2 Chix...and 20% off!

Here we go...time to dig out the maternity clothes that I have and hit up my friends for the borrowings. I'm blessed with friends who lovingly lend out their clothing...you rock! :o)

At three months preggos, I'm surprisingly still fitting into much of my regular clothing...with the exception of tops. Many of my "cooler" or "modern" tops now hit me in the belly button region, and walking around with the lower-half of your belly hanging out isn't too cool these days. You can get away with it when you're 3, but not when you're 30.

On the flip side, I'm not too fond of many of the maternity tops out there. You're already feeling house-ish, and many tops take away the form-fitting, stylish look you're going for. With my first two pregnancies, I felt like I was wearing different colored tents from months 5 through 9. Not cool.

SO, SO, SO not the case over at 2 chix.

These people know how to make you feel good about the way you dress! From the 40-week skirt to maternity tanks, tees, and hoodies, you can look great through the whole nine months. They even have funny tees for dads-to-be. Go on over and check 'em out: http://www.2chix.com/.

Leave a comment here letting everyone know your fav item and what you'd stick on your pregnancy wish-list. ;o) I'm just curious what people like these days.

AND, if you find something you want to buy, here's a little treat for you: use coupon code SEEBESSRUN at check out, and you'll get 20% off your order! How cool!

This offer is good through October 31 2009, so act fast! And Happy Shopping!

Ode to Aimee Weaver

My friend, Aimee, is beyond creative.

Beyond.

Waaay beyond anything you can think.

This girl can look in a Martha Stewart magazine, see something she wants, say "Bibbity Bobbity Boo", and it's on her counter.

She can make someone's crap old stuff at Goodwill look like a million bucks.

She can take an old skirt and make her cutie daughter a dress out of it, for goodness' sake!

(Don't believe me? Check out her blog.)

Her creativity inspired me to do the dresser makeover a few weeks ago, and now this: I found an old memo board at Goodwill for $2...

bought upholstery tacks (which you can't see...my bad on the color choice) and some cute fabric at Wal-Mart (so cute, in fact, that I think it would make a neat skirt!)...

And wammo!

Now I just need to decide if I want it hanging vertically or horizontally. Oh, the choices!

Thanks, Aimee, for being a creative inspiration to many via your blog and your home decor. Keep it going!

Make Time For CHANGE!

As a busy mom, I find myself dreaming of an extra hour (or ten) almost every day. So many things are left undone, toys left laying out, chores unfinished...but there's more. There's so much more I want to do with my children: go to a petting zoo, stay a little longer at the library, bake cookies with my daughter. The list could go on and on.


So that's why I'm lovin' Frigidaire's new "Make Time For CHANGE" campaign. Not only does this company has a new line of appliances out that are designed to save time for us busy moms, but now they have teamed up with actress Jennifer Garner to kick off the campaign. Frigidaire is asking moms all over the world to use that extra hour we get when we turn back the clocks on November 1st and dedicate it to children. Visit http://www.frigidaire.com, pledge to make CHANGE for children with your extra hour, and Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save the Children’s U.S. Programs. PLUS, you will be entered for a chance to win a new Frigidaire Professional double wall oven. Um, hello?! A new oven? Since the one I have isn't even big enough for me to use standard cookie sheets, winning one would be a dream come true!

So, go! Check out the details, pledge to use that hour for a child, and see if you win the oven! We'll probably be baking cookies on that Sunday...I'll keep you posted! :o)

Déjà Vu

Wow, this scene looks familiar...

Now, where have I seen this before?

Hmm...

Oh, right...like sister, like brother.

I can't find my pictures of Danae with the Vaseline, but for her, lotion worked just as well. What can I tell ya? My kids like for their skin to stay hydrated. And that's very important these days, with the cold weather on its way.

Wordless Wednesday

A (hard-working) Daddy and his boy

A boy and his dog

Too adorable not to post! :)

LAUGHTER!

I came across this video on a friend's Facebook post, and it was just the sort of "pick-me-up" I need lately!

With two kiddos, a puppy, a baby on the way, a house to maintain, and a job to be at, life tends to be full and worrysome. But watching this video makes me 1) thank my lucky stars that I didn't have four babies at one time ;o), and 2) remember to enjoy the little things in life and not take everything so seriously. Enjoy!

Nostalgia

With the start of the fall season comes all kinds of thoughts and emotions from me. I don't know what it is about the cooler weather that brings out the reflective side. But it happens almost every year.


While I do look forward to the fairs, evening walks, leaves falling, and the winter house projects, I find myself looking backward...


* Back to those college days at Messiah, the soccer games, the loooong campus walks, the time I had to myself to do whatever I wanted.


* Back to the many friendships I had...the ones that start in high school or on a college campus but grow apart as life takes you in separate directions.


*Back to classes and learning and the feeling of being able to retain knowledge longer than a day or two.


* Back to when I could run a sub-7:40 mile, enjoy it, and be dry afterward. (more on that some other time)



* Back to when Grandma was still alive...the trips to Brooklyn to see her...the cans of Coke and Stella D'oro cookies...the old typewriter and adding machines...




Don't get me wrong...I do LOVE being a mother, a wife, a homeowner, and more. I love where life has taken me, what God has done, and what He has yet to do. I think my kids are the funnest beings on the planet and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I love where we live and being close to many places.


