Friday Fives: Crafty

My neighbor and I are trying to get some things together that we can make and sell on Etsy.com and some local boutiques. We worked on some things and ideas after the kids went to bed last night. Here are some things that should be available soon!

1)Bonnet/Skirt sets: You see a picture in my previous post, but here is another...


2)Rosette Shirts to match the Skirts. I don't have a picture yets because we still have to go get some shirts, but we did make some cute rosettes.

3)Tutu dresses: We are ordering the tulle and other supplies today so I won't have one of our creations until next week, but here is one for sale on Zulily that is similar. It's made by Princess Charem.



4)Crocheted headbands with flowers, bows, ect... You see these everywhere and again I don't have a picture, but you get the idea

5) Headbands for adults. We love the idea of a fun headband for adults with fun feathers for that night out or to dress up jeans and a tank or t-shirt. I guess some of the inspiration comes from the beautiful fascinators at the Royal Wedding, but of course they wouldn't be so over the top and more practical for everyday use.



Hopefully, I'll have some pictures of some of the other things we have made next week.

Wednesday Randoms: Late Night Sewing

Last night, my neighbor and I got together for a little girl's time. If you read my post yesterday you know I was having a rough day and potty training was really frustrating me. Well, she did absolutely perfect for Brendan. No accidents AT ALL. She even told him she needed to go a couple of times! So of course he doesn't understand why my patience is run so thin by the end of the day! Maybe she will be good for me today. When I got home, Lilly insisted she was going to sleep in the "big girl bed" It's really just the bed in the guest bedroom. So I read her books to her in there and when she fell asleep I transfered her to her crib. She woke up about 3am and when I got to her she was saying "big girl bed" over and over. So I took her in there. She immediately settled down so I put pillows on one side of her and I slept on the other. Maybe she is ready for a big girl bed??? If it would help her sleep better I would be all for it!

After I got her to bed (the first time), I couldn't sleep. So, I decided to go through my sewing/craft cabinet because my neighbor and I got to talking about the endless possiblities things we can make. I found a pattern that I have never even used for a smocked bonnet. I had some material that I have been wanting to use so I decided to give it a try. The bonnet was simple enough. I have never smocked before so the smocking isn't perfect, but by the last 2 rows I was getting the hang of it. After I made the bonnet, I thought it needed something to go with it. So with the extra material and some tulle and ribbon, I made a skirt. I wanted to do an elastic waist band, but I was out of elastic so I just used a ribbon to make a drawstring waist. The tulle is gathered along the bottom. It is a little long on her, but she can really wear it for a long time since the waist in adjustable.

Here is my little Lilly modeling her new outfit:



By the way, this is my 100th post!

Tuesday Titles: Silly Sally

Lilly really enjoyed the book "Silly Sally" this past week. The second day of reading this book she kept asking for "Silly Sally! Silly Sally!" It is about a girl named Sally that is walking upside down. At first Lilly kept wanting to turn the book around since she was upside down, but she soon figured out that she was supposed to be upside down. It is a cute and funny story if you are looking for a quick book. If a book has too many words per page I can forget her letting me finish each page.



I'm not going to post an adult read today because my allergies are giving me (and Lilly) a fit today. Lilly has also given me a hard time today. So I am going to slack a bit!

Mommy Monday: Fishing

Last week was awful for me and it wasn't just because of potty training. Brendan somehow ended up filling in for 3rd shift all week! So when I was home and he was asleep I had to try to keep Lilly quiet and I couldn't vacuum, ect... Then, we started potty training on Wednesday. Whew! Tomorrow night a neighbor friend and I are going for coffee and some shopping. I am looking foward to the much needed break! Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with Lilly, but sometimes I do need a little time to myself. She is definately in the "terrible two's" phase now. I can't even count the number of times we heard "I want it!" or "I do it!". If she didn't get here way she pitched a fit every time.

