30 Day Mom Challenge

I came across this idea on Pinterest, and decided that on the next month with 30 days, I would start the challenge, and that happens to be April.  Here is an overview of the challenge:

Why might you ask did I want to challenge myself?  Well, I feel with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I forget that my kids are KIDS!  My days are spent focusing on getting everyone ready and out the door, going to work and doing any errands while I am in town, coming home and getting supper ready, cleaning up afterwards, getting the kids ready for bed, doing household chores in the evening and finding some time for myself to visit with Brian, have a bath, craft, etc.  It's terribly difficult and I do have a hard time finding the balance in there.

Some could argue that perhaps I should stay home with my kids and then it wouldn't perhaps be such a challenge.  First of, financially, the bank account insists I work, especially if we want to eat and do some fun things.  Secondly, I am just NOT THAT TYPE OF MOM!  I have said it before, I am not meant to be a stay at home mom.  I love my children, but my patience is short, which is not the best combo for a mom with young children.  I am home on Wednesdays and it can feel like the longest day of the week. Part of it is that the kids want to be played with, cuddled, etc - which is great and fine!  I also see a mountain of things I can do on my day off, dishes, laundry, etc...you know...the usual.  I try my best to find a  happy medium but some Wednesdays has that being a bigger challenge than others.

Most days I feel like I'm a good mom.  My kids know I love them and they make me laugh and smile at just how darn cute they are!

Other days however, I feel like I could do a better job.  I am hoping this challenge will allow me to appreciate my children for who they are...a 5 year old boy and a 2 year old girl!

Anyone want to join me in this challenge?  I am going to blog each day about the results of each day's challenge.  Don't have a blog and still want to try it out?  Comment on my Facebook link, that would be great too!  You have a couple days to ponder it as April 1st is Sunday.

An Award For Moi?

In case you didn't know, you are now reading the blog of an award winner!  And you thought you didn't know anyone famous!

Ok, well, you still don't, because I don't suspect this award will bring me trophies, money or commericals, but hey, it is NICE to be recognized.   It makes me feel appreciated and happy to know that people care about what is going on with my "Adventures In Everyday Life"

I was happily checking up on my last blog post...seeing how many people checked it out and if anyone left me any comments.  Lo and behold, there was one comment, from my dear friend, Bonnie.

She awarded me with the Liebster award.  Tell me more you say!


 Liebster is a German word, meaning favorite, dearest or beloved, and the Liebster is awarded by bloggers to other, newer bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, to spread the word and help the new(er)bies gain wider recognition. The award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:

 1. Choose five up-and-coming blogs (with fewer than 200 followers) to award the Liebster to.

2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.

4. Share five random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.

I have chosen some worthy recipients.  By no means do I expect them to continue this award, but it is my way of telling them I enjoy reading their blogs and anxiously await for their updates.  If you have a bit of time, please scroll on over and check them out

I only picked 3 instead of 5, first off, because my reading list is pretty short and half of them are sponsored blogs...and picking them is both against the rules and not fair anyway!  Secondly, one of the other ones I would have picked was Bonnie's and this game could go on forever if we just kept picking each other.

1. reel-focused - blog detailing the adventures in film school as experienced by my cousin's husband!
2. The Garretts - a dear friend who challenges me to be crafty!
3. Dorisdale Farms - the local farm where we get the BEST corn each season!

And finally....5 random facts about me that people may not know.

• I have a secret obsession with the TV show, Supernatural.  I watch the same episode twice a week, own the DVD's and wish monsters were real so the Winchester Brothers would save me!

Proof that I am not crazy nor 12...who wouldn't obsess!

• I always thought I would have HOARDS of kids and stay home with them, then I had 2 and decided that was enough and going to work is necessary each day!
• If my parents were not alive, I would be living in the Yukon.
• I am a leader for our local weight loss group...which I lovingly refer to as my "fat group"
• Give me a good book and I will ignore everything else...household chores, children, you name it...mostly I read Paranormal Romance.  All because of my girlfriend who got me started on them, but I thank her everyday I pick up one of my "smut" books 

Time To Catch Up

So I realized today, I have only blogged twice this month.

Number of reasons for that.

First off, I am saving all my craftiness blogs for me Pinterest Challenge.

Second, I am busy crafting at night, for my Pinterest Challenge blog posts.

Third, my life is pretty mundane, or so it seems to me.

I mean, everyday it pretty much the same, except for the excitement the kids add, but that can get boring after awhile too.

But weekends, BUSY around here and now that the nicer weather is starting to show itself, it's only going to get busier.

Last weekend, the kids were able to get out and do nice weather things.

Sidewalk chalk is the best time killer!

Brian also got a new hair-do

Halloween Mullet Wig at it's finest

About 3 weeks ago, we treated ourselves to a new B.B.Q., what we purchased was a Big Green Egg.  If you are not familiar with it, it is a cross between a smoker and a grill, operating strictly on Charcoal.

This is the Egg and the bread we baked in it last weekend

Our old B.B.Q. was on a small "patio" we had made out of patio stones that had been left behind when we moved in.  It worked great with the old one, but the new grill is a bit wider and we didn't have enough space to stand at the grill and cook.  Brian decided to build one out of wood that was larger.  It turned out pretty darn great.

