Thankful!

I am feeling very thankful and especially blessed over the last week.  I have been doing in home daycare for the past 2 years. While it has been a blessing that allowed me to bring in some money while staying at home with my youngest and be here to see my oldest off to school in the mornings, and greet her back in the afternoons its also been unreliable income and hard work. 

Playing with and caring for kids is great but 9 times out of 10 its someone else's child you are holding/consoling and not your own, you tend to help others first while your own children wait, toys get broken and things wear out much faster than normal.  Your patience for your own children is gone by the end of the day because you have exhausted it all dealing with a group of children.  I was trying to get an after school schedule lined up for September without much luck.  Worrying about income, bills increasing as the cold weather months approach and no plan was super stressful.  Last week I was on Craigslist to update my childcare posting and just decided to search our town for job postings.  I came across a posting for a local company needing a bookkeeper and office help part time with a flexible schedule.  I sent my resume off not really expecting to hear anything back.  Within 1 day I had an email response and after a few days of phone tag an interview was scheduled and things were moving FAST. 

I started that new job yesterday and while I have a lot to learn its amazing and I feel like I have landed my dream job.  A good paying part time position that still allows me time with my girls, working from home flexibility, creating my own schedule and its local!  Emmie will go to Aunt Connie's daycare on those 3 days I have to be in the office {which is more like a play date for her than being stuck in daycare!} and I will be out of work in time to pick Savannah up from school, this makes her over the moon happy!  Riding the bus is her least favorite part and she is always begging me to pick her up but I was rarely able to.  I wont have to rush out in the mornings, and I can be home to make dinner still!  I feel like I have hit the jackpot! 

Wish us luck as we start this new phase of our lives and cheers to things looking up!

Weekly Menu!

Meal #1 Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas w/ spanish rice & chips w/ salsa
Meal #2 Fish fry w/ coleslaw & french fries
Meal #3 Fauxtisserie Chicken w/ fresh fruit & green beans
Meal #4 Toasted ravioli w/ marinara & tossed salad w/ fresh bread
Meal #5 "Hamburger Helper" w/ zucchini fries & fresh fruit

snacks & treats
espresso chocolate chip shortbread
blackbean brownies (very curious if these will pass my girls test!)

Friday FAB finds!

Totsy

super cool site for kids clothes and more, like Zulily but better I think!

Hot Dog Handbook

we eat a lot of hotdogs in this house, great ideas for jazzing the adult dogs up! 

{soapbox moment - please buy the hotdogs with no nitrates/nitrites in them!}

Back to School printables
My Savannah is headed back Sept 6 {much to her dismay!} These will be fun to toss in her lunchbox! Tons out there on pinterest!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
I made it this week & it really does work amazingly well & cheap to boot!

Applique T-shirt!

OK...so I have seen super cute applique work all over but was always too intimidated and scared to try it..this morning a friend {my super amazing seamstress friend!} invited me over for a little sewing session. I am getting the sewing bug again since I did those camera strap covers for my friend.  I wasn't planning on creating anything today so she suggested doing an applique on the girls shirts..when she offers you do not decline because she ROCKS and I learn so much from her in the sewing world!

Here is Emmie's cute little t-shirt! Savannah has decided she wants a bunny on her shirt so I am looking online for a design that will meet her demands! So fun and so easy!  Just grab a plain t-shirt, coordinating fabrics {I used 2 fabrics for this but its totally up to you & possibilities are endless!}, fusible interfacing, heat-n-bond, then find a design you like and go to town!  I didn't take pictures of any of the steps since I wasn't at home doing this but its really easy! If I can do it, anyone can do it!  

Find a design & trace it on the heat-n-bond, cut that design out & iron it onto your fabric then simply cut out the fabric w/ heat-n-bond attached, remove backing and iron onto your shirt.  Then take the fusible webbing on the inside of the shirt and iron that in place behind the applique.  Zigzag stitch around the entire design {this is the trickiest part for sure but if you go really slow its totally fine!} voila.....super cute fancied up t-shirt!

