I'm back...almost

I am trying to get caught up with all blogs and stories from our trip while we were away.  Not only am I trying to catch up on here I am trying to get unpacked!  This is just the couch upstairs and after I had worked in the living room for an hour.  I am working on a more detail blog and try to get it up later today.  Did I mention we were doing Christmas this week while were there????

Pure Innocence

RIGHT!!!!  This little girl right here is going to teach me patience even if I don't want too.  She now tries to hit us when we tell her no.  If we are not close enough for her to try and hit our hands or arms she will hit her doll of whatever is in reach.  Well it takes everything for me not to smack her hand and say no.  I mean what is that teaching her.....I can smack you but you cant smack me??  So I don't smack her hand anymore.  Plus I watched The Super Nanny one night and realized I shouldn't smack anyways!!! But no I am getting paid back for smacking her hands those couple of times.  Well anyways, I thought I am going to start ignoring it because maybe shes doing it for attention.  So we are sitting here and I have my legs layed out on the ottoman all comfy and she tries to climb up.  I tell her no and she goes to hit me and I just ignore her.  She did it again and I ignored it.  She stopped!!!!! Yahh I solved the problem.  I am like a mom genius!!

She then bent over and tried to bite my toes!!!!  So much for the genius part.  I guess I am just a mom!

We are headed ouf of town this morning to PA.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

Where does the time go?

WOW! I can not believe thanksgiving is this week.  I remember thinking right after halloween that I was totally going to get on top of decorating for Christmas.  I hate that we put so much into pulling it out of the attic and figuring out where to put things and then turn around and pack it back up.  So why not put it up early????  Yeah why not??  Do you know where my christmas decorations are? Sitting in the vanity area still in the box. We are going out of town for thanksgiving so unless it is up tonight or tomorrow then its put off until next week.  So much for enjoying it longer than I wanted.

Are you sitting there thinking...why aren't you doing it now???  Yeah so am I!!!  Bailey is asleep and I wouldn't want to wake her.

Plus I still have to pack.  We all know that it isn't the easiest to pack for little ones.  I have to make a list when going somewhere because I freak out if I don't have something. I don't plan out my outfits I just take everything I could possible want to wear.  Same thing for Bailey.  Then theres all the shower, makeup, medicine, etc. Come to think of itI may decorate a little bit in between packing.  (Jason says I start to many things at once and jump from one room to another..So I don't want to prove him wrong).


About the pictures....Doesn't your 18 month old read books that big?  Mine does!

Well at least she pretends to and carries that thing everywhere.  The book is the One Minute Manager.  My husband I and both have managed retail in the past.  If you work in most retail stores they make you read this book or at least highly suggest to read it.  Well that book was one we read a few years ago. Bailey came across this book awhile back.  You would seriously think that it was the best picture book that plays all these cool songs by the way she is attached to it. Its nothing but words.  I am just glad she likes books all kids of books!!!!!

Who still has coupons in their purse????

How many of you clip coupons every week??  How many of you print coupons off of the internet every week??  How many of you use those coupons everytime??  How many of you get all the coupons you can, plan your menu around the coupons, have all intentions of using the coupons, then get home and remember.... crap I forgot to use the coupons??  Me, Me, Me, and Me!!! 

At first I did all the grocery shopping without Jason.  So I had all these coupons and go to leave for the store and Jason would be like..."Dont foget to use the coupons."  My reaction is..."Yeah I know leave me alone I won't forget them."  Majority of the time I forgot them...ooooops!!  My excuse (which really isn't an excuse its the truth) is by the time you have picked everything up you need and ran to the back of the store because you forgot something, while having a baby in the front of the buggy wanting out or wanting something to eat...coupons are the last thing on your mind.

Well we  all three venture out to the store and I have tons of coupons from the internet and the paper.  I was so excited to get all these good deals.  We shop and I get everything we need and check my coupons and make sure I am getting the right things.  We go to check out and Jason takes over emptying the buggy and paying.  We get home and Jason goes....."Uhhhh we forgot to use the coupons"  HIS FAULT!!!   Now he knows how easy it is to get distracted and forget to use them.  But boy did he complain when I did the exact same thing! 


