Decorating for Free

Does anyone need to attend meetings for obsessive decorating? 

Seriously, I think I could redecorate my house every 3 months or so. 

However, I'm pretty sure my bank account and my hubby might have a thing or two to say about that!

I put all my Christmas back away last night. I just wasn't in the mood anymore and wanted my house back to normal (whatever that is). When pulling out my normal decor this morning, I got the itch to move things around and give it a "fresh" touch. It feels like I have done something different, but I didn't spend a dime. 

Remember what it looked like before?

 

I didn't change just gobs, but it makes it "feel" different.

Imagination

Arilynn has really been discoverng her imagination! (I can't get over how smart this little gal is. She recognizes #'s 1-10 and counts them, says most of her ABC's and knows her colors! She must take after her Mommy..lol). She has a little tea set that came with silverware and plates. She's been "feeding" me with the spoon. I was a little disappointed to find out::

"MMMmmm...BEANS!!!!"

Does she not know her Mommy would rather have chocolate or cookies or something other than beans!!!

Joy

(Please excuse the rambling, I reference my blog when I forget. :) )

She is just that...Joy! I love her so much. She is constantly doing something to make me smile. She is in such a learning stage and it amazes me how much a 2 year old can comprehend. I think she's going to be a smartie, but that's just her Mommy speaking! :)
Her speech still needs lots of translating for those who aren't around her much, but I understand. I'm in no hurry to move her along, either. Her thing now is to pretend dumb when she thinks she might be in trouble. LOL! I ask her what she's doing and she always says, "What, huh?" over and over.
She loves to sing and play the piano and many times ask me to sit and play with her. She knows how to pray for her meal and sings Jesus Love Is Bubblin' Over, Joy Down in My Heart, Deep & Wide, I'm So Happy, ABC's, and she's been singing along with many Christmas songs. She knows Jingle Bell Rock the best! HA HA!
If you do something, even just playing around, she will remember it days down the road and repeat it. Keeps me on my toes to not teach her anything wrong!
She is definitely equally Daddy and Mommy's girl. This morning she woke up early scared and she wanted nothing to do with me. Apparently, she needed Daddy to protect her from a dream (which, btw, he got me shot in my dream b/c he decided to go chasing druggies...oh, the pregnancy dreams).
She is a social bug and loves to go to church. She plays shy with a lot of the grown ups, but loves the kids. She is always asking if someone is coming over.
God has blessed me with a special girl and I'm so glad He picked me to be her Mommy! 

Christmas Pictures

10!

Please excuse the having to stand on your head to watch this. I'm so used to my other camera automatically being converted on my computer that I recorded it up and down. However, I'm not figuring out how to rotate a video.

 

She can do this by herself, but the camera was throwing her off!

There's those sweater vases again. I was glad I made some white ones last time b/c they work well with Christmas. 

 

I use battery operated candles because ideally I'd rather not burn the house down.

I know you can't see her face and that'll drive some of you bananas, but I still thought it was cute!

Christmas Spots

We have been working on a huge-o, major, big mess making, crazy wonderful project in this dear old house!!! However, it is taking forever to get done and stuff put back in place. (We had to move the current stuff into room #1 and #2, then when we got done take said stuff to room #3 and then move #1's stuff into #2. Confused yet?!?) It didn't help that I couldn't move for a week because my back went crazy on me!!! Talk about driving a prego lady nuts!!! Anyhoo, until I get energy or have nothing else to do everything put up, you'll just have to have a sneak peek. 

DIY Christmas Picks

I have been itching to go to Hobby Lobby to get some new Christmas picks to use as filler. I've started to go a couple of times and talked myself out of it because I didn't feel it was necessary to spend the money. I'm very slowly getting my decor up and today when I needed those fillers, I decided I'd just make my own. Granted they're not Hobby Lobby quality...pretty much if you'd blow on them they'd mess up, but they work! 

I had some greenery that I got at HL for 80% off after Christmas one year, some berries, and "bird's nest" (as my sister called it. 

Spread out the branches like so:

Poke around the filler:

 And, voila!

Love Her To Pieces

I had a couple of retakes to do today, so Arilynn thought she needed her picture taken, too. Messy hair, unmatched jacket, snotty nose-but she's still so cute! :) 

Junk Collecter to Eventually Arilynn's Room

The room we're working on now has been our storage unit. Things we didn't know what to do with were piled in there! They are now piled throughout my house while I figure out a solution. Needless to say, it's a disaster here. My husband has no idea what it's like to live in a clean house and quite frankly it's getting on my last nerves. Sigh...we'll get there, I suppose.

Can you say disgusting?

Yanking down the trim that didn't match.

It is still far from perfect!!!!! The walls are not at all solid in this room, but it'll have to do.

I painted it a very pale pink. It will eventually be Arilynn's Shabby Chic big girl room.

Next project for Wes. Not something I'm going to attempt.

Oh, and we're having another baby in case anyone missed that! :) 

Absence Excuse

The reason why not too much blogging has been happening..LIFE!

Fall Fun

Arilynn loves playing with Annalissa

1, 2, 3!!!

I'm in a blog slump. I'm not a writer, so if I don't have any pictures, I don't feel I have a post. Just been trying to keep up on all the fall activities around here.

We did have our baptism yesterday and my pastor just about drowned me. An inch of my forehead didn't get wet, so he shoved me back under! I'm totally scared of my head under water, so needless to say I about hyperventilated! That's for real! So, my head went back under and my feet went up in the air. The verdict is out on whether I've forgiven him or not. ;)

Newest Find

A Steal

"It's really old!" was the man's reply as I chased him down in GW! 

I saw him coming out of the back doors with it on his dolly. Could it be? I literally just about jumped up and down trying to get my husbands attention to get there. Pronto. 

No? Fine, I'll stalk him myself. And, I did! LOL! I turned and was right behind him peeking over his blue shirted shoulder trying to find the price tag! 

"Where do I fit this?" he mumbled to himself. By this time, Wes finally got my vibes and came up the aisle. 

"I might want it!" 

Price tag...CHA-CHING!!!!! 

Wes-"How much?"

He didn't act overly excited, but my stomach was crawling with butterflies!! I've been wanting one of these forever! Secretly, he was excited, but I think he was acting nonchalant so they wouldn't jack the price up when they found out I was getting it for at least $250 less than I normally see them. 

They marked it an "old dresser."

(This house has seriously crookeditess!!! Thus, the props).

How about a pie safe for $49.99????? Can I get a WHOO-HOO?!?!? 

True it doesn't have the tin on the doors, but for me...it's perfect! 

Add some fall decor...

...and the corner in my dining room has been filled!

(With exactly what I had wanted, but knew there was no way I would be able to afford one. Isn't God good?)

I'm thinking that I may add material behind the doors so I can hide junk in there. Not sure yet...

So, are you tired of seeing these sweater candle holders yet? Seriously, it took all of 5 minutes to make all of these! Soooooo easy peasy! And, cheap! :)

How cute is this Dollar Tree pumpkin?

Behind the table is a sneak peek of my GW steal!