Laundry Room Project

I've had a can of paint and a plan to paint the laundry/mud room for about 3 months, but have never actually gotten around to doing it. Well this week when our dryer broke down, I took advantage of the chance to get in behind the washer/dryer to paint without it being too difficult.

Now a little detail into why I care about painting my laundry/mudd room. Well, I have a husband with a wonderful quality of having a great decorative eye. I am not being sarcastic. He is really good at decorating/color details, etc. But...this also means that I can't decorate anything in the house without him being part of it. I cannot hang a picture on the wall without him liking the picture, liking the frame, making sure it ties in with the other decorations, etc. Now luckily he has good taste and for the most part we agree on things anyway. But, sometimes I want to let loose and just go to town on a room and I can't. So I told my hubs that the laundry room is MY DOMAIN. That since it doesn't get seen by most people other than me, I can do whatever I want and he can't compain. And I had fun! And he likes it!!

So as you enter the room, there is a small window that I love! I loved making a cute little set of curtains, but still wanted a lot of light in the room, so I tied it up with ribbon and thinks it looks so cute that way. I accessorized with some old picture frames that were sitting in the bottom of a closet and put some scrapbook paper and stickers with them. I think they turned out cute!

I used a mossy/leafy green color of paint.
Here is one of the picture frames.

Close up of the curtains. Love the paisly pattern!

This bulletin board has been in there since almost the beinning, and then later I added the hooks for the backpacks. So that was there before, but looks better with a painted background!

I found these at Ben Franklin one day on clearance for $1 each. I thought they would be great for putting the kids papers from school in and the mail until I can sort through it!

This is the favorite wall! I have the oh-so-styling book wreath my little sister made for me. Then I have the rack I got at DI for $6 and a vase with some stuff we had around the house! And my old laundry room sign. A must in the laundry room right? ;)

And finally, above our new dryer, I have an awesome old frame of ours, an L that I already had and some scrapbook paper. Sweet!

I'm happy with it and happy its done.

Projects

Other than this week (due to obvious complications explained in yesterdays post), I have been working on many projects around my house. Cleaning, organizing, sewing...but not for fun (although I do find a lot of it fun). It's all to get things organized. I have more pictures to come, but thought I would share one of the more fun projects.

Brayden has holes in every single pair of jeans he owns. Kyler has holes in 1 pair, but I have learned that going out and buying Brayden more jeans just = more holes in the knees. He can't NOT make holes in them it seems. So I decided its time to break down and make patches for the knees. It must be done if he is going to wear any jeans anymore.

I actually like how they look now. I think it has added character.

And no, he was not hurt while taking this picture, he just seems to be smiling like he is in some sort of pain...

~~SIGH~~

I need to vent. Thats what a blog is for right?

I have a really hard 4 year old. Like, seriously, he goes through stages and phases of being difficult. Some of the things he does I can handle, give the appropriate punishment and move forward. Bu days like yesterday, I was at a total loss for how I could handle this kid without actually strangling him! I was so frustrated!

It actually started Sunday. I honestly can't remember what happened, but it was my day to sleep in and I just laid in bed listening to Kyler and Brayden fight. Kyler and Brayden fighting is: Kyler does something to Brayden, Brayden YELLS really LOUD. You must understand, Brayden has two volumes at home. Loud and Louder. Seriously. The kid does not know how to whisper, I had actually sat down with him and tried to teach him. PLeading and begging with him to do it so he can keep things calm. He just can't do it. So back to Sunday, so I was frustrated and ended up getting up early and letting Cort go back to bed since I couldn't sleep anyway. Then the kids just fought all morning and I was mad about it. This isn't such a hard thing really because unfortunetly my two older boys are very close which means they fight all the time and play some of the time together!

