"Pinned it and did it" Easter Wreath

This weekend was my last few sweet days of spring break. I had to make a real effort to just sit back, relax and enjoy it. It's so hard for me to just sit and be still. Kellen gives me an excellent excuse to blow off chores and projects and park it on the couch to watch a show or lay on the floor and play with my baby man.

So back to my Easter wreath... Ta-da! I LOVE it!

It was so easy, cost 4 dollars and looks spring-y and great!  The only down fall is that it is a little time consuming. It took me about 45 minutes, but Kellen was sleeping, Callie was playing with a neighbor and Brien was cleaning the garage. I needed a project.

Here is what you need:

Cardboard cut into a about a 13 inch circle. (I used an old diaper box and a pie plate to measure)

plastic Easter eggs (I used 3 18 packs from the $ Tree)

Easter grass ($ Tree)

Hot glue

a pencil

First, cut your circle out, it doesn't have to be perfect, just close. Mine was U-GLY.

 Next, I laid out the eggs to kind of fit them on.

Then, blob on a bunch of glue and stick on the first layer.

Now, lay out and glue on the 2nd layer on the outside edge of the cardboard.

Next, use the remaining eggs to cover the big spaces between the first 2 rows.

Last, this is the part that takes forever is blob a bunch of glue into the cracks where the cardboard is showing and push it in with a pencil.

Done and done and up on the door!

Here is the original post from pinterest, minus the bow it came out pretty close

 http://cindis.blogspot.com/2009/03/moms-do-some-grass-this-month.html

Thrifty finds this month!

 This month I took my sister in law thrifting. Normally when I go, Callie and I browse for HOURS. But  Jenn had some where to be so we only had like 30 minutes. I think it made the trip better because I was hyper focused on finding some cute stuff and getting out of there. 

Here was my haul this time:

Target lace top

Polka dot dress

 Target sheer bird top (worn here )


Black pinstripe Express pants


Pink Adidas jacket for Callie

Another closet addition this month was a beautiful dress from Ross that I wore to Callie's Auntie Mack's wedding, but I could NOT for the life of me find it ANYWHERE. How did it just disappear?? I wish I had a picture, too bad...

ankle strap flats from Ross ($10)

                                                     

                                                            Skinny olive pants (from walmart $12)

Hot orange tunic  (also from walmart $12)

 

                                                    

Stay at home moms

So there is the phenomena that I only notice when I am off on a break and I have to drop off and pick up Callie during regular school hours.

See, normally because of my school hours, I drop her off way early at before school program and pick her up when my kiddos are all gone and I have made it all the way back across town, to after school program. I really do not have much contact with the families of kids Callie goes to school with.

I first noticed it during my maternity leave, what on earth do these people do for a living that they can all pick up and drop off their children, at any hour of the day??

Brien has suggested that these might be what people call, "Stay-at-home-moms" and dads, for that matter. Upon closer inspection, I have noticed that this must be some kind of club. One that I am not a part of. These parents, particularly the mothers, all seem to dress the same. They wear yoga pants, tennis shoes, no make up and giant sunglasses. They walk tiny dogs, carry Starbucks coffee and have babies strapped to them in some sort of fashion. They usually drive mini vans or SUVs and drop off small herds of children.
They all seem to know each other and have lots to discuss every time they see each other.

 I can't decide if I am jealous, dislike them or am indifferent...

I think it might be, that I feel a little guilty. I looovvveeee my babies, so much! I am incredibly fortunate to have a job where I get to be home with them almost 4 months a year. When Callie was a baby, I HAD to work to support us, I still have too now, but we seem to have more leeway money wise. But reality is I miss my kids and sometimes I feel like I miss important things in their lives because I am at work, staying late, going in early, at a meeting, grading papers etc.

Every time I go on a break I notice these parents, that don't miss anything that their children do, so is Everything  really special? I try to justify it by saying, "well, the time we spend together is really good quality time because we don't take it for granted". But again,the truth is that I don't think that I would be  a great mom, if I stayed at home with them all day.

I love my job and what I do. It is challenging and emotionally exhausting teaching at an inner city school.But it is so rewarding and I know that right now, this is where God has put me and I don't feel called away to my home or another school. So for right now, I don't get to be a part of the "stay at home mom club".

And I am okay with that.

