Dabbing Into Photography Again!

This past week, I took family pictures of a friend and her family. It was nice to dust off the old camera again as it has been quite sometime since I have taken pictures of someone other than my family. I was happy with the way the photo shoot went. Leslie and her family were a lot of fun to hang out with and shoot. Taking the pictures is the fun, easy part. Then comes the harder part, the editing. I am too critical of myself and I do not have enough confidence to really think they are good enough, though I have been told otherwise. I would love to know what you think.Please excuse the photography label on each. I am still working on creating one that I love.

 

 

Our Precious Boys

A local photographer took pictures of the boys recently and did a wonderful job. She also took our wedding pictures and we could not have been any happier with how they turned out. We love Missy and her work! Here is a sample of the pictures she took.

Home Construction

Scott and I bought a house recently and have been working on getting settled in and making it our own. Since we are having company this weekend, I have been in the mood to do a few more renovations. However, I have not actually completed any one project. I did make a few decisions about our kitchen and I am very excited to get started. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until our company leaves, as it will take a week to complete everything and then I will have to repaint the walls. Lovely, I know. I honestly can say that I hate painting but I hate paying someone to do something I am more than capable of doing even more than I hate the actual task. Here is a picture of our hideously decorated kitchen.

 The left is what the kitchen looked like before we moved in and the right is what it looks like now. I chose this color and I hate it, but I did not want to repaint until I picked out new counter tops, cabinets, and a back splash. We have decided to use one of the counter top transformation kits from Lowe's. I have read great reviews about them and for $70 we should have the look of marble. I think for the price, it is worth the gamble. Yesterday, after work, I went to Lowe's to look at different back splash options and I think I have decided to use Fasade. It gives you the look of tin for 1/10 of the cost. I priced what it would cost to use the real stuff yesterday and the quote I was give was nearly $1000. For $220 I can use the "off" Brand and will be happy to spend my savings elsewhere. The cabinets are not completely hideous and I honestly think with the new counter tops and back splash, they will fit in quite nicely. Well, nice enough that I can live with anyway! I may spruce them up with new hardware that coordinates with the new counter tops and back splash.

The flooring in our house is another matter all together. I hate it and I would like to rip up everything and stain the concrete until we can spend $10,000 to replace everything with hand carved hard wood flooring. Our house has a lot of square footage and to replace the flooring as I think it should be done, it will cost a pretty penny to purchase and install the beautiful wood. Therefore, Scott and I are several tax returns away from getting what we want. In the mean time, I would like to make everything more bearable with stained concrete. I love the look of it and I have read that it is not too difficult to do yourself. Scott has agreed to let me do this in our kitchen, but I think I will wait until the back splash, counter tops and walls are complete that way I will not have to worry with drop cloths.

I will keep everyone posted with pictures of our progress. I know that owning a house means constant upgrades, renovations, work, etc. I just need to really believe that they do not have to happen over night.

Weekend Fun

Scott, the boys and I did not get around to doing anything crafty this weekend. Instead we invited my parents over for a bonfire Friday night. We have been wanting to have one for quite some time now, but the weather has not been cooperative. Friday night was the perfect time as it was a clear, cool night. Scott, Dad, and the boys built the fire, while Mom and I cooked in the kitchen. After dinner, we roasted s'mores on the bonfire. It was a wonderful time with family and a good change from our typical Friday nights.

Saturday, Scott took me on a date to the Louisiana Tech game and to eat at my favorite restaurant in Ruston, The Dawghouse. It was a lot of fun and very different from dinner and movie which is what we typically do on our date nights. I graduated from Louisiana Tech in 2008 and I have not been to a football game since. I know, I should be ashamed! It was a lot of fun and brought back fond memories being back on campus. Tech won, which added to all of the excitement. At one point, they led 70-21!

 I was able to work on the house a little as well. Next weekend we are having a lot of family over, so I thought it was time to work on the house again. I think we have been a little burned out lately so this party is good motivation. Here is a picture above our bed. The "M" was used as the guestbook at our wedding.

There are a lot of things I still would like to do to the house, but I am sure it will always be that way. Hopefully i will be able to upgrade our counter tops before Saturday. Wish me luck!

