Toddler Crafts

Jon has been out of town for over a week and Nate and I are about to drive each other crazy. I searched the internet for craft inspirations, anything to keep Nate busy. He was excited to do "craps" and I was happy he was staying out of the refrigerator.

I found a website called All Kids Network.com that has a lot of crafts, activities, worksheets and MORE for keeping your kids busy.  I looked through the Fall Crafts list for some ideas.

Pumpkin Patch Finger Painting

Nate's Pumpkin Patch

 Fall Fingerprint Tree

Fingerprint Tree + Blue bushes?

Even the dog got painted.

So that killed about 45 mintues. Now what.......

Testing Signature

Testing Testing 1..2..3..

I think it worked! Introducing my new signature image. Woot!

New Header

I've been making lots of lists about what I want to do with this blog and where I'm going with it. One of the first things I wanted to do was create a new header. I followed Clover Lane: A Tutorial On How To Make A Blog Banner Using Picasa. She has nice pictures and easy to follow instructions. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out! And it won't be hard to change it whenever the mood strikes me.

The picture of Nate on the left was taken by my sweet friend and neighbor over at SummerW Portrait Designs. She does an awesome job. So if you're around OKC or Tulsa and need pictures, contact Summer!

The other pictures were taken by me. With my little point and shoot. Because I'm too cheap for a nice camera.

I love the Circus font. I used it when I made Nate's paper birthday banner. I wonder if I have a picture of that somewhere...

I found the quote in my Quotes board on Pinterest. I might change the quote around every time I mess with the banner.

My next adventure will be to create a signature image at the end of my posts. And an About Me page.

Let's do this!

Dilemmas of a Stay at Home Mom

Being a stay at home mom has been great. I really enjoy taking care of my son, watching him learn and grow, and being right there when he needs something.

The biggest downfall has been money. My husband has a good job and makes good money. He easily provides for our every day needs. But there is no room for extras. I don't get my haircut as often as it needs it. We don't go out to eat. We don't go on vacations. Our savings is slow-growing.

I am totally qualified to work. I have a college degree and some work experience. I just can't get myself to pay someone else to watch my son. I was put on the Earth to be a mother and take care of my children. My mom stayed home with me and I always figured that's what I would do too.

It will be a few years until Nate goes to school and I am kid-free. (Honestly, we'll probably have another kid before then anyway, so I won't really be kid-free for a long time.) I'd love to make money blogging, but I'm not a great blogger. I'm not willing to put my whole life on the Internet to make it interesting. I don't have any expert advice or interesting talents. I'm just a girl that stays home with her kid, watches cartoons, and crafts sometimes.

I thought about opening an Etsy shop. I like making yarn wreaths, tshirt necklaces/scarves, felt flowers, and button jewelry. But aren't there already thousands of shops already selling these? And they're probably cuter and better made then what I can do.

How do you make money? Do you have any ideas on how I can make money from home? Or do you know where I can get free haircuts?

Also? Dilemma is a weird word. Look at it for a while. Dil. Emma. Dile. Mma. Di. Lemma.

Pinterest Addiction

Hi, my name is Jamie. I'm addicted to Pinterest.
I've spent hours browsing people's pins. I repin beautiful ideas. I create boards to organize my obsessions. I am THRILLED when someone finds my discoveries repin-worthy.

It's a great way to figure out your style. And your friends' styles. Or, as my friend noted, a way for your husband to learn your style.

One of my favorite topics to search on Pinterest is quotes. Like this:

And so pretty! This is a Katie Daisy print. I saw a pack of her cards at TJ Maxx last week. I didn't buy them, but I couldn't get them out of my mind. I went back yesterday and couldn't find them :( AND THEN there they were, in a basket of clearence dog toys. So happy! I'm goin to frame the 4 designs and hang them in our house.

Anyway, go check out Pinterest. You won't regret it. Your husband may stage an intervention, though.

