dtothe4thpower

Fixed Freebies

2011-01-27T13:31:00.001-08:00

I have had some comments pointing out to me that my free printables for the the Book Labels, Robot Pattern, and Menu/Shopping List no longer work. I have moved them to a different site, so they should be available again. I am sorry for the inconvenience!

Fairy Blog Mother

2011-01-20T10:01:00.001-08:00

Fairy Blog Mother is a site that vows to make all your bloggy dreams come true. I know there are some of us bloggers that can’t figure out how to make their blog look fabulous to save their life. Well, stop worrying! For an amazing price, Fairy Blog Mother will totally make over your blog!

And guess what? Over at one of my favorite blogs, Oops I Craft My Pants, Fairy Blog Mother is giving away a new blog design plus all the extras!

Enter the giveaway here! Good luck!

Fun & Easy Chore Charts

2011-01-03T11:25:00.001-08:00

I stayed up until midnight working on these adorable chore charts. First I sketched out pictures for each of the chores that I wanted the boys to be responsible for. Then I scanned them in, and shrunk them down a bit. I made them a little chart, and printed that out and laminated it.

Then I cut out my pictures and made them into magnets using THIS tutorial from Little Miss Momma.

I think they turned out great! The boys actually got excited and did some chores this morning. Woot woot! They love moving their magnets over to the “all done!” section.

Every chore completed gets them 10 cents and 7.5 minutes on the Wii. If they complete them all, they (well, D3 does…D4 doesn’t care all that much yet.) get an hour on the Wii every day, and by the end of the week D3 will have $5.60, and D4 will have $2.80. We may round up for them if they do every one of their chores every day for the whole week. I guess we will decide that ~~if the time comes~~ when the time comes!

I Resolve…

2011-01-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, bloggie buddies! I hope your 2010 was awesome. Mine was, but I am very much ready to see what 2011 has in store for us! I (of course) have a long list of Resolutions for the new year. I am making them public in hopes that ~~I will feel guilted into~~ it will motivate me to keep them.

Ahem.

1. Get back on my low carb diet, and hit my goal weight
2. Plan a weekly/monthly cleaning docket, and stick to it.
3. Do at least one load of laundry a day.
4. Get organized!
5. Play more with my kids.
6. Do a devotional as a family. Every day.
7. Have 'learning' time every night with the kids.
8. Have a family togetherness night once a week.
9. Make new chore charts, and make the kids stick to them.
10. Try my best to stop yelling!
11. "Pay it Forward" several times throughout the year.
12. BLOG AT LEAST 5 DAYS A WEEK!

I’m sure there are more things I need to do to better myself, and my family…but that’s all I can think of at the moment. So there you go. Hold me accountable.

Mantel Makeover

2010-08-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

My mantel was sad. Very sad. In fact my whole living room was in major need of some color. I needed to do something about it. But what? I began to look around my house for things that could be recycled. Even UPcycled. When what did I find? This little beauty:

There it was just sitting in the back of my closet. Screaming "Help me!". And help it I did. Just a little bit of Rust-Oleum American Accents in Aqua, and voila!

I painted a few picture frames...

...and added a little wooden "happy".
Just look at the difference.
Color. EEP! I just stood and looked at it forever. Now for some throw pillows. {Dot dot dot}

Framed Fabric Menu Board Tutorial

2010-07-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

I am still loving this Michael Miller fabric. Especially this "Bite Me" print. Love. It. So, I decided to make use of it in my kitchen. Hence the framed fabric menu board tutorial. Say that five times fast. Moving on.

You will need:
*A picture frame. Mine is 11"X14".
*Fabric the same size as your frame plus a little more than 1/4" extra all the way around.
*A glue gun.

First you need to take the back off of your frame. This is what you will glue your fabric to. Lay the inside of the back (does that even make sense?) on the wrong side of your fabric. Center it.

Then fold the extra up and over. Glue.

Do this all the way around.

Flip it over and admire your amazing work.

Put the back on the frame, and write your menu. I used liquid chalk that I picked up at Hobby Lobby.

Isn't it cute? Now, if I can actually remember to use it every week!

Fabric Covered Coaster Tutorial

2010-07-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the first thing I did with this fun Michael Miller fabric. Fabric covered coasters. Mine used to be Arkansas Razorbacks coasters. But then D4 broke one. They also began to look stained, and well, very unattractive. You can see just how ugly they were in the picture below, but enough rambling. Moving on.

You will need:

Coasters that are in serious need of some cuteness.
Fabric - cut to the shape of your coasters with 1/2 inch extra on all sides. (or more if your coasters are really thick)
Heavy interfacing cut to the size of your coaster. You could use some other type of thin padding, but this is what I had on hand.
A glue gun

Ready? Let's get started. First you will need to glue your piece of interfacing to the top of your coaster. I forgot to take a picture of this part. Sue me. Then turn coaster upside down and place it on the WRONG side of your fabric. Like this:

Then glue down two sides of the coaster and wrap your fabric up and over the glue. Press firmly to make sure it's adhering ok.

On the two sides that are not yet glued, turn your corners in (like when wrapping a present) and then glue it like you did the other sides.

It will look something like this:

Then flip it over, and voila! A new coaster!

My Hogs coasters had come with a black holder. I spray painted that baby aqua, and because of the extra height the fabric and interfacing gave the coasters they fit nice and snug in the holder. Cute, huh?

I'm Baaaaaack!

2010-07-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

Whew! That was a super long sabbatical, huh? I am extremely amazed that I only lost like 1 or 2 followers. That's dedication, people. Anyway, I am back. I am committed. I have several ideas. So, while I get them ready I will give you this to drool over:

Isn't it delicious? I have things planned for this. Oh yes I do. Keep watching.

Not So Scary Halloween Give-Away

2009-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

You know what I love? Halloween. You know what else I love? You Can Make This!

With the huge variety of downloadable patterns and tutorials, even the most inexperienced crafter can make just about anything. From photography and digital scrapbooking, to cooking and baking, to sewing childrens clothes you are sure to find something you'll love doing!

And guess what, bloggy buddies?! You Can Make This is giving away a $50 bundle of Halloween downloads to one of my lucky readers! The downloads include:

Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu recipes
Pumpkin Polly Applique Patterns
Paper Piecing Project: Pumpkin Patch Pillow
Frayed Applique "Too Cute to Spook": 18 Patterns
Little Miss Spider Applique Patterns
How to Applique the Easy Way
Hocus Pocus Applique Patterns
Just a Little Something for a Happy Halloween: Table Runner

All you have to do to enter is visit You Can Make This and leave me a comment telling me your favorite pattern on their site.

Additional Entries:
(Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry.)
1. Become a follower of D to the 4th Power. (If you're already a follower, tell me so!)
2. Grab my button and display it on your blog! (If you already have it, let me know!)
3. Sign up for the You Can Make This newsletter.
4. FOR 3 EXTRA ENTRIES: Blog about this give-away, and leave me the link to your post.

If you enter, and do not have a blog of your own that I can contact you through, please make sure you leave your email address in your comment. That way I can get you your patterns if you win!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm CST on Saturday, October 24th. I will pick a winner using Random.org on Sunday, October 25th.

Forgive Me?

2009-10-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

So sorry I've been out of the habit of blogging, bloggy buddies. Things have been crazy, and I just haven't even taken the time to write anything at all. I think the break has been good for me, though. I've gotten a lot done. (Cleaning, organizing, throwing a baby shower, etc.)

So, would you forgive me if I had some giveaways? I thought so. Stay tuned.

We Have a Winner!

2009-09-09T05:43:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered my See Kai Run Giveaway! I have chosen a winner via Random.org.

And the winner is Missy! Congratulations, Missy!

