Getting back into the groove...

I have had this picture just laying around and I love it and I adore it but I've never known quite what to do with it. I wanted to frame it but I also wanted to scrapbook it too. So...this is the end result! I got the frame at Michael's probably a year ago and used my 50% off coupon so it was only a couple of dollars! I have 2 other frames that are the same and I'm going to scrapbook them with some pictures as well. We bought new bedding the other day and our room is now black and white. I love it! I'm going to finish the other 2 frames and put them up behind our bed.

At first I wasn't sure how I wanted to scrapbook this so I just spend some time going through all of my paper. I found a bunch that had a little bit of a rustic feel to it and loved it! I love scrapbooking and putting them in frames. Its also a great gift to give someone!! Its pretty inexpensive but the time and thought you put into makes it a perfect gift!

House Rules

I just have to say how much I am loving my new little toy. I've been thinking up all sorts of fun little projects. I've kept my promise to not decorate the entire house in vinyl sayings but this is one project that I just had to do. I've seen it floating around on several different blogs and just love the idea. I thought of putting it directly on the wall but we have a bit of texture and it just didn't seem to look right so I looked around the house hoping for an idea. AH HA! My stash of old windows came to mind. PERFECT!


I tweaked it a bit and added a few of my own and this is what I came up with. I know that it is not on perfectly straight but it looks way more wavy on here than it does in person. Must be the window or something. I don't know why but I just love these rules because it's not just the usual be nice, brush your teeth, obey your parents kind of rules, it's real life rules. It's what our family is. We are loud. We do make mistakes. We do hugs and we are family.

Happy Monday!

Babysitting...

For the past year I've done babysitting off and on. For the most part I really enjoy it...but there are those days when I'm glad its the end of the day and Ella's in bed for the night. Staying home makes me appreciate the time I get to spend with my daughter and babysitting makes me think and plan for the future. At the moment I am watching 3 kids, Ella not included. I have to plan my errands around the kids, plan nap times, meal times, etc.

For the most part the kids bring their own food. Snack times can be particularly rough because everyone wants what the other one has. But then again we all know some adults that are like that too :)

Kids say the darndest things....isn't that so true? I find out some of the funniest things about the kids' parents. I love watching their little personalities and even some of their attitudes...mine own included on the attitude!

Hubby teases me saying our next car will be a minivan and I don't want one yet...although it really would come in handy on the days I have all 4 kids. But we won't mention that.

I'm not sure how many kids we'll have but with babysitting it gives me insight of how life will be with more kids. Crazy, hectic, wonderful and maybe a little hair pulling.

Does anyone else do babysitting or have a bunch of kids to juggle? How do your days go??

The Best intentions

...have a way of not working out sometimes. I really did have the best intentions of making my family room more family like, and usable again. The plan was and what I announced to my blog friends was that I would have my family room all cleaned up and looking spiffy. Here it is MARCH 1st, and I have not come through for you. I did make an attempt to clean it. I picked up dirty socks (someone who shall remain nameless threw SEVERAL pairs behind the couch!) I found new homes for roller blades and Polly pockets and folded blankets. I threw all the snow catting things in a huge pile and said "here take it! If you don't, I'm selling it on eBay."

Still though remains the messy scrapbook corner and the dreaded rarely used color copier machine. I plead forgiveness. Pretty please?

I do have a somewhat good excuse. Kinda. Hubby and I have been working on the mud room this past few weeks. Can I tell you how excited I am to have a mud room? No more pleading, crying, stomping my feet when the kids bring in their muddy shoes, and back packs get piled by the front door. Now they'll have a real place for all their things!

So of course while I was helping the hubby hang sheet rock, I was dreaming of HOW I would make this new mud room look fabulous.

(pics courtesy of BGH)

Aren't these some great mud room ideas? I've seen so many fun ideas it's hard to pick just one. My hubby just rolls his eyes and his selective hearing sets in. Forget the mud and taping part and all those million of other little things, lets get on to the decorating part!