I think I might just have found my newest addiction, watch out everything will now have an applique on it! HA! HA!Can't you just picture Dave's dress shirts for work with a cute little sailboat or something! He would just LOVE it!

Bathroom Vanity!

I think I have FINALLY come up with a solution for our dining buffet turned bathroom vanity we have planned for our master bathroom!  Remember WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY back here, where I talked about the buffet we bought on craigslist to use as a vanity?  It was sitting in our bathroom blocking our tub for months, well  then I found another buffet {much to Dave's dismay, but in my defense I told him if we moved faster on projects I wouldn't be able to change the plan so often!} So...that 1st buffet is now a TV stand that holds all our DVDs and such! 

This is the new buffet I found and LOVE LOVE LOVE, big fat ♥ it I tell you!

Seriously, look at those legs....

  

and those doors....

and all those details.....

Swooning right now aren't you?!? We have had the sinks & gorgeous faucets for months now........

Just waiting to figure out a plan for the counter top...I wanted to keep it wood since its BEAUTIFUL...but there are some scratches and issues with the top, plus it will get wet everyday. I do not want to cover it with granite or tile or anything...thought about a beautiful marble top..but that means serious $$ cha-ching....

Surfing pinterest and saw this image!

then a friend sent me to here!

How cool is that?!?! We have a cream/copper color scheme going on & this would be sooo cool!  Any ideas on how to break the news to Dave of my plan?!?!

Weekly Menu!

Meal #1 Mac & Cheese & hotdogs w/ fresh fruit
Meal #2 Honey Chicken & eggrolls w/ steamed rice
Meal #3 Cheesy Chicken & rice w/ tossed salad

Thats it for this week, we have a couple meals left over from last week's menu..my sister was in town visiting and Emmie's birthday so it was a CRAZY week with lots of change ups!

Snacks & Treats
energy balls
pretzel bites
pudding cookies

Happy 3rd Birthday Emerson Ann!

WOW...my baby girl is 3 today!  Happy Birthday to my crazy and super silly Emmie!  Time is flying and you are such a big girl now!! You are so excited to start preschool next month with all your friends & you are 100 miles an hour all the time!  

For breakfast you had your own little mini birthday cake {chocolate of course} with whip cream & rainbow sprinkles!  Followed by a Backyardigans birthday party with your BFF Ollie!  We missed your other friends Kaiden & Maura who could not make it, but you had a FUN day!  HUGE 3 feet tall balloons of each character was your most favorite part of the party!  You got the Lallaloopsy Doll you have been asking for from mommy and daddy & big sister got you a Dora mermaid that swims! We ended off your fun & special day with a trip to the Cazenovia Candy Shoppe..loads of candy & your eyes lit up when we walked through the door! 

I love you so much my baby girl & you seem to grow overnight these days.  Part of me cannot wait to see what you do as a big girl but part of me wants to freeze you right now in these moments!  Happy 3rd birthday Emerson, may this year be amazing and full of learning all types of new things for you!

Friday FAB finds!

Painted countertops

this is very cool when you are doing upgrades on a budget

Paper plate baskets

too cute & easy :)

How to hull strawberries

Soooo smart!

Rolled flower headbands

yet another cute headband for the girlies!

Bestest Banana Bread Ever {& easy too!}

This is my go-to recipe for banana bread...which we make often in our house...seems like there is a super short window when the bananas are in acceptable condition for my picky girls to eat...not too green, not brown AT ALL, not the slightest bit smooshy....in banana life that's about 1 hour I think!!!

Anyway....we made a loaf this morning {with chocolate chips!} and I thought I would share the recipe since everyone has brown bananas around from time to time! For those days you don't have the time to make bread, I  freeze the over ripe bananas so we can use them as we need them in smoothies, ice cream, and bread, etc.

Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 325

3 ripe/over ripe bananas (4 if small)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour (1c unbleached all purpose & ½c white wheat)

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

In a large bowl melt butter in microwave then add bananas & mash with fork, stir in other ingredients. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake for 45-60 minutes (or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean). That's it, easy peasy! We throw in some mini chocolate chips sometimes too {like in the picture above} and that's super delish, my girls will even choose it for dessert!



