Friday, January 17, 2014

Quick Craft: Gold Herringbone Mirror



I’ve mentioned it before, but Young House Love is one of my favorite blogs out there. I’ve been quite inspired by a lot of their projects, and today’s post is no exception.


A few weeks ago, they posted about hanging a little mirror low on the wall so that their daughter could see herself in it. I thought my girls would enjoy that so much, but since we have little kiddos at our house just about every week I knew any mirror we hung needed to be super light. 

On a miracle solo trip to Target last weekend, I found just what I was looking for. I picked up a little plastic white mirror for about $5 measuring just under 16” across. The plain white plastic frame wasn’t doing it for me, but that’s where YHL came in again.

Taking a cue from their herringbone doll cradle, I bought a set of gold Sharpies (on clearance at Target for only $.88!) and dove right in. All it took was my mirror, my gold Sharpie, and a straight edge—in my case, I used the side of the box of our Mousetrap game. Mr. Bug hung with me and I knocked it out while we watched the newest Mindy Project episode. 


It’s not perfect but I was happy with the results and the girls were really excited. Not sure if I'm going to add any paint colors to any of the sections the way they did or just leave it as is. I'm also pretty stoked that I got this whole project done for around $6!

It’s not hung in their room yet, but I’m shooting for getting it up there in the next few days. I’ve had some sort of weird cold/fever/nausea thing the past couple of days so I’ve taken a break from all things housework-y. I haven’t even put away all of the groceries I got at the store yesterday. No judging, please : )

Thursday, January 16, 2014

It's Hard to be a Momma, and That's Okay



I realized something very recently. I’m scared of my kids.


I know I have a tendency to be silly and joke around about a lot of ‘mom-ing’ topics, but I say this in all seriousness. My children terrify me.

I’m not afraid they’re going to slaughter me in my sleep or anything like that (although I’m sure I will be having that nightmare soon). And it never occurred to me that I was frightened until the other day. 


Adaleine and Judah had brought some toys upstairs to play with. We try to keep all of their toys downstairs so that area is theirs. Ideally, the rest of the house is fit for adults and we’re not tripping over Lalaloopsy dolls and Rescue Bots all the time.


 So the two kiddos were playing with their toys on the train table and I was hanging up clothes in their room. When Ada hollered in asking if it was almost time for lunch, I caught myself taking a deep breath. I felt my stomach tighten up and my heart started beating faster. Then I said the words I was scared to say, “Yes, we’re eating soon. So I need you guys to pick up those toys off the table and take them back downstairs.” 

The eruption of whining and crying that followed was expected. “Why?! I don’t want to pick up! I’m still playing with these! I’m not doing it!” I knew it was coming and a part of me gave up as I hung another little shirt on another little hanger.

Now, before you start up the choruses of “this is how you’ve allowed them to treat you” and “consistency is key” and “you can’t tolerate backtalk,” I want you to know that I know all of that. I know I’ve trained these little buggers to do exactly what they did. 

There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not berating myself as a mother. Not second-guessing every single choice I make. Did they not get to bed early enough last night? Are they eating a good enough breakfast? Cute enough clothes? On time to school? Did I not teach them to brush their teeth well enough? Should they be able to tie their own shoes? Should I have enrolled them in more than one after school program? Are we practicing their spelling words enough? Should I be walking them in to school every day? Am I scarring them for life by not getting up early every morning to put myself together? And this is all before we even walk out the door in the morning. I think this is true for a lot of moms.

http://www.pinterest.com/prettybittybugs/words/

Here’s my hang-up: sometimes it’s just too hard. Sometimes you know it’s coming and you know it’s only Tuesday and it’s close to bedtime and if you can just make it two more hours without anyone getting hurt, you’re in the clear. Sometimes Mr. Bug goes off to work for two days and the second they hear that door shut they start crying about missing Daddy. Sometimes they wake up, roll out of bed, and just vomit attitude all over the house. 

http://www.pinterest.com/prettybittybugs/words/

Sometimes ‘mom-ing’ makes you want to cry. I know I should insert a line like ‘but these beautiful blessings are so worth it and I’m grateful for every minute I have with these little gifts from above.’ That’s all true, but sometimes it doesn’t feel true. 

http://www.pinterest.com/prettybittybugs/words/

Training for a marathon is hard. You know there’s a goal at the end that you hope to achieve, but there will be blood, sweat, tears, vomit and times you want to give up. I don’t think being a mom is any different. 