Christmas

I know, I know, Christmas is still several months away. However, I think it is best to be prepared for what can be the craziest time of year. I like to have all of my shopping done in advance, have all of my t's crossed and i's dotted so that my family and I can really enjoy the true spirit and meaning of Christmas without getting wrapped up in all of the chaos. This year I plan on making Christmas as homemade as possible. On Christmas Eve last year, the boys and I made ornaments. We plan on making more this year as I hope to continue this little tradition throughout the years to come. I do not want to stop with the Christmas tree. I want our Christmas wreath, mantle decor, wall decor, Christmas Cards and gift wrapping to be handmade as well. In order to accomplish all of this, my little family needs to start now. It is fun working on a project each week for what I like to call "Family Craft Night". This weeks craft will be monogrammed burlap ornaments. I already have the burlap as I have scraps left over from our wedding, but I will need a few more items to go along with this project. So, Hobby Lobby & Michales, here I come. I know I could get everything I need at one store, but I prefer to shop sales and I know where I can get different things for better prices.

Hobby Lobby List:
Fabric Puff Paint in Green Red, Gold & Black
Brown Wire

Michael's List: 
Ribbon
Buttons in Red, Green, Brown, White & Black 

I have started working on the burlap "M" Monogramming. The boys, Scott and I will trace over it with the colored puff paint to make it really stand out from the brown burlap. I want the colors to pop! I plan on making Peace, Hope, Faith, and Love ornaments as well, using the same concept.

This is just the beginning, so please do not judge the draft. I will upload more pictures after "Family Craft Night" this weekend.

Mom & Me 2012 Camp-out

For those of you that truly know me, you know I do not like to sweat, get dirty or be outside all that much. I am an indoors girl and I am proud of it. I was raised on a farm with a family that spends the majority of their time outside, but that didn't effect me. Now that I am married and the stepmother to two little boys, I tend to spend more time outside than I ever have, just so I can spend time with them. This past weekend was the annual Mom & Me Boy Scout Camp-out and I was invited to join the boys and their mom. I was more than excited that the boys wanted me there with them and that their mom felt the same way. It was a great opportunity and I knew that I could not miss it, though I was honestly nervous about being in the woods. I have never been camping before and I did not know what to expect. Saturday morning, Ashley and the boys picked me up and we headed out to the camp. The tent and camp was set up Friday night by the boys Stepfather, so all we had to do was show up. I showed up with my hair fixed, make-up on and Coach purse in tow. I know it is crazy to wear make-up to the woods, but I do not go anywhere without my face on.

It was a fun day that flew by! We attended the Flag Ceremony first and then we went to the BB Gun Shooting Range and the Bow & Arrow Challenge. The boys enjoyed both activities and then we had lunch back at camp. After resting for an hour, we went on a hay ride to the gaming area where we played games against the boys. Shaun and I tied in the "Walking Race" and Mason barely beat me in the "Hold the Ball Between Your Legs and Run Race". We rode the hay ride back and walked back to our troops campground to pick up our fishing gear before heading down to the canoe area. I was very nervous about being in a canoe with Shaun all by myself. I have never been canoeing before, but after being put in the water, it was a piece of cake and turned out to be my favorite activity of the day. The boys were very disappointed that they did not catch any fish during the fishing tournament, but honestly, it is difficult to catch a fish when there are hundreds of little boys trying to catch fish in the same area. I think there were only five boys that caught fish out of everyone there. It was fun even though we did not catch any fish.

The day flew by and was a lot of fun, but the night was long and scary! It was lightening and thundering off and on in the distance and then moved over us later in the night. Ashley and I did not get to sleep as much as we would have liked because we were worried about our safety. Around 7a.m. Ashley jogged 3/4 of a mile to her vehicle to bring it to our campsite. We were both sopping wet by the time everything was loaded, as were the boys and all of our gear. We left the tent for Scott to pick up later when it was not raining.

Despite the weather, the trip was great. I told Ashley that the weather made us go out with a bang! It would definitely make the trip that much harder to forget. It was a great weekend with the boys and it was a great opportunity for Ashley and I to get to know each other better. I have been a part of the boys lives for nearly 2 years now and I have always had a great relationship with their mom. I know that the situation could be very different, but Ashley, Robby, Scott and I are very blessed to be able to put the boys first and have such a great relationship with one another. It makes things much easier for the boys and everyone else that is involved.

Though I am not an outdoors kind of girl, I told Scott that I would go camping with him and the boys in the future and Ashley and I are already talking about what we need to buy before next year to make it that much better.