I have emailed the winner, and am awaiting a response. If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Saturday Show & Tell - The Lunchboxes

2009-09-05T20:25:00.001-07:00

Again, sorry about the quality of the picture that I took of these. It does not do them justice AT ALL!

It seems a few of my bloggy buddies are interested in knowing how I made these adorable lunchboxes for my kiddies. It's super easy! Here is how I did it (even though I didn't take pictures while I made them for a step by step visual - bad, bad blogger).

Step 1: Buy a metal lunchbox.

I got mine at Lunchbox.com. They included a thermos, and were only $9.50 each.

Step 2: Make your pretty design.

You can use Photoshop or whatever program you have that is comparable. I actually used Corel Draw, because that's what's loaded on my computer from when I had a job as a graphic designer. I made myself a page that is 7.75 inches wide, and 6 inches tall.

I used digital scrapbooking freebies from Kevin and Amanda (LOVE them, and their cute fonts!!) to make myself a little design that fits perfectly into the 7.75"x6" area. I put their name on it, and a scripture, and then printed it out on card stock. (After I tweaked it 1,947,650 times)

Step 3: Put it on the lunchbox, already!

I cut it out, and rounded the corners a bit. I spread Mod Podge on the back of the card stock and stuck it onto the lunchbox. Then I coated the crap out of the whole thing with more Mod Podge to make it stay for-evah. (I wiped the excess off the sides of the lunchbox before it dried) It dried, and VOILA! The cutest stinkin' lunchbox around!

**The Mod Podge makes it water resistant, but not water proof. So, you don't want to let it soak in water, but you can clean it with a clorox wipe, or a wet washcloth.**

Disclaimer: D to the 4th Power cannot be held responsible for the other parents who may ask you a million times where you bought this wonderful lunchbox, become jealous of your amazing talents and beg you to make one for their child.

Freebie Friday - Menu & Shopping List

2009-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, bloggy buddies, but I like to be organized when I go to the grocery store. If I'm not I spend way too much, and I usually buy too many cookies, and not enough stuff to make meals. So I created this:

It gives me a place to plan my menu for the week, and as I'm doing that I can write down the ingredients I'll need on my shopping list! Plus, it's cute! You can download one for yourself HERE.

Enjoy!

**Freebie Friday Printables are for your personal use only!**

See Kai Run Giveaway

2009-08-31T19:35:00.001-07:00

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

I'd like to introduce you to my newest love, See Kai Run. Their shoes are SO adorable. Even the boy shoes. They have shoes for infants, toddlers, and big kids!

I was so excited when I got word that I could do a review and giveaway for these fantastic shoes! I was even more thrilled when I got mine in the mail! I chose the Mazi style in their Smaller line, for D4 to try. They look like this.

I wasn't the only one who was excited, though because D4 loves to get new shoes. He loves it even more when you ask about his new shoes!

Why your child needs a pair (or five) of shoes from See Kai Run:
* The soles are very flexible which is the next best thing to barefoot.
* The upper part of the shoe is crafted from butter soft sheepskin leather, which is more durable than cow leather.
* The wide opening and toe box gives a comfy fit to even the chubbiest feet.
* The velcro closure makes putting them on and taking them off a breeze.
* They feature a padded collar for extra comfort.
* The leather lining is both sturdy and breathable.
* They are adorable! With the hip styles, modern color palettes, and bold designs you child is sure to be the talk of the playgroup!

We've all heard that pediatricians now agree that barefoot is best for proper foot and muscular development. However, that is not always feasible. See Kai Run's shoes are ideal because the flexible soles give the protection your child needs for indoor and outdoor play, yet it doesn't restrict their growing little feet. I love that the Smaller shoes have two non-slip rubber pads for traction. That's useful for when baby is just learning to walk, like D4!

See Kai Run is offering one D to the 4th Power reader the shoe of their choice from the See Kai Run or Smaller lines. (Sorry, the Eleven line is not available for this giveaway)

All you have to do to enter is visit See Kai Run, and leave me a comment telling me what pair of shoes you'd pick if you win!

Additional Entries:
(Be sure to leave a separate comment for each additional entry.)
1. Become a follower of D to the 4th Power. (If you're already a follower, tell me so!)
2. Grab my button and display it on your blog! (If you already have it, let me know!)
3. Sign up for See Kai Run's mailing list.
4. FOR 3 EXTRA ENTRIES: Blog about this give-away, and leave me the link to your post.

If you enter, and do not have a blog of your own that I can contact you through, please make sure you leave your email address in your comment. That way I can get you your shoes if you win!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, September 8th. I will pick a winner using Random.org on Wednesday, September 9th.

My Blogging Hiatus

2009-08-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry that I haven't posted in several days, bloggy buddies. But we've been gettin' ready for preschool, y'all! So instead of blogging I've been working.

on this:

I made this nap mat for D3's BFF, Isabelle. She is starting Mother's Day Out for the first time, and is going to get to be in D3's class! She is super excited, and so she had to have a cute new nap mat!

and these:

I am IN LOVE with these lunchboxes that I made for D3, D4, and Izz. The picture just doesn't do them justice at all. They each have their name, their picture, and a little Bible verse on them. They also have a matching thermos! Yay for Mod Podge!!!

and this:

Ok, this has nothing to do with preschool, but I had to show it off anyway. Isabelle's Daddy is thinking about writing a children's book about her, and he asked me if I'd draw a character for him for inspiration. If he likes it, and if he ends up writing and publishing the book, I will get to illustrate it. Keeping my fingers crossed! What the little girl is wearing is SO Isabelle, too. She likes to dress herself and it is always sure to not match at all, AND look adorable.

So, those are my excuses. If they aren't good enough excuses, let me know. I'll give you different ones. I am full of excuses :) Just ask my hubs!

I am about to post a give-away, so check back this evening!

Stain Removal Magic!

2009-08-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

I have this adorable little seersucker suit that was D3's easter outfit a couple years ago. I got down the tub of size 18-24 months stuff for D4's fall wardrobe, and this suit was in there. But there was this horrible, HORRIBLE stain on the jacket. It looked like someone had spilled juice on it and it had gotten put up anyway, and it sat and made a rusty looking stain on it. So, I googled how to get rid of rust stains, and the one I tried worked! I was so excited that I rushed to the computer to tell all my bloggy buddies about it. (Yes, I do have friends IRL.)

All I did was take a little bit of lemon juice and cream of tartar (see it was a good thing I had that cream of tartar - whether it was for a snickerdoodles recipe or not is beside the point), and made a paste. Spread it on the stain (the bad BAD stain), and sat it out in the sun for about an hour. Then I laundered it as usual, and YAY! It worked!!

Wise Guy Wednesday

2009-08-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

I tried really hard to do better on writing down the things that D3 says that make me chuckle. I forgot a few, but remembered to write down several. Sometimes it's not what he says but how he says it.

*I was putting him in his car seat the other day, and he was asking me for the 4,398,720th time if he could play the Wii when we got home. I said "I told you that we would talk about it when we got home. Now chill." His reply (in his little hick accent that he inherited from D1 - not me, I swear) is, "Well THAT ain't a BAD idea!" What? No more Dukes of Hazzard for you, mister! (Did I mention that he want's a General Lee birthday cake?)

*We are in the checkout line at Hobby Lobby, when D4 apparently has to let out some serious gas. Very. Ve-ry loudly. As if that wasn't mortifying enough, D3 (who, by the way doesn't own an inside voice) says rather proudly, "Good one, Dray!" Yeah. Give me some knucks.

*I walk into the kitchen to check in on the boys who are eating breakfast, and notice that all of D4's breakfast is across the room on the floor. Why did you throw your breakfast?!!" I asked. And in a tone that made me realize that he is already a kazillion times smarter than me (look out!) D3 answers, "BECAUSE, Mom. He's NOT hun-gryy!" Did he just roll his eyes at me? Seriously. You're three.