Please tell me I am not the only one that has issues remembering coupons???

Favorite Things!!

I came across a new blog today that inspired me to do something new today.  She is having a Favorite Things party.  Check her site out right here after reading my favorites. This is kind of like Oprah does but things I can afford so I know you can too!!

First off I will start with my favorite eyeliner.  I have tried tons of different eyeliners out there.  They all seem to spread under my eye after wearing for awhile.  It doesn't even run when crying or your eyes water.  I always tear up just when laughing hard and look like I just got two black eyes.  I also don't leave the house without eyeliner on so I would say I wear it a lot. It is Revlon Colorstay eyeliner in black.

I also love energy drinks and coffee.  I could drink red bull all day and ever get tired of it.

It always give me some energy.

I am a big fan of Outback Steakhouse.  I could eat there almost everyday.  My favorite thing from there is their cheese fries. I also eat their ranch with everything I get from there.

I have used lots of shampoo and conditioners.  I have had hair from really short to really long.  The longer my hair is the dryer it gets.  The best shampoo I have found that makes my her softer and easier to brush is Aussie Moist. 

One thing I absolutly could not live with out is my BLACKBERRY!  The thing is always attached to my hand.  I am not one to talk on the phone.  I talk to my friend Lindsey for hours at a time but other than that just text me or email me!!  I get email, text, facebook, and all other internet on there.  I would be totally lost if I didn't have it.

I love getting magazines in the mail also.  I don't care what kind it is I will read it.  I sign up for tons of catalogs for stores just to get mail and something to look at. 

I also love love love Vera Bradley.  I have luggage sets, purses, glasses case, makeup bags, fingernail files, change purses, and diaper bag.  Pretty much you name it I got it and I want a new one right now perfect timing!!

Last but not least!!! My camera.  It is a Canon Xs.  I love this thing so much.  I take it with me everywhere.  I am not the best photographer in the world, but it doesn't stop me from taking pictures of everything.  I have had it for about 4 months and taken about 6000 pictures.  I am not even joking because it keeps track!!

Thats about it for now.  I hope you enjoy some of my favorite thing.  I could have went on and on, but didn't want to bore you.  Enjoy!  Dont forget to go check out the party.

Well I am slowly getting some energy back.  I don't even know what took it away.  The little boy I babysit has had a virus and wasn't here for the past 2 days so that has helped by not having another little one around.  It gave me some time to rest when Bailey rested.  It has still been really nice outside here when it should be cold.  I am kind of scared when it actually gets cold because there isn't going to be that in between weather.  It is going to go straight to freezing cold weather. Have I ever told you I HATE cold weather and everything that comes with it!!!!  Since we didn't have Jackson yesterday I decided to venture out to the grocery store to get food until Thanksgiving when we go out of town.  Before we made the dreaded trip to the store we went to the park. 

Will pay for energy!!!!!!

I am a total slacker the past few days.  The weather has been great here the past few days.  It has been in the mid 60s all weekend.  Usually when its nice out I have more energy and the desire to do more things.  Not this time!!  I don't feel like I am getting sick, but I just dont have any energy.  I have napped every time Bailey has and still don't feel completly rested.  NO I am not pregnant!  But I really do feel like I have that pregnancy exhaustion.  (So grandparents get that out of your mind!!!)  Hopefully this will go away SOON!   I got up the energy to clean the living room and kitchen today and pulled some of our Christmas stuff out.  Can't  wait to get it all together.  I am very scared about putting the christmas tree out though.  Little miss sticky fingers has to touch everything.  Not only does she touch she has to hold it and throw things.  Any tips for putting a christmas tree out with a toddler?????

Anger Management

I always said I would have the most well behaved child ever.  I could control the temper tantrums when they happen.  I remember before having kids and  I would go shopping and hear that kid screaming I would always say "Geeez control your kid" under my breath. I also would think "Why dont you just leave?"  WOW have I learned a lot since being that mom.  We went shopping yesterday at the mall and then to Hobby Lobby.  They just put a Hobby Lobby in about 45 minutes from my house.  That is the main reason I chose to go to the mall that far away.  Once we got to Hobby Lobby Bailey was totally over the shopping experience.  Must have been a bad day for her because she usually shops all day with me and theres not a problem. 

