Life According to Aris

I've been meaning to do this for awhile. For some reason I always find myself getting busy with some other thing. I am bound and determined to start documenting Aris and her booster fixation. If I told you how many times I come to her chair to put her in it for lunch or dinner & she has one of her toys strapped in, well you wouldn't believe me. It's one of those things she does that I find so adorable. Usually I find barbies and tiny skipper dolls buckled up safe and sound. Sometimes the occasional doll. Yesterday it was Pooh. It just kind of cracks me up. Sloan thinks it's funny too. I think it would be fun to make a little scrapbook of all these pictures for her to play with. Sorry for grime, I didn't realize just how gross those straps were until I posted this picture. Guess it's time for her booster to take a little soak in the sink.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend. We are heading to Sacramento tomorrow for the day to attend Hangtown with the girls. Zoe can hardly wait to see all the "ridercycles". Sloan is excited too, but most;y to do something as a family. I will take lots of pictures. 

The other project I am finishing up this weekend aside from all the kids room remodel is another card for this wonderful site. All of the cards that I am producing for Simply Sweet Marriage are free! Yes you can download them for free, in your home, and give them to that special someone in your life. I'll post a link next week when the next card is up. 

Have a super fun weekend!

Under Construction

I loved reading all of your comments from my previous post. Can I just tell you that they make me smile, and really do brighten my day. 

I thought I would post a few pictures of what I've been working on. It involved many cans of spray paint, some glue, and very pretty paper. I do feel good with the fact I repurposed things that were already in the room, but spruced them up a bit. I am so excited with how everything is coming together. I hope to finish the painting on the walls this weekend. Everything is coming together just the way I hoped it would.

So many new projects to work on. I also just went and picked up a ton of new canvases. My mind is reeling with so many ideas. I just need to make time to work on all these ideas. 

Before I go have you joined in this fun yet? Stop by and take a peak!

The Weekend of Unfinished Projects

Right now as I type this, my hubby just took a whole bed full of metal to be recycled at the recycle center. Next up he will be loading all the other crap (sorry mom) that has been sitting patiently in our yard & behind our shed, begging to be laid to rest, to the dump. It's free dump weekend. We are taking full advantage of it. Thankfully my subtle hints of how our yard is starting to look like we are related to the Clampets, have not fallen on deaf ears. I'm not kidding when I say we were turning into "those neighbors". You know the kind I'm talking about. I love that Dean has been working so hard on the outside yard. I feel like it's starting to match the hard work he has done inside.

Zoe has been daddy's little helper. Silly little girl. She kept asking me to take her picture & then would cover her eyes and just giggle. She did this over & over again.

Me, well I've been an organizing fool. I finally got the closets switched over. It took me most of the morning. I put all the girls toy sets into baskets. Somehow I have ended up with a little extra room. Go figure. It feels amazing when you walk into their room. I am so excited about how it's progressing. The girls are excited because they can actually find their toys. We both win. I can't wait to share the before and after of all the stuff I took outside and spray painted yesterday. I'm tickled pink with how it all turned out. I only have a few more things to paint today. I hope to have some pictures up by the middle of next week. I still need to finish painting their walls before I show the big reveal. Even then there are three major projects that I still need to finish before their room is completely done. I still need to paint the bookshelf, dressers, and bunk beds. Those will have to wait a little bit longer. In the mean time I think it looks a whole heck of a lot better than it did.

Well I'm off to put our closet back together now. Hugs to you all. Hope everyone is having an awesome weekend!

Just What I Needed

Where has the week gone? Where has the month gone for that matter? Sometimes I feel like there just aren't enough hours in the day,  weeks in a month, or months in a year. Days like we've had this past week that are full of heat and a hint of the smells of summertime. Days that are warm enough to dress the little ones in bubble rompers and sandals, but still cool enough at night to dress them in warm jammies. I love days like these. They remind me of moments from my childhood. Good memories of longer days and falling asleep when it's still light out. Memories of long days outside, playing in the sprinklers. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Playing in the pool until my brother and I had turned into little raisins and our eyes saw halos around every light. I'm reminded of delicious meals prepared by loving hands of grandmas, great grandmas, aunts and my mother. All bustling around the kitchen laughing and talking. Then dessert. Oh how I miss those family dinners. They were filled with so much happiness. So much laughter. Yes days like these bring back such yummy & happy memories. Days like these make me wish time would slow down, just a little.

I needed those memories this week.

Hope everyone has a weekend filled with sweetness.

Too Much Stuff

When a room starts looking like this on a daily basis........

& a closet looks this messy no matter how hard I try to keep it clean....

& bookshelves are overflowing, & dressers oozing........

& wall colors are too dark........

it means:: Room makeover on a budget!

I don't know about you, but I feel you can never have too many books. 

Most of these are picture books, but the overflowing bookshelves are due to the fact that Sloan is reading chapter books full time now. She still enjoys looking at the picture books & reading them to Zoe & Aris. The funnest thing about her love of chapter books is we read together. Now I have a valid excuse to read all the novels I never did as a kid. I also enjoy reading her some of my childhood favorites. We just finished reading "Caddie Woodlawn". 

I have cleaned out 4 giant garbage bags full of "things" that were cluttering up the girls lives. Yes I really feel that when there is too much "stuff" it's harder for kids to use what they have. They are so bogged down by all the clutter around them, that it's hard for them to enjoy what they have. I got rid of toys they hadn't played with in a very long time, toys that were being left out but not really played with, and toys that were no longer age appropriate. I had Sloan help to purge the stuffed animal box. It was tough for her, but an invaluable experience. I let her choose what she wanted to donate to those who have a lot less than us. She decided to donate some of the nicer toys. I was very pleased it was her decision & also loved the fact she didn't just want to give away the junky toys. I still have a few more bins to go through, but I now see a light at the end of the tunnel. Please, please, please, my kids don't need anymore toys. Grandmas and Grandpas, please take note. However books are totally welcome. One can never have too many books.