So Sunday I just was a little off because it wasn't the nice pleasant relaxing morning it usually is and I had trouble feeling the spirit of the day. Monday. We are taking a nice walk on what we thought was a nice day, (it was colder than we thought, although the boys didn't care). I took this walk with several other moms in the neighborhood, we were pushing strollers while our older kids were riding bikes. We have discussed the rules about this A MILLION TIMES. They can ride slightly ahead of us, but have to stay where we can see them at ALL times and when I call them, they have to stop. This used to be an issue maybe like 9 months ago, but they have been really good lately. Not on Monday. At one point, they were getting too far ahead of me. Not out of my sight, but I wanted them to stop. I called for them and told them to stop. They kept riding. I called their names more seriously (and you must understand, they COULD hear me. They weren't that far away). They kept on going. I yell "Kyler and Brayden, you stop now or your both grounded for the rest of the day." THEY KEPT GOING. I take off running. I stop them. I tell them both they are grounded. THEY ARE SMILING AT ME. I ask why they are smiling, they say they think its funny. OH BOY. I AM FUMING. I then make them ride behind me but within the distance where I can actually touch them, so it is hard to walk without them hitting me, but this is what must be done. I told me friends I had to take my kids home and take care of business. The kids continued to try and go around me and get in front of me the rest of the way home, a few blocks. We kept going back and forth about why they can't, why they are in trouble, etc. When we get home, I explain to them the rules of their groundation. No playing outside, no playing with friends, having to do extra chores around the house. It was actually GREAT that there were kids playing outside that day later so my kids could see what they were missing (they would live outside if they could). It was a hard day, but I really thought my kids had learned from it and realized the consequences of being disobedient...For Family Home Evening that night, you guessed it, we talked about Obedience. And I threw in a reminder about "it's not that mom is being a mean mom by not letting you ride too far ahead of me, it's that STRANGERS will come and kidnapp you!" which we have also FHE lessons on, and I also went off about talking respectful to me as their mother. My kids have been talking back to me so much lately, FHE was not so much in a spiritual nature...

Tuesday: We are running to the store in the morning. The kids are fighting in their car seats. I give them too many warnings, pull over and move Kyler's booster to the middle row so he is not next to Brayden and therefore cannot be physically touching him. He is mad, but this is better. They still fight. On the way back from the store, I give them more warnings about talking nicely to each other, AND to be respectful of me as their mother and the way they talk to me. It continued. When they got home, they both stayed in time out for the appropraite amount of time and then one thing after another kept happening. And this is where the hard 4 year old comes in. You see, the things that happen with Kyler I think are more normal things that kids do for their age. And Brayden and him together plot mostly normal naughtiness that deserves and normal punishment (time out, etc). But when Brayden has his moments like yesterday, it is an ALL BRAYDEN thing. Before Kyler even left for the bus stop, Brayden was getting into trouble. He pushed Keaton OFF the COUCH!! Then he takes a basket of toys and throws in on the ground. What kind of statement was he trying to make? I get on his level and ask him why he was making these choices. He laughs and says its fun. Off to time out. He then seems to actually be playing nicely in the playroom. I am cleaning the kitchen, Keaton is taking a nap. He comes down stairs holding with toilet paper in hand, no pants saying he needs help wiping his bum. No problem, except the toilet paper in hand was from the roll in the upstairs bathroom and he had actually dragged it all the way downstairs, something he clearly knows not to do. He is smiling. "Brayden, why did you pull this whole roll downstairs?" "I don't know," he says and LAUGHS. I get into the bathroom, rolling the toilet paper back on the roll and see POOP everywhere! Seriously! I ask him why there is poop everywhere. "Cause I need you to wipe my bum." UM, thats not why. I clean it up. Now mind you, our dryer went caput on Monday. We have ordered a new one that should be here in the next few days. But I am visioning the rug that needs to be washed because it has a smear of poop on it. GROSS. I can wash and hang dry. Okay, this can be solved. Brayden goes to his room for time out and when he gets out, he brings me poopy underwear. What? You just pooped all over the bathroom, whats this?? He laughs and runs away. There is now also a huge wad of poop in his bum as well. Nice. I clean it up. He is grounded. I throw the underwear away, its old anyway, I just can't stand it. Later Brayden helps me with chores and seems to be more obedient. After Kyler gets home from school, Kyler comes up to me later and tells me Brayden pulled down his underwear and pooped on his shirt. WHAT? What is going on? Why is this happening? What am I doing as a parent that is making him make these choices??? What am I doing wrong???