Saturday morning we took Lilly out to the pond and let her do a little fishing. She was so excited. She kept saying "Fish! Fish!". When we reeled on in (with her Barbie rod and reel) she would run over to see the fish and then would say "in water" over and over until we released it. She would tell the fish bye-bye and sometimes blow it a kiss. Of course the potty was in tow:


Lilly still has accidents, but she understands that she is supposed to use the potty and she is going longer between trips. When we are home she prefers not to wear her panties and I don't always make her for now because then she can run to the potty by herself if she needs to, which she did a few times yesterday. This morning she started to go and then realized what she was doing and stopped. I rushed her to the potty and she finished going there. I guess she will (I hope) get better this week.

Weekend Wisdom: The Calling of the First Disciples

Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
-Matthew 4:18-22

We should be like the disciples and follow Jesus whenever he calls us. Sometimes his timing my not seem right to us, but he always knows what is best.

Friday Fives: Pool Day

I am planning on taking Lilly to the pool in our neighborhood this afternoon. Here are five things I will be wearing or wish I were wearing to the pool this afternoon.

1) Sunglasses: Costa Del Mar Cheeca



I love these glasses and take them pretty much everywhere I go. I even wore them on my run this morning because they stay in place. They look good and fit great. They are a must on a sunny day like today. I want to prolong crows feet for as long as possible!

2) Hat: Scala Extra Large Brim Shapeable hat



I like this hat because it offers 50 upf while looking stylish. I can also fold it up and put in in my bag because the bendable wire makes it easy to reshape. It would be great to pack for a vacation, too.

3) Swim Suit: Betsey Johnson Suprise Party



I love this style bathing suit. This is one that I wish I were wearing to the pool. Betsey Johnson has such a wonderful swimsuit collection. I think this style would flatter just about anyone. especially with the skirted bottom. You wouldn't even have to wear a cover up.

4)Cover up: Embellished tunic by Venus


Since the swimsuit is too cute to hide completely, this sheer tunic gives you a little cover without completely hiding the swimsuit. I love the beaded V-neck. This tunic is another wish.

5) Shoes: Jack Rogers Hamptons Navajo in Platinum



I love these shoes and they go with pretty much anything from a day at the pool to a wedding. If I don't feel like sorting through what shoes to wear, I just put these on and go. I think they would go perfect with the beautiful tunic and would match the beaded embellishments.


I hope everyone else has a fabulous Friday!

Here is a little potty training update:

Yesterday, she had only 2 accidents. One about 8:30am and 4:20pm. She stayed dry through her nap and all night long (from 9pm-6:40am). No accidents so far today. She fell asleep in the stroller on our run and she has been asleep since about 10:30am. Hopefully she will keep it up!

Giveaway!

This is a really cute blog I came across and she has a giveaway for her Etsy shop right now. You should check it out:
http://nopaparazziplease.blogspot.com/2011/06/etsy-giveaway.html

Thursday Tip: Stickers/potty training update

I used to give Lilly M&M's when she went potty, then she got where she expected one just to sit on the potty and as soon as she got it she immediately hopped up. So, starting yesterday I started using a sticker chart. She loves stickers and is just as happy to get to put a sticker on the paper when she is done. Here is her chart from yesterday. I wrote down when she had a accident so I can keep track of her improvements.


Yesterday, she stayed dry during her really long nap, but had another accident later in the evening. We took her for a walk and when we were almost back to our house she told me she need to "go poo poo" so I rushed her inside to go potty. The only problem was she saw her friend from next door outside on the way in and on sat on the potty for about 3 seconds before she was running to the door to go outside and "I see Kay!" When we got out there her friend was already inside, but she wanted to play with her sidewalk chalk. We hadn't been outside 5 minutes and she pooped in her panties. That was the only time she has done that. She went pee one last time about 9pm before bed and woke up a little after 12am. My first though was she will go right back to sleep. My second though was I should go and take her to the potty. So I jumped out of bed. Her pull up was dry and she peed. When she got up this morning at 6:20am I took her to the potty and she was still dry!