*Ok, so D1 sprained his ankle a couple weeks ago playing basketball. I swear he thinks he's still sixteen, but that's a story for a different day. Anyway, this past weekend he said that he needed to go somewhere to buy himself a leg brace. (he was borrowing one from a friend) We went on about our business for a little while, and then D3 says out of the blue. "Mom, can I go watch Dad in the leg race?" Honey, Daddy couldn't beat great-grandma in a leg race right now.

*I saved the best for last, because - well - he did, too. Last night at dinner I said to him, "It appears to me that you have not even touched your chicken OR your green beans, and Daddy, Draden and I are almost finished." And he says...drumroll please... "Oh, buy me a river!" He makes me so proud. LOL

Tasty Tuesday - Mexican Pizzas

2009-08-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 Old El Paso Gordita Dinner Kit
1 lb lean ground beef
1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
1 tomato, diced
1 small can sliced black olives

Directions:
Brown ground beef. Drain. Add taco seasoning (from dinner kit) and water according to instructions on the box (or to taste). Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet, and cook gordita shells one at a time until golden brown on both sides.

Top gordita shells with a thin layer of refried beans & salsa, and then add your other toppings to taste. Top with cheese. Cut each shell into four slices with a pizza wheel. Serve warm. Makes 8 mini pizzas. Enjoy!!

I've been tagged!

2009-08-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

My bloggy buddy Multiple Personalities over at Pocketful of Bliss tagged me in this fun game of sorts.

Go to the place where you upload all your photos (I use Shutterfly.com). I guess if you don't upload them online then you can just go to wherever you store your pics on your computer. Open the oldest album, and post the first photo. Then tell the story behind it. Oh yeah...then tag 3 people!

I only started using Shutterfly about a year and a half ago, so my pics aren't THAT old.

This is my littlest man, D4, at about 6 weeks old. The weather was nice, so we were playing outside that day. I had him laying on a blanket in the yard, and my cousin (B) snapped this picture. So cute! It seems like so long ago now, but at that time the days were dragging. He had terrible colic. Nothing helped, and believe me...I. Tried. Everything. When it wasn't 7:00pm-11:00pm he was such a sweet baby. Like in this picture. It's crazy how time flies. The 3 months of his colic seem like a drop in the bucket now. But boy while it was going on it seemed like forever! Now he's taking a nap in his big boy bed. *sniffles*

Hmmm who should I tag?

Miss Judi over at BentleyBoutique
Sarah at BrownPaperPackages
And lets not forget those fetchtastic girls, Val & Demos over at LettersFromValentine

You're it!

Please Vote!

2009-08-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am already tired of requiring myself to blog about a specific thing every day. Who'da thunk? Don't ask my family, that's for sure. They don't think I ever stick to anything. Hmmph! But really, I'd like to just blog about whatever, whenever. So I'm limiting myself to three weekday memes.

Please vote for your favorite two weekday memes in my poll to your right. I'll pick the top two and do those! Thanks bloggy buddies!

PS - Freebie Friday's are a given :)

Matrimony Monday - Wedding Disasters

2009-08-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

My wedding disaster wasn't all that disastrous, but it still stunk. After the photographer was 30 minutes late, my mom calls him. She might have even called him at home (you'll have to forgive me that day is a blur!) Anyway whoever answered the phone told her that he was out of town camping or something. My mom FLIPS. Apparently it got back to photo dude, and he was there within an hour. He was over an hour late. There was maybe half an hour before the ceremony for him to take pictures, so we took most of them in a rush afterward. We didn't get any family pictures to speak of, and we totally missed our reception (minus the cake cutting part). Then after we were done taking pictures and most of the guests were gone, one of the candles caught some tulle on fire, and that was a big mess. It was put out before any major damage was done, though - thank goodness! Point of the story is we don't have very many pictures from our big day, and we wouldn't know who came to the wedding if it weren't for the guest book!

How about you? I want to hear your wedding disasters!

Saturday Show & Tell - The Boys' Bedrooms

2009-08-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to post today, but I got conned into playing in a co-ed softball tournament. I am not athletic. At all. Anyhoo, I thought today I'd show you all the hard work that's been going on in my kids' rooms.

First, a little background info. So before D4 was born we, of course, made him a nursery. I didn't want to make it all babyish right off the bat, because I had it in my mind that the boys would eventually share a bedroom. I was thinking bunk beds for their bedroom, and then the room that was currently D3's would turn into the playroom. So I made D4's nursery a camping/rustic theme. I used what little budget I had to buy paint and canvases, and a little window wall mural to decorate. I also used some cabin-ish things that I already had in the house (knickknacks and whatnot). AND because my husband is so ~~tight that he squeaks when he walks~~ frugal, we used half of D3's bedroom furniture for the nursery (ie: the dresser/changing table combo and his headboard which when combined with some other pieces converted back into a crib).

Fast forward to the last couple weeks. D4 was not sleeping through the night. He was waking every hour or so. It was really annoying. I wanted to ~~lock~~ ~~him in a dungeon~~ help him to sleep better. I remembered that at about this age (17 months) D3 started doing the same thing. We figured out it was because he was so big, and he tossed and turned so much that he was bumping into the sides of the crib. So we got him a big boy bed (full sized) and all was saved. I started thinking about the bunk beds again. It was time to move D4 into a big boy bed. Then I remembered that all they do is fight already, and that maybe they might need their own space to go to for refuge. I nixed the sharing a room idea. We ordered a bed and a chest for D4's room. Then D3 decided he wanted D4's room. He wanted the "huntin'd" room. If you need explanation as to what huntin'd means check here. That's how we got into this huge project that I'm about to show you. The swapping and redecorating of rooms. ~~UGH~~ YAY!

Here are the before pictures of D3's room:

And the after pics of what it looks like now as D4's

And here are the before pics of D4's room:

And the after pictures of what it looks like now, as D3's room:

By the time I bought the bed and chest, there was enough of D1's ~~teensy weensy~~ generous budget to buy a toy shelf for D4's room. Nothing new for D3. Of course there are a few more things I need to get/do here and there as I get the money to. Like, a little more artwork or something for the walls in D4's room, and I need to take the drawers out of the changing table in D3's room and cut some boards to make it into a desk for him.

All in all, I enjoyed doing it. AND the best part is that D4 slept through the night in his new bed :)

Freebie Friday - Robot Applique

2009-08-21T13:27:00.001-07:00

Today's freebie is for the robot pattern I used to make

|
|
|
\/
THIS

Just print, and cut it out. If you make your own, I'd like to see it! Download the pattern HERE. Enjoy!!

This pattern is for personal use only!

Go easy on me. It's my first time.

2009-08-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

My first time to appliqué a shirt, that is. I decided to play around with some scrap fabric. I drew up a little robot, and turned it into this:

What do you think? Personally, I think D4 is going to look ADORABLE in it! Yes, the robot is frowning. That was an accident, but I didn't hate it enough to rip the stitches and try for a smile. :) Oh, and if you like it enough to try and make your own - come back Friday for Freebie Friday! I have a feeling that this pattern is going to be up for grabs!

Wise-Guy Wednesday

2009-08-19T13:21:00.001-07:00

Wise Guy Wednesdays (a.k.a. D3isms) are all about the things that my oldest, D3, says.

I've been telling myself forever that I need to write down all the funny things that D3 says. Because he's hysterical. This WGW thing will hopefully motivate me to do that. But, since I just thought of this I don't have much that I can remember that he has said lately. Instead, this time I'm going to list a few of his phrases, and what they mean.