But sometimes there are things that I miss from my past. Some things that I know won't happen ever again, and some things that I can do again in the future. I'm definitely the nostalgic type...constantly thinking about past events, trying to remember my younger years and not let go of the good memories. My ultimate goal is to enjoy each chapter of life, no matter the changes they bring.


What about you? What memories do you have, what do you miss, what do you wish you could bring back or do again?

What's wrong with this picture?

Can you see the problems in this photo? I can count five.


Yes, five.


Look around, think through it...


Are you ready for the answers?


'Kay, here we go:


1) There's a little boy standing on a chair, thinking he's big enough to conquer the world and that his sister won't care if he gets into and eats her PlayDoh Ice Cream Maker toy.

2) A certain puppy named Princess Lucy is taking her name to the limit by constantly stealing shoes for chewing. For this photo, she chose the ever-so-tasty Dora Crocs.

3) An atrocious-looking art table and toys strewn everywhere make this an ideal scene for the little boy in #1 and the puppy in #2.

4) (Look closely for this one.) There are all sorts of stains and marks on the carpet, mainly from the boy in #1 who likes to chew crayons and markers, then spit them out onto the floor. Makes for a really inviting place to sit.

5) And lastly...where's the Mama who should be stopping or fixing all of the aforementioned problems?! Oh, right...she grabbed the camera to take a picture before correcting #'s 1 and 2. Oh, yes, she has her priorities in place.


Tomorrow will hopefully bring enough time for me to make some changes to the playroom, namely find a new home for all of the art supplies and get toys up off the floor. Stay tuned! :)

Our Newest Addition

Hmmm...what could Danae and Daddy be washing in the kitchen sink?

And what do you think I'm drying in a big, pink towel?

We'd like you to meet the newest member of our household, Princess Lucy!

(You guessed it...Danae named her.) :o)


She is a 10-week-old German Shorthaired Pointer, fitting to the "T" what we were looking for (color, markings, size...everything)! And these two are growing into great buds so far.

She has only been here for 24 hours, so let's see what the next week brings! Let the mayhem continue! ;o)

The Weekend Project

Hubby and I have been looking for quite a while for some type of used dresser to store his work clothes. Being that he is a carpenter/builder and comes home filthy each day, having his work clothing mixed in with our everyday garb isn't an option. So, this has been their overflowing home for a few years:

An old, put-it-together-yourself dresser that I used in college. Yup, it survived the move with us, and this eyesore has been sitting in our stone room for three months, poking at me every time I walked through.

We finally found our replacement beauty at Goodwill this weekend:

Ideas for the dresser were already developed, so it was just a matter of getting the paint and hardware. A few cans of black spray paint, 8 new knobs, and a clear protective coat for the top was all it needed!

The finished product:

It fits our needs, clears up the clutter, and makes me happy when I walk past it. All done on the cheap!

A Big THANK YOU!

Thanks to so many of you who voted for Danae in the Trix Swirls Video Contest over at 5 Minutes for Mom! Because of your votes, she came in second place and won $$$ for educational classes and/or materials! Yay! Gymnastics class is at the top of her list. :)


http://www.5minutesformom.com/7224/our-trix-swirls-video-contest-winners/


You made one little girl's day, and one Mama really proud...thanks, friends!

Let's Make Something!

I must warn you:

I think this whole pregnancy thing is making some creative juices flow in my head. I'm known to be the straight-up, non-creative, realistic thinker. Decorating? Can't do it. Make up a game? Not a chance. Lately, though, things have been a little different.

For instance, I want to paint every wall in site. And not just a normal, crisp cream or beige...I'm trying to convince Hubby to make my bathroom a bright green or blue (haven't totally decided yet). And then there's the re-arranging ideas floating around up there, as well as kid crafts ideas. Oh, boy...as if I'm not busy enough!

But a few days ago, I let the "let's make our own PlayDoh" idea out of its cage. My husband asked, "Why?", (really, he's right...it's not like we need more PlayDoh in our house...we have plenty of that), but Danae got excited, so off to the kitchen we went.

Who knew that some of these ingredients...

...could lead to endless joy for this little girl.

If you're interested, here's how ya do it:

1/2 c. flour

1/4 cup salt

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 c. water

1/2 Tbsp. oil

Mix all in a small saucepan over low heat until a dough-like consistency forms. Add a few drops of food coloring to make it colorful. Knead the dough on a floured surface until cool enough for your child to touch. Voilá! Storing it in a jar or ziplock bag in your fridge is the best way to keep it lasting for months.

Off to fix up Danae's art area. I'll show you that later! :)

Simple Musings

Today I'm feeling:


1) like my to-do list is dominating me.

2) frustrated by people who commit to get things donated/printed but then back out...nine days before a fundraiser for work.

3) like I'm scrambling to put the pieces back together for said fundraiser and get the project done.

4) pretty darn mad at the people in #2.

5) like I want to go back into the basement and eat out of the ice cream carton...for the second time today.



Ever have one of those days? Where you rely on others but, in the end, are disappointed, a little bitter, and have even more work to do? Yup, I'm so there.



But then, in the midst of making phone calls, trying to fix things and make it all better again, these lyrics flow through my computer speakers from a blog that I frequent:


"...Now I can
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the cross


Perfect timing, right to the heart, and ever so true. Thanks, God.