Project Completed!

I have so many little projects that I'm dying to do around the house, and not enough money or time to do all of them.

So today, I picked a simple easy one. And you're gonna love it.

When we moved into this awesomely decorated house, it had the most gorgeous pink blinds in the kids bedrooms. (Thickly laid on sarcasm.)


I have two more sets, if someone is dying for them. You know you want them.

Normally, I'd just have tossed them, but a couple of months ago, I came across the best idea ever!

And today, I followed her tutorial.

I used a little heavier home dec fabric because I didn't want you to be able to see the pink-ness through the fabric. It really was as easy as she makes it out to be. Took maybe one hour, start to finish.

They really just make me so darn happy!

And despite the appearance here, it's not actually crooked. I promise.

If you read the tutorial and have any questions, feel free to ask! You can do this!

Sweet Lovely Relations.

If you can name the movie that my title comes from, I'm sorry. Also, not those kind of relations.

Mother's Day tends to be a kindof sore spot for most of the women I know. We attend church where we are spoken to about the kind of mothers we should be, insinuating that we're not good enough, I guess.

And it's quite distressing for mothers who think that Mother's Day should be one day per year that we don't have to lift a finger... because inevitably, we have to lift a finger. Either our husbands just don't get it, or they don't care, or they don't have the experience necessary to micromanage 4 children to my satisfaction.

BUT. Not this year. I think that making Mother's Day a good day for me involves lowering my expectations. It involves understanding that I will have to help out getting the kids ready for church, I will still have to help juggle kids through Sacrament Meeting, and I may not get the nap after church that I so rightfully deserve. I might even have to make dinner. GASP! I know! I have come to grips with those things and this past Mother's Day was just downright pleasant for me.

I rolled Matt out of bed when the kids started stirring. He didn't even complain once. He brought me breakfast in bed. Possibly a bowl of Lucky Charms and some toast on a rusty cookie sheet. Again, lowered expectations met. There were some lovely handmade cards from the kids and a great gift from Matt (which I picked out and purchased for myself.)

I got to take a long bath by myself and even shaved my legs (I know! Unheard of!)
Matt did most of the kid juggling during Sacrament Meeting, and used his magical abilities to put Lucas to sleep. The speakers were refreshing and the music lovely (I love it when the kids sing!).

I can't remember what we had for dinner, but we had friends over for dessert! All in all, it was a wonderfully amazing day.

My favorite part of the day, however, was this:

A lovely post-breakfast snuggle with my babies.


I know... I'm not exactly look all that foxy. I'm over it.

There's just something so amazingly wonderful about feeling all their HUGE spirits shoved into those tiny bodies so very close to you. I felt my room swell with love.

And I felt a little sad that not every moment in my life as a mother is as sweet as these.

And I resolved to do better. To be a better mother.
And I was.

For 15 whole minutes.

Hodge Podge - Picture Catchup

Sometimes, I just don't blog as much as I'm sure some of you would like.

We're in a maelstrom of end-of-school activities that had me running all last week.

Matt's company picnic was a couple Saturdays ago and it was HOT. Like 96 degrees hot. As in, I felt myself getting trembly and nauseated toward the end, despite plenty of cold beverages and even a pavilion. It was just TOO hot to be outside expending energy that day.



But the kids had a good time. And how could they not, with sno cones and face painters and pony rides and cotton candy and and and!

Even Lucas managed to enjoy a corndog. Gross!

But isn't he the silliest cute thing?
And I captured these two images:


WORTH IT!

And also... the real reason it was a good time:

Matt's first time riding a horse. The girl helping had the horse break out in a slow run (don't know technical horse jargon.) Matt's been seeing the chiropractor ever since. Old fart.

I'm so vain. And you can be too.

I probably think this blog is about me.

Cuz, sometimes, your hair and makeup and the stars align to make you just feel pretty, dangit.

And cuz your husband can't keep his eyes off you, so you must be looking good.

And cuz you just don't have very many pictures of yourself.

Finally, cuz you deserve it.

That's right, I'm encouraging you to get dolled up, take pictures of yourself, and post them on YOUR blog.

Do it for your kids, who may only remember mom in her lounge pants, with no makeup and sweaty ponytail hair.

But mostly, do it for you.

And if you can't seem to bribe your 4-8 year old into taking your picture, and your husband is never around... and you don't like your camera (or whatever).

Call me. I'll do it!

Yep, I think this blog is about me. I can't wait to see the posts about YOU!

An Ode to Us

Nine years ago today. No, I really can't believe it's been that long. And as a testament to how comfortable we've become, we have barely noticed it is our anniversary. We *might* do something this weekend (that does NOT involve Star Trek, sorry Matt).

But in all honesty, I really feel like the last year has been wonderful. I've come to love this man more than ever. And more than I thought possible.

I've come to appreciate his quirks, predict his responses and gain a lot of respect for him.
Circa Spring 2000.
And while in one breath it seems like just yesterday that we were deciding where to Honeymoon, in the next it seems SO long ago. A whole 4 lifetimes removed.
You know, these lives.







9 years, 4 kids. And a whole stinkin' lot of love later... life feels great.


(...knocks on wood...)

Totally After the Fact.

My dad came and visited me last week. He flew down on Monday night and went home on Saturday afternoon. The interim was spent napping, talking, playing UNO, tickling, cuddling and more napping.

Except I did manage to put his skillz to good use.
You see, the girls have alot of books. Three large boxes of them. And no bookcase. So when we moved, I wouldn't even allow them to open the boxes of books until we solved this little problem.

Their room before:


Some during shots:

Me drilling the holes which will make it adjustable. We used a piece of pegboard as a template to have uniformly spaced holes. Worked like a charm. My dad is so smart.

I would have loved to use hardwoods to build it, but it would have cost close to $100. We opted to use a birch veneer plywood instead. It turned out awesomely.


My dad even spent the better part of an entire day working just to get our semi-cruddy table saw aligned and everything. He also did 90% of the cuts. I did none. I value my fingers, he apparently does not.


Matt was working long hours all week long, but he did manage to find a couple of hours to have my dad show him how to use the table saw. Matt made the other 10% of the cuts. We ripped a thin (3/8ths inch?) piece of poplar to face the entire bookcase, so you weren't staring at a cross-section of plywood from the front. Worked like a charm.


I had to leave the room pretty much any time Matt was operating the saw. It terrifies me. He also needs all his fingers!
Some quick coats of primer, some sanding and some paint and...


the after shot! I'm figuring a final cost to be about $40.

And now I can get to work on making a cushion-seat thing for the rest of that window seat.