Firsty First = First things first
Nowheres = Underwear
Are you serious kiddin' me? = Are you serious/Are you kidding me?
Bask Whale = A really big bass (he's serious about fishing)

Anything that ends in the letter "N", ends in the letters "ND" to him.
example : Fine, then! = Find thend!; Can we go fishing? = Cand we go fishind?

Ok, so none of these are all that funny. BUT, I promise to keep record starting today!

Tasty Tuesday - Sweet Surprise Salad

2009-08-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sweet Surprise Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach
2 roasted boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
1/2 - 1 cup strawberries (thinly sliced)
1/4 cup almond slices

Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup fat-free creamy salad dressing (Miracle Whip)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1/8 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
**Whisk ingredients together and chill until ready to use**

Toss salad ingredients and drizzle dressing to taste. YUM!

Matrimony Monday - The Proposal

2009-08-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Matrimony Monday is where I'll share stories about my marriage, and give the occasional marital advice. Feel free to grab the Matrimony Monday button & use it on your blog!

I always like to hear how people proposed, so I thought our proposal story would be a great place to start my Matrimony Monday meme.

Not very long (I'm talking two or three months) after D1 and I started dating he took a job about 3 hours away. He moved his clothes and a few things into an apartment there, but kept the biggest part (which wasn't much - he was a bachelor!) of his furniture in his house. He traveled home every weekend to visit family. And me. We spent what time I wasn't working at my part time job together on Friday nights, Saturdays & Sundays. We had been dating - off and on, because of his commitment phobia - for a little more than a year, when he finally decided he'd better crap or get off the pot.

July 29, 2001
He was home for the weekend, and I had spent the night with him at his house. (We were good, I promise) Now, D1 is a morning person. Sleeping in to him is staying in bed past 7:00am. Not. me. I hate to get up in the morning more than anything! So anyway, he had gotten up and was beating around in the kitchen as I slept with the pillow over my head. Really annoyed. About half an hour later he comes in the bedroom and says "I made you breakfast." I grunted or growled at him or something. He says "Sit up, I made you breakfast in bed." I whined that it was too early, and that my back hurt...asked him to rub my back. Whined a little more, and then finally sat up. With a big scowl on my face, I'm sure. I was being such a brat. But, hey, I was a kid...19 years old. He had a tray all decorated and set just right with my breakfast. Hmm he's being really romantic. What's wrong with him? Did he do something? Then I saw it. He had pulled a napkin through the ring like a napkin ring. I can't even remember him asking, because I was SO excited! I squealed and hugged him and kissed him, and said yes. And that was that! We married the following May, and have been happily married for 7 years now.

What's your proposal story?

Sunday Scripture

2009-08-16T15:34:00.001-07:00

Saturday Show & Tell - Underoos

2009-08-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday Show & Tell is kinda like Wordless Wednesday, except there are words...and it's Saturday. Basically I'm showing a picture and telling about it, k? Feel free to grab the SS&T button and use it on your blog!

He's SO going to kill me when he's older.

D3 put on his own undies today. Backwards. His little cheekies were hangin' out all cute like and I had to snap a quick picture without him knowing. (He was looking at some baby deer that were in our yard.)

Should I start saving up for the therapy bills now...or maybe I should start saving up incriminating photos for blackmail when he's older. Is it bad that I'm looking forward to showing this to his future wife?

Freebie Friday - Book Labels

2009-08-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm starting something new (well new to my blog). A meme for every day of the week. Starting today!

Freebie Fridays are my way of saying thanks to my readers by giving them one of my creations for free! The freebies will be in .pdf form for you to print out if you wish! For now, you will have to go to a free pdf hosting site to download because that's how I roll these days. Feel free to take my Freebie Friday button and use it on your blog.

In light of the kiddies (not mine, they're still too young) going back to school, I thought you guys might like these cute book labels! You can print them out on label paper, and stick 'em right inside your child's favorite book. Here's what they look like:

Download the labels HERE. Enjoy!

Setting an Example

2009-08-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I had had enough of D3's misbehaving when he and the dog ripped the beautiful nap mat that I made for him for Mother's Day Out. I yelled at him to go to time out. Here's how it went down:

"You just made a really bad choice, mister. You need to go to time-out NOW. Go stand in the corner. I am very angry with you. You ripped this nap mat, and I worked VERY hard to make it for you. I'm not sure that I can fix it!!" (It was my very first ever sewing project, and I got the tutorial here) He ran to the corner crying hysterically, and of course I felt like a 3 year old for yelling at him.

Lord, Give me the words to rationalize with him. Amen.

"D3, you may get out of the corner now. Come sit with me. I want to talk to you... Did you think that it was ok to hit the dog with the nap mat? That made her bite and pull on the nap mat, and then when you pulled it away it ripped. Mommy worked very hard to make that for you, and you chose to play rough with it. Do you think that was a good choice?" "No." "It was a bad choice, wasn't it?" "Yes." "Did you know that your baby brother watches everything that you do? And that he learns to do things by watching you? That's called being an example. You can choose to be a good example to your brother by making good choices, and he will learn to make good choices, too. Or you can choose to be a bad example, and he will learn to make bad choices. Do you want your brother to learn to be a good boy or a bad boy?" "A good boy." "So you need to make what kind of choices?" "Good choices." "That's right. You know, mommy has to be an example, too. I have to be an example to you, and your brother, and even strangers. I need to make good choices, too." "Like when you talk nice to me and not yell when I make bad choices?" "Yes. Now let's try to have a better day. Yes ma'am?" "Yes ma'am."

Sometimes it takes a 3 year old to teach me a lesson. One that I should be teaching him! That stings.

Lord, forgive me for losing my temper constantly with this little guy. I know you gave him to me to take care of and to raise up, but I feel like I'm constantly failing You. And him. Help me to teach him the right way. Your way. Help me to discipline him gently, so that I don't break his spirit. Help me be the mom you want me to be. Amen.

Generous BTS Giveaway

2009-08-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

I found this giveaway and thought I'd share it with my bloggy friends! Monogram Chick is giving away a personalized backpack AND lunchbox! Perfect for all those mommies who have little ones heading back to school. Head on over and enter to win. And don't forget to mention you heard it from me!

YoBaby Review and Giveaway

2009-08-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited to do my very first review and giveaway! I was contacted by Stonyfield Farm to review their new YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals. Unfortunately they are so new that not one of the 3 grocery stores in my small town had them in stock yet. However, I still want to tell you all about them AND tell you all about the awesome prize pack they are giving away!

YoBaby is turning 10 this year, and is celebrating by adding YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals to it's line. YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals are a delicious way to incorporate 3 very important food groups into one meal for your little bundle! Each meal has YoBaby yogurt on top with an ounce of fruit and veggie puree on the bottom. Mom testers were amazed at how delicious these unique combinations tasted, and the babies and toddlers agreed! Yo Baby 3-in-1 Meals are so convenient, and they contain more than 35% of a toddler's daily protein and calcium needs in one grab and go cup. Not to mention it's an easy way to sneak in veggies for those picky eaters!

They come in 3 yummy flavors -
Pear & Green Bean,
Peach & Squash
Apple & Sweet Potato

YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals are just right for baby's growing appetite. And the single serve 6-ounce cup offers 50% more than current 4-ounce YoBaby multipacks. Of course, YoBaby is still all natural and certified organic, made with milk from cows fed organic feed and not treated with antibiotics or artificial growth hormones - since they've always believed organic is not only better for baby, but better for the planet as well.

YoBaby Organic Meals join the YoBaby line of organic yogurts available in a wide range of varieties and flavors, and now including Vitamin D and Zinc. They include YoBaby original, in six variety packs; YoBaby Plus Fruit & Cereal with DHA; YoBaby Plus Fruit & Cereal with Iron; YoBaby Simply Plain, "Baby's First Yogurt;” and YoBaby Drinkables. Visit www.yobabyyogurt.com to learn more.

