I have one really bare wall in my kitchen....and it's of course the first thing you see when you walk in. And it's been driving me crazy for MONTHS what to put there. So as I'm reading my blogs and pinterest pins I came across an idea after merging two.
The centerpiece is a DIY burlap picture just using paint. It's so simple and right up my taste alley. This project is a go, because I have everything I need. I already have a picture wall in my house...but most people don't see it unless they use the bathroom. And I have slowly but shortly been removing the frames from all end tables from the living room. I'm trying to be clutter free...pay attention to the trying! So my main living space are pretty bare of family photos. Sad face. Well around the centerpiece I want to put 8x10 pictures of the ones I love that make up that initial! My family!
The picture kind of explains the layout, but one side will be of Aiden then the other side of Baby #2. Eventually there will be a Baby #2 but for now it will just hold a picture of me and Wes and the other of a Aiden newborn pic. The individual pictures I will rotate yearly but I'll keep up the 1st portrait with Mommy and Daddy always.
2 posts in one day! Dang...oh wait I'm staring at the clock waiting for 4 to roll around.......1 more week! ahhhhhhhh boooooooooorrrrrrrreeeeeeeeddddddddd I'm not allowed to work on any issues anymore...so lots of down time.
On Aiden's 18month celebration what better to post about than updates about his big boy room.
I'm not sure if I have posted about his finished collage wall, but I have found all the the main pieces for it. I look forward to the day when it's out of the linen closet and on the wall! :-)
Since I couldn't ever find online my inspiration for his paint job, so I had to scan it. I just hope I can do it......I'm not an expert painter that's for sure. The picture doesn't do it justice, but it's like a distressed navy, which goes PERFECT with the bedding.
I still don't know what I want to do for curtains, and I probably won't till the room is together. I have been trying to work on the layout of the room for when a twin bed arrives in it. Things will be definitely shifting around.
First Mood Board:
Future Projects: One more picture for his picture wall. Grab some map scrapbook paper or an actual map. Use my friend, Erica's Silhouette SD machine to cute out the alphabet. So cute. Now for his name above his bed I have two ideas. I really want to do the paddle one, but inexpensive paddles are IMPOSSIBLE to find. So if all else fails white letters and two starfish will be work too.
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Christmas Updates: With the help of my SIL we figured out what to give the in-laws. Some secret operations will be involved to accomplish the goal, but I think and hope we can do it. I can't spoil it just in case they see this post! Sneaky Sneaky! It's actually something they need. We all know its impossible to think of gifts for the parents.
I narrowed it down to 2 dollhouses for my neice, Lily that I will purchase next month. Both are girly and has the moms approval :-) I like how they already come with the furniture and can easily be tucked away.
So as I was hunting for a dollhouse. I came along gift #4 idea for Aiden! Now I just have to decide....Wood Guitar or Treehouse. UGH the decisions!! What do you think? Both will teach him to be creative by playing music or playing with the animals using his imagination. So hard because they are so cute. Once I decide that the planning is done. I have my 4 gifts. :-)
Other news: 8 more days till I start my new job!!!!!! See the excitement? I can already tell I love my Lead Team Manager. Uber sweet and easy to talk to just like my direct Manager. More pay, less stress, great coworkers...who wouldn't love that.
Also, NO more 2-4am phone calls. OMG can't wait for that day!!!! However, it is getting sad to be leaving my current group, they keep saying "Are you suuuure you want to leave" "See now what are we going to do without you". They are awesome.
I just got notice about my move with my new cube #. I'm switching buildings too! YAH no more working in the ghetto! Leaving Hickory Hood! So I ask my dear friend Erica to do a drive-by to scope it out. Hey, who knows how long I will be in this cube, so I DEFINITELY want it to be better than the reject cube I'm in now. No more people directly behind me hearing every word I'm saying or even worse seeing my screen perfectly. And the best part is....I have enough space to put up picture frames instead of having to post them on the cube wall. Weird to be excited about that but kinda important when most my time is spent in a 4x4 space. I just hope the neighbors I do have are the loud ones or I will be moving locations. I can't stand when people shout on the phone instead of talking normal, complete disregard of others. Well off my soapbox. :-)
Aiden news: He is truly a ladies man. I swear EVERY little girl at daycare loves him. Small and little. Sometimes I have to sit and think "What does he do to make them love him so much?!?! He can't talk yet." Then I think it must be like the movie, "Look who's talking to". Baby talk that we don't know about. They come running up to him when we drop him off or say hey/bye to him. Some even make a point when I come pick him up to run up to him and give him a big hug. How precious is that! He now turns around as we walk out and gives them waves. Could eat him up!