How to Fix Your Garbage Disposal

Step 1: Don't put fish tank rocks in your garbage disposal.
Step 2: Turn on Blues Clues so your 2 yr old will stay away from the chemicals under the sink.
Step 3: DON'T stick your hand down the sink to see what's down there.
Step 4: Vacuum out the fish tank rocks
Step 5: Google it
Step 6: Find your hex tool because you bought this house used and have no idea where the garbage disposal tool might be.
Step 7: Insert the 1/4" allen wrench into the hole in the bottom of the disposal and MAN. HANDLE. It needs to be able to move freely. Just do it.
Step 8: Push the reset button because now you've messed with it and it probably won't even turn on at all now.
Step 9: You probably should unplug the disposal before all of this but you didn't think of that before hand.
Step 10: Make coffee.
Step 11: Repeat steps 7-9 a few times since YOU ARE DETERMINED TO FIX IT and your husband is still asleep.
Step 12: Turn Blues Clues back on before your kid notices it has ended.
Step 13: Cross your fingers. Pray to the DIY fairies. Flip the switch (keep your hands out of the drain).
Step 14: VOILA! Now go to Facebook and boast about how awesome you are.

After your adventures in garbage disposals, check out My Drunk Kitchen. She will make you feel good about drinking and cooking. Now I want a margarita and a taco. I don't care that it's 10 AM. I've already done a full day's work!

Where I'm From

I am from red dirt roads along the banks of Turkey Creek, from small town state champions and dirty bare feet.

I am from the white house on the corner with a basement full of treasures. From the old black water pump on the roller rink porch and the fenceless yard full of the town’s children.
I am from the sycamore tree and the rose buds; the tiger lilies and the pecan tree, whose limbs held me many summers.

I am from Sunday lunch and stubborn, long-lived women, from Loraine and Ruby and “the Aunts”, from Barrs and Bensons, Beards and Fusons.

I am from the do-gooders and hardworkers. From generations of farmers and mommas, people who did what had to be done.

From “I’ll give you something to cry about” and “Because I said so” {from words I now hear coming out of my own mouth}

I am from old time Christians with hymnals and church pews.  Grandma playing the piano for decades, knowing the notes by heart. From the grace of God.  Hallelujah!  Amen.

I'm from Oklahoma summers, fried okra and sheet cake, lamb burgers and fish fries.  
From pioneers and travelers, windmills and deep roots. Cattle in the pasture and wool in burlap sacks.

I am from the boxes under my momma’s bed filled of generations remembered. Stories told and forgotten.  Family trees searched and unknown. The love of those before me fills my heart and keeps me whole.







I first heard about the "Where I'm From" poem from http://www.adventuresinbabywearing.com/. She wrote her own poem and I couldn't wait to create mine.

I noticed today that another blog I read, http://charpenette.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html, also posted her "Where I'm From" poem.



In the process of writing my poem and thinking about my childhood and ancestors, I somehow ended up signing up for the two weeks free trial at Ancestry.com. SOO much fun! I've really enjoyed researching my mother's side since my father's side has already been pretty well documented by other family members. I definitely recommend it. I'm only into week 1 of the 2 free weeks and I've already found SO MUCH! GO. START. NOW.



Note: I don't know why the blog links are being weird and posting the web address but not displaying the "text to be displayed". I'm too tired to figure it out. Maybe it'll look right on your browser.

my mantra

30 Things Before I'm 30: The Check Off

A while back I posted my 30 things before I'm 30 list. We have marked some things off of the list!

Buy a bicycle

Find a signature perfume

Read 30 books

Learn to walk in high heels

Get a tattoo I love

Take more pictures

Adopt an angel at Christmas

Grow a garden

Skydive

Buy a stranger's dinner

Get a massage at a spa

Have another baby

Go to an exercise class

Throw a surprise party

Buy a house  (We bought a house in Moore, OK in November!)

Learn to order coffee (I no longer feel overwhelmed by coffee lingo)

Paint a canvas

Start a blog (YAY!)