When Cort got home later, after dinner, I went to my room and locked the door and laid in bed reading. After a half hour of peace I open the door but still laid in bed reading. As the kids were getting their pajamas on, Brayden comes in the room. He comes up to me reading, sticks his bum in my face and pretends to toot. I lost it. I slammed the book on the bed dramatically and told him that was rude and unacceptable. (Side note: Boys are BOYS. I will never go without hearing noises of all kinds from them where they think its funny, but in our house, we explain that is is crude and rude to ever do that to anyone. If you toot, you say excuse me., etc. The boys make noises to each other sometimes and we let it slide, as they are boys, but they are never allowed to do anything like this to anyone else ever at any time!) Back to the story, I am walking towards Brayden telling him he now has to go to bed early without Kyler when he says to me, "your stupid mom." He repeats this three times while I am literally chasing him down the hallway. I put him in his room, lock the door (the lock is on the outside so we control it) and say goodnight. He screams, cries, pounds on the door and I tell Cort to take care of it and went back to my room. Later Cortney came in and told me that there was poop on the mirror in the boys bathroom. Kyler, who is laying in bed yells, "Brayden did that a minute ago." WHAT????

I cried. How could a 4 year old make me feel like I have lost all control as a parent? When did he take over the world? When did I lose power? I felt so helpless. I cannot believe that something so little and so cute could behave this way.

This morning, I called Brayden to come into bed with me (he was awake playing in the playroom). I took him into my arms and told him that he hurt my feelings so badly and that I knew deep down he wanted to make good choices. I told him that I loved him and wanted him to be nice to me so I can be nice to him and we can all have a good day. I was awake half the night last night thinking about it all. All these things are so Brayden, but instead of him randomly being naughty off and on throughout the days, he crammed it all into one day. I feel overwhelmed.

So now that I have vented, I do feel better. I am ready for a new day...I think. And I am PRAYING that I can get a handle on things. I am going to focus hard today to notice all the positives in Braydens behavior and compliment the heck out of it. Maybe if I am paying more attention to the good, he wont want to do the bad...I am hoping. And praying. I cannot have more days like yesterday!!

And did I mention that I blew my diet last night and had THREE (3) donuts! Thats right, 3! Then I had another 2 this morning! 2!!! I NEVER eat like that (we were given a dozen free fattening glazed donuts). But I surprisingly do feel better, even though I have to work out twice as hard now to burn it off.

Here's to a better day. Pray for me. Pray for Brayden.

Camp Kyler

My dear sweet Kyler turned 6 on Saturday. 6! I have a 6 year old! I cannot even believe it. There is something so sweet and dear about your first born. Your first pregnancy, the first kick, the first heart beat you hear, the baby comes out and everything is a first. So this is for Kyler:

Kyler, from the moment you were born, I was completely in love with everything about you. Your chubby cheeks and baby blue eyes melted my heart. I could not imagine any life from then on without you in it.

You were the BEST baby (and to this day, you are still the best behaved baby I've had). You were a daddy's boy from the very beginning, and you still are. I love it!

You have always been very sweet and loving to stuffed animals. I love how even now, you love each one of them, treat them like they are real by putting them to bed when they are sick, taking care of them and making them feel special.

I love how you have both your Dad's features as well as some of mine...a mixture of the both of us~

I love that you are such a Manly BOY. Although you still have a sensitive side (and have occassionally liked the color pink), you would LIVE outside if you could. You would spend every waking minute either camping or hiking, or playing with bugs. No matter what, you'd be outside.

