11.30.2011

We've Been "Pampered"

So the other night, Steve came home after being gone to work for a couple of days. It was like 3 am. (Yes, this is normal) We both turn to each other in bed to have a nice snuggle, not knowing where the beauty of the night will take us... absence does make the heart grow fonder.

As we draw closer together, there is something blocking us. It starts to crinkle and I get startled. I know we have spiders downstairs, but really?! 

Steve quickly reaches down and grabs the romance killer, one of the kid's diapers. (Clean of course) This is what happens when you have 2 kids in diapers, they show up everywhere, even without the kid. 

So we both roll over after a quick kiss and say goodnight. Getting "pampered" is not always great. It sure is a mood killer.

11.28.2011

Bring it ON Monday! : $1 Organization Ideas

For those of you that know me, I LOVE the dollar store! Here I am highlighting a $1 container that has endless possibilities!
This is a basic container, labeled for leftovers mostly. It has three compartments that stay divided when the lid is on it. My almost two year old can not get into it!

 The first idea is for game storage. My husband is a big card game player (and uses them for target practice before hunting season) so we have a lot of cards. A lot of the games need dice, so everything is perfectly organized. The unopened cards, extra cards and the dice.
 Bow and hair tie storage for your little princess and even yourself.
Tool storage for the need on hand stuff.

More ideas: Toy storage, Scrapbooking storage, Office supplies, Labels of all kinds storage, Utensil storage for when you go camping. And anything you can think of! And each container is only $1!

Happy Monday

Bet

11.23.2011

My Grateful Thanksgiving

I love fall, there is no better time of the year! I love the colors, the smells and the holidays. You get to layer your clothes and wear sweaters. And for the most part everyone is in a little bit better of a mood. 

I would like to start this year's Thanksgiving with a list of all the things I am thankful for. And after the sweet and tear jerking notes will be the ones we all recognize in life:

My testimony of the Gospel and my faith in God and Jesus Christ. Nothing is possible without them. All that I have is because of their gracious hand. And somehow they see fit to bestow continuous blessings on a very imperfect person as me.

My loving and so very supportive husband, Steve. He works so hard for our family and sacrifices a lot to keep our babies and I more than comfortable. He is giving and loyal beyond measure and I can not imagine a day with out him and the never ending teasing!

My children, Isaiah and Lilly. The light of my life (as I begin to cry). Who knew that two perfect babies would pick me to be their mother?! They teach me more than just patience. The love I have for them is breath-taking and makes me want to do the best that I can in every way so they can be proud of me. And I am so blessed to be able to stay at home with them everyday.

My parents, Jim and Sharron. For teaching me the value of hard work and nothing is free. If I want something, I will get it, I just have to work for it.

For my 3 older siblings, Nari, Joe and Kim (along with their amazing spouses). They are the support I need in life. But I wish I was closer with them than I am. Something to work on. (New Years resolution list starting)

For the parents and siblings I gained when I married Steve. Along with totally cool cousins!

ALL the nieces and nephews we have together. (17 to be exact)

The most perfect best friend for me, Jennifer LeAnn Michelle Haderlie. I can't live with out her. 

Steve having employment so I can stay at home with the kids. Enough to pay the bills and have a little leftover.

A warm and comfortable home. A yard for my son to run in. Reliable transportation. Food in my cabinets, fridge, freezer and storage room. A good hot shower. Cocoa. A good book with a blanket for hours into the night. Megan, Ashley, Shayna.

And now for the stuff I am grateful for that would make everything above here seem too heavy:

The internet for me to space out to when the kiddos go to bed. DVR. I never watch anything when it is actually on. Level burners on my stove. A Kitchen Aid Mixer, because I can't turn a spoon that much before passing out. Lots of storage room in my new car for who knows what, but that what has a home. Cabinets Isaiah can not reach (for only a couple more weeks). Ikea for annoying my husband (pure entertainment) and Cabela's for making him happy again. Hobo spider traps (kill them all). Washer and dryer, otherwise we would all be in dirty clothes. Snooze button. Cook books and recipes on Google (otherwise it's spaghetti every night). Blogs. Crockpot. Great bubble bath products. Spending money, (the $ Steve knows and does not know about). Rugs to cover the lunch spills. No pets to clean up after. Cell phones. GPS. Sunday afternoon naps. Steve on energy drinks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your day and eat all the food you want for tomorrow we exercise!

Bet

I want to win this giveaway!

This sweater is to die for and I totally want to win this!

http://elleapparel.blogspot.com/2011/11/leanne-barlow-giveaway.html

11.21.2011

Bring it ON Monday! : Family Household Binder

For this week's Bring it ON Monday, we are looking at doing a Family Household Binder. I got the origional idea from here: http://www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/ , but I did not feel like paying $50 for it when I can do it for free (besides the cost of ink and paper). 



DO YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND IN ONE PLACE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY? DO YOU HAVE YOUR KIDS' INFORMATION ORGANIZED IN CASE YOU SOMEONE HAS TO WATCH YOUR THEM WITHOUT NOTICE?

