{ Curtains }

I mentioned awhile ago in one of my posts that I would share the curtains my mom and I made while she was here visiting.  Life just hasn't stopped since then, but I found some time to get them off my camera today.  Anything to do with sewing is a huge accomplishment for me so I have to share.  My mom and I always end up playing with my house when she comes.  That's just what we do.  We tackled my kitchen and my family room.  Both rooms have been driving me crazy to get finished, but the finishing details weren't coming together.  I love these rooms now!  Curtains to me are like paint.  It finishes everything and makes a room look so much better!   I wish I had before pictures, but I don't, so you'll just have to look at the after.

Here is the family room:   

The ceilings are so tall so that makes it a little challenging sometimes.  I got a new tree for the corner and a lamp for the other corner.  I used to have two shabby looking trees that desperately needed to be replaced.  One in each corner.  Curtains, some new pillows and a couple of new accessories finished it off for me. 

Here's a close up of the curtain.  It really doesn't get easier than this and there is no sewing involved!

 

We bought a piece of plywood at Home Depot and had them cut it to size.  Wrapped the board with batting and used a staple gun on the backside.  Then wrapped the material around and stapled that on the backside also.  Easy, Easy, Easy!

My kitchen nook area was my other trouble spot.  Here it is after.  (Sorry, no before pictures again)

 

I love this little corner now!  It makes me happy every time I walk in the kitchen.  The shelf was on the wall before with the tea cups, but we added flowers to them and put the tin behind it.  I always struggle with a centerpiece for my kitchen table.  Nothing seems to be just right.  It took us about 4 different shopping trips, bringing things home to try on the table and then returning to start again before we put these together.  I love the simplicity and clean look of it.  I still need to put a picture in the frame.  I will have that done before my next round of company comes.  ( We just enjoyed a really fun visit from the Swenson family.  We miss you guys more than you know!!) I tried to get a good picture of the whole kitchen, but the light wasn't great. 

Here are the curtains we made.  These involved the good ol' sewing machine!   

Straight lines though and easy to do.  I have 3 windows in my kitchen.  Two this size and one larger one.  I can't tell you how much better curtains make me feel!  It's like having the perfect piece of jewelry to go with an outfit...it just feels complete.  Thanks for your help mom!!!

{ Preparedness Blog }

My mother in law sent me a link to this prepardeness blog a couple of months ago.  I subscribe to the feed and read all the updates.  The other day I ran across an entry that made me motivated in the food storage department all over again.  I am pretty prepared, but there is always more that I can do.  I felt myself hitting a wall with it all and not knowing what direction to go  next.  Sometimes I feel like I can't rotate the food fast enough, or since I've been pregnant, I've been so dang lazy that I "forget" to rotate all together.  Other times I find myself staring at it all wondering how I'm going to get creative enough to come up with meals my family will eat.  Am I the only one who has those sort of problems???  So, you have to check out this blog.  It's called Prepared LDS Family.  Subscribe to get the updates.  You never know when you might run into some really helpful information.  Here is the post that helped me with 90 menu ideas and kept me moving in the right direction.  Remember, every little bit we do helps in the long run.  Just take it a little step at a time, but stick with it and you'll see the rewards!

{ Free Class }

I am marking my calender for June 22nd!  I feel like there is always something new to learn when it comes to editing photo's, so I'm going to take advantage of this FREE class. 

Just thought I would pass the word along.  Go here to find out more.

One Proud Barracuda Daddy--

Some of you may have heard about Kaylee and Jake participating in swimming this year--no NOT swim lessons we're talking Northampton Barracudas and real honest-to-goodness swim meets, Y'all.

Kaylee and Jake swim for the neighborhood Northampton team--which has over 300 kids on the swim team. (Most other teams have about 120-150.)

I was very timid in getting the kids involved, however, Krysta led us into it with her swimming background. We have all loved it--including the 6+ hour meets every Saturday. We have met many more friends and neighbors and the kids can't get enough of the water--they have both excelled; Kaylee loves the breast stroke and Jake's best stroke is freestyle. Both have qualified for All Stars at the end of the month in those strokes.

We were surprised a bit how well both Kaylee and Jake have done--actually they have competed EXTREMELY well, earning Ribbons ... you have to finish in the top 6 with individual events and top three with team medleys and relays. (Moes family has a total of 21 ribbons to date.)

We're proud that they are learning new talents and not afraid to try new things. (Listen to the videos below--any guesses who's screamin'???)

Summer {FUN}

Summer is here and we are so excited!   I think I get just as excited about summer as my kids do.  I love the change in routine, having my kids home and the freedom the summer brings.  Their last day of school was Thursday.  I took them on a little shopping trip after school that day.  We went to Target and I let them each pick out one new toy.  I'm not usually one for buying my kids toys.  Birthday's and Christmas and that's about it (mean, I know, but I hate when the toys lay around untouched!)  The boys each picked out a new lego set and Kaylee got a paper doll clothes designing kit.  I don't know if it's because they don't get spoiled with toys all the time or if we just picked out the perfect toy for each of them...whatever it was, it was worth it!! They have played so good non-stop.  The T.V. has hardly been on at all and there hasn't been the normal amount of fighting.  I LOVE it!  I threw a 550 piece puzzle in the mix too.  I thought it would be fun to have a puzzle out for everyone to work on...nice quiet time and another thing that doesn't involve the T.V.  So that night my dining room was turned into the "Puzzle Room".  I'm just glad the room is getting used and they are all enjoying working on it randomly through out the day. 

There is the crew, unwinding after our swim meet on Saturday.

A couple of weeks ago I started  preparing for the summer.  I wanted my kids input, so we had a Family Home Evening/ Family Council about our summer.  I asked the kids what fun things they had in mind.  I got plenty of answers and had to quickly add them to my list!  Here's what you will find us doing this summer.

 

Our Summer Fun List

Trips to the Library

Playing at the pool - lots and lots!

Art Time

Baking Treats

Craft Time

Movie Theater - we did the weekly movies again, 10 shows for $5.00

School Time - I need to work with Drew on his ABC's, numbers and colors.  This will be a good time for the kids to work on math and write stories.

Cook from our kids cookbook

Free Time

Computer Time

Read the book "Super Fudge" together and other chapter books.

Ice Cream dates to the park.

Bike rides

Sprinkler fun

Bike wash

Movies with friends at home

Go to the beach

Walks

Trips to the Dollar Store

Earn money to buy their own toy

Side walk chalk

Trips to the Zoo

Field trip to the Museum

Plant flowers from seeds in their very own flower bed.

Service Projects

Make our own recycling center

Water Park

Playdates with friends

Puzzles

I added a folder labeled "Summer" to my basket.  I had to keep all of my thoughts and plans somewhat organized. (You know me!)  All of my lists are there, pages I've torn out of magazines with craft ideas...anything related to summer. I had Casey print me out a summer calendar.  I organize it a week at a time (I can't get too far ahead of myself because things are always changing).  I plan out what we'll do each day.  Every night, Super Kid for the week gets to write on our chalkboard in the kitchen what we are doing the next day.  When the kids wake up, they see the plan and know what to expect.  It helps me too when we find ourselves "lost" through out the day.  Hopefully this will also prevent many fights because I don't have to scramble to come up with a distraction.  All I have to do is look at the board and see what we had planned.  So far so good!

FYI: My mom and I made curtains while she was here visiting...that's where I've been during my lack of posting (that and lots and lots of organizing).  I haven't had time to take pictures, but I will get to it this week.  Check back! :)