I wish I had gotten a "before" picture, but I never do.  Now the next plan is to paint both the existing deck and new platform to match.  

So, there you go.  Hope you enjoy the little update.

Bathroom Reno - Sneak Peek

So, in case you missed it....on Friday, I was pretty darn excited about the weekend.  There was lots of work planned for the bathroom.  The pieces we had picked up over the weeks for the bathroom were just waiting to be incorporated into the bathroom.

Brian got home from work around 1:00 pm on  Friday and started painting.  The colour I chose was a bright yellow, (Behr's June Day).  I wanted something that would go with the lime green in my kitchen and this paint was as lemony as the green is limey.

Brian told me I could NOT take any pictures of the bathroom until today.  We wanted to get all the walls painted, the new curtain rod up, the new counter and sink in place and the new lights.  That got me thinking today, we are not yet quite finished with the bathroom.  There is still the floor and trim to complete.

So, in keeping with Brian, I am not going to show you all the details of the bathroom yet, rather just give you a little sneak peek.

Ready?

I must say, I LOVE IT!!  I found this shower curtain and paid way more than I have ever thought of paying for a shower curtain,but I saw it and knew I HAD to have it.  I would have not been happy with any other choice I could have made.

I will give you a look into a little project I completed today for the bathroom though.

First off, A little story to go with it.   My next purchase for the bathroom was going to be a new mirror.  I had looked around a fair bit, but hadn't seen anything I really liked.  The previous mirror was just a plain sheet that took up the whole space between the cupboards on the wall.  I wanted something either rectangular or oval.  The problem with the other mirror, aside from it's ugliness, was that it was too high for the kids to see themselves in when they brushed their teeth.  They had to sit on the counter to see and it would end up with a bit of mess of toothpaste and spit all over the place.

Not often would I take Brian's advice nor would he bother to give any regarding decorating and design, but he hit a home run today.  He says to me, how about using that old mirror downstairs.  I had completely forgot about it.  It had got tucked into the spare room out of the way and it didn't even cross my mind.  It needed paint desperately, but that was an easy fix.  It was perfect.  The right shape with a bit of design to it.

Here is the before picture:

And here is the finished product:

I painted the frame black and some varnish for shine.

Now, I will give you a visual hint for my next project for the bathroom....the picture is the only hint to keep you wondering

Ok, one more hint....the idea came from Pinterest!

The 1850 Mile Pinterest Challenge - March Edition

Ok, so it is once again that time of the month....Pinterest Challenge Time.

I will admit, I had a bit of a hard time with this one.  Mostly because March is sort of "Blah", other than St. Patrick's day, not much goes on. 

I decided to get in touch with my Irish roots and do a bit of decorating for St. Paddy's this year.

Here is the final product all set out in the living room.

First off, let me say, I was very happy with the end result.

Secondly, let me say, no one at home really seemed to notice or rave about my crafts with the appropriate amount of fanfare!

First off, I made this little guy!  It really was love at first sight when I saw him months ago.  I have made a couple other "block heads" and they just make me smile.

I went hardcore with these guys.  I made 3 of them...but by saying I went hardcore, I mean I used power tools to cut the 2 x 4 BY MY SELF!!!!  The chop saw scares the living daylights out of me, but I did decide  to craft at about 8:30 pm and Brian was pretty cozy in his undies, so I didn't want to bother him. I just let him know I was going to cut some wood.

His response "ok, just don't cut your hand off!"

That didnt' help my confidence, because that was the EXACT thing I was worried about!

I got them cut just fine with all digits in place.  Then I broke out the palm sander and smoothed the edges.  Let's talk about the palm sander for a minute here shall we? It was on loan from mom and dad.  IT'S TERRIBLE!!!!  Sorry mom and dad, but seriously!!  I am pretty sure my arm continued to vibrate for a week afterwards!

I don't really have any pictures of my progress as I went along.  That falls in line with the notion of me being a terrible crafter.  I decide to do these things around 9 at night and then feel I am under pressure for my bedtime deadline, so I just craft along and don't document it.

Anyhoo, here is my end result!  Cute huh?

Secondly, I did this.

 The subway art has been around for a bit, and I have made my own pitiful attempt to create my own, but really...why?  There are others who make them and then allow you to print them. That is what I did in this case.  And the frame?  I have 3 of these kicking around in the closest that I bought when I lived in the Yukon 11 years ago.  I have just been shuffling them about, but the barnboard look was too cute to pass up originally and I am pleased to have finally found a use for one of them.

Lastly, I used this image to inspire my last craft. 

I made mine reversible for Halloween as well, because the shape also reminded me of Witches boots.

I should also say...

Thanks to my dad for cutting out the little details out of wood.  I am not brave enough to try those yet.  I would rather risk his fingers than mine!  Plus, he's old!  He probably won't even remember how he lost them if he did!  Just kidding dad!  Love you lots and would only laugh a little if you lost a finger and I called you "gimpy"  ( disclaimer....no offence to anyone who HAS lost a finger!)