Camera strap cover ups!

It feels like forever since I have sat down in front of my sewing machine!  Summer is a busy time and considering here in Syracuse we only get a few months to be outside enjoying the warmth summer brings I just have not sat down to any projects!  Not that there is a shortage of projects on my To Do list mind you!

I saw these super cute camera strap covers on tipnut & saved them to my pinterest boards awhile back. I happen to have made a new friend this past year that is an amazing photographer and it just so happens she  celebrated her 40th birthday last week...so I thought what easier way to jump back into sewing than with a quick simple project?!?  Well nothing with me and sewing ever seems to go quick or be simple so it took longer and I made more mistakes than an experienced seamstress would have but.....I managed to "git er done"!

I bought some funky fabrics & a minky type fabric to back them with so it would be nice and soft on her neck.  I think had I gone with just regular fabric it would have gone easier since the minky fabric is a little difficult to work with since it stretches so much.

Here are my fabrics {love those funky Amy Butler patterns}

I cut them way too thin the first time which of course I didn't realize until after I had completed them...so rather than waste the fabric & time...I made some adjustments & lets just say the winner of the ice pop cozies on 3 Crazie Monkeys will be getting a seriously fancy set!  So, that's when I picked this tutorial to follow instead of winging it on my own again!

So, here they are and if Jenn is reading this...surprise & happy belated birthday! ☻

Weekly Menu!

Meal #1 Olive Garden Salad & Provolone, Basil & tomato paninis w/ fresh fruit
Meal #2 Hawaiian BBQ chicken w/ white rice & tossed salad
Meal #3 Drunken chicken w/ zucchini fries & fruit salad
Meal #4 Fish tacos w/ mango salsa & chips w/ salsa
Meal #5 Burgers w/ sweet corn & salt potatoes



snacks & treats
raspberry limeade slushies
flat bread margherita pizzas (mentioned here how we make it)
cinnamon breakfast bites

Fall is coming.....

Or apple tree in the back yard is showing signs that Fall is coming.........it is LOADED this year which is really exciting!

My most favorite time of year here in New York.......but I am not quite ready yet....still hanging onto those summer days as long as we can!

Shopping for a desk & come home with a bed & stool?!?!

These are the things that mystify the hubby!  I ran out this morning to a local garage sale in search of a desk to use for my sewing machine..I have been on a quest to find something that will work in our guest room so I can leave my machine set up all the time.  I have had no luck yet {in my price range at least!} to find something and after seeing a garage sale advertised on craigslist I chatted with the woman and she said they had 2 desks.  So, loaded up the girls this morning and run over....only to discover the desks are too small...but they had amazing other treasures...loads of furniture {vintage super cool furniture}! So my quest for a desk is still on but............

 I managed to snag this full size bed for $10 !!

Just look at those turns! Solid wood & amazing!

and this awesome stool I have been searching for since the girls used one at a church awhile back for only $3!  Its in fantastic shape and once we spray it with a funky color will be perfect!

 

Friday FAB finds!

saw this quote via pinterest & thought it was funny enough to share!

 

Foodgawker

one of my many favorite websites! Endless resource of recipes w/ pics!

Crayon hearts

great way to still use those broken crayons!

Doily Lamp
how pretty is this?!? I have 2 girls who would LOVE it for sure!

Blast from the Past!

We are in the process of cleaning out our attic so we can build in a new floor and insulate it before the harsh cold winter arrives.  Great plan to save money & make it more organized up there....but 1 big problem...the attic is where I hide my stash...my stash of curbside collections and garage sale finds...Dave knows I bring stuff home he just didn't know quite how large of a "corner" {I use that term very loosely} my treasures had taken up in the attic!  YIKES!??! BUSTED big time....so it was time to get moving on some projects and get em outta here!

Remember waaaaaayyyyyy back to this dresser? Oh man it has been 1 1/2 years since I brought that home, I really do need to get my butt in gear!  Dave threatens to take my goods to the dump every weekend and thus far I have skated by without that happening but I think the clock is ticking!

