Day 149: Endings
I saw a video the other day that really made me think.
Have you ever felt like the guy in the grocery store? I have! It is like nothing is going right. I hate my job. I have no food. I have to go to the store but I am freakin’ tired and freakin’ hungry. Then once I finally get everything I have to stand in a forever long line and of course I picked the line with the slowest cashier. I would change lines but with my luck I would pick an ever slower line. To top that all off I didn’t grab a cart because I was just running in to grab a few things. Now the milk is getting heavy and my hand is frozen. Plus, the girl behind me is having the most annoying gossip feast on her cell phone while she smacks her gum. Oh yeah! My kid is really tired too and is super duper ornery.
Days like this I start thinking about a lot of negative things. Why is the cashier so slow? Why can’t people hang up and drive!? Can’t someone see I only have a few things and offer to let me cut in front of them so I can get my poor sad child home? Why couldn’t Adam run to the store yesterday? Couldn’t he see that the fridge was empty?
Then when I get home I usually take my frustration out of Adam in the form of, “I am not cooking tonight. If you want dinner make it yourself. Wait, you probably won’t because you always wait for me to wait on you hand and foot. That is why our bed isn’t made. If I don’t do it it won’t get done. Just like the litter box. And the dishes. That is also why I didn’t get to the gym today….because YOU didn’t offer to take Beckham so I could go for a freakin’ hour. Some people don’t want to be fat. You know I am not joking when I say I am not having another baby until I lose 50 lbs right!? It is obvious that you could care less about having another baby. Which is like you. I mean I might as well be a single parent…I do everything by myself and around the house anyway.” Then I go to bed without saying our prayers and kissing him good night.
Had days like this?
Isn’t it interesting that if we just follow the advice we were given in the video, change our default setting and make a conscience choice to act and think differently, that the ending to our whole day could be totally different?
What if you went to the store with a smile instead of being pissed? What if you turned not grabbing a cart into a great opportunity to do some milk bicep curls…after all you didn’t get to the gym. Thank goodness you got some exercise walking around the store searching for what you needed! What if you stood in line and checked emails, read blogs, or picked up a magazine to pass the time instead of getting more and more frustrated at gossip girl? Hey! Grab a Reese’s while you stand in line!
If we change our default settings to be something other than pissy and negative we could have a completely different ending to our day. I bet tons of spouses, my husband included, would appreciate that! 
I am making a mid-year resolution–I want to work on changing my default setting to be something other than mean and non-understanding. I want my ending to be “happily ever after.” The End.
If I don’t make a conscience decision about how to think and what to pay attention to, I am going to be pissed and miserable every time I shop.
After I created the crib rail guards I got on a little craft streak. I decided my front door was screaming, “I NEED COLOR!” So I popped on Pinterest and got to searching. Here is what I settled on.
Isn’t it the cutest!? (That is mine…not a pin from Pinterest!) It is super super simple and I made it for $6.37!
Here is what you will need:
A pool noodle (I bought mine at Dollar Tree)
Ribbon (I bought mine on clearance at Hobby Lobby)
Drink umberllas (I bought mine at Hobby Lobby with a digital 40% off coupon)
Here are the super simple steps:
1. Make your wreath base. To do this, cut one end of your pool noodle at an angle and the other end at the opposite angle. I used a short tutorial from Two Butterflies to learn this trick. I didn’t use duct tape though. I used packing tape just in case a little showed through.
2. Create the perfect wreath bow. I used an easy to follow tutorial from One Sutton Place to learn how to do this. I kicked it up a notch by stitching the back of the 6″ piece to the 24″ and 36″ piece. (My ribbon is only 1 1/2″ wide…not 3″ like the tutorial suggests.)
3. Create a loop for your wreath to hang from. I just measured how low I wanted my wreath to hang and cut the ribbon. I hand stitched the ends together (staples, like the bow tutorial uses, may scratch our door). Make sure you put the pool noodle in the middle of your loop Then I use hot glue to attach it to the taped section of the pool noodle. This will help secure the wreath and cover the tape at the same time.
4. Hot glue the bow to the loop.
5. Prepare your drink umbrellas. Use wire cutters to clip the ends of your umbrellas. If you don’t do this they could poke all the way through the pool noodle. I cut different lengths on them to create depth. I did a bunch at a time. It made it go a little quicker. (I used 62 umbrellas for the entire project.) I followed Erin Lee Creative‘s tutorial on how to create this wreath.