Here is Lilly on the potty with her stickers:

Wednesday Randoms: Potty Training Day 1

Today is Lilly's first official day of potty training. She woke up about 7am and has been in panties ever since. I told her there were no more diapers and she must have understood that because she started off really well. She didn't have her first accident until almost 11am and I think it was because she was busy playing outside and didn't want to come inside. She just had her second accident about 2:45pm. She was past tired and just didn't want to go potty when I tried to take her. A minute later she wet her panties... all over Daddy! I could tell she was a little embarrased and/or disappointed that she wet them because she was trying to run away and didn't want me to change them. When she goes she is so proud of herself. Especially if she goes and sits on the potty all by herself.
She is now asleep and I hope she will make it through her nap. She already does a lot of days. I just have to be quick to get her when she wakes up. She is in REALLY thick panties with a plastic liner so even if she goes it should hold it. I hope she will keep it up. We did go down to our neighbors house with potty in tow for a little bit just to get out of the house and she went twice while we were there. Wish me luck as the battle continues. Since she is my first I don't really know how many accidents are normal at first or how long it will take. Hopefull she will mostly have it down in a few days at least during the day. We can worry about night time later.

Tuesday Titles: Duck Duck

Like I have mentioned before we usually go to the library once a week to get new books for Lilly. This past week we got a book called "Have you seen Duck?" by Janet A. Holmes and illustrated by Jonathan Bentley. I picked this one because Lilly Loves ducks. She absolutely loved this book! The little boy loses his stuffed duck and looks for him. Lilly gets so exited when we get to the page where the duck is found. She screams "DUCK DUCK!". The pictures are nice and it is short enough to hold the attention of a young child.



As for an adult read... I haven't read this book lately, but I have read it 3 times along with all of the other books in the saga. My sister originally recommended the books to me. I was a little skeptical, but after reading the first one I was hooked! They are a very quick, clean read. It is the ultimate love story and Stephenie Meyer is an excellent writer. Have you guessed the book yet?


"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
If you haven't read this book yet, it is a must read. It is about a young girl moving to a new town to live with her Dad so her Mom can travel. She is not looking foward to the move, but wants to so she doesn't hold her Mom back. She is the talk of the small town and an unconventional love story is told. When reading the book you feel like you know the characters personally because of the writing style. Once you finish the first you won't be able to wait before getting the second so you may want to already have it on hand. I finished all 4 books in less than 2 weeks (Before Lilly was born. The first time I read them.) If you have seen the movies and not read the books, you don't even know half of the story.

Here is Lilly at Edventure yesterday in the fire truck:

Mommy Monday: Sleep

Lilly hads gotten used to falling asleep in our bed. It all started about 2 months ago when she was getting her molars in. She cried and cried when I tried to put her to bed, unless she was in bed with us. We read stories then she snuggles between us and after a little thrashing she falls sound asleep. I take her to her crib where she sleeps until about 3am. She wakes up crying and when you go in to check on her she starts saying "bed!". She says it and cries until we start heading to our room. I would just let her cry for a little while, but Brendan doesn't like to hear it and will go get her. Then she stars crying for Mama. "I want my Mama!" until she gets to me. I have told Brendan for a few weeks now that we just need to let her cry it out again, but he doesn't want to have to hear her cry so he suggested I do it last night since he had to fill in for a 3rd shift supervisor. So that's what I did.
We read her books in her room, then said her prayer and put her to bed. She started crying when she realized I was about to put her in the crib. It was the saddest face, but I knew I had to stay strong if I ever want to be able to put her to bed without us going to bed, too. It really wasn't that bad because she only cried 15 minutes and I could hear her playing with her My pal Violet almost the whole time. She did wake up once in the middle of the night but cried less than 5 minutes. I hope she will do just as well if not better tonight.