Fashion Friday ('cause it's not what I wore Wednesday)

 Here are some of the outfit choices from the week before we went on spring break

Cardigan: Target
Tank: thrifted/target
Ruffled skirt: Target
Purple tights: target
Heels: Dillards (way old)

bird top: thrifted
Green skinny pants: walmart
Purple flats: target

I am lovin' this necklace, a Christmas gift from Callie's Meme

This was my work day outfit
Plaid top: American eagle (gift from MIL)
Pink tank: Target
Skinny  denim capris: forever 21
bronze flats: Target

My St. Patty's day outfit
Green tank: Old Navy
Skirt: Target
Sweater: Old Navy
 Cowboy boots: Sheplers

Stripped top: Old Navy
tank: Forever 21
cardigan: Target
Skinny denim capris: Forever 21
Yellow toe flats: Old Navy

San Diego (part 3)

 So the reception, all Callie wanted to was dance the night away! I really liked how they structured and scheduled everything. Something that our wedding was lacking; order.

I don't know how anyone did anything before pinterest, seriously. How did I plan a wedding, get ready for my first baby, decorate my home and cook dinner before pinterest??

Kellen and I at cocktail hour

I digress...I say all of this because Vivian told me a majority of the reception ideas came from pintrest.

Anywho, we had snacky treats, while we waited for everyone to finish up pictures. We signed their picture book and frame. The newly weds made their grand entrance, they danced, the kids danced, we all danced.

The beautiful newly weds

They also had a photo booth with fun props set up, a candy table (yum!) We had an amazing 3 course dinner, toasts, etc.

photo booth fun

We danced some more. We had cake. Danced, it was all around a pretty raucous evening!

At about 10, we sent Mack and Justin to their room across the resort. Justin's friends filled his corvette with balloons, silly string and really just made a mess of it! That was our cue to get our old married selves and our babies to bed at a reasonable hour.

Sunday was our last day in sunny California. Our flight did not leave until super late that evening so we had some time to kill. First we had to pack up and get checked out. Then return the rental car.  We spent the afternoon with Callie's Meme and Daddy Ty at the harbor.

We wandered around where the big ships are, took pictures.

Shopped.

Ate lunch.

Rode the carousel.

Climbed trees.

And enjoyed our last precious hours on the West coast!

After the Harbor we still had time to wait. So Callie swam and we all shivered and watched her. A cold wind had picked up, but she didn't seem to mind. Then we went to the park on the beach, Callie played some more and looked for shells to bring back to her school friends at home.

 It was time to head to the airport. We had another smooth trip through security and into the terminal. Before I knew it, we were in the air back to freezing Colorado. Kellen was not quite so amazing on the plane, a little fussy, but we were ready with lots of toys and bottles. We finally made it home!

Brien and I recapped our trip when we got home. We always do that. We also always say that we need to get away more often... Hmmmm, maybe next year...

San Diego (Part 2)

After a looonnngggg day at Sea World we headed back to our resort and got ready for the rehearsal dinner. By get ready I  mean lounge around, lay on the balcony and read my book. We finally pulled it into gear and met everyone at the pool and then on to the beach for the practice. It was a beautiful evening at the beach!

My gorgeous boys at the rehearsal

a little down time to snuggle

The bride, meme and daddy Ty waiting to practice

WAITING!

MORE WAITING

STILL waiting

Rehearsals always crack me up, because no one is really paying attention and knows what is going on. I have never ever(and I have been to A LOT) seen one go really well and then is exactly the same the day of the wedding.

After our practice session we waited for the hotel fancy bus to take us to dinner. 

Waiting for the bus and climbing some trees.

Our supper was at a famous Mexican restaurant in "old town". They had amazing food, Mariachi music and Callie danced her self silly!

dancing with her rose in her mouth (silly girl)

After supper we walked around old town and looked at all of the cool shops while we waited for our bus back to the hotel. When we were all back to the resort, we crowded around the fire pit at the pool while some crazy children (Callie) swam. The next morning we sleeeepppttt in! It was glorious. I remember getting a text message sometime, but I slept right through it. Then I shot up out of bed at 9:26, my earlier message was for Callie to go get her nails done for the wedding at 9:30.We scurried out the door and across the resort to Holly's room in the towers. Holly is sweet friend/ hair stylist from Kilgore, she came to be the beauty lady for the trip. Callie got her nails done and had to wait forever for them to dry. After nails were beautiful, we spent a promised, whole day by the pool. 

our little fish

Cabana, anyone?

I think Kellen is a swimmer!

 It was a little cloudy, but beautiful. Kellen had his first time in the pool and Callie splashed until she was exhausted.

Several hours later, the wind kicked up and we took our party to the trails around the beach and hotel. Before we knew it, it was wedding time. We lazed around getting ready again, then Callie was called off with the girls for more beauty and pictures.

She even had a "get ready" shirt

Miss Holly working her magic.

All of the girls had pretty star fish in their hair

Callie and Meme all ready for the wedding.

Brien and I cleaned up our selves and Kellen and then it was show time!

Flower Sign girl!

The ceremony was short, sweet and beautiful. Auntie Mack was stunning. It was a great wedding!

such a good flower girl

It finally happened, Auntie Mack was married! Now it was time to dance the night away!