Though I couldn't find the 3-in-one meals in my town yet, I still wanted to share with you how much D4 LOVES his YoBaby Yogurt! So we did a little "taste test" of our own.

We decided on Strawberry Banana

Hurry, Mom, or I'll be forced to start without you!

Aww, look at that sweet little yogurt face!

Apparently I wasn't shoveling it in fast enough! He had to do it himself.

Buy it!
YoBaby Organic Meals hit natural food store shelves nationwide July 1 and select grocery chains. Suggested retail price is $1.29 for a single 6-ounce serving.

Win it!
Stonyfield Farm is giving one of my lucky readers this awesome prize package!

The prize package includes:
* Reusable YoBaby Bag
* Eric Carle Growth Chart
* Yo Baby Travel Bowl with Lid & Utensils
* Organic YoBaby Bib
* Bundle of 5 FREE YoBaby Coupons

: To enter visit www.yobabyyogurt.com and leave me a comment telling me something you found interesting on their site. You must do this first!
: For one extra entry, become a follower (and leave a comment telling me you did so!)
: If you are already a follower, you get TWO extra entries. (but please leave me two comments telling me that you already loved me!)
: For TWO extra entries add my button to your blog (and leave two comments telling me you did!)
: For THREE extra entries blog about this giveaway. (and leave three comments with a link to your blog post)
: For THREE extra entries become a fan of YoBaby on Facebook. (and let me know that you did!)

**Please make sure I have your email address. You may leave it in your comments as well. **

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm CST on Sunday, August 16 2009.

Have a Blessed Sunday!

2009-08-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

My Very First Award!

2009-08-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

EEP again! I received the "One Lovely Blog" award from mamadorkiness today. Isn't SHE one thoughtful lady! Thanks mama!!

I'd also like to thank my mother for passing on her quick wit, and creative mind...and

Oh, wait! This blog award comes with strings attached. That's right. There are RULES.

1. Claim your award.
2. Post it on your blog along with the name of the person who gave it to you linking it to the person's blog.
3. Pass on the award to 10 more deserving "lovely" blogs.
4. Don't forget to contact the recipients.

So without further ado...(and in no particular order) my list of lovely blogs:

SmellthecoffeeLisa She is so fun and totally random. Her posts always make me smile!
LettersfromValentine These girls are fetchin' hilarious. They 'cracka me up ha-ha'. You can bet that whatever they post is going to seriously make me LOL.
PocketfulofBliss This chick is so cool. She is a few steps ahead of me in raising a boychild, as hers is older than mine. I always get good parenting ideas from her!
AMoxieMom I picked her because she takes such beautiful pictures, and her kids are quite possibly the most adorable kids I've ever seen. I like to get photography ideas from her!
ControllingMyChaos This mama has super good organization ideas, and probably the best recipes ever!
Mamadorkiness Of course I have to give back what I got! Thank you so much for the award. You totally made my day!! I met this girlie right here on CafeMom. Her blog is fun and random as well. Her little girl is adorable and makes for some really fun posts!
LuBirdBaby I so want to be her when I grow up! LOL she has some awesome ideas and is so crafty. I covet.
Shabbyblogs Love love love her blog designs.
ShesSoBlog She's super funny and totally worth reading.
JoysHope Again, I covet. She's awesome, and her ideas are awesome!

Scrapbook Paper Canvas

2009-08-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest masterpiece.

You willsee it on my mantel in the near future!

Want to know how I did it? It's easy!
I used scrapbook paper & and canvas (hence the title of this post!), some mod podge, and a paintbrush and went to town!

First I cut my squares out of scrapbook paper.

Then I taped them together in the pattern that I wanted.

Then I arranged them on the canvas, and mod podged them. Then I cut out a leafy design out of the orange paper, and mod podged that on the top. Voila!

Like I said, this will be on my mantel. It's very much in need of a makeover. As is my entire living room - which is pretty much just shades of beige with a few hints of black. Plus tons of dead animals. Here's a picture...

Consider this the before picture. Everybody say UGH! I know. It's terrible! But my husband loves it, and I love him. So there they are. For now. I have had enough of them completely taking over, and there being nothing "Me" in the living room. I am not going to take ALL of his animals away, but I AM rearranging and making it look a bit better (hopefully). Check back in because I will be updating very soon!

I'm so excited!

2009-08-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

Guess what I just got in the mail??!! 5 tickets to Casting Crowns! EEP! They are coming to my neck of the woods in December, and we (my girls and I) are having a ladies night! They also have a new CD coming out sometime in November. I can't wait for that either!! YAY! Ok, so I just wanted to share in my excitement.

PS- Sorry for all the exclamation points!!!!

Have a Blessed Sunday!

2009-08-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

It's Mah Birthday!

2009-08-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

Yep. I'm the big 2 - 8. Two years from 30, or as a nice friend put it...halfway to 56. BUT, if I have to answer the question Do you feel any older? one more time I may scream. That's the dumbest question I've ever heard. Ok, well not the dumbest, but still. Do I feel any older? Older than what? Yesterday? NO! I was 27 yesterday, does one day really make a difference? Do I feel any older than when I was 18? Uh...duh!

Why does this get on my nerves? Is this a sign of getting older? If so, then yes. I guess I feel older. Sigh.

Prayer Pail

2009-07-31T07:08:00.000-07:00

We've been working for a while with D3 on how to pray. He's got the whole God is Great prayer down, but we wanted to teach him to really pray from his heart. So, I was really excited when I stumbled across this idea from Lu Bird Baby. The Prayer Pail. She gives a tutorial on her blog on how to make one for your family. Here's mine!

We've been using this at the supper table. Each of us (D's 1-3) picks two sticks from the pail, and then we take turns praying for what or who is on our sticks. We still have to help D3 a little, but I'm hoping that eventually he'll be able to do it on his own.

C is for Cooking

2009-07-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

The last time we were at my parents' house, my mom surprised me...ahem...my kids with this adorable cookbook. It's great because all of the recipes are kid friendly. Not only do they make the recipes easy enough for the kids to help prepare them, but they also look appealing to them. EVEN the picky eaters. Trust me, I know!

It is brightly colored, and has tips and tidbits from the Sesame Street characters. In each recipe there are tasks for the parent to do, and tasks for the child to do. It really is cute, and fun!

We had breakfast for supper the other night, and I used an idea from C is for Cooking. I made a house out of D3's waffle, and a sausage link! He ate every bite! I definitely recommend this book for YOUR cookbook collection. You can find it on Amazon HERE!

It couldn't hurt your show THAT much

2009-07-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

This sad little creature is Shasta. D3's lovey. He drags her around everywhere, as you can tell. (Though her white looks white in the picture instead of dingy) She stinks WORSE than a dog, but he likes her smell and won't let me wash her.

Now that the introduction is out of the way, I have a funny story about D3 (that includes Shasta). So, I'm in the kitchen cooking dinner when D3 comes bouncing in all giddy. Here's the convo:

D3: MOM!!! I'n so 'cited to tell you about the good news!
Me: Okay! What's the good news?
D3: God's ready for Shasta to be a mommy puppy, and she's 'bout to have FIVE (he holds his hand up) baby puppies!!!
Me: FIVE baby puppies?!! Wow! That IS exciting. (Where does he come up with this stuff?) I, er, can't wait to see them!
D3: Well, Mom, it's gonna take a while. The puppies have to grow first.
Me: Of course. (How silly of me) So...who is the daddy puppy? (Could have just stopped at 'of course', you big dummy!)
D3: Uh. Um. Uh. I don't know.
Me: (Stupid stupid. Change subject. Oh, good he walked away! Hmm...Shasta is pregnant with FIVE baby puppies, and we don't know who the daddy puppy is. Wonder if we should call Maury, and see if he does puppy paternity tests? Maury, I don't know who my puppy daddy is. I know it's Rover, but one of my pups look like Fluffy, and two have Duke's eyes.)

