So much to share

WARNING: 

This posting is going to be all over the place.  Rather then share each one of these events with you separately I figured it would be quicker for me (and quicker for you to know) if I shared all of these things with you in  one posting.

 

First Up

 The Challenge Update

  1) I managed to scrounge up a few more items for the give-away bag.  I didn't take any pictures because I was to eager to unload my collection of items from the laundry room so Bug and I dropped them off at the Goodwill yesterday.  I don't know if I met the 50 item quota but I sure as heck tried. 

 

2) I sold my road bike.

 

I purchased it 3 years ago as part of an early mid-life crises.  I took to the streets a few times but drivers are crazy and I love my brain too much.  Plus, when I gave birth to Bug I valued my life even more so I had no plans to ever take the bike back out again.  So in the spirit of "unloading" I sold the bike on Craigslist.  With the money I made I added it to the bedroom remodel.

 

3)  I completed a few more projects: 

I glued two books back together.

It took me a year and a half but I finally dropped Daddy's pants off at the dry cleaners yesterday.  Hopefully it won't take me as long to pick them up.

I sewed some buttons back on Daddy's shirt.

I sewed the collar back on Bug's shirt.

I finished the 2nd wet bag.

 

4)  I am working on a re-purposing project however I am afraid it might take me as long as it took me to take Daddy's pants to the dry cleaners.

This is an old "Spring" sign I would hang on our front door year after year.  As you can tell it is a bit faded so I am re-painting it and instead of the word "WELCOME" I am going to paint something else there.  Not sure yet what it's going to say.  Maybe something about the boys or our garden or both.  Who knows.  Once it's complete its new home will be on the grape arbor. 

 

Second Up

I have a (small) confession to make

I am addicted to craigslist. 

Yup, I love selling my crap on there but better yet I LOVE buying other peoples "crap!"

Look at these gems I picked up for $16.00-SIXTEEN DOLLARS!  I bout' fell out of my chair when I saw these at that super low price.

This new set was happily joined into our family by these beauties that I scored at an estate sale several months back.

Of course I couldn't stop there this weekend so I had to buy this dish to add to my growing vintage Pyrex set.

Isn't she gorgeous!

Third Up

My hours were cut at work this week

I am sure you all know that I work in the Real Estate field and I have for the last nine years.  Two years ago my hours were cut from 40 per week down to 20.  We had wanted that to happen when Bug was born so I could spend as much time as possible being a stay at home mom however we wanted the cut in my hours to be on our terms not because there wasn't much money to pay me.  We had always wondered how we could handle the cut in income but we've made it happen for the last two years and I would say that we have a better lifestyle now without that extra income.  We live a simple but very enjoyable life.  

My cut in hours from 20 per week to 10 yesterday didn't come entirely from out of the blue.  I knew things were slowing down.  I see what comes in and what goes out and what's nowhere to be found.  In fact, Daddy and I have talked a lot over the last few weeks about what this year may hold for us.  We had hoped that I could quit my job once Daddy's business started to look more promising this year.  To be honest we are not ready for me to take this pay cut but to be positive some hours are better then no hours so I'll gladly take what is given to me. 

Just like two years ago we weren't sure how we would do it but we've done it just fine and I'm sure we'll be just fine again once the road straightens out.  Once I stopped stressing and worrying yesterday I was able to see the good in the bleak...I will be able to spend more time with both of my boys.  That means we can do more play dates and I can worry less about real estate!

 Or I can come up with more crazy ideas like this one from today...

That leads to beautiful art like this... 

Plus with the extra time I now have I can spend some more time working on my sewing and crafting projects.  With less income this year that means gift giving will have to be a little more creative.

So far I managed to make:

 Bug's friend Payson who will be 2 this weekend his very own apron similar to the one I made Bug.

I've been working on making crayon rolls for Bug's littlest party guest at his up-coming party.

I need to finish making a few more items to complete Bug's kitchen he's getting for his birthday (shhhh1!)

Of course I can finally get Bug's baby book up-to-date before Boy #2 arrives.

Perhaps I can start on this bath rug idea I came across. 

Maybe I should give knitting a try again so I can make sweaters or scarfs for gifts. 