I love how tough you think you are. But you still need me.

I'm not crazy about how you fight me to fix your hair for school, but I LOVE that you still let me pick out/help you pick out what you are going to wear and don't fight me on it...

You are passionate about things, you learn the same way I do (I'm sorry for that son) and you are a GREAT friend to those around you. I love YOU Kyler boy!

Soooo, we had a Birthday Party for Kyler in honor of his birthday...and YUP, it was a camping themed party. What else for my Kyler?! So I made this totally cool camping cake. I love how it turned out!!

We had a few friends over for the party. The truth is, Kyler would have invited every kids in the nieghborhood, so we had to limit it and draw the line at 10 kids (12 including Kyler and Brayden!). 12 KIDS!! It was awesome! We did tug of war.

And told fun camping stories in the tent...

And roasted hot dogs around a campfire!

And opened presents!!!

I can't believe my first born is 6 years old!!!!

The March of Dimes

Every year, half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many life long disabilities. I know from personal experience just how common and serious premature birth is. My second son, Brayden, was born just over 13 weeks early resulting in a 9 1/2 week hospital stay. My 3rd son, Keaton, was born just over 11 weeks early resulting in a 13 week hospital stay. This will be my fourth year walking for the March of Dimes! The funds we raise in WalkAmerica support research that saves babies' lives. The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

I'm very excited to be a part of March for Babies this year. Please help me reach my goal by making a donation to my walk. It's easy and secure - just click through to make your donation.
Your gift will fund March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.
Please support this important work. You can make a donation with your credit card, or if you prefer, cash or a check is fine, too.
Thank you for helping me give all babies a healthy start!

To make a donation, visit my personal Web page at http://www.marchforbabies.org/braydensmommy06

OR click the March of Dimes link on the side of my blog.

MMMMMMMM....Cinnimon Chip Crescents

So yesterday I woke up feeling rested. Sundays are my days to sleep in, but I got up with the kids cause I knew I couldn't go back to sleep. So I tidied things up around the house after getting the kids breakfast, then a few minutes before I knew Cortney would probably be getting up, I made one of his favorite breakfasts: Cinnimon Chip Crescents...MMMMMM Sooooo good. The recipe is on the back of the Hershey's Cinnimon Chips packages and since they are typically a seasonal item, we buy like 10 bags at once and save them to use throughout the year.

Go NOW and buy some if the stores still have them. They are fabulous.

Keaton loved them...

Brayden loved them.

Kyler loved them but would not let me take a picture of his messy face. Silly boy!

And of course Cortney and I loved them, but you don't need to see what we look like on Sunday mornings ;)

18 months

Something happens to my sweet babies when they turn 18 months. Seriously. I don't know what it is or how to explain it except to say that I have REALLLLYYY good babies. Easy babies, don't cry a lot babies. And then when they turn 18 months, something changes. Maybe it's because they are so easy to begin with that I expect nothing less or just because I am used to it? I don't know if it's the new independence they feel from having been walking for a while or what, but they really start to turn into little devils in most ways.

Don't worry, I love every minute of it (at least Almost every minute!) I think curiosity is important and helps make you smarter...but we deal with A LOT of curiosity around our house these days. The kind of curiosity that leads to dangerous things...

So, case in point: My newest little 18 monther. My sweet, never could do anything wrong, take one look in his eyes and your heart melts little 18 monther. He has started tantrums. And it was really hard because in the beginning I couldn't tell if he was hurt, feelings were hurt, phsically hurt, etc because I had never heard him cry like this before. huge tears down his cheeks, your heart is melting...And I just want to make that sweet little face feel happy again...until I realize it is all a TANTRUM for not getting something he wants. Something thats naughty. Like, say, throwing rocks at some kids and I pick him up and take the rocks away, or say, me closing the pantry door so he can't take garbage out of the garbage can again (which is why the garbage can is in the pantry to beign with, to keep sticky fingers away). So he wants to do some naughty things. I won't let him. And he is forcing this hurtful scream out that still leaves me second guessing as to whether he is really hurt or something, because it is that strong of a scream. but no, it's all tantrum people.