6. Start with the inside the poke the umbrellas in.
7. Then poke umbrella’s in on the outside. I used a tiny bit of hot glue on the sticks for the bottom umbrellas…just wanted to make sure they stayed in.
8. The just fill in the front. I found it easiest to start at the top right and work my way around. You can leave some more open then others, tuck some under, or even poke them in at an angle.
TADA! Done! This literally was started and completed during Beckham’s nap! Simple and oh so cute!
Doesn’t my front door look so much happier?!
$6.37 people! Can’t beat that!
I have been meaning to get some crib rail guard for a few months now. Even though Beckham doesn’t have any teeth yet the crib is getting banged up. We paid way too much to let that thing get banged up. We have to use it for all the kiddos. Why is it getting banged up? I’ll show you.
See! The button on my jeans is tearing up the front rail. GRR!
I have been eying a few on Etsy but they are so freakin’ expensive. (Side note: why does EVERYTHING for a baby have to be sooooo expensive?!) I checked the ones out at Babies R Us but they are just a plain color and would cost me $55. $55 for plain!? Boo. So I took matters into my own hands and decided I was going to make my own.
This was “sew” easy! Seriously! I am NOT a seamstress. I took 2 home ec. classes in high school and one sewing class in college and let’s just say I wasn’t the teachers pet in any of them. I hate they were my most frustrating classes I took. The damn sewing machine always ate my fabric. So why I took on this project I don’t know….but I did and it worked!
Here are the easy steps I took:
1. Measure the rails from the inside corners. I have a convertible crib and mine measured 51″ on the front and 27″ on the sides.
2. Figure out what you need to buy. Do some simple math to figure out your measurements so when you get to the store you know exactly what you need of each fabric. I did this for the front and the side pieces.
3. Go to the store and find what you want. Luckily for me I was able to find the EXACT fabric that my crib bedding is made out of. Lucky! I picked a polka dot cotton and a light yellow fleece. I also bought a single face quilted batting. (I am sure that isn’t the real name for it but that is what I call it ) I used this for the underneath. You could make a matching piece for the bottom if you want it to be reverseable. (I didn’t do this. I thought I would be lucky to make it through this project as it was. I didn’t need extra work. If you do make a matching piece for the bottom you will need to add a layer of batting in between.) Remember when you are purchasing your fabric that it is folded in half on the bolt. This means if you get a yard of fabric you are getting 36″ long but also 42″ wide (this width can change…either look at the top of the bolt for the width or ask an associate for help). I bought a yard of polka dot and a yard of yellow (both with 42″ wide) and had left over. I bought a yard and a half of the batting. You will also need to buy ribbon for your ties. You will need 20′ of ribbon. I bought a roll that had 7 yards (21′) on it and it worked great!
4. Wash your fabrics!! If you don’t they could shrink during the first wash, causing your seams to rip. (Yes! I have learned this the hard way years ago.) I am sure there is some special care for the batting but I just stuck it in the washer and dried on delicate. It turned out fine!
5. Cut out your sections. I did the front rail first then the sides. I didn’t want to risk mixing up pieces. I could just see myself using the seam ripper if I did that! For the width I folded the batting in half (like it is on the bolt) and used that width. (So if you bought a yard of material it would make 2 36″ long rail guards…hope that makes sense.)
6. Pin the left side to the center (right sides…the sides your want to show….together) and sew together with a 1/2″ seam. Pin right side to the center section (right sides together) and sew with 1/2″ seam.
7. Press seams open. This will help your project look higher quality and won’t let your seams pucker.
8. Cut 12″ strips of ribbon. 8 strips for the front and 6 for each side. I used a match to melt the ends of each strip to prevent fraying.
9. Lay your top piece right side up. Pin a strip of ribbon to the top of each end, top of each seam, bottom of each end, and bottom of each seam. Now, I didn’t measure my crib to see how far in the first rail is and I kind of wish I did. I just went in 2″ (take away 1/2″ seam allowance and it is 1 1/2″ from the edge) and it is a little off. One end ties around a rail and the other ties around the post. This makes it so it looks just a titch off in the length but it isn’t a big enough deal to me to pull out the seam ripper. I am just passing this tip along to you in case you want to measure yours.