Yesterday, we went to our neighborhood pool with my sister and her husband. Lilly's friends were there, too. She really loves the pool now and doesn't even have to get used to it anymore. She has a ring that a neighbor got for her that she likes to wear and she will say "kick, kick" while she sort of kicks to swim around. She also has a float she can sit in that has a cover, but she now prefers the little ring. I think because that's what the older girls are using.

Back to the sleep topic...
Which bedtime prayer do other Mommy's use?

I grew up with:
Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
Amen.

I have heard this one more lately (I guess it is a little sweeter.)
No I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Angels watch me through the night,
and keep me in their precious sight.
Amen.

We have been doing both, because I am used to saying the first one out of habit, but I think I would rather start using the second more. I think I hear Lilly waking up.

Weekend Wisdom: The Lord is faithful

" The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."
-Psalm 145:13-14

Precious Moments: Praying

This gives us hope that God is always there for us and we can trust in him.

Friday Fives: 5 years of bliss

Today Brendan and I will celebrate our 5 year anniversary. Time has flown by and we have been through many changes in these short five years. Brendan went back to school to get his engineering degree. I graduated from USC December of 2006. We welcomed our sweet baby girl Lilly into the world December 2009. We have bought our first and now second house. I hope the years to come will be just as great!
Brendan let me go pick out a Coach bag and shoes last week (Coach sent a $100 off coupon in the mail... How could I resist?) and do a little shopping with his friend's wife this week. I think that was my present, but I'm not complaining. Here are my 5 things.

1) The Coach bag I got: AUDREY PATENT LEIGH SLIM TOTE


I was trying to decide between the Gold one and this one. I ultimately went with this one because it would work for any season instead of just Summer and the patent leather is much easier to clean

2)The shoes: CECILE FLAT in black.



I wanted the brown ones, but since they were on sale my size was completely sold out in all stores.

3) A pair of J Brand Jeans:



Can you believe I got these for $30! They retailed for $188.50 at the boutique, but they were at the Basement Boutique 2 doors down for $30. I guess it was because of the few sizes left. They fit great and I love the color.

4)Running/workout Skirt: Triks Gym Girl Ultra



I have several of these skirts. I love them for running because they look better than shorts and there is no chaffing! They are also great to just wear around the house. They come in lots of fun colors and patterns or in the tried and true black.

5) Running shoes: Women's ProGrid Kinvara



Brendan got these shoes for me early in the Spring. I love these shoes. I don't always wear them when I run because they MAKE you go fast! They focus on a more natural striking motion and you have to conciously think about your form until you get used to it. They are very light and comfortable. Of course I have the pink ones. I don't usually wear them when pushing the jogger because I know I won't be running as fast. If you are looking for an easy way to improve your time a little these are great.

Thursday Tip: Granite Cleaner

I am trying to think of more creative ways for me to keep up with my blog other than just Lilly updates. So I am going to try to post more often with different things.

We have granite counter tops in the kitchen and baths at our new house. I had just been using windex or whatever surface cleaner, but they didn't have the new shine anymore. I remember seeing granite cleaner at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but I hated to spend a lot on it without knowing if it actually worked. Luckily, I didn't have to!
My wonderful neighbor and new friend was given a formula for a granite cleaner by her sister. It's super easy and works great!

What you need:
-a large plastic spray bottle (I found one at the dollar store, but you can get them anywhere.)

-rubbing alcohol

-dish detergent (whatever brand you have is fine.)

-tap water

That's it! Fill the bottle to the neck with tap water, add a 3-4 drops of dish detergent, and 1/4-1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol. Shake it up and you are ready to go. You can wipe with a paper towel or any cloth.