Or even start on Bug's quilt which leads me to.....

Bug has been upgraded to a very big "big boy" bed this week.  We needed to find a home for our full size guest bed so we decided to move it into Bug's room for him to start using.  Of course I had already purchased the material for the back of his quilt back when I wasn't planning on putting him in this bed until he was older so what I have is now too small....bummer!  On a positive note I hit up my favorite thrift store The Family Attic this week and picked up a white flat double sheet for two bucks to use as my base for making my first bed skirt for Bug's bed. 

So it seems with less of my time being committed to the crummy real estate market I'll be keeping plenty busy being a mom and crafter.  

I am off to post something for sale on craigslist. 

Have a good night! 

Lots of Love-SL

Challenge-UPDATE

Everyday this week I've been devoting some time to the newest challenge.  Frankly, finding the 50 things to donate, re-purpose or trash has been a little difficult because since about month 3 of this pregnancy I've been getting rid of stuff left and right. 

Here are some photos of a few things I've gathered to do away with...

Old make-up! Or as Bug said "pens".   

Not long after Bug was born we sort of made this commitment to be as chemical free as possible.  I sort of live by this website when it comes to buying anything from shampoo to body wash to make-up and so on.  I was shocked to learn that all of the make-up I had been wearing was rated a 9 out of 10 with 10 being the worse product you could be using.  It took some time to break the addiction but I only wear face powder and mascara now.  Of course it's still the "9" products because I haven't been able to find anything in town that's rated better so I'm sticking with the "less is more" motto. 

The photo below is of a few things I mustered up to part with.

It's not much but I'm still working at it.

I also managed to work on a few projects this week as well.

First up:  Bug and I spent some time in the kitchen.  We made some cornbread biscuits in an attempt to make our own corn dogs.  As it turns out the "dogs" are better without the "corn".  None-the-less we enjoyed a messy fun time together

 (Don't you just love those fat floured fingers?)

The 2nd Project was enjoying my son's first bubble bath with him.  I know you are probably saying something to the effect of " What!  He's almost 2 and he's never taken a bubble bath"!  Remember the website I mentioned above?  I've never wanted to be your average person and just buy the $2.00 bottle of Superman bubble bath because God only knows what and how many chemicals are in there.  I have fallen in love with a product called California Baby.  Yes, it's a bit expensive but it lasts a long time so tonight I made a special trip to Target to pick up a bottle of their bubble bath for Bug and I to enjoy.

Let me just say that most (if not all) of the California Baby products are rated a 1 and this bubble bath ROCKED!  The cheap bubbles don't hold up compared to this stuff.  We had bubbles for every minute of the 30 minutes we were playing away. 

The last project of the week (so far) was well....trimming my toe nails.

Yes, that is a project for me!  When I have a toddler running around like crazy and I'm 33 weeks pregnant my toes are the last thing to get in love or attention.  I should be good for another month now!

OOPS....I almost forgot the MOST important thing!

Daddy and I took Bug to the bank today to open up his very own savings account.

He was tired when we went so please excuse the not so cute facial expressions.  Because Bug had saved a certain amount of money he received a toy and a lunch bag as a gift.  If he saves a little more he'll get a $25 gift card to Toys R Us.  Hearing that news made his day so as soon as we arrived home he started flipping over the couch cushions looking for lost change :-) 

Lots of Love~SL 

Feeling Inspired

One of the blogs that I follow, Crunchy Girl , took part in a little challenge last year and she's going for it again this year.  I felt inspired by it but maybe it's early nesting--who knows.

So the challenge is to find 50 items in your house to either, donate, re-purpose or throw away (as a last resort).  The mission was supposed to be accomplished between Christmas and New Year but seen how I just read her blog I figured I would throw out that timeline and create my own and add a little extra challenge in there.

Here it goes....between today and lets say the first of February (because I'm very pregnant, slow and tired these days) I would find 50 things to either donate, re-purpose or trash AND I am also going to try and complete at least 10 projects.  I figured this was even more motivation for me to get things in order as we prepare for the birth of our new little man.

Stay tuned to see how things are moving along...