10. Place the batting on the top of the fabric with the ribbons..wrong side up. Make sure the ribbons are sandwiched in between the layers. If they are sticking out they will end up on the inside. No bueno.
11. Pin around the edges and sew straight seams (1/2″ seam). On one end leave a 4″ opening.
12. Clip corners out. This will help you have a more defined corner when you turn it inside out. If you don’t clip it there will be too much material in the corners.
I didn’t take a picture of this but wanted to show you what I mean (in case you are new to sewing). SOURCE
13. Turn fabric inside out. This puts your top section facing, the pretty side of the batting facing out, and your ribbons dangling out.
14. Fold the 4″ opening in and pin. No need to measure. It pretty much does it on it it’s own.
15. Iron the edges of all side. This will help it lay nice and flat for the next step.
16. Top stitch (this means “sew on the top of the fabric” ) around all 4 edges. This will close the opening and give it a nice decorative stitch. I did a 1/4″ seam but you could also do a 1/8″ seam. Your choice.
TADA! DONE! Easy huh!? It is! I promise! If I can do it without using a seam ripper once, ANYONE can do it!
We call Beckham “monkey”, “little monkey”, “monkey man”, or “little monkey man” because he loves jumping on his bed. Every morning we find his bouncing away. After a diaper change we bring him in to mommy and daddy’s bedroom and have cuddle time on the bed. It is never really cuddle time because he is determined to stand up, hold onto the headboard, and get back to bouncing.
That is why I thought it was so fitting when Anytime Costumes gave me the opportunity to review their Mischievous Monkey costume.
Beckham looked so cute and like a real monkey jumping on the bed in this cute little costume! Look! He is even throwing the “I Love You” sign.
This cute little costume is available in 6 months- 2T and has a snap leg closure for easy diaper changes. It is a footie bodysuit with a separate hood. The bottoms of the feet have skid-resistant bottoms to keep kids from face planting it on the kitchen floor. The hood has a little monkey face on it, hair, and big ol’ ears. It was a little big on him but the outfit it meant for 12-18 months and he is a small 11 months. He will grow into it. The outfit could easily have some nice warm clothes hidden underneath. It is cute, soft, and quality. It retails for $29.99 and often times Anytime Costumes has a sale.
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Acting like a monkey really wore my little kiddo out. (Thanks Anytime Costumes )
You know I couldn’t resist trying the hood on Max….she loved it Or did she?
My little stinker is 11 months today! Can you believe how fast time flies?! I swear it was just the other day that I was thrilled his little toes finally touched in his jumper. Now we are on jumper #2 because he broke the spring to his first one!
Beckham LOVES jumping! He could go for hours on end. Maybe one day he will be an Olympic high jumper! He loves to jump on his bed, on mom and dad’s bed, in his walker, or well….anywhere he could be standing!
Beckham is turning into a GREAT hugger. He hugs any stuffed animal he can find, the fluffy rug in mommy and daddy’s room, his sister Max, and any person he loves a lot.
Beckham is still a fish in the tub. He loves to splash. I can never keep him sitting anymore. He wants to hang over his tub or stand up. He doesn’t get fussy when we wash his hair. He just let’s us pour the water on top of his head. He is a good kid!
Beckham enjoys swinging…A LOT! It never fails to bring a smile to his face.
It is time to start baby proofing our cabinets and drawers. Beckham has learned how to open them up and pull everything out. His favorite one is the place where Max’s treats are kept. He pulls out all the treats and totally teases Max.
Beckham can now say:
mama– mom
dada– dad
baba– bottle
hi da– hi dad
ehhh– yea!!
He can also clap (slapping on tops of his hands) and wave (looks more like snapping).
Any time we say “Yea!!!” he claps. If we say “Can you say hi?” he waves. If we say “CHEESE!” he gives us a gummy smile. We have him trained almost as well as Max
He has also re-discovered his tongue. That thing hangs out all the time.
He smiles a lot. We really have a happy one. No teeth yet…just gums! When Beckham smiles he scrunches his nose. Sometimes it is cute other times it looks a little evil. Silly kid!