Anyways, she did not want to sit in buggy.  I am talking screaming, crying, and trying to stand up in the buggy.  My mom finds me by the screams that are being belted out by some toddler aka my child.  I try my hardest to keep her in the stroller or the buggy because I shop a lot and dont want to get in the habit of having her want to run everywhere.  I keep shopping letting her throw her fit.  I give her her pacifier (which is only for the car and nightnight)  just to try to calm her.  She tosses it across the store.  I let her keep crying while trying to climb out again.  I hand her her sippy cup....it goes across the store.  Yes she is still crying.  I try to calm her down by carrying her for a minute and she wrestles with me to get down.  I refuse!!!  I put her back in the buggy.  I give her a book.  She throws it. 

My mom walks up and I am trying my hardest to entertain Bailey while shopping and she says "I thought you would be ready to leave by now" NOOOOO I didn't drive 45 minutes to come to Hobby Lobby to let my child throw a fit and make me leave.  We shopped there for at least an hour.  She was fine after about 15 minutes of a meltdown.  My theory is she has to know who the boss is and that throwing those fits aren't going to make her the boss. 

We got home yesterday evening and she is fine. She has a riding horse that she likes playing with.  Well the thing obviously made her mad and she picks the thing up and tosses it on its side.  I am beginning to think my child has anger management issues!!!  Can we please skip the terrible twos!?? (The horse is in the background)

Boring shopping trip and fun table!

Hope everyone had a great weekend.   Once again Bailey and I went shopping on Saturday trying to get her some winter clothes and came home with nothing.  This is our situation **I CANT FIND ANYTHING TO FIT HER!!**  She is almost 18 months old and is still mostly in 12month clothing.  I have tons of 12 month pants that I have washed and washed trying to shrink but still too long.  Did I mention I am barely 5 foot!  I guess she inherited my shortness in a major way!  I absolutely love shopping, I could do it every single day.  But this is one time I am getting very frustrated and just want to quit.  She can't wear 9 months because they are too short so that doesn't work either.  I do not even know where to start on sewing anything together muchless hem some pants.  Even if I did that though the waist is still a little too big.  This isn't the first time I have complained about this and I am sure it won't be the last.

On to my evening project this evening.  I know I know....I am supposed to be working on my dining room table but I can't do that until Bailey goes to bed and I have been really tired recently to do that.  It will get done.  Jason tells me I have a touch of ADD when it comes to working on things because I always want to start a million projects at once.

 Anyhoo, I have found a major love for modge podge.  We had this random table that I painted awhile ago and it has sat in many spots in the house.

Bailey has moved it around herself and thrown it around a little.

So I decided I would make the table officially hers.

I took some scrapbook paper that had the alphabet on it.  I cut each square out and then replace them on here.  Now she has a table that matches al her girlie stuff and can use it as a learning area.

Nothing hard at all.  Just modge modged the letters on there and now she has a new tabletop!  Hope she enjoys it onces it dries.

We know that I can barely post anything without  at least one picture of shorty.  This is what I see when I come to get her from a nap one day.  She has learned to take her shirt off, but its the wrong way.  At least she knows to hand the paci over as soon as she wakes up.  One day soon we are going to take that away.

Is it lunchtime yet?

I wish I was getting on here to post pictures of my dining room furniture finished but I am not sorry.  Jason has been out of town to his office in VA and I wasn't about to finish it without him here to control wild and crazy Bailey.  Jason is actually having a colonoscopy today and they are taking a camera down his throat as well. He has really bad heart burn and stomach problems so they are going to check everything out.   In case you are wondering Jason isn't the kindest of people when he hasn't had a meal.  I am talking complaining, grumpy, jump down your throat mean. Honestly its worse than a kid.  If we plan on doing something on the weekends we have to plan it around doing it after he eats or we will be miserable. He can get like this if hes having lunch even 15 minutes later than when he got hungry.  So imagine how peaceful  my house is right now since he hasn't eatin for almost 48 hours!!!!  Not so much!  We are hoping everything goes fine and he can get on some medicine to help with the reflux.  We really can't wait for him to get to eat.  The nurse said that the most asked question about the whole procedure is "When can I eat?"  Which means we can't wait til lunch today........it better be something good!