Potty Training

Since my parents will be on a cruise week, I will be home for 3 consecutive days before the weekend. Brendan goes crazy being stuck at home on a weekend and we have just had too much going on to actually stay at home for a weekend to effectively potty train. She goes a lot of the time on the potty and is especially good about going "poo poo" on the potty and actually tells me some of the time that she needs to go now. If I put her on the potty and she has to pee she will, but she gets distracted and doesn't actually pay attention when she needs to go. Of course she is still in diapers so she probably sees no need to use the potty. She is usually dry in the mornings unless she wakes up in the middle of the night and always dry when she gets up from a nap. She can obviously hold it from the time she wakes up until I get her and take her to the potty.

So here is my game plan:
Starting Wednesday morning... She will wear her "big girl panties" I stocked up on some extras today at the store. I don't think pull-ups would be as affective because they are essentially just a diaper. I will probably use them at first when we go out of the house and at night.
I will take her to the potty at least once per hour and look for cues that she needs to go. I'm going to make sure all of my weekly errands are already done and the house work may fall behind, but if it works it will be worth it. I am hoping she will be potty trained by Saturday (at least during the daytime).

Wish me luck! If you have any tips feel free to share!

A cute story about Lilly. We go to the library about once per week and get new books to read before bed. They don't have a large selection at our branch library, but it changes weekly. I got one book about a duck going potty mostly because it was about a duck and Lilly loves "duck ducks". It's called "Duck Goes Potty" by Michael Dahl. We were reading it tonight and everytime we got to a page where Duck had an accident she said "uh oh!" and actually tried to pick it up of the page and put it into Duck's potty. When we are on the page where Duck's Mommy tells him there will be no more diaper she says "no diapers (in her own pronunciation) Duck Duck!" I think this week we will get another potty book if they have one.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

It has been so hot outside lately that it has been a task to keep Lilly entertained during the day. She loves to go outside, but I try to keep her inside until later in the evening. I have thought about taking her to the pool, but I worry about her getting sunburned so we usually go in the evenings. Thank goodness for my wonderful neighbor down the street who stays at home with her 4 year old little girl and 2 year old little boy. We switch off between houses for play dates a couple of times a week. They are all excited to play together and it gives us a chance to chat.

As usual we have been crazy busy lately. For example... Saturday Lilly and I left the house by 8:30am to take Brendan's car for an oil change and pick up a Birthday gift for a neighbors B-day party later in the day (I'm usually prepared in advance, but we didn't actually get the invite until Friday night.) From there we headed to the zoo for a Starbucks family day for the employees. Fortunately Lilly took her nap at the end of it since we left straight from there to get her to a Birthday party at 1:30. Next, (after a quick stop by the house to change) was my cousin's wedding at 4pm. It was a pretty wedding and the reception was really nice. Lilly had a blast dancing and seeing her distant cousins. You can see some of the pictures on my cousin's blog http://www.sweetsouthernprep.com/. I had a great time too. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera all day because I was worried that I would lose it. I wished we could have stayed at the reception a lot longer, but Brendan already told a friend we would meet him at the Blowfish baseball game. We stayed for the whole thing because there was a firework show at the end. Lilly was not a fan of the fireworks! She wanted her Mama and was gripped tight to me the entire time. She was also so tired she fell asleep in the car before we even got out of the parking lot.

Lilly is now 21 lbs! I still haven't turned her carseat around because as long as she's content rear facing I think it's the safest. Her vocabulary increases daily. She also has quite a temper. Her new favorite snack is fruit snacks. She refers to them as "snack" She is constantly walking around saying "Where oh where is (fill in the blank)" Sometimes she moves the "is" to the end, but she is actually speaking in full sentences some of the time.

We took her to the beach memorial day weekend and she loved the beach! She wasn't scared of the ocean and loved filling buckets of sand an picking up shells. I did get a couple of pictures at the beach.

This Friday marks Brendan and my 5 year anniversary! He got me a new Coach purse and shoes last week, but he isn't good at waiting to give presents so I have already been using them. My Mom is going to watch Lilly for us so we can go out to dinner.