2010 Miller Family Nativity

a little tradition I love. We need to start doing this around November so I can get it out sooner!!!!

This is SeriouS StufF!

Just so you know - I have had many conversations with peeps about needing a sarcastic font. Well - I "invented" one - now we need to spread the word. When you want to be sarcastic - simply capitalize the first and last letters of each word of the sarcastic part. Here is an example or two:

I AM LookinG ForwarD to ObamA HeatH CarE!

or

I LovE CleaninG OfF the BluE ToothpastE OfF ThE CounteR EVERY DAY!

Just an FYI.

Now to the SeriouS StufF:

Gingerbread making. It's serious business at "my house" Photos speak 1,000 words: (Plus I put some words on them too)

So for about $20 we kept 7 adults and 2 kids entertained and busy for about 3 hours. . .

except for maybe these two. . . Married less than a month - there was a HUGE fight because someone wanted a "balcony" and someone couldn't deliver. Wonder if that "someone" has studied up and will have there game on and be able to make Juliet her balcony. . . :)

I am thinking about it right now because this is one activity scheduled for after the Thanksgiving feast - only this time we have MANY more entries as we combine MOST of the Miller and McDonald families!

Honestly LOADS of fun - you should do one too!

Give A Way

Not my give a way. And really if I tell you about it, my chances to win go down ;) But that's the name of the game. I don't know how to do those linky things but the old fashion way - sooooo

the blog give away is here:

http://pedalingfast.blogspot.com/2010/11/jazz-tickets-gift-basket-thank-you-me.html#comment-form

and it's for Jazz tickets the night before Thanksgiving. Wouldn't it be funny if my whole family who is coming in from Utah, Idaho and Washington - came down to visit me and I took off for the Jazz game?

It would free up a bed though - which we are full to the max on (kids can do sleeping bags right?)

So - she offers a nice gift basket too if I would like instead of the jazz game tickets. . . what would I choose if I won? Hmmmm Maybe in the spirit of the holidays I would just give the jazz tickets to a dear friend in Utah who would like to go. I have lots of those! So start beggin' me :) and/or enter for yourself! :)

he he!

Randoms of the Mia

At dinner:

Mia: Mom is the turkey real?

Me: Yes. [Mia with slightly disturbed look on her face.] I continue: Yep it's real, first they catch it and kill it and then we eat it!

Mia: But we cook it first!

Me: [chuckle] yep.

Mia: We have to cook it real fast though so it won't run away! [giggle]

Dustin said that when he took Mia around the trunk or treat she would go up to random strangers and friends and tell them that she loved their dress, or bag or shoes. Dust said she complimented TONS of people - said they were the most sincere compliments too.

Awwwww. i heart my little mia.

Mia got to paint a little pumpkin at school party. Her teacher was cool enough to let Kaylee come too. The have toted those pumpkins around till the paint is all off. Last week Mia snuck it to church - little stinker.

Today Mia gave a talk in church again. She is great at memorizing her talks. There was one part I didn't have a "cue picture" for so I just said it - (as if we were having a lesson kinda -) and she was ok with that (we only began going over it last night just before bed time) Anywho -

Me: "I need my paper."

Mia responded: "I don't need the paper, I know it already. I don't need you to come up and help me."

-so independent, and i know moms that thought I was crazy for just putting her on the bus her first day of kindergarten. ;)

Spooooky :) & Kaylee in a spiritual moment & more

Trying to have a teaching moment with the girls. . . Kaylee was obviously touched: But that stinking video will not upload so you will have to visit my facebook for a one minute four second laugh :) URRRRGHH!

My hubby and I recently went to a Couples Halloween Party. I convinced him to dress as my prop. :) There were all sorts of fun jokes that followed. Not the least of which included him coming out of the closet. . . :)

Mia is striking a pose for the camera. I can't believe I WORE THAT DRESS when I was 6 years old. I must admit Mia's "Styling" (to quote project runway - which she likes to watch with me) of the boots is quite impressive. I would have never thought boots with that dress... but she can pull it off! :)

Of course we need a Kaylee picture too!

This is Mia going to school she is getting soooo big! Last year these pants were a bit big. Now they fit perfectly! And look NO PINK! This is big!

Kaylee is such a great sport getting up early and going to the bus stop with me! I love love how she gets dressed all by herself every day already!

Is Breast Feeding all that cost effective?

"They say" breast feed - it's free. Or cheaper. (Yes I know I know it is "better" for baby too. But if you breast feed your kids- but then have to get a boob job afterwards - is it really "cheaper". I am just saying.

I guess the question is - how many kids do you have to have to make the later needed boob job cost even out and still be less than formula?

All I know is that I am hungry ALL the time. So the food I am eating alone right now can't be much cheaper than formula.

I am just sayin'.

Talin is Born!

So I had a friend (Karen) approach me about taking birthing pictures. I guess there is a thing called birthing photography now. Anyways, she wanted to do it for me. So me being the cheap thing that I am, of course jumped at the chance to get free photos! :) Ok, I didn't jump, I had to look into it first and see what it was. And although I love Karen to death now - and we have grown MUCH closer! :) But I had only really talked with her like 4 times before this. ;) A friend of a friend. Anyways, there are some pictures I look like a WHALE! and maybe I should have dressed in a cuter night gown or something - but hey, putin' on a little make up for the photos was more than I have done for ANY birth - so . . . :)

Labor: My body doesn't go into labor on it's own. In fact I wasn't even barely a "1" and there was NO effacement happening when I checked into the hospital.

