Another Postcard

Our third postcard from a "very small island in the Atlantic Ocean" (Porto Santo)

Our First Postcard!

We received our first two postcards today from Postcrossing. We are so excited!

The first is from Germany

The second is from England

Postcrossing

I signed us up for Postcrossing after hearing about it from a friend of ours. It is a really cool idea and I'm hoping we received cards from all over the world. We received the first location and the card was mailed out this afternoon. I don't know how long it generally takes but it's traveling a long way. When the person receives it, they are supposed to register it on the site so we'll know it made it. How exciting! Here's to waiting...patiently... 😉

First of Many Projects

This bed was a project that sat in our garage for many months before I started it. It seemed simple enough when we bought it but the more we looked at it, the more work it needed and the longer we talked ourselves out of even starting it. Finally, I'd had enough so I googled and researched to see what materials I would need. I then put on my big girl panties and dove into the numerous materials from previous projects (AKA: unorganized junk) so I could reuse some of those materials and save a little bit of $$. 

The bed started as a dirty off-white color with sticker remnants and marker on it so I began by cleaning off what I could. Then I sanded as well as I could into the grooves to give me a smooth bed to paint.

I painted the insets hot pink because I already had the color that a good friend had left with me when she moved. Of course, my little had to help me so of course I let her. It is her bed after all.

 I painted the other areas of the head and footboards bright white. I also painted the side boards the same white just to freshen them up a bit. After painting 2-3 coats of paint, I applied a polycrylic to help protect it. As I did this, I noticed several areas I had not paid much attention to during the process but I talked myself out of doing it over because it was a bed for a 4 year old. (I had to keep reminding myself of that)

One of the main items I was very excited to use were boards that had been sitting in our garage for several years just waiting for a purpose...so I found them one.

I measured and cut the boards so they would fit across the width of the bed .

TA-DA!! I was so proud to see what I had made! I put a twin mattress on it and the kids began to play on it because our daughter was so excited to have a big girl bed.

This was about 2 minutes later followed by a "MOM!" My inexperience shows here because it was particle board and was not made to withstand a 4 yo apparently. Nobody was hurt, I threw the boards away, and we went to Lowe's to get some sturdier supports.

Here's the final project complete with a cute little girl and her choice of bedding.

Welcoming in the New Year

I didn't have any big plans for New Year's Eve this year. We had returned from Christmas vacay in FL a couple of days prior and I am still recovering from the travel. When I received an invite yesterday afternoon, I decided to jump on it and make myself (and the kids) get out of the house. I whipped together some no-bake cookies and got us all dressed and we headed over (it's only about 2 minutes from our house). We had a really fun time! The kids played while the adults hung out, drank, and played some games (Cards Against Humanity among others). It was nice to relax while welcoming in the New Year. Here's to an exciting, eventful, yet relaxing 2017!

 Ashley and I

 K enjoying a lighted balloon.

 Disco Ball Light

Just Me :) 

Bucky and Nick 

The Set-up 

Adios M-F-er 

Dancing with Kira 

Ashley, Calvin (b'day boy), and Me 

Fun with Silly String 

Tooting our Horns 

Midnight!!! 

Glassy-eyed Kiddos Ready To Go Home and Sleep

They Still Need Me

I can not even begin to describe the guilt I feel when (yes when) I get mad because my littlest won't stay in bed. And then there are nights like tonight where she just wants to "wock" (rock) in her chair with me. She usually wants to play a little but she does so with a whisper so I let her for a little while at least. Some nights I just can't muster the energy...most nights I make myself. Because I have learned that time truly flies when you are raising little ones. Pregnancy felt like it would never end...their childhoods feel like they're flying by. I try to enjoy every moment knowing that it will pass too soon and yet I fail some nights (and days for that matter) justifying it to myself by saying "You've done more than enough for the day" but still the guilt sets in at night, sitting here in the quiet. I like the quiet and sometimes I need the quiet. Raising a child is not about my needs though...I gave up that right, right?! I feel like every day is a constant battle to do everything I can for them while still making time for me...and my husband. Unfortunately, I fall short every day. Every day I am left wondering where I went wrong and why I am unable to do everything I feel like I should. The funny thing is that I am the only one who sees these shortcomings. And so I obsess even more. How am I so good at hiding my feelings and deficiencies from those closest to me? And why do I?

Both of my kids have different ways of letting me know that I am needed...and wanted. Sometimes emotions fly and/or voices are raised. Other times, cuddles and kisses are given with no strings attached on either end. Both methods get my attention although that attention looks different. You'd think being in a behavioral field that I would have it all under control but I don't. It's hard to be objective when it's your kid and you are in charge of their happiness and childhood and everything good (and bad) is because of you. It's a lot of pressure...A LOT! It's totally worth it but stressful and anxiety-inducing nonetheless. However, at the end of the day, all that really matters is my kids and husband know that I have tried my best...because I have.

Holy Wow!!

I was sitting here reading someone else's blog post (because I have nothing else to do *sarcasm*) and started thinking about how I haven't written a post in a while.  I looked back to my blog and saw that it has been almost a year - A YEAR!! Holy smokes have my kiddos grown in that amount of time!! So here is a rundown of things that have happened...

Bucky started 2nd grade

Playtime in the pool

Kira turned 2!

BJJ tournament

Our first NFL game

Gamma and Grandaddy came for snuggles 

Halloween

Soccer

Thanksgiving

Home for Christmas

Geocaching

 Easter in Tucson