Hmm, well a puppy daddy show couldn't hurt his ratings THAT much. Finding real daddies seems to be his mission in life anyway. I think it could work.

Why I've Been M.I.A.

2009-07-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

Well, if you haven't noticed, I haven't blogged in over a week. Bad. Bad blogger! Anyone want to guess why?

Give up? Ok, here's the reason...

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**Hangs head in shame**
It's true. I became one of Those Twilight People. My friend loaned me the series ages ago, and I never got around to reading them. Until last week. And then --- I. Could. Not. Put. Them. Down.

So I caved and read all four books so that I could move on with my life. AND (man I am SUCH a loser!!!) I was actually kind of sad to reach the end of them.

What else is there to say?

Easy Purse Tutorial

2009-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: I am not a professional seamstress. In fact, this is only the third or fourth thing I've ever sewn in my life. I am new at this, but I've always been pretty creative so I thought what the heck, I'll try my own tutorial. So this is my first one. Bear with me!

What you will need for this tutorial:
* (2) 19" X 17.5" pieces of main fabric (for outside of purse)
* (2) 19" X 17.5" pieces of coordinating fabric (for inside of purse)
* (2) 5.5" X 9.5" pieces of main fabric (for outside pocket)
* (2) 8.5" X 12.5" pieces of coordinating fabric (for inside pocket)
* (2) 2.5" X 22" pieces of main fabric (for strap)
* (2) large D-rings
* Fusible interfacing (for pockets)

By the way, I HATE using straight pins, so I typically use the iron instead when I can get away with it. Are you ready? Here goes nothing!

First you need to draw out your pattern. I was fresh out of paper bags, so I used the back side of some wrapping paper. This was Hallmark brand, and it has a grid on the back of it. I found that very useful! I hope that the picture is big enough to read! If not, I will do a revised version or a printable pdf of the pattern (WHEN I get time!!) Just let me know!

Then you'll need to cut out the pattern four times. You'll need two for the outside and two for the inside. (Use your 19" X 17.5" pieces)

Next you'll need to cut out your pockets. Attach the two pieces for the inside pockets together (wrong sides together) with the fusible interfacing.

Then iron down the top side (about a half inch) and stitch across. This will be the top of your pocket.

Iron under the other three sides (1/4" or so) and pin to one of the inside pieces of your purse. Stitch around the sides and bottom. Then measure half way across and stitch down (to make it into two pockets)

These are perfect size for dipes and wipes!

Repeat the same process for your outside pocket. It will make a pocket perfect for keys/cell phone/sunglasses!

Here's where my explaining may get confusing. Take one piece of the inside of the purse and pin it wrong sides together with a piece of the outside of the purse. **Do this with the remaining pieces. THEN put it together with the outsides together. (Your inside/ coordinating fabric will be facing outward, and the main fabric will be facing inward)

Stitch around the outside edges.

Turn the purse right side out and then turn the fabric edges in toward each other all the way around the opening. Iron them or pin them or both!

Top stitch around the outside of the opening.

Then take the top part of the sides and thread them through the flat part of your d-rings. Stitch across to hold in place, and then do some sort of reinforcing stitch to make it stronger. (I did a zig-zag stitch)

Next put your two pieces for the strap right sides together. Turn outside edges in, and top stitch down both sides.

Then thread the strap through the other side of the d-rings and stitch like you did the other part. ANNNNDDDD...VOILA! You have a simple little purse!

Hope my first tutorial is helpful, and not too confusing! Please be courteous and use this tutorial for personal use only. Also please let me know if you make one. I'd like to see how yours turns out! Enjoy!!

A Little Weekend Trip: Part 2

2009-07-20T07:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it back in one piece. Wanna hear all about it? Ok. Lets start from the beginning, shall we?

We (the D's) left Friday morning, because D1 is off on Fridays. We decided to go visit Blanchard Caverns on our way. If you've never been to Blanchard Caverns, it is really worth stopping by.

Picture of a formation that looked like a face.

We went on the 1 hour tour. It was amazing...D3 said so. In fact he said, "Wow, God made this cave. This cave is amazing!" He makes me so proud sometimes! We were the only ones with a stroller, so we stayed in back so as not to hold up the line. At one point D4 tried to play with my camera, and when I told him no he did his infamous "pterodactyl squawk" (as I like to call it). A guy in front of us turned around quickly and when he realized it was the baby, he said "Oh! I thought the bats were after us!" We only really saw two or three stray bats, and they didn't come down for a visit. Thank goodness!

Picture of a formation that looked like a battleship.

After the tour was over, we went to the picnic area and ate a sack lunch. Then we took a walk down to Blanchard Springs (aka the water that runs out of the cave). It was very pretty and peaceful.

The path down to the springs.

The waterfall that comes out of the cave.

Then it was time to go to the cabin. D4 screamed the entire way. Pretty sure it was only about a 30 or 45 minute drive, but it seemed like 3 or 4 hours. He had had enough of the car seat. Thankfully, we arrived at the cabin without a nervous breakdown.

We stayed at Wild Bill's Evening Star Lodge. It's a cozy little cabin settled pretty deep into the woods. Very secluded. It has a little creek that runs underneath it. Very peaceful. (Except for the fact that there were 11 people staying in it)

The next morning was our float trip. Sorry, no pictures to post. I wasn't about to risk the safety of my beloved Sony a300 digital SLR. However, my SIL did bring a disposable underwater camera. She promises to get me copies. Anyway, right off the bat we hit our first (and only) rough patch. D1 got confused on how to steer the canoe, and we hit a tree. We did NOT turn over, but the canoe did get quite a bit of water in it. That was enough for D3. He was terrified. Luckily we had made plans to stop a mile and a half into it and have Grandma and Grandpa pick him up if necessary. So out he went! Meanwhile, SIL and nephew were in a canoe together. SIL doesn't like the way nephew, 13, paddled. She threw herself a little hissy and threw her paddle into the river. Ultimately, for her sanity, and the safety of our nephew we decided I would leave the comforts and leisure of D1's canoe, and ride with SIL. Nephew got in with D1. So NOW I had to paddle. And boy did we paddle. Practically the WHOLE way. Nine and a half miles. By the last mile or so we were praying to Jesus that we'd make it. I was pretty sure my arms might fall off. We did make it though, and I'm pretty sure that I heard angels singing when it was over.

That night, we grilled hamburgers and brats and had a combined birthday party for BIL and moi. (It was actually his birthday...mine's not for another couple weeks)

All in all it was a nice trip. D3 wants you to know about his favorite part of the trip. So, in his own words: "My favorite part of the cavin (cabin) was catchin' crowdeads (crawdads) in the creek, and peeing in the creek." He had the best time just playing in the little creek that ran under the cabin. So did D4...he liked sitting on the ground and throwing rocks into the water. So, without further ado...a couple creek pictures.

Catching Crawdads.

Future nephew-in-law with a "crowdead" earring.

Well, I think that's all, folks! We had fun, but It's always nice to come home to your own bed.

Have a Blessed Sunday!

2009-07-19T19:50:00.001-07:00

A Little Weekend Trip

2009-07-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

We are going on a weekend trip with my in-laws. We are staying in a cabin in the middle of nowhere and then going canoeing on the Buffalo River. So, needless to say I won't be blogging this weekend. But, come Monday I will be blogging ABOUT this weekend. D3 really really wants to canoe, too. So we are going to let him (he has a really good life jacket). I know I will be worried about tipping over the entire time. Say a little prayer for us!