That's how it goes for all my 18 monther boys I guess! :) I am embracing it and trying to laugh and have fun.

So this picture is a few weeks old, when Keaton was on oxygen for RSV, but it was too darn cute not to post! Seriously! Love this kid, no matter how naughty. I mean seriously, look at this face!

And what I would consider to be only minimally naughty and definetly no big deal because I'll take it over many other things...Keaton climbing into a basket full of folded and clean laundry that I was trying to put away. He was trying to take the clothes out of my hands while I was trying to grab them from the basket. And yes, he threw a fit. (he's not throwing a fit in this picture...obviously!) But at least he was cute doing something he's not supposed to...which he usually IS cute when he does something naughty which is why it's so hard to get mad! ;)

So naturally, I grabbed my camera!

That's my boy!

Long and Boring, but it's what I'm venting about.

So last week was awesome. I had some serious goals at the beginning of the week that I was determined to stick to. And for the most part, I did! And it felt great.

The biggest thing was that I wanted to try and keep the house clean ALL week. I had my big cleaning on monday- sweeping, mopping, dusting, vacuming. But usually by Wednesday, the house looks like a tornado again and I am constantly trying just to make it look livable again, but never really managing to do it!

So I told myself I could not sit down and relax and check my blog list or facebook entries unless things were picked up. And it really did work! Not that I spend a lot of time just lounging around. believe me, I am constantly working. But I really made it a priority to also get the kids involved. Brayden was great! He would jump along right beside me and help me clean up, as well as surprise me by cleaning up something not on his chore list without me even asking. he has really been a big help. (Although after he went to bed I checked underneath the couch and found about 50 different items he had hid to clean up. That's Brayden! ;))

The other things I wanted to accomplish were: exercising at least 4 days (which I actually usually do anyway, but this week I wanted to make sure I did it no matter what, and switched up my routine of what I usually do.), lowering my portion amounts of what I eat, drinking more water, eating more vegetables, spending more time playing with my kids rather than just being with them, reading to my kids more, and I had to make a ton of wipey cases for orders and a party without taking too much time away from my kiddos.

I had a really good balance last week. And I found that my days were more pleasant with the more that I got accomplished. My kids were so happy to spend more time with me focused on them and I felt the same way! It was really great.

But it was hard transitioning into this week. I started off with a Bang on Monday. I emptied every cubbord in the kitchen, wiped and disinfected it and reorganized EVERYTHING. From pots and pans to silverware, everything is in a more organized place and there is so much extra room again. The pantry is organized, the cold storage in the basement is organized (although it was 90% organized already) and the coat closet is organized.

WHEW. Then, after doing all that work Monday, including typical housework and two loads of laundry, I took the kids on a nice walk/bike ride through the neighborhood. I was so tired by Monday night that I felt completely unfunctionable. And might I add for the ladies, that I am having a very heavy and uncomfortable time of the month. So now I am also emotionally drained because I have been crying at every stinkin commercial I see, blog I read, etc. I am extra sentive this time around. I know it sounds silly, but every time I change the dose of my thyroid medication, everything is more sensitive until I am completely adjusted to the new dose. It really sucks.

My point to all this?? I had trouble lifting a single finger today!! I maintained the house until 3:00 when Keaton started to cry and all he wanted to was to be held. I sat on the couch and held. And then I couldn't move. And I was emotional for no reason. Just because.

Then I had a NICU Volunteer meeting tonight. I had to literally peel my eyes open while driving out there tonight, I am so wiped out.

So heres to a good nights sleep. Feeling rested and relaxed tomorrow. A good workout in the morning, followed by a good and healthy breakfast, followed be a better mood, emotionally more stable, fun loving and erergetic Elizabeth. Hey, I'm going to bed, so I can dream right?

