Today's Feature

Today I wanted to share with you one of the most darling nurseries that I have ever seen. My friend Elizabeth is a super talented and brand new momma to Baby Fern, whom I just adore. I visited her home a few months back and then saw her post pictures the other day online so I asked if I could share with you guys. She has a talented mother in law who is a very creative crafter who helped make Fern's room complete. I hope you enjoy!

Those book shelves are spice racks from Ikea. How clever is that. The best part...they are less that $5 each.

The thing I love about the room is that most everything is made. It brings such a sense of love to the space.

Great Job Elizabeth!

Week End Weigh In

Okay guys so I hit my one month mark last Thursday and have been going strong since! I was even tempted with my favorite Girl Scout Cookie...Carmel Delights, and I passed on enjoying one of those delicious 70 calorie cookies! I will hopefully be able to post a picture next week and get a little more detailed about my weight loss. I just keep thinking about the Biggest Loser contestants in those horrific sports bras on national television..um No Thank you! But I do want to be a little more honest just so my end results of this journey are more dramatic! I chose to throw myself out there and to have you all keep me accountable and that is what I am trying to do.
So this week I am down another 3 pounds at a total of 16.6 pounds. I will have to put my weight on here, but I might start next week. Haha. I have to say that is the scariest part for me, but if I am going to do this, I need to do it all the way!
My little Charlie started running with me this week and it has been very fun having her right by my side. We went out three days and I have to say I am loving it. Last time I attempted this a year ago, I dreaded getting on the treadmill, but now running outside has been amazing. I am on week three, day 1 and will complete that today. If you are wanting to run, but don't know where to start? Then the couch to 5K is a perfect place. I know that the Droid has a similar app as well.
My other goal this week is to incorporate at least two days of Jillian workout videos. I have a love/hate relationship with her. I love that her videos are only 20 minutes and I love the fact that I have hard time sitting on the toilet. Okay that might have been too much information, but for those of you who have done her video, know EXACTLY what I am talking about. Now on the flip side I hate that it is hard..enough said! But who doesn't want to look like this

A little oragnization

I admit that on the surface my home looks organized. Mainly because I despise clutter! Hate it, don't want it around. Mainly if I can't see it, I'm good. However when I go into a certain cupboard or closet I might just cringe at what I see. So I am on a mission to organize each and every inch of my home this year. Things that are seen and unseen!

Yesterday as I was trying to find medicine I opened my cupboard to see this...

So I really attempted the organizing thing with this cupboard but as you can see, failed miserably.

So I found these awful, beat up, bread pans that I obviously couldn't use anymore. What was great about them though was that they are metal and the are the perfect size. Plus I had four of them.

Then I used my amazing cricket and made some matching tags to put on old magnets.

I tore the cover of the old magnet off and glued my new cutout on top. This way I could write what was inside.  Next I sorted my big bin of medicine into four categories. One for dosing cups ( you know those little cups on top of the medicine to measure your dosage) I didn't know they had a name other than "get one of those things for your medicine" The other three categories are first aid, vitamins and medicine.

I also keep my bills in an easy to grab but not out in the open organizer. So it got a pretty label too.

I keep the kids saving jars up there. We pay them an allowance each week and they must tithe and save 10% so this is where the savings goes. I used empty candle jars to put the money in. Then made a tag out of my Cricut.

Next I had the cases and decided to put glasses and flashlights in them. We use both a lot and now they are in arms reach to use them.

Now for the finale.....

I added an ice bucket to hold all of the batteries. I also used the extra space to display some pitchers that have broken over the years and are unusable but, still pretty. What I love most is how it coordinates and I did use one penny to do this project. I just used what I already had.

Here's a side by side...Before and After





Entry way progress

I just LOVE Pinterest! With being a little obsessed, I have found so much inspiration for redoing my home. I love the idea of making things new. I always say I want to move, but in reality I think I just like change! Crazy because most people I think dread it. I remember as an early teenager I would rearrange my bedroom at least once a month. It felt like a brand new room. For some reason I have not done that in my home (hence the desired moving) So now I am on a mission to keep things fresh and new and at the lowest cost. I didn't have money back when I was rearranging as a child so I am sure I can pull it off as an adult with money!

 I have had the same wall decorations since we moved in two and a half years ago. I definitely was bored and a change was much needed. I am not completely finished but here is the progress.



                                                                   BEFORE

                                                              

                                                                            AFTER

AFTER

You will have to excuse the picture angles. This is our front entry which is extremely narrow. Like I said, this is the beginning of the makeover. I took pictures that I already had and changed some frames around to create this collage. I love the one of my mother in law when she was a little girl....I can't believe how much my little Charlie looks like her. I also had some plates from Home Interiors from a long time ago that just collected dust. So I grabbed some liquid nails and put those babies up. Just a little advice...make sure they are completely dried before taking your hand away. One fell and about died, but I revived it. It was quite a task gluing the little pieces back together but worth it because two just didn't look the same. I brought the dresser in from my daughters room when she got a new one. I found the basket at Hobby Lobby so Noah and I went to our annual memorial day yard sales and found some older umbrellas to put in it.