Boy Cooties

2009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

As sweet at they are, little boys sure can be disgusting little creatures can't they? It seems like my boys are always dirty. Whether it's actual dirt, dried snot, or just what they had for lunch they are always filthy. Oh, and how in the world do you teach a 3 and a half year old how to "aim"? Is it something that takes a lot of practice? Every time I go to clean the toilets I have to check the bottom for the disgusting sticky puddle of dried urine. It's ALWAYS there.

Mess also seems to follow both my children. Maybe that's boys or maybe it's just children in general. I was sewing a purse today (I will try to post a tutorial soon!)... and I swear I had only been working on it for a minute...and I look up and THIS is what I see.

Do you think that God, knowing that I hate to clean, gave me boys just for a good laugh? Or was it because he knew I would break the bank if we had a girl? It's never a dull moment around here, folks! That's for sure.

I Made a Button!

2009-07-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sometimes technologically challenged. There. I admitted it. So you can guess how excited I was when I found this tutorial from Mommy's Idea! It showed me how to do it, and it was so easy!! If you don't have a button go make one! Now.

Pillowcase Dress

2009-07-13T10:32:00.001-07:00

I made this dress from this tutorial here (thanks, Sarah's Sweethearts!), and just wanted to show it off. It was super easy...it took me less than an hour to make. I plan on making some bloomers to go under it.

I have no idea why I keep making things for little girls. We have two boys, and we aren't planning on having anymore children. It's just so much fun to make girly things! I think I may give this to my niece.

Have a Blessed Sunday!

2009-07-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

It Takes Discipline

2009-07-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

I think the hardest thing about being a mom is having to discipline the children. I am constantly trying to find new and creative ways to get my 3 1/2 year old to obey. He's just too smart for his own good, and is very clever at talking his way out of punishment. That or I'm a sucker for those baby blues!

Either way, I struggle at times. But, I have a couple new tricks up my sleeve. Well they're not new, but I haven't used them personally yet.

#1 - The '3 Strike System': Adorable boy child has 3 times to disobey in one day, and then a toy gets taken away. I made a really cute chart with a road that leads to a green 1, a yellow 2, and a red 3. I also made a little car and truck (one for each child even though D4 isn't really old enough to participate just yet) that will travel down the road. Guess what happens when the truck reaches the red 3? Buh-bye Wii (or whatever he's partial to that day). Here's a picture of the finished product.

#2 The 'Good Behavior Chart': I made this one, too! Personalized just for him! Our chart is a behavior chart and chore chart rolled into one. I have a list of the type of behavior I expect from him, along with some chores that he can do like pick up his toys. Here's his list:

*I brushed my teeth
*I was nice to my brother
*I shared my toys
*I didn't back talk
*I was good at school (He goes to mother's day out once a week during the summer, twice during the fall/spring)
*I picked up my toys
*I said my prayers

Here's a pic of the behavior chart

I don't think this is asking too much of a 3 year old. At least I hope it isn't, because they are hangin' on the fridge and we are starting both of them TOMORROW!!

Freedom Shmeedom

2009-07-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

This is my fashionably late blog about what my Independence Day looked like. Well,
THIS ---->
is what it looked like. From about 5:00pm til midnight-ish. Fortunately our back deck is covered, so D1 was able to grill the burgers and brats for the dozen people that came over. But we did NOTHING else outside. No wiffle ball. No water gun wars. Our 'fireworks' show was cloud to ground lightning.

Instead of our usual festivities we had a Wii bowling tournament. I'm proud to say that I was the champion! **secretly does victory dance** Even better than being the champion is the fact that I took the title away from my mother-in-law! **secretly does even BIGGER victory dance**

My sister and brother in law and their children came over on the 5th and we shot off our fireworks. D4 HATED them with a capital H! We all took turns staying inside with him, but he still screamed and cried the entire time.

<---- my best attempt at fireworks photos.

Home Management

2009-07-06T12:01:00.000-07:00

My eyes have just been opened to the world of Home Management Notebooks/Binders. I thought it was an awesome idea, so of course, I had to make one of my own. It has been a huge help already, and I'm LOVING it!! SO, I thought I'd share!

I decided to name it the Walker Family Home Management Book. For inspiration, I added to the front cover this scripture: She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. -Proverbs 31:27-28

The binder I used (I purchased it at good ol' Wal-Mart) has two pockets on the inside of the cover. I labeled these 'take out menus' and 'coupons'. The first thing in my binder is a pouch with dry erase markers, a pen, and a pencil. Most of my pages I put in sheet protectors so that I can not only protect them, but I can write on them with dry erase markers and just wipe them off and re-use. How green of me, right!?

I started off my book with calendars. I have each month seperately (July - December), and then I have a full year calendar. I keep notes on them like a good mommy and wife!

The next section is 'Routines', where I have listed my daily schedule (morning, afternoon, and evening). My morning routine - as a sample - is as follows:

Morning Routine:
7:30am -
wake up
breakfast
start a load of laundry
8:00am-
get dressed
brush teeth
make beds
start cleaning house (keeping up with laundry)
10:00am-
snack time
play with kids/work on letters & numbers, etc.
11:30am
lunch
finish cleaning house

The next section is my 'to do list'. I just chart important things (not routines) that I need to remember to do that day. I have a page set up that says Call, Do, Go...and a space to write under each section.

Next up is my cleaning schedule. I have a schedule/checklist for each day Monday-Friday. I am trying to go by it religiously.

Then I have my weekly menus, and shopping list section.

Next is the Birthdays and Holidays section, where I keep monthly birthday calendars, and also a Christmas gift checklist.

Lastly I have a finance section for monthly budgets (still have to make a spreadsheet to go in that one), and a home improvements section that has a list of things we'd like to do to our home in the future.

So there you have it, my life in a binder! I seriously recommend doing one of these if you are not the most organized person in the world, or if you just have trouble being motivated. So far (and I realize it's just been a few days) it has helped me be more disciplined!

And, because I love my followers so very much here are some free printables that I made for YOUR very own book! Enjoy!!

Operation Look Awesome - Day 8

2009-06-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

BREAKFAST:
Peanut Butter & Banana Wrap
* 1 tbsp peanut butter
* 1/2 banana, sliced
* 1 whole wheat tortilla
(warm tortilla in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for a warm breakfast!)

LUNCH:
Cucumber Tomato & Basil Salad
* 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
* 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
* 2 oz low-fat part-skim milk mozzarella cheese, cubed
* 1/4 cup diced fresh basil
* 1tsp extra light virgin olive oil
* balsamic vinegar to taste
* pepper to taste

DINNER:
The Basic Three
* 4 oz lean meat (I'm doing some baked chicken)
* 1 to 2 cups green veggies (I'm actually going to use a yellow veggie, because my FIL gave us a ton of squash, and we need to eat it!)
* 1 cup whole grain brown rice

WORKOUT:
30 minutes - Cardio
30 minutes - Sculpting the booty & abs

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS (as of this morning):
4 lbs

So I haven't lost any more weight, but I haven't gained either. I made it through the weekend, which included a birthday party and a fish fry without gaining. Soooo back on track today!

**probably won't post progress everyday because that gets old and boring!**

Operation Look Awesome - Day 3

2009-06-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't notice, I skipped posting about day one and day two. Sue me.

BREAKFAST:
Turbo Fuel Parfait
* 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt or 1 cup cottage cheese
* 1 cup chopped breakfast fruit (I did strawberries, blueberries, & banana)
* 1 tsp honey or brown sugar

LUNCH:
Jam-Packed Sandwich
* 2 slices whole grain bread
* 4 oz lean meat (I'm using turkey)
* Lettuce to taste (I'm using baby spinach)
* 1 slice tomato
* Sliced cucumber
* 1 tsp mustard

1 piece of fruit (probably an apple)

DINNER:
The Basic Three
* 4 oz lean meat (I'm doing some lean flank steak)
* 1 to 2 cups green veggies (I'm doing fresh green beans)
* 1 cup whole grain brown rice

WORKOUT:
30 minutes - Cardio
30 minutes - Sculpting the booty & abs

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS (as of this morning):
4 lbs!!!