See Grandpa Brady's grave in France

Go to a concert at Gruene Hall & Luckenbach

Be 125 lbs

Adopt a puppy from a shelter  (She's a black lab/jack russell mix named Tallulah. She is crazy.)

Learn to knit and/or crochet

Make exercising a habit

Research my Mom's family tree

See the Aurora Borealis

Run a 5k

Organize and beautify our home

Go on a wine tour

Figure out a way to make money from home **Just added**

I'm not sure if the travelling will happen before I'm 30, but they're still goals. I really need to pick up on the book reading. I'm not sure I've even read a whole book this year.

By the way, can you believe it's June??? Where is this year going? Does it feel like summer to you?

Only 3.6 years left. I better get busy! What's on your to-do list?

Mommas Helping Mommas

Oklahomans know tornadoes. Every spring we clean out our storm shelter/basement/hall closet/bath tub in preparation for tornado season. We find the flash lights, weather radios, and bottled water. We plan what belongings we'll take with us in case the storm heads our way. We watch the weathermen and storm chasers as they track the storm and keep watching as the news channel reports of the destruction and clean-up. This year was no different, but one story in particular pulled at this momma's heartstrings.

I can't imagine what this family is going through. Losing their two young sons. Their home. Everything. My sweet friend Sarah contacted me yesterday, wanting to help these people. We don't know them personally, but as mommas of little boys we needed to do something.

We are having a big garage sale June 10th, 11th, and 12th in Blanchard, OK at Sarah's house. We are taking donations for items to sell. Clothes, toys, electronics, furniture, etc.. We will even pick it up for you! Join our Facebook Event

If you'd like to donate money, a tragedy account has been set up at Midfirst Bank. The Hamil Facebook page gave this information: 

The "tragedy account" at Midfirst has been setup. You can go to any Midfirst Bank and donate money to the "Hank Hamil Family Support Trust" If your bank has the option of bill pay you can also send money directly from your own account.

You also can mail donations to Midfirst Bank, 835 E. State Highway 152, Mustang, OK 73064-4518. Or call 1-888-MIDFIRST to make a donation. Just make sure that you indicate it's a donation for the "Hank Hamil Family Support Trust."

I think coffee makes me sleepy

I want to write here more often, but I never have anything interesting to say. I just deleted 3 paragraphs of junk I typed out because I'm not that funny. Boo. I'll work on that.....

Mommy words

I try to not cuss. Growing up, I never remember hearing my parents cuss. When our teacher told us on the first day of kindergarten we shouldn't say "ain't" I thought it was because it was a curse word. Somewhere along the way I picked up some choice words.

My curse of choice is usually shit. It slips out of my mouth without any warning. Stub my toe, shit. Burn my hand, shit. Hit a big pothole, shit. That last one provoked Nate's first curse repeat. Jon hasn't let me live if down.

I've adapted other words to replace my cursing:

• Shiitake (I think I got this from Austin Powers)
• Son of a biscuit
• Oh, craptastic
• Frack (Thanks Battlestar Galactica)

I don't know if they're any better, but I won't get as many phone calls from school. I don't need my son being the kid to teach everyone the f-word on the playground. When the teacher calls, I'll have her call my husband.

My Resolution

Two years ago, my resolution was to brush my teeth before bed every night. I'll admit I wasn't the most diligent before bed brusher, but I stuck with it and now I can't go to bed without a mouth full of clean teeth.

Last year I resolved (resoluted is not a word, booo) to send cards for birthdays/anniversaries/illnesses. I did well at the beginning of the year, but fell short near the end. Sorry everyone with October, November, and December birthdays.

My New Year Resolutions for 2011 are:

• send more snail mail
• take more pictures
• write more blog posts
• comment more on other people's blogs
• BE MORE CREATIVE

In general, I just want to try harder. I feel like I spent a lot of 2010 being lazy, coasting. This year I want to be more deliberate with my time and my actions. No more procrastinating.

2011 THE YEAR OF THE MOUSTACHE