kid's art cabinet

Just a little reorg project for me...
This is our art cabinet. It holds the "everyday" supplies I let the kids use for crafts and art. I have "special" supplies that are housed in a closet too, that only get pulled out for those times when they are about to kill each other and I need a really effective distraction. I pray my neighbors don't read this post because I seriously swiped this cabinet from their trash a few years ago. I began painting it white and my hubby helped me finish it, hence the doors and inside are not all the way painted, anyway... This thing gets pretty trashed regularly so I have been wanting to rework it for a while. I finished about two weeks ago and took the pictures and everything but I just forgot to blog it. One of my gal pals recently shared her craft cabinet redo and it reminded me to do the same (thanks Sarah!). It always amazes me how relieved I feel after some sorting, labeling, and purging. And did I mention, the kids love it!? It's been two weeks and I have not had to slam the doors shut or scream about the mess spilling all over the floor. Here it is before, not too terrible, just a little crammed... geez I really need to paint that other door!
After. I used paper trays, plastic drawers, the same milk crate and a magazine holder. Oh, and those cool hooks that stick on for their clipboards.

Ouch!

Yesterday was the first day I wore shoes that were not flip flops and I have about 10 blisters on my heels! Ouch! I guess that means summer is over, sniff sniff. Goodbye sunshine, steamy days, flower beds full of color, swimming pools, mosquitoes, and shorts. I'll miss you. I am so not a winter girl.

I can't stop saying "cute"

Although I threaten to call the gypsies to come and pick them up, I don't ever do it, that is sell my kids to random strangers. They are still alive and kickin' (and screamin' for that matter), here are the most recent photos I have taken. It has taken me a while to post some new pictures because my computer is behaving very wonky, it has been an all day (no joke) process to get these puppies on here. But it is so worth it, are my kids just the cutest? Well, not as cute as your own of course.Here is my princess, Zoe, all of her big girl self, full of attitude and sweetness all at the same time. She is loving first grade and reading everything she can get her hands on.
Don't even get me started on this lil' stinker, he is in a class all by himself, I love him so much it hurts, sometimes literally ;) Parker is the sports guy through and through. I chose not to enroll him in preschool but in sports activities instead. While I wish for a "break" sometimes I am loving watching him excell in what he truly loves.
And look at this cutie pie... he is a heart melter/breaker already. I love that bald head and he has the cutest Elvis smile you've ever seen. I've read that the baby of the family is a charmer by nature, boy is that true. He is trying to "cruise" around the furniture and he scoot/crawls everywhere. I hate it that he is growing up so fast. He is wearing 18 months to 24 months size clothes, yikes! (He's only 8 months.)

On this day, he waved to the school bus as it stopped to let Zoe off. How cute is that?!

it really works

You know how you hear (or read) tips or shortcuts and you think, "that probably doesn't work!" Well here are two that I have tested and can say they do work!

underarm stains on white shirts:
I mixed a paste of warm water and Oxyclean and applied it to my hubby's $90 (! ridiculous, I agree) white dress shirt. I let it set for about 30 minutes then washed it in warm water with my regular detergent. The stains are gone. Honestly. I was so glad that we didn't have to throw this one out. I can't tell you how many times I watched that infomercial, haven't we all?

exercising while playing:
OK, I love to exercise. I love running (even if my bladder doesn't cooperate- dang three pregnancies!) and pumping iron in the gym but I have barely had time to do so lately. So I have been trying to get my exercising points in through some non-traditional ways. I have been playing with Parker a lot since Zoe is back to school all day. He is a sports nut so playing with him involves balls of some kind usually. Two days ago we played tennis for so long my arm hurts, no joke! Yesterday it was kicking the soccer ball. This morning my (ahem) glutes hurt so bad I can hardly sit down. All these sore muscles must me I was working them out. Yeah me!

right now

Right now: I am watching my baby scoot (not crawl) all over the floor, heading for the dog's cage. My 3 3/4 year old is climbing on the computer table also heading for the dog cage, I suspect he is getting ready to jump on top of it. I am waiting for the table repair man to come because my dog got up on my prized kitchen table to eat food left there and he scratched the heck out of it, grrr! Coupons are printing. Paint in the powder room is drying. Dryer is drying our clothes. My dog just peed on the carpet (do I really love him? Gawd he is bugging me!). My tummy is growling, need my afternoon Fiber One bar. Zoe will be home soon, and then dance lessons will begin. A butterfly just flew past the window. Just a relaxing kind of day around here, for a while anyway...

Phone picture:
just eaten a blue jolly rancher
running through the neighbor's sprinkler
soaking wet
made his hair a faux hawk
waiting for big sister to get off the bus
throwing acorns in the tree for squirrels
this is Parker- almost 4 years old

down in the depths

9 bouncy balls
1 half a silly putty egg (empty)
a (not-eaten) Jolly Rancher candy
dog hair
bird feathers
a granola bar wrapper
a paci
a girl sock
a baby sock
paper scraps from Parker's cuttings
a broken pencil
a deflated balloon
dust, lots of dust

That's the stuff I found under my couch today. 9 bouncy balls, are you freakin' kidding me? It isn't right to have 9 bouncy balls. Ugh!

lifelong member

Nothing tastes as good as new skinny jeans feel!


I made it! I am an official "lifelong member" of Weight Watchers. I got to celebrate last night at my meeting. The best part was when my leader said she thought I'd be a great leader too, hmm, maybe. What a complement. I can honestly say I have really enjoyed this journey. I have learned so much and it is impacting my whole family in many good ways. I hope to continue to "maintain" my current weight while toning, firming and generally increasing my overall health. And did I mention, I love shopping for new clothes! Yesterday I took full advantage of the $15 khakis at Old Navy, and Parker told Daddy, "I love that pants store daddy, they have bouncy balls there!" Well, maybe I'll get some alone time for shopping soon. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying my new clothes in smaller sizes. Yeah me!