Small Things Are Big Things

(I’m joining the party late, which is what I do now!)

 

Last night I informed Hot Hubby I wanted to change everything in the house and revamp the blog and a few things for Eli’s Lids, i.e. the tags and get the ball rolling on the new line.

With a great sigh and forlorn look into the heavens he said to himself, “I forgot about this part.”

Um… “WHAT?” I said with a knife pointed at him. It just happed to be in my hand because I was chopping veggies. It’s not like I got it out of the drawer to point it at him… this time.

“Nothing. I just forgot about this pregnancy thing.”

“Huh?”

“The part were you think of a bunch of projects for the sake of projects.”

“So… you don’t think the kiddos need bunk beds, or the sewing room/nursery can be made into a useful space, or we need new tags for the Lids OR that the staircase should be transformed INTO A BUTTERFLY CAVE/READING NOOK!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

This is where we start laughing. Both knowing the list above is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to “projects” in the next few months.

Speaking of projects…

I stumbled upon this easy Easter Egg banner on Forever Folding Laundry.

I also noticed in another one of her blog posts she mentions In-N-Out Burger. You know how we love INO!!! I couldn’t comment on her blog, but if you read this Keri… Keep going to INO and support my family!

Then I saw these Glue Yarn Balls from Make and Takes. This looks like so much fun to do with the kiddos because you get to be messy! Perfect for spring.

I’m looking to do some sort of monogram-esk collage of our last name on an annoyingly blank wall in our living room. And this caught my eye from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour.

Easter is just 3 weeks away! We just pulled out the decorations last night and they are beyond sparse. I have a few things in mind but a trip (or 5) to the craft store may be in order. I would also like to streamline our Easter baskets. I have a thing for matching and the randomness of them is eating away at my soul (too dramatic?) I would also like to find something without a large handle for easy storage. Ideas???

 

I’m linking up to 5 Minutes for Mom’s Ultimate Blog Party because this post sums up my blog – a lil’ about my family, a lil’ about my biz and a lil’ about my crafts. If you are visiting from the party, I look forward to seeing your blog!

(August 2010 – Cy was 3 weeks old and big kids realized he was here to stay)

Eli is barefoot.

Cora Jane’s pants are on backwards.

Cyrus isn’t even wearing pants.

It’s raining.

Nothing in this actually-happened-to-me-scenario would be noteworthy EXCEPT we are walking into a Dr’s office for our appointment.

Half a hour late!

I’m losing it folks.

The worst part about boarding the crazy train is now I’m considered the “flakey friend.” Back in High School I was the prepared friend. The one who brought full sized shampoo, extra snacks, magazines and nail polish to camp. In college I was a bit spacey, but always on time and where I said I would be. Being the midnight shoulder to cry on for a sorority sister or dancing till 2am would still have me arriving to teach a 5:30am aerobics class on time and with energy to spare. As a newly married woman and young mom I was labeled “carefree” (maybe careless when I wasn’t around) because I let my kiddos eat table food at 6 months and didn’t hover while they climbed to the tops of park jungle gyms.

Now I’m the flake. The one who buys birthday gifts on the way to the party… late. The one who forgets to pick up a friend’s child from school while they are in the hospital having a baby (Yes, I actually did that last month). The one who can never get it together to make a meal for a new mom. The one who’s laundry pile is ever growing, never folding.

I think the worst part is thinking I have everything together only to discover I totally flaked out on something. Like last week – I had to bring food to my mom’s group. I brought donuts (of course) because “I’m not blessed in the kitchen.” I had arrived early for the first time the whole year, donuts in hand, with my hair actually done (aka not in a ponytail) and the children were rested, dressed cute and sent to childcare without breakfast still smeared across their faces. AND no one knew I was 13 weeks preggers. In my mind I had finally made it. I really could handle being pregnant with 3 small children and maintain a growing (awesome) business all by myself. Then I got home and checked my calendar only to see I was a no-show for a lunch shoot for OC Family.

Aaaaarrrrhhhhhgggg!!!!!!!!!!

Failure. Flake.

Feels like my new identity.

What’s a mom to do?

What will solve all my scheduling problems.

A  personal assistant, daily maid and live-in nanny of course!!

Until I get picked for Real Housewives of Orange County I think that might be a pipe dream. And frankly, a dream I never want to see fulfilled. I love my life. I love my husband, my children, my messy house and my awesome biz. I just don’t want to be a lame friend.

So, I got an iPhone.

I’m now reachable by cell and my outlook calendar will shoot me a reminder set times before events, obligations and casseroles. I hope it works because there is no Plan B.

We REALLY do wear our Lids all the time around here, and of course I’m always snapping pictures. Somehow they just don’t make it to the blog… till now! We’ve added Lid-Tastic Tuesday! Every Tuesday we’ll do a flashback post of pictures I never got to put on the blog.