I couldn't ask for a better son. A son that LOOOVES bananas! When I make my protein shake in the AM he see me put in a banana, he runs up to me hands in the air and grunts. I'm desparately trying to get him to tell me he wants some by constantly repeating "You want SOME?" "What do you want, BANANA?" "You want MORE?" It's not clicking yet but I know with time he will be able to do it. He is talking alot more, and potentially saying more words than I know but my baby talk decoding is not 100 percent yet. lol I hear boys take longer than girls...so I will just stick with that and keep practicing.
On a high note, I know he understands us now because we can tell him to do something and he will do it. Here are a few examples:
*Shut the fridge door. (Or any door for that matter)
*Pick up the ball (and proceeds to throw it to Murph)
*Pick up the ___ letter. (replace blank with color. He does get green and blue mixed up though)
*Where's Murphy? (He will go search for him and try to pet him)
*No! Put it down! (As he grabs the remote. He's got the increase volume and input button down pat)
*Get down! (As he is trying to stand in his chair or on the couch)
Me update: Aug 1 both myself and Wes started P90x. Both the diet and workout plans. After 3 days I can say we are doing great. The meals are yummy but I'm having trouble eating all that I'm suppose to and always end up with leftovers. The other trouble is meal preparing! OMG! Last night I had to cook dinner (thankfully Wes did all the prep work), get our lunches ready for today, and do some prep work for this mornings breakfast. That's the only part that sucks about it. But I can honestly say I'm not starving and feel constantly full. I know I'm at only day 3 but I can say I'm not burned out from the workouts either and I'm obviously not a workout nut yet. Hopefully, this will jumpstart that. Gotta do it for the little man and I want to be in better shape before we think about having baby #2 and that takes time my dear.
I was a little curious how I was doing since I knew my food intake was more than it ever was before so I decided to weigh this morning...to give a little result preview....after 2 days I've lost 3 pounds! With the weight I've lost the previous 2 weeks on just changing up my diet (aka. lots of salads, fish,) but with no hardcore workouts thats a grand total of 8 pounds!!!!!!!!! Getting closer to my goal. But for the future I'm only giving weekly updates that's all we are recording. Also, if anyone wants the videos or meal plans I've got them all, so no need wasting the money :-) We got our copies from a mutual friend.
So the planning for Christmas begins. I'd like to have it ALL done by Thanksgiving. This year we are spending Xmas in Memphis, so for my family gifts for the times apart we are going to donate to a charity. This year we decided to donate to cancer research in honor of my SIL's sweet mother! She just found out she has lung cancer, and I don't really have much to share but we are constantly praying and thinking of her and everyone during this time of unknown. Heartbreaking, since we just saw her over our vacation to Destin. :-(
After much thought we finally came to a decision on budget. 1 large gift, new pjs, and a few small items. So what are those items?!
1. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Lil' Quad. The theme doesn't matter, just one for the best price, but there is Spiderman, Toy Story, or solid no theme ones.
2. Melissa and Doug puzzle I purchased at the sale last weekend. I might even get the puzzle organizer too, because they make one now for the big knob puzzles.
3. Play rug with roads and 2 new cars. Doesn't every little boy need this?!
If I could find a inexpensive pair of cowboy boots that fit my little man's feet I would say that would definitely be gift #4. So I will try to find that if not....then....that small gift is still up in the air. But how cute would cowboy boots be! I just picture him just in a diaper and them on. Precious!! Ugh I hope I can find some to fit those chunky feet.
My niece, Harlee, I got her a baby doll and crib. What girl doesn't need that??!! The crib was natural wood, but I know her and sis' room has white furniture, so I painted it to match. Debating if I want to paint some decorative detail on the end...I even made the precious bedding for the crib with some fabric I had laying around. She's gonna LOVE it! :-) I love it!
My niece, Lily, I'm thinking of getting her a dollhouse....but I still have another month I can plan :-) So many ideas still running through my head.
For Wes' parents and Wes I'm still thinking....they are the hard ones...
But I did tell Wes what I want for Xmas! A new laptop bag! I desperately need one with more pockets. So I will be on the hunt for one.