Troop 27

Meet Jay

This is Jay, the newest member of our family. We rescued him from the local kill shelter in town. I had seen his picture posted on their Facebook page over a week ago with his expiration date. I begged Scott to let us at least go and visit him. There was just something about this dog that I loved, even from his picture. He said no over and over again because we already have two dogs and two cats.. On the day of his expiration, I begged him one final time and received the same sad answer. I drove home from work squalling because I knew the fate of the puppy. I tried not to think about it too much over the weekend and Scott tried to tell me that it is a sad reality and that I didn't need to fret over it anymore. Sunday night I was looking through Facebook and this dog's picture had been posted in the "adoptable" dog section!!! They had miraculously, for some unknown reason, changed their minds about his adaptability. I knew that was a clear sign that we were supposed to meet this dog! Needless to say, Scott couldn't argue with that and we picked him up yesterday from the pound. First we had to make sure he would interact with the boys well and he did. He loves them already and the feeling is mutual. We do not know much about Jay, as he was picked up by Animal Control. His age is really just a guesstimate, but the shelter seems to think he is only 3 months old. As you can probably tell, he is going to be a large dog.

Beautiful Monday & Columbus Day

Yesterday was Columbus Day, so my husband and step-sons were off of work and out of school. Unfortunately, I still had to work. The boys didn't think it was fair, nor did I. Apparently since they are out of school, they think the whole world should be off as well. We tried to explain to them that the world just didn't work that way, though sometimes it should. If a child ruled the world, it would be a happier place. While I worked, they played. Both of them made the A/B Honor Roll at their Elementary School, so naturally we rewarded them for their many efforts and for a job well done. They each were given $25 to spend however they pleased. We typically try to watch how they spend their money, but since this was a reward, we let them spend it as they wanted to. Shaun bought a new Ninjago Lego set because that is his favorite thing right now and Mason bought a Ninjago Lego Spinner. By the time I got home, their Lego construction sets were complete and they were ready to show them off. We jumped on the trampoline, took a long leisurely stroll through the neighborhood, had a picnic on the trampoline, played Super Mario Attack (our own version of live Super Mario, I was Princess Peach) and had family craft time. It was a wonderful Monday afternoon. Not all afternoons can be this fun because of the hour that we must spend on homework. That really puts a kink in our fun time! Now that Fall is technically here, it will start getting dark sooner and will put another kink in our fun time, but I am sure we can make the best of it.

This is a picture of Mason and our neighbor's horses. They were out deep in the pasture but came close as we were walking by. Mason loved them and wanted his picture taken with them.

This is where we are with our project from craft time last night. Tonight we will add a little more to the tree, cut and frame the burlap, as well as find a place in the foyer to display our creation.

From Left to Right:
Mason's hand (7 years old)
Leia's Paw
My hand (26 years old)
Lily's Paw
Gus's Paw
Scott's hand (34 years old)
Morris's Paw
Shaun's hand (9 years old)

Fall is Here!!!

Living in Louisiana, we often do not get to experience four distinct seasons. Somehow, Spring and Fall get lost between the Summer and Winter months. Our Summer's are excruciatingly hot and humid, very long and never ending and our Winter temperatures are very unpredictable as they rise and fall within hours. One day you will be walking around in flip-flops and shorts, the next you will be bundled up in hoodies and boots. That was our weekend. Scott, the boys and I left for Arkansas Friday afternoon wearing jeans and t-shirts and came home wearing long sleeved thermal shirts, jeans and boots. Scott did most of the packing while I was at work Friday, as he had the day off. He didn't realize the weather was going to drastically change over night, so he didn't pack enough warm clothes for our trip. Lucky me, I got to go to TJ Maxx in Hot Springs, AR for a Saturday morning shopping trip! I hit up the clearance racks first, as I always do and was able to purchase a thermal, long sleeved Billa Bong shirt for the boys. You can't beat $7 thermals!!! I also scored an Arkansas Razorback jacket for Mason, an Arkansas Razorback shirt for Scott, $6 jeans for Shaun to wear next year, a black jacket and two slinky undershirts for myself, a gorgeous decorative turkey for our foyer, and several Christmas presents for different family members. I was quite proud of all of my fabulous finds and savings. TJ Maxx is one of my favorite stores and the location in Hot Springs is by far my favorite of all of the TJ Maxx's I have visited and I have been to at least 7!

Our trip to Arkansas didn't go as planned. We had made plans with Scott's dad to go panning for gold in Northern Arkansas. We have been doing a lot of research in preparation for this trip, but had to cancel after we awoke to such cold conditions. The boys have been coughing off and on already and we didn't want to get them out in the weather. Instead, Scott and his dad watched the Razorback win, finally!!!! The boys played in the play room while I ventured off for shopping. Later in the afternoon, we took the boys to the local Fall Festival that was being held by Scott's families church. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon and the boys ended up with bags full of candy.