I have a few little projects I am working on this weekend. I hope to show some pics of the new room in another week or so. What are you working on now?

Sisters Are Best Friends

Nom, Nom, Nom, Nom

A little fun

So, I found this on You tube today while I was looking for Andrew's website. Andrew Newbold is a super talented artist that I had the pleasure of going to high school with. He and I were really good friends, even dated for a while. Seriously one of the sweetest guys I had ever dated (before I met Dean). Mom, isn't it awesome to see Dre is still keeping up with his talent? I thought it would be fun to share this with you guys. Glass blowing looks like a lot of hard work, but so much fun. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. Andrew is the guy with the beard, in the light green shirt, yep, the guy rolling around on the floor.

Bubble Blowing Skirt and Top GIVEAWAY!!!!

Bubble Blowing Skirt and Top GIVEAWAY!!!!

Sometimes Life Gives us Lemons...........

or brightly colored lemon yellow markers,

scribbled on sweet but dirty hands and faces.

That you didn't mind them doing because you figure it will wash off in the tub. Only it takes two days, and four baths to wash off. Then you have to pick out yellowish outfits to match the yellow scribbles on the faces, so at least they will match.

Yes sometimes life gives us lemons. It's what we do with those lemons.....Make lemonade or pout about how sour things are? Everything is good here. Yesterday was a hard day. I dare not air my dirty laundry, there is really no need. I always try to focus on the positive in my daily life. I think it's so much more fun to read and talk about happy things on my blog. Every once in a while something comes along and blindsides me. Knocks the stinkin' wind out of me. I think these things are part of life. Frustrating situations beyond our control can teach us valuable lessons. Lessons of love and kindness, of gratefulness, and forgiveness. Most of all I think a tough situation can strengthen us. A little reminder that we are children of a loving God who wants us to be happy. Those tough times, I believe, are a little reminder of just how good life really is.

So the next time life gives you lemons, or lemon colored markers, I hope you can find the happiness in that situation also.

I'll be back tomorrow with a sneak peak at some new art.

A Little Reminder

Today I was reminded of a couple things.

I am married to a truly amazing man,

I have three darling children that make me smile,

even when my heart is heavy.

That poor decisions in my past,

DO NOT have to dictate who I am today.

No matter how much they try to haunt me.

I have dear friends who are good listeners.

How much I love my family.

I am loved.

It's all in God's hands,

even when we'd like to think we have control of things.

Oh yeah, & I was reminded of how much I need to practice my real life drawing skills.

Colorfly studio Giveaway!!!!!!!

Due to the craziness that was going on all of last week I haven't had a chance to post about this awesome giveaway that is going on over at Colorfly Studio. Jen of Colorfly Studio is just the most amazing paper artist. I look up to her as an artists, and find inspiration in all the lovely paper illustrations that she makes. Please drop on by and say hello. Oh and don't forget to enter for your chance to win this lovely illustration.

JDRF

I finished the last three paintings around 3:30 am on Saturday. I was a little amazed that I got so much done in one night. All that had to be done on Saturday morning was to add the sides and the backs to the paintings. As soon as I was finished with that I dropped them off at the auction. It was a hurried day. I realize next year that I will do things a little differently. My biggest regret is the fact that all my pictures turned out blurry. I am going to try and see if Molly got some good photos from the Gala so I can post them. It was such a lovely event. Molly and the girls did a great job of displaying everything and the whole event went very smoothly. The most fun part of the night was the table Dean and I sat at. We were able to have dinner with three of the nicest couples. The last few years we have sat with people that don't say much to us. Not this year. It was a lot of fun. 

I want to thank everyone who donated something for the auction. Every donation helped to bring in money that will be donated to help fund a cure for diabetes. I have thank you cards in the works, but wanted to let you know just how grateful I was right this very moment. 

I hope everyone had a very happy mothers day. The girls and I went to church in the early afternoon, and Dean built the veggie boxes for our garden. A mothers day gift of sorts. Then I was able to take the most glorious of naps yesterday. I also had a good cry. I think I was aloud, after all it was mothers day right. I guess all the stress and lack of sleep left me feeling a little emotionally exhausted. I was bummed that none of my pictures from the Gala turned out. The one good picture of Dean and I can't be shown. Seriously I look like I weigh about three hundred lbs in it (not that there is anything wrong with someone weighing that) But it just broke my heart. I just needed to cry & when I was done everything felt better. 

Starting on another one of my cards for Simply Sweet Marriage. In case you didn't know you can download them for free. Also before the end of the week I plan on updating my shop so please stop by. Last but certainly not least I was featured at a wonderful blog this weekend. A Duck in her Pond. Drop on by and say hello to Miranda, she is such a super talented writer and has a very fun blog. Every weekend she features a creative blogger and this past Friday she featured me. What an honor. 

Happy Mothers Day

To all the special mothers in my life,

Happy Mothers Day!

9 Down, 3 to Go

"Bubblegum"

"Starburst"

"Jellybean"

"Skippy"

"Moby"

"Sandy"

I'll be working on these three girls tonight. I will finish them. I have to. They are going to be in an auction TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I'm officially freaking out. Wish me luck guys. Wish me luck.