There’s no turning point or advice offered here, I just wanted to send this out into the blogosphere, hoping it will find someone who needs it. It’s okay if some days you just want to cry because they’re still awake and you’re simply spent. I’ll say that again. It’s okay. Get some rest if you can and just start again tomorrow. You’ll make it. 

http://www.pinterest.com/prettybittybugs/words/

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

This Tooth Fairy is Nuts




If you read our Christmas letter or follow me on Instagram, you know that Miss Eden lost her first tooth back in November. Since I am apparently certifiably insane, I decided to make her a tooth fairy door similar to those I had seen on Pinterest here and here




Note: this was actually a really silly thing to do at this time. In the month leading up to Thanksgiving I was one of two moms planning the school’s fall party, we had Halloween costumes to prepare, I was trying to pull off Sissy’s Fancy Nancy birthday party, I was making gifts for my sister’s new baby, and then added in traveling all over God’s creation just to put me over the edge. Nuts, I tell you!

Anywho, I knew that Eden would only lose her first tooth once, so I convinced myself that I could handle a little more pressure to make sure that it was uber special for her. I picked up what I needed for the door and box at Hobby Lobby (gotta love those 40% off coupons!) and worked on it in the wee hours after the kiddos had gone to bed. Luckily Eden is one of those kids who will deal with a tooth hanging on by a thread for a loooong time so I had a little extra time to work on it.


The tooth fairy receipt was so much fun, and it will be a great way for us to remember how she lost each tooth. I’m looking forward to recording the details along the way. : ) And Christine over at CMV Studio was so great! I first fell in love with this listing on her Etsy site, but knew that I’d like to use the same thing for each kiddo through the years. After messaging her and asking if she’d consider offering a gender-neutral receipt, she listed this one and I snapped it up!


The letter was inspired by Alicia over at She’s Making Cards and I threw a few of our own details in there as well. (I will include the full text at the end of the post, just in case you can't read it here.) I simply included the letter in the ‘special delivery’ box from Madame Tooth Fairy when Eden found the door in her room. And I sprinkled glitter on it, because my madness knows no bounds.


You may notice that Eden received $6 for this first tooth and let me reassure you that we are not, in fact, made of money. The receipt states that the standard reward for a lost tooth is $1, but that since it was her first she received a $5 ‘first tooth bonus.’ For a little added magic to the tooth fairy money, I sprayed the bills with glitter spray. It is magic, after all.



I hope you enjoyed my little trip to the crazy side! I want to say one thing in all seriousness: don’t do this if you don’t want to. Your kiddo will be super happy with whatever brand of ‘magic’ you subscribe to. Whether it’s a tooth fairy door or a tooth fairy pillow or simply a quarter slipped underneath their pillow. I was stressed out to the max while I was in the process of making this, and in hindsight I don’t think I’d do it again. The best gift you can give your little munster is hugs and snuggles and a momma who’s not nuts. : )

Here is the letter Eden received with her door if you'd like to do something similar. Let me know if you use it! : ) 



My dearest Eden,

I was so thrilled to learn that you lost your first tooth! I know your mommy and daddy have been really excited too!

As soon as your mommy told me you had a loose tooth I had my Helper Fairies set to work making you a special door to hang in your room. Ask your daddy to hang it up for you so that I can use it to visit every time you lose a tooth.

You may open the door whenever you wish, but the magic only works at night when you’re sleeping. That is when I use that door to come to your room and deliver you a special gift for every tooth you lose.

I am so excited to start visiting you! I’ve heard from so many of my fairy workers and from your mommy and daddy that you are a kind and hard-working little girl, and I can’t wait to share with you some of the magic of becoming a young lady.

I will know the exact moment when you lose that tooth, Miss Eden, and will use this door to pay you a visit. In the meantime, be a big girl and be sure to obey your mommy and daddy.

Love,
Madame Tooth Fairy

P.S. Your mommy told me that you would like to keep your teeth, and that is no problem at all! Please leave me a note each time I visit to remind me, and I will let you collect them all in a special box your mommy is preparing for you.


 
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