So, this binder will be a home for all information for your home, finances, auto care, children's schedules, to do charts, budgeting, meal planning and even a babysitter's list. 



I have started it, but because we have had so much going on I realized the color I put it in will not print, so I need to change them. I have them through excel. It took a bit of time to make all the charts but I think it will be very helpful in the case of an emergency. I have Isaiah and Lilly's schedule written down in case someone needs to watch them last minute and I can not tell them the basics of their day. I have a list of who our water, garbage, sewer, gas and power are through. Insurance info for life, health and auto/home. Bank information and so on.


So I will have this all done by the end of the week to show all of you! If anyone is wanting one, just let me know. I can put the whole thing together with your family names for $20.

Happy Monday!

11.19.2011

Recalculating the Killer Carpet

So as all the world knows, Thursday night at midnight, Breaking Dawn came out. Feathers! Well my sister in law, Rhonda, won 2 free tickets to a 9pm pre-showing. She asked if I would want to go with her, really? That is already answered before I could speak. 

Josh and Steve watched the kids. (We drove down to Logan, UT and spent the night) Rhonda and I had to drive to Salt Lake City for the movie. It was in this really nice newer theater. On the way we used the GPS to make sure we got there as quickly as possible. We were having a great conversation when she shouts, "is that an animal?!?!?!" I say no, it is a person! (Mind you we are on the freeway in Utah, enough said) It was neither an animal or a human being, but a giant roll of carpet taking up the whole right hand lane. We slowly move around it and continue on our way. We then slam on the brakes again for a second roll of carpet. These rolls are big enough to total her minivan. And then just as we start to go, a THIRD roll appears. And the way people were flying around us it was a little scary.

As we were pulling into what I thought was maybe the movies the GPS went in the "blue" section and it did not know where we were. She said it was normal in parking lots but everywhere else it knew where we were.

Well when we got out of the amazing movie we started to try and figure out how to get back to Logan. We went straight when we should have gone right, and there it was, a fourth roll of carpet! Just kidding. But you thought it before you read it. It was a dead end into some construction. Well, we did not know what way to go so I looked at the GPS. "Rhonda, we are in the blue, it does not even know where to go... wait, stop turning you are turning the wrong way, stop!" And then I realized it was the "car' on the GPS trying to turn and because it did I thought we were. It was "recalculating" our route.

If you know me well enough, I always talk about getting a GPS. Now I am not so sure, I probably wouldn't be able to read it. Or probably get a ticket because I would be spinning in circles to follow the mini car on it!

11.15.2011

The Awkward Early Potty Training of Isaiah

So everyone knows that you need to wait until your boys are at least 3 years old to start potty training them. But what on earth is wrong with getting the idea in Isaiah's head early?

Ever since Isaiah could walk, he follows Steve into the bathroom to watch him pee. But he would stand at a distance. To be honest, I encourage him to watch, because sooner or later (my plan anyway) is for it to seem totally natural for him to start doing it.

Lately though, it has become a little bit weird for Steve. Isaiah has started walking right up to the toilet and looking at his manhood, then inside the toilet. Back and forth the whole time. Steve-O is starting to feel a little awkward and like his space is being invaded. We have two kids under two, of course we don't have space!

11.13.2011

Bring it ON Monday!

This is the first of weekly posts on, you guessed it, Mondays!

My goal to encourage myself to post more regularly is to make a weekly post. And since I am a stay at home mom and there is not always a ton going on that is different from day to day, I will make something different from day to day.

These posts will be about me organizing and preparing my family/household on weekly projects. Where applicable there will be photos. I have several plans in mind and I will limit myself to $20 a week for these projects. Amongst the things to come: household binder, emergency car kit and organizing projects for our new home office and family room (where the battle ground of 10 million toys if fought daily). If you have ideas on ways to make a family more prepared for the future events that could happen, please tell me and I will get to it! This will be like my job and I shall enjoy my "work time".

The first post: HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR SMOKE ALARMS/CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS FOR THE WINTER?

Steve and I just moved into our new house in Blackfoot, ID in the last couple of weeks and we are loving it! It has been updated and such and we thought it was great. Then I started inspecting the ceilings and realized that there are NO smoke alarms, none, na-da, nothing. With two ankle bitters you can imagine my flip out. So we went to Costco and picked up a 2 pack of smoke detectors for $23. (Already over my $20 limit)

We also have a gas fire place downstairs that provides the majority of the heat for the house. I have never been in a home with a gas fireplace before. Steve said we needed a carbon monoxide monitor as well in case there is ever a gas leak. Call me dumb, but if you have never had to deal with one are you really going to know??? So we got this carbon monoxide monitor at Costco as well for $30. (The next couple of posts will need to be near free!)

So my first question I would love for you to ask yourselves and feel free to comment on:

Have you tested your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors for the winter? Our usage of heating sources will add to the chances of potential fires for the few months. Those of you with gas fireplaces, do you even have a carbon monoxide monitor?? Enjoy preparing you detectors and such and we will see you next week!

Happy Monday!