Anyway, the lovely before shots!

 

Lets not forget that gorgeous carpet that was glued to the top!

AND drumroll please............

the After Shots!

 

 

I went with a deep red for the main color & metallic copper accents.  The hardware got a much needed spruce up with black & copper too!

Giveaway @ 3 crazie monkeys!?!

Check out my friend's blog 3 crazie monkeys

I am giving away a set of 5 of  ice pop cozies I showed you here to 1 lucky winner!

What are you waiting for?!?! Go & ENTER already!  Become a follower while you are at it since she has amazing giveaways weekly & cranks out awesome personalized items herself!!!!

Weekly Menu!

Meal #1 Taco Salad w/ fresh fruit & chips w/ salsa
Meal #2 Mac&Cheese w/ brats on the grill & tossed salad
Meal #3 Goulash w/ baguette & tossed salad
Meal #4 Chicken Nuggets & fruit salad
Meal #5 Steak on the grill, macaroni salad & fruit kabobs

treats & snacks
rice krispy treat
coconut ice cream
summer sangria {I made a red wine version for the 1st time for Bunco & am hooked!}

VBS Camp-out!

For the last several years Savannah has gone to the Vacation Bible School held at the church right in our town.  Dave's grandparents and aunt attend there and its within walking distance! It's just a great church all around, they host loads of activities geared for kids!  Emerson attended this year for the first time & both girls did great.  It was a long week since its held in the evenings from 6:30-9:00 but great experience for them. 

The kids put on a show with songs for the parents on the last night.  Emmie was doing her best to keep up with the motions and Savannah ended up sitting out almost the whole thing!

There is always a campout the last night in the churches yard complete with bonfire & smores but it was cancelled & Savannah was bummed since its one of her favorite parts of the week!  So, we set up our tent in the backyard and did our own little campout!  Dad, Mom, girls & even the dog!

Friday FAB finds!

Fruity Lemonade

lots of yummy recipes here

 

The NEW Home Ec
GREAT new blog from Babble

Chalk Paint
I am in LOVE with this & dying to try it out, but WOWZER its pricey!

no sew fabric flowers
These are super cute, versatile & look really easy!

Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes - YUM-O!

So we are cranking right through all those blueberries we picked earlier this week.  So much that none have made it into the freezer yet but I am thrilled the girls are gobbling them up and today I made these AH-MAZING cupcakes for a little get together I had!

I found the recipe on one of my all time favorite sites, How Does She! This site is awesome, its all about women sharing ideas. Tons to offer so even if you don't want the recipe be sure to check it out!

~  Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes w/ Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting ~

Homegrown Garden Goodness!

Our garden is doing AMAZING this summer!  So exciting to watch everything take off from seeds & tiny sprouts to full over sized plants!  This is by far our biggest & best garden yet!

We are over run with cucumbers 

 sugar snap peas {although these never even make it in the house, we eat them as fast as the vine produces!}

The 3 varieties of tomato plants are hanging to the ground with green tomatoes, the grapes have started to turn red! 

All 6 green pepper plants have peppers on them now

 green beans are over 6 feet tall, we plant pole beans in a tee pee 

The potato plants and carrots are bigger than we have ever seen before so we cannot wait to dig them up!

The MOST exciting news is that Emmie's cantaloupe plant has fruit on it! We have never before tried cantaloupe or any melons and she is over the moon excited since that is the 1 plant she chose for our garden. There are at least 3 little melons started on it so lets hope they make it into full size so she can enjoy them!



Blueberries!!

Today I took the girls to pick blueberries!  We found a farm nearby we have never picked at & it was AMAZING!  $2.50 a quart for organic blueberries - cannot beat that!  It was super easy picking, spacious clean rows, & bushes overflowing with the sweet berries! 

Both girls started out strong & excited to pick

Then it was not quite as exciting so they decided to sit and pick "flowers" instead

We managed to pick 4 quarts & Savannah managed to eat a pint as she was picking!