I could go on and on about how wonderful he is. I just love how his little personality is coming out. I love to watch him grow and learn. It has been fun to see him learn to crawl and start to walk with his little walker. He is a pro at standing and walking along the coffee table. He is silly and smiley. He loves calling his dad and grandma. He LOVES when dad comes home from work. He is enjoying walks more and more and doesn’t have to be so entertained on them. He lets me know when he is tired and is always happy to see me after his nap. I couldn’t have asked for a better kid. The Lord certainly know what I need.
I love you little monkey man!
Happy 11th month birthday!
Happy Mother’s Day to my favorite Madre!
I love you! Thanks for always being there for me and for being a wonderful example of how I want to be as a mother.
I know I have taken a little time away from my blog. It has been a busy little time! I am back though. (I know you were all worried about me 
)
As my first REAL Mother’s Day approaches I feel like I am constantly thinking about how blessed I am. I am so blessed that my Heavenly Father has trusted me with one of his children. I am so lucky that he is taking a chance on me and letting me teach my little man how to grow up to be the kind of man any girl would love to marry. I am so happy that my Heavenly Father knew that I would try my hardest to be the best mother I could be. I try very hard to be the best mother I can be.
I kiss boo boos.
I rock a sad baby to sleep.
I read books to my son.
I sing songs about Jesus.
I hug and laugh with Beckham all day long.
I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father that Adam and I were blessed with a healthy pregnancy, a non-complicated labor, and a perfect child. Life really is a miracle and I am so thrilled that I have been able to participate in such a sacred event.
I have a great mother how has been a wonderful example to me of what I want to be for my children. I want to be a stay-at-home mother like she is so I can always make sure I am there for my children. I want to participate in their school and extra-curricular activities like my mother did. I want to cook family dinners and make great family vacation memories like my family did. Thank you Mom for always being there for me. I know I wasn’t an angel child…I mostly was though I know there are sometimes where you dread picking up the phone to talk to me but luckily you do. It means a lot. I love having you as my best friend.
I know it isn’t really anything that people talk about but I am also grateful to my Heavenly Mother. Even though I know nothing about her I know she is there. I know she was there supporting my Heavenly Father as he came up with this great idea to create an Earth, where his children could grow, be tested, and get a body. I know it was hard for her to have to watch her perfect son suffer on the cross. I am sure she wanted to be there to kiss his boo boos. I am sure she was there with open arms when he returned to Heaven. I am sure she taught me a lot of things before coming to Earth. I believe that she is who women get their instilled motherly qualities from. Thank you for being a wonderful mother. I wish I could remember you!
Here is a beautiful little video for you. (WARNING: I started crying when I heard the little cry at the beginning. NO! I am not pregnant. Just a sensitive mom.)
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! I LOVE YOU!!!!
I just saw that best thing ever! This has made my birthday the most amazing one yet!
Today is my birthday! 29 baby!
I don’t feel 29. I feel more like 24. I would like to think I don’t look 29. In fact, last night at the movies a lady told my mother-in-law that I looked too young to have had my son. ha ha I wouldn’t go THAT far. It is just that I look at 29 year old and don’t think I look that old. Is that a good thing? Or does that mean I look, dress, and act immature?
Here…let’s compare.
All these celebs are 29. Do I look this old?
If I look like I am 29 don’t say anything
Now that I am older my birthday wish lists have changed. Gone are the days where I ask for a Barbie (or as I said BAH-be), a board game, or Lisa Frank school supplies. Gone are the days that I asked for clothes, massages, and manicures. WHAT!? You say. I know. I am old. Here is my wish list today.
#1. I want to go to the doctor to get my knee problems fixed. It has been hurting for 6 months…UGH! I know it may sound lame to ask for this but the co-pay is $40 so that would be a great birthday present.
#2. I want to go to the eye doctors and get a check up. I know…another lame wish. It is just that my eyes are not as good as they once were, thanks to having a baby. My insurance doesn’t cover eye so this could cost a pretty penny. Another great birthday present!!
#3. I want to get my eyebrows waxed. I know….another lame wish. Look at these caterpillars though! They need to be done badly!
#4. I want a new pair of Nike’s. Hey, I didn’t say gone were the days of asking for new shoes
Of course I am still asking for the things for my previous wish list!
Now that you are getting older, what are you asking for this year?