Hopefully its not pumpkins but we are this excited!!

He can't drive so guess who is taking him?? Hold on tight dad!

Everyone have a great weekend.

Cute canvas pictures....

As I was cleaning out the hutch last week I came across all kinds of things I forgot I had.  There were all kinds of candles, picture frames, and then these...........

I bought these a few years ago at Big Lots I believe.  I kept thinking....hmmmm what can I do with these things.

Now that its fall and getting chilly out we are stuck in the house.  So I get tired of looking at the same decorations, but don't want to spend tons of money (or no money at all )on all news things.  I am trying to think of things to redecorate with what I already have.  So here is what I did with these bad boys.

I printed out pictures...I already have a printer and the paper for it.  The canvas was too big for a 5x7 but to small for an 8x10.  So I printed out 8x10 pictures and had to cut them to fit.  That was the hard part.  I glued them on and then took modge podge and put a coat on them so I looked more like canvas than just a picture glued on there.

They are still a little wet thats why the lines are so distinct here.  I then took black ribbon and glued it around the outside edge to cover up the color of the background.

Took some thinner ribbon and tied it on the hook on the back.  Then made a bow to tie at the top.  Then just hung them on the wall.  Yeah the bows are kind of different but I find it hard to make 2 bows look the same much less 4.  They also look uneven in the picture but they aren't.  I guess I didn't get the right angle!

I also wanted to pass along a blog of a friend of mines.  She is selling Close to my Heart scrapbooking material.  Check out her blog right here.  She also has a give away going on right now. Check out her page when you get a chance.

Brand new hutch...kinda

So last week I talked about the project I have been working on.  Well I have been painting my hutch and dining room table.   When we moved from VA back to WV we didn't have a table or chairs for our dining room.  While living in VA we had a small dining room that served no purpose but for the dog cage and storage.  It was a small apartment and just Jason and I living there.  We ate dinner on tv trays every single night......well the few nights I cooked.  So when we moved into a house that had a decent size dining room that was a wide open space to the living room we kind of had to have one.  Luckily my grandma had a dining room set that she wasn't using because she moved to a smaller house with an eat in kitchen.  It really isn't my style but hey it held my plate up to eat and all the other junk I could fit on there.  I said from day one I wanted to paint it.  (Move moved in here almost 2 years ago)  So poor Jason has listened to me complain everyday that I wanted to paint the table and hutch or buy a new one.  Well let me tell ya some paint is a lot cheaper than a new table.  So we painted it this past week and weekend and this week.....and probably this weekend :(.  Everyone doubted me telling me not to paint wood.  That is wasn't going to turn out.  Well if you know me very well....I paint everything black...so I dont know why they thought I wasn't going to get my hands on this.  Guess what....you all were wrong...I think it looks good!

I am kind of embarrassed to show this picture because I didnt realize how much stuff I crammed in this thing.  Everytime I didn't know where to put something I just threw it in there because I knew one day I would paint it and clean it out.  So please dont pay attention to what is in there if thats possible.

This is the bottom half.  We took the handles off and are getting news ones that go with black and more up to date.  There is also the design in the wood that I didnt care for so I took wood putty and covered it up so it is just smooth.

Here is the hutch primered.  We didn't sand it at all.  The primer that we bought lets you just primer to get rid of the shine and NO SANDING!! (the wood putty was still drying thats why its not white)

This is not the finished project, but you get the picture.  The doors are sitting on top because we haven't found hinges or knobs that we like yet.  I am not sure if I am keeping the same plates in there or not, but I threw things in there so you could see what I was going for. Their is also the door that goes on top and 3 pieces of glass that are missing.

As you can tell the design is gone on the bottom.

Here is the before of the whole room. PS we are getting a new picture for in the room also.

We started on the table.  Its still a bit wet so we are waiting for it to dry really good and then put a gloss on it.  Then of course the chairs have to be done.  Pardon the toys....

Next project...the chairs painted and recovered.