A Change is a-coming...

I have come to realize that I am really comfortable and familiar with blogging, and therefore, my business website is going to be moving to a new blog to make my life a little easier.

It is ready for viewers, but I am leaving my old website up for another month or so until my new business cards come in and everyone knows about the change.

So check it out if you like...

www.lizzyluu.blogspot.com

Things are going really well, I had a really awesome week!! I'll blog more about it later. XOXO

Holy Cow.

I LOOOVE getting special requests to make a wipey case. A friend of mine threw a wipey case party last night and asked me to make a cow wipey case with pink ribbon accents. Oh. My. Word. I LOVE how it turned out. Don't you??

The back and inside is the super soft minkey fabric. Oohhhhh.

I Love it! I also love experimenting with RED. It's my favorite color, and while not so popular to match a diaper bag, I have been surprised by how many people LOVE Red like me. So here's one with some red that I LOVE. Don't you??

Seriously, I am lucky to have a hobby/job that I love so much!!

It's just too much

Dear Snow,
I don't like you anymore. Go away. Now. Please?
Sincerely,
Elizabeth

The Problem with Me? or with Reading?

Throughout my life I have never been a reader. Ever. When I was a kid, I would skim-read a book for a book report, ask questions about it, watch a movie about it, whatever I could to avoid actually reading the book. The only book I EVER read during high school was the autobiography of Dorothy Hammil. Later in life I read The Book of Mormon, but I guarantee it was not a vested study session, I really read it just to read it and pray about it. And so thats what I did.

Now reading a magazine or article, no problem. I love reading blogs, love reading short stories about something...just not actually reading...a Book!

Enter: My Sisters. Both of them are blessed with the talent and gift of reading. They love it, they are good at it. They are fast readers, etc. Probably why they have done better in school than me...however it has never bothered me that I have not liked to read.

As I have gotten older, I have slowly grown to LOVE reading. It started very slowly and simply with a few things here and there.

Enter: Twilight Series. While on a lengthy trip to Arizona, I had some down time. My sister in law had Twilight. My sisters has begged me to read them for at least a year, telling me what I was missing. I ,of course, said, "I dont read." But during my down time, I figured, I might as well do something rather than sitting here...and I picked up Twilight and read. And read and read and read and read.

So my love grew. I was instantly attached. I read ALL the books, and saw the movie, etc. But it really showed me that I do love reading. The more I thought about it, I realized I have missed so many good opportunities in my life to learn and grow. Since I began reading more, I have learned SO much. About myself, about others. My imagination has grown, and life has become more interesting.

Being a stay at home mom, its nice to have something that takes me into a completely different life for a while- a Get-away at home.

So since Twilight, I've gone on to read many new and interesting and FANTASTIC books! But there is only one problem with this whole situation of reading.

Since I get engrossed in these books and let myself be taken away into the life and characters in them...I have had trouble keeping up with my house! I am making dinner, stirring something with the book in one hand and the spoon in the other. I find myself saying to my children "Mommy needs to finish reading one more chapter, then I can get you a drink"...what the heck is up with that??? Seriously, I do not get mother of the year award when I am reading... And when I finally get to the point in the book where it is nearing the end and everything in the story is coming together...I can't cook, I can't clean, I can't focus...I am reading.

My house was a disaster yesterday, and every spare moment right until the very SECOND that we left for church, I had the book in my hand.

And then, there was this:

What is wrong with these pictures?? Do you SEE that DIAPER?!?!

Somehow, I had left the same diaper on Keaton ALL DAY...how does anyone in their right mind miss something that HUGE on their kids BOTTOMS and Between the legs...HELLO!!! My poor little Keaton thought it was great when I gave him extra naked time!! ;)

So although now everyone can see in plain sight the poor example of parenting that I have become by my new found love of reading...I have become a better person from it and am so glad that my sisters got me into it!! Even if I do need to work on balancing reading and still taking care of my sweet kids ;)