We came home earlier than usual on Sunday. It was nice to have the afternoon to relax and watch football. I swear that is all that we watch around our house, especially now that the Texas Rangers will not be playing in the World Series! I will not go into how disappointed I am!!! While Scott watched the Saints game, I made yet another burlap pumpkin and cooked veggie soup! It was perfect for the weather and a healthier choice since I am attempting to change my diet! Wish me luck!

This was my bowl of soup last night. I know it is silly, but I love taking pictures of food, especially when it is this colorful! This is the easiest soup to make. I have another recipe for veggie soup that would require a little more of my time, but as for a quick meal, this one is perfect.

Recipe:
1 Can of Green Beans (undrained)
2 Cans of Whole Kernal Corn (undrained)
1 Can of Roasted Garlic Tomatoes (undrained)
1 Package of Ranch Dressing Mix or Italian Dressing Mix
2 Cups of Cooked Pasta (I used Rotini)
Garlic to Taste
Pepper to Taste

Throw all of those ingredients together into a pot on the stove, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a lower temperature to let simmer for 30 Minutes. The longer you let the soup simmer, the stronger the flavor.

Note: This soup does not have a lot of liquid, therefore, if you want  your soup more liquidy then you will need to add some chicken broth.

This soup is even better the next day!

Part Two: Burlap Pumpkins for Teachers

Yesterday the boys and I worked on stuffing, gluing and adding finishing touches to their burlap pumpkin door hangers they created for their teachers. Below are the pictures of their pumpkins. Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures. I did not get out my fancy camera, instead I used my phone. They were very proud of how they turned out and were so excited to go to school this morning.

 This is Mason's creation. His teacher's last name starts with an "S" so we monogrammed it, added a few buttons, stem details and a light green burlap bow.

This is Shaun's creation. His teacher's last name starts with a "K" so we monogrammed it, added a few flower buttons, stem details and a light green bow.

I love how similar, yet different they both are. They did a great job and I know their teachers must have been excited. Their dad took them to school this morning, so I didn't get to see them give it to their teachers. I can't wait to pick them up to hear all about it.

Part One: Burlap Pumpkins for Teachers

The boys were so excited about the burlap door hanger I made Tuesday night, so we started on two more last night. They decided they wanted to make one for their teachers at school. I decided that we would make them similar to the one I had made, with a few tweaks (meaning less paint). I drew out the pumpkin and painted the monogram for each of them, but let them do the designing and painting on each of their pumpkins. So far, they are looking great and I know their teachers will love them b/c they were made by the boys. Right now they both look a lot alike, but after we add the last few details they have picked out, you will definitely be able to see the difference.

Here's what we have so far. I will post the final results tomorrow after we stuff and glue them together tonight.

This is Shaun's creation. He plans on adding little white flowers to the middle of each polka dot and will probably add a little more detail to the stem tonight with a permanent marker. I love how simple these are to make and how happy the boys are to be making them.

This is Mason's creation. He plans on adding black or white buttons to the middle of each polka dot and will probably add a few more details to the stem and pumpkin tonight with paint pens.

Burlap

I absolutely love burlap! We used it everywhere in our wedding. It covered the tables, wrapped the bouquets, and staircases. I love the rustic feel it gives things. Now it is everywhere in my house!! I have several flower arrangements throughout my house. On each one you will find a burlap bow somewhere. I think it ties everything together nicely and it is perfect for Fall decor. My house is not decorated yet. We are a little behind. The boys and I have big plans to take care of some of the decorating tonight. We plan to make different things using burlap. I will post pictures of our creations once they are complete.

Last night, I decided it was time to decorate our door. I have a lot of burlap laying around the house, so I made a Pumpkin Burlap Door Hanger. I absolutely love it because I made it. Of course, it doesn't look any more fabulous than the ones I have seen on other blogs or pinterest, but it means more to me and my family b/c it is homemade. I promised the boys I would help them make one tonight. Perhaps a smaller version with their teacher's name on it. It would make a nice Fall gift?

Here is my creation.

Like I said, it is not any more fabulous than those I have seen elsewhere, but we love it. I have plans to make a snowman for Christmas and little ornaments for our Christmas tree this year. Scott and I have decided to decorate the tree with red, green and gold. I usually decorate with brown and gold. This will be a change for me, but I am going to embrace it. At least we will still be able to use some of my gold decorations. I would cry if my little gold birds didn't make the cut. I plan on using lots of burlap bows on the trees and hopefully our little burlap ornaments will turn out as well. That is another project for the boys and I to work on. I love working on projects as a family, especially this time of year.