Lifestyle Change

2009-06-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Ok so it isn't the new year or anything, but I can still make a resolution. Right? I have begun my journey to eat right and exercise! YAY, me!! I am VERY determined, because I not only want to lose weight and look great, but I want to feel better. I'm tired all the time, and I just feel blah. A lot of it (I think) is because I don't feel good ABOUT myself.

So how am I planning to do this?
Welllll...a little thing called an infomercial hooked me. LOL. So I bought Chalene Johnson's Turbo Jam Maximum Results package. You can find it HERE. So with this I'm planning to look awesome by the end of summer.

1. It comes with a diet plan that I am going to follow strictly for as long as it takes me to pass by the cookie aisle without a second thought. Then I will (hopefully) be able to branch out and make my OWN good choices where groceries are concerned!

2. On top of the diet plan, the work outs are so much fun! They go by really fast, and although I can definitely feel the burn - it doesn't seem all that hard because of how fun they are. I can also ring the sweat out of my hair when I'm done. I know - ew, right?

What's my goal?
Well, I started this week (Monday to be exact), and I was 147 pounds. (I'm 5'4") BTW...I'm not posting my before picture just yet.... (I really don't want to scare anyone away from my blog!) So, It's Wednesday and I've lost 4lbs already! YAY!!! Haven't measured to see if I've lost inches - I figured I'd give THAT at least a week!

1. I would like to get down to about 125. That would be my ideal, feel awesome about my body weight.

2. I would like to have a flat tummy and ripped abs, a tighter booty, and a few less thighs.

On top of the body change, I'm inspired to dip into the Word way more than I do currently (which is on Sunday... *hangs head in shame*). So, I'm going to be reading the Bible daily. I'm determined to FIND a "quiet time", and succeed in growing closer to the Lord. I've been a very VERY bad Christian in this aspect lately. I don't make the time to study His Word. I'd much rather sleep in than get up a few minutes before the kids and read my Bible. Perhaps I would feel a little more revived if I just give it a chance. So I'm starting THIS tonight or tomorrow.

Any prayers, or encouragement WILL be greatly appreciated! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Outdoorsy Me

2009-06-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like hiking through the wilderness.

Close your eyes and imagine with me...

The birds are chirping... the wind is blowing through your hair... You stumble upon a beautiful white tail and take its picture...

This is the perfect way to spend an afternoon, right?

Psssh. Right. And let the mosquitoes eat you alive, and risk seeing snakes, and everything else that comes with nature. Not this girl! I am so not interested in being one with nature. However, I do think it is beautiful from a distance. Which is why I took this picture from my back deck. I zoomed in so that it would crop out the kids' swingset that is next to the deer. And then I hauled hiney back in the house before that bad bumble bee could get me. End of story. D2 Out.

The Beach

2009-06-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

Ahh the excitement of the first vacation as a family! Oh the anticipation of how wonderful it's going to be to witness the little ones faces as they see the beach for the first time! The packing for 3 people and a baby for 8 or 9 days, the planning, the dreams and the expectations...

How was my trip to the beach? I'm glad you asked! Do you have 100 years?

The kids did surprisingly well riding in the car for 10 hours as we traveled to Mobile to stop for the night. D3 watched the Dukes of Hazzard like 83 times before he finally switched to Blues Clues. It kept him quiet pretty much the whole trip - except when he'd scream out at the last possible second of holding his bladder "I need to go potty REALLY bad!" Luckily there were no wrecks involved in the sudden swerving to the side of the road. The baby (D4), didn't fuss too terribly, or I should say he didn't scream his head off - except for the last 80-something miles. That was an hour and a half of fun! SO we get to Mobile pretty easily and we're excited that we only have 2 hours to drive the next morning. The baby sleeps half of the ride, screams the other half. BUT we make it to the beach! Oh happy day!! The beach!!!

We have a couple of hours of pure bliss beside the sea beside the beautiful sea, and then comes the fever. D3 spikes like 102 for no apparent reason. He says nothing hurts except his tummy. And boy did it hurt! That night he runs 104, and talks a bunch of crazy delirious nonsense...and then he poops all over my dear husband's arm on the way to the potty. ICK!

STOP! Forgot to mention D4's eye injury...yeah. So I was rubbing lotion on his face after bath the first evening, and he was fighting me of course. And I somehow managed to stab him in the eye with my thumbnail. It bled and looked terrible for a couple of days.

Anyway, I toss around the idea of finding a doctor in the area vs. waiting it out because it's probably just viral. Right? So finally I cave and find an urgent care clinic and take him in. Double ear infection and Tonsilitis. He's NEVER had Tonsilitis!! So they give him antibiotics and in about a day and a half he's doing just fine.

Now we can have fun on the beach! Right? Not so much.

So the baby starts running a fever. Ugh! So I go ahead and take him in to urgent care...he's caught the Tonsilitis. Apparently it's very contagious. Who knew? SOOOOOOO they give him antibiotics and the next day he acts ok.

Fun on the beach? Nope. Rain. Cold. Wind. Rain. Rain. RAINNNN!!!! Flash flood warnings the rest of the time we are there!

Is that it? Besides the terrible storms we drove through on the way back home, I think that's it. Oh sure, there were good parts of the vacation. But they would probably make the blog boring.

D2 out.

Hi! Nice to meet you!

2009-06-02T21:53:00.000-07:00

Apparently having your own blog is the cool thing to do. So, here I am - starting one. What clever and witty thing shall I write about in my blog? My life as I know it? Well, I promise I won't bore you to death with every little detail of how I got to this point in my life. I will, however, give you a very shortened version of where I'm at right now.

I am a 27 year old stay-at-home-mom (or SAHM for all you pro-bloggers and texters) of two boys - ages 3 and a half, and 14 months. I am also the wife to exactly one husband. Thank goodness! Anyway, SAHM is a great job for me, considering I never fully knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I have a degree in graphic design, and I use it to professionally wipe snotty noses and poopy butts, and make bottles at 2:00 am with my eyes completely out of focus. While this takes talent, I'm not sure it takes artistic talent.

I'm still having a bit of a hard time adjusting to life at home with these two monsters, as it's only been a year since I quit working. What in the world can I do with them day in and day out and still keep my sanity? By the time my husband walks in the door I am ready to throw them with extreme force right at him! He wonders why I'm not in a spectacular mood, as I haven't worked all day. I'm trying not to cry after my day from H (that was for you, Mom!). I mean, every 5 seconds it's "Mommy, can you get me some apple juice...I want a snack...Can you turn Little Bear back on...I need to go poo poo...Mommy I'm done, can you wipe my bobo...Mom, baby brother is chewing on a dog bone...etc.", all while "Whaaaaaa (hold me) Whaaaaa (hungry) Whaaaaa (sleepy), Whaaaaa (etc.)" is going on. Soooo probably much of this blog will be venting about children, and being with them 24-7. I really do love it, though. I promise. Sometimes.

Why did I decide to call my blog D to the 4th Power? Because we - hubby, kids and I - all have names that start with D! I know...see? Creative. Yeah. So, I realized what a bad idea it was to stick with D-names when I got pregnant with #2. After...oh...7 months of arguing, nagging, whining, etc...we FINALLY came up with our 4th and final D-name. I do not recommend this way of naming children to anyone! I think it adds to the heartburn and lack of bladder control. PLUS, it is going to make it really difficult to refer to my family members by their initials! Guess it will have to be D1, D2, etc.

Ok, can't think of anything else to write tonight. D2 out.