktoberfest! It rained and rained and rained all weekend. The kids were so disappointed, but we finally got to go on Sunday. We waited until late afternoon and went to try it out. It was hot, steamy and muddy from all the rain, but of course, we had fun anyway. We rode our bikes over there and the boys had fun tagging along on back of my bike. (We can't wait for Jackson to learn to ride his bike without training wheels! We think he will have so much fun...he just doesn't seem interested.)