To finish the hallway my goals are..

* to paint the dresser

* put new knobs on the dresser

* paint horizontal stripes

* get a rug

* put something on the opposite wall, not sure what yet

Hope you like it!

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Week End Weigh In

Week End Weigh In!! So it has been another week of my journey for a healthy life! It has not been easy , but I am continuing this with determination and prayers! Lots and lots of prayers. My aunt was just sending me some pictures of us from over 10 years ago! I can't believe the change that has occurred! Well my desire is to be closer to where I used to be. Except with healthier food choices. This was when you ate whatever and gained nothing!

Funny I thought I would always look like this :)

I have stayed on the 1500 intake and added some exercising like I was shooting for. I began training for a 5K that I have been wanting to accomplish for about 2 years now. I am using the couch to 5K app on my iPhone. It helps you progress your running by doing intervals of walking and running for a course of 8 weeks. I do this every other day. I ran four days this week.

I did lose four more pounds and I am hopeful to lose more weight this week. My plan is to check in with you each Sunday to track this journey! I appreciate everyone's support and I truly hope by my honesty you too will be encouraged.

All stars

This past weekend Little T had her All Star games out in Palmdale. Noah was the assistant coach and we were ready for a great turn out. I am always super nervous those first few moments of the game when you just don't know how it will go. The first moments really set the tone of the entire game for me. You see how the other team is playing and how well our girls match up.
As the game started my nervousness quickly turned into joy. For many years we have always been somewhat the underdogs. We come from a very small town so small in fact that our soccer league consists of 4 cities in one. So when it comes to picking the All Stars we just have a smaller league to pick from especially compared to some of the other cities that we are up against. Some cities are so big that they are able to bring 2 separate teams to the games.
This year we felt as if it was our strongest yet. We played our first game Saturday winning 4-0! We got the highest amount of points we could get. I was proud. Maybe a little too proud. I came into Sunday very sure of our girls knowing that we could win!
Well we didn't We lost 3-1. We were all shocked just wondering how did that happen. Still bummed over it, but now we are looking ahead to our tournament season that is now underway. I pray for humbleness and joy throughout this season. I desire for soccer to be a fun thing for my daughter to enjoy. I desire for her to learn new skills and be an amazing example of God. It is not always easy to place God in worldly things, but we are trying each and every day.

School

Yesterday was our first day back from our loooong Christmas Break. Amazing something like 25 days off! Over the break I was trying to come up with a way to stay at our current school CAVA but yet changing some things up to better fit our family. The kids get a list of work to do each day and we have been following their work that way. The problem that I was facing is that I was not able to be prepared for what they were doing each day because of all the different subjects. So a friend recommended block scheduling like some schools actually do. It sounded exciting and the change that I was looking for. So I began by mapping out the amount of assignments they have until the end of the year. Yep I said "the end of the year!" Lots of work let me tell you, but I knew that this was what needed to happen so that I could fulfill my role as teacher. I needed time to plan out what we can do per subject. Get a little creative with things but yet accomplish what the school and myself are wanting my children to learn.



So I needed something that would simply allow me to put their lesson plans down for them to see. Surprisingly I was having a hard time finding something that would work. Most planners are around $12 each and that's about $35 for planners?! No thanks. Then companies would sell them for $2 each but you had to buy a minimum of 100. Mainly for public schools I suppose. I then went to the dollar store that was recommended by my mil, thanks Jen ;) Yes they had exactly what I looking for and at a whopping $3, that was definitely in my budget!

                          Not the cutest thing but I can cover it with some pretty scrapbooking paper!

This is what the inside looks like

Schedule: Monday/ Fridays: Math  History Sign Language

Tuesday/ Thursdays: Science Language Arts

Wednesday: Art Sign Language and Cooking, Craft, or Field Trip Day

Fridays: Little T/ Typing Scooby and Charlie/ Guitar

With our new schedule I have implemented a few new things that I have been wanting to teach my kids. One is sign language. I have a deaf brother and I learned sign language at a young age. I never fully became fluent but I know a lot. I started to teach the kids when they were babies but really only got to no, yes, and mom before I stopped. We will be doing a signing class three days a week and I hope to make them fluent in the next few years.

Second we are doing a music class for Scooby and Charlie that is on Fridays. Noah will be teaching them along with himself. Hehe. He has had this desire to learn so for Christmas I bought him a guitar and he now wants to teach the kids. Who says you have to spend lots of money on lessons! We also might have a high schooler come over who has a passion for playing the guitar to come over and teach. His mom offered his services saying "he would love to teach them" so we will see.

Little T will begin a typing class that is online. I want my kids to grow up learning things that I didn't learn because right now as I type this I am chicken pecking...yep chicken pecking. Fast I might add, but still chicken pecking.

I can't wait for even more things to open up to teach my children. Next year I am planning on doing Trip USA. Which will take us through the entire United States. Teaching them state facts, famous people who came from that state and even favorite foods. My hope is to even visit some new states with them for "our schooling." Well a fun vacation is always fun whether it's for school or not. Maybe a right off? Okay I am getting ahead of myself right. Just excited, that's all.