 

I’m lucky to have a husband who isn’t into watching endless sports games on TV… her prefers to play in real life. So instead of losing him to a sports season I get to sit on freezing cold bleachers every week and wrangle the children. Wait… is that a good thing??

Oh well. Hot Hubby has played softball with a local league since we were married. We go to all his early games.

This is us when Eli was 7 months old in my very first Eli’s Lids prototype…
(Life with only one child… I look rested and put together. Those days are long gone)

Now our family of 5 cheers daddy on at all the early games…

 

(Cy 3 months)

If we’re lucky other families fill the stands with kiddos as well. Of course they all wear Lids! It gets chilly in Orange County at night!!

Raise your hand if you are adorable!!

Later!!

(Cy 7 months)

…in no particular order.

Yesterday I got to meet one of my local Eli’s Lids customers – aka Lid Lover. Once again verifying how awesome my customers actually are. I truly think everyone who buys a Lid is my friend.

 

Another Lid Lover gave me a few tips about these awesome pattern books. Check out Sew Liberated & Oliver & S. Again confirming people who love Lids are RAD!!

Easter is just about here and you know I love to match. We were going to go with peach and green because of a dress I got Cora Jane at Sam’s Club but now I have a vision of grey polkadots… (maybe with pink accents?) Hoping I won’t have to sew everything to make it happen.

I had an original idea to make a birthday bunting with girl colors on one side and boy colors on the other side. I was telling my friends (Kyla & Jamie) at a craft night last night and they’ve seen it done before. Just goes to show, there is nothing new under the sun!

The children moved the rug diagonally while playing the other day and I really like it. I’m totally feng shui.

I like cake plates sitting on the table. I like them best with cake inside.

I’m on a anti high fructose corn syrup kick. It’s hard to find jam without it.

I’m really thankful for Hot Hubby. I told him (nicely) at the beginning of the week that I would appreciate help cleaning up after dinner. And he has helped every night since. But I’m most especially thankful he puts up with my saving-of-old-container-fetish because it’s filling up a cupboard and I know he hates it.

Anyone with stainless steel pans know how to get off the burned gunk? My mom says to use comet but it seems so harsh. A bit has been coming off into the morning eggs and when the children asked what it was I told them pepper. Subsequently I have been adding real pepper to our eggs so I won’t be lying to them.

This kid is awesome.

He can now do the sign for “more.”

I’m just falling  and in love with him every second!

 

Every morning I listen to this song…

 

… you should too. Every word speaks to me (see lyrics here) and it is such a great reminder that we are not alone. While you’re at it, please tell me how they shoot that video. Crazy how their singing is normal speed and they are all moving super fast.

 

Happy Friday! I’ll be away this weekend on a women’s retreat but I’m going to try to post an AWESOME announcement tomorrow!!! I promise you won’t want to miss it!!!

Milk and Cookies please!!

Active Ride Shop is hosting a gnarly (adjective choice in honor of the CRAZY Charlie Sheen) art exhibit to benefit Seeds Art and Education, Inc. and the JLA Project as well as debut the new TOMS for Kids line of shoes. We’ve always been huge fans of Active and this only solidifies my love for them.

The event, named Milk and Cookies, will take place this Saturday March 12th from 1pm-5pm at Active Ride Shop at the Irvine Spectrum and will feature collaboration pieces by 9 world renowned artists AND their kids! How fun is that!?!?

(Yes, milk and cookies will be served!)

Musical guests are Summer Watson and the Hindu Pirates…

Random story (and a total side note) – When I saw one of the musical guests had “pirate” in the name, I called Eli over so we could check them out. You know how we have a bit of a pirate love affair here…

I was thinking Hindu Pirates was a kid’s band, I mean it is a kid’s event and with songs like Stranger Danger and Sweet Tooth it could have gone either way. We played a few songs and they were great (think surf/rock/garage band) but not a pirate band. Eli kept asking why they weren’t dressed like pirates and if they had peg legs. It was awesome!

TOMS shoes will also be launching their Kids for Kids collection at the event, through Style Your Sole, where people will be able to design their own pair of TOMS. With every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. I just love their heart for giving! (because we love to give too!!)

Visit the Milk & Cookies Facebook event page, click here.

I’ll be going tomorrow night to check it out and I’ll fill you in on all the details!

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Just in case you want to make some cookies tonight check out this recipe for cookies stuffed with a cake ball.

YES! You read that correctly…

Think chocolate chip cookies with a yummy bit of red velvet cake in the center…

Um… yeah!!

Step by step instructions over at Sugar Derby. It looks pretty simple… I may even be able to do it! (picture taken from Sugar Derby as well!!)