With some medications they got the labor process "jump started" but at only 50 % effaced and contractions every 2 -3 min they were ready to send me home. (I am thinking, isn't this when people COME to the hospital? How will I know when to come back?)

Luckily my doc had mercy on my soul and came in to break my water. I was certain I would have him 90 min later (like with Kaylee). But since I wasn't given pitocin - I was wrong. AFTER breaking my water I was still "walking around the hospital" etc for 4 more hours!

Finally I begged for Pitocin and he finally came an hour or so later.

I DID NOT have an epidural. I DID have 1 mg of some IV pain killer. The nurses said the dose was so low, they wondered if it even did anything. :) It did for about an hour - made me sleepy and dizy and happy. :) In between the contractions that is. :) Of course there was hardly a trace of it once it was REALLY needed .

After holding back 8 - 10 "NEED TO PUSH CONTRACTIONS" (that is SuPeR hard to do!) I pushed for 15 min. Grunted a lot and let out one scream of frustration because I felt like I was pushing wrong, and every 3 pushes I would throw up a little in my mouth. Made my throat soooo sore!

I really can't complain! Considering he was "only" 8 lbs 10 oz and not the 9 lb 4 oz the ultra sound said! Thank goodness. (he is 9 lbs even today though!)

The recovery has been wonderful. I am thinking about volleyball next week! :)

Isn't it fun to have pictures of the whole process!? I might even PAY for it for my next kid :)

'Cause I know I wouldn't think to take such cute pictures like these:

And I am WAY too out of it to take pictures of the two most Handsome men in the world!

So, I think that Birthing Photography ROCKS! And so does Karen! :)

BABY RANDOMS

I am sitting down to feed Talin for the first time in front of the girls.

Mia : "Mom, what are you doing with Talin"

Me - thinking oh boy I get to explain this one. . . :) I explain I am a cow now. :) jk in way sweeter words i basically did though :)

Kaylee: "Mom! Talin is eating you!" (then she looks at herself seeing if Talin can eat her too.)

Mia asked how the doctor put my stomach back together after Talin came out. I explained that God made our bodies to make it fix pretty good. Then she asked why it was still so big. I tried to convince her that it was smaller than just days before - she wasn't convinced. I tried to suck in. Now I am not convinced! :)

Talin's first day

A year ago. . .

A little over a year ago today, we lost a pregnancy. I am now about to give birth to a little baby boy . . . any week now. I learned a huge lesson from that trial. I feel prompted to share it. It was a talk I wrote a year ago - but only had 2 1/2 min to give. This is for any friend who may suffer similar problems. Most of all I learned #1 The STRENGTH of a marriage and #2 HOW to turn over such a trial to the Savior, and allow Him to take away the pain.

This will be in the past tense, since it is copying the talk/journal entry.

President Hinkley referred to a temple marriage as "a Gift, precious beyond all others".

Recently we lost a pregnancy. It was very difficult for me. My hubby works long hours and I found myself very alone. I tried to be happy and positive, but I was alone.

I knew that I needed my Savior and I needed to be healed. I honestly have a testimony that He can and will take away all of our pain and heartache. The problem was I wasn't entirely sure HOW to give this pain to my Savior - But Mostly - I wasn't ready to give it up. I think I was almost punishing myself with the hurt.

I tried talking with my friends, but it didn't ease my pain.

One night I simply poured out my heart to my husband. I said much the same things that I did to my girlfriends . . . but this time it was different. ALmost instantly, I felt a huge relief in my hurt. I think a lot of it transfered to my husband, because I could see it in his eyes. Together we yolked this trial and burden and together we will get through it.

I learned some great lessons from that night.

#1 My husband is not only my best friend, but partner. I realized how strong our bond truly is. I realized that I needed HIM, more than I needed my friends, or even my mother. This was OUR trial. HE could only empathize with me. WE could do it together better than apart.

I now understand with more clarity a statement made by Elder Howard a few conferences ago.

" If you want something to last forever, you treat it differently. You shield it and protect it. You never abuse it. You don’t expose it to the elements. You don’t make it common or ordinary. If it ever becomes tarnished, you lovingly polish it until it gleams like new. It becomes special because you have made it so, and it grows more beautiful and precious as time goes by."

He was talking about his wife's silverware and relating it to eternal marriage. As I read it now, I can only think of the way my husband lovingly cares for and protects me. How he helped to polish me until I gleamed like new again. Because he has made it so, it has grown more precious and beautiful as time goes by. He helped make me whole again.

The second lesson I learned was HOW to GIVE that burden to my Savior. Much like I did with my husband, I needed to sit and my Saviors feet and pour out my soul to Him. ALL my aches, pains, frustrations, feelings of inadequacy. I needed to leave my burdens at His feet, so that He could pick them up. And pick me up too. He already bought those pains, for me and for you. He has paid the price, He wants to help us.

And much like my husband helped to yolk this trial with me, My Savior will do the same. Just as I could see my hurt transfer to my husband, my Savior can take that hurt from me. My Savior can truly empathize because He HAS felt my pain. Just as I realized the strength of the relationship of my husband and I, I am truly grateful for my "other" Best Friend. I know that my understanding of the Atonement is limited, but I learned a huge lesson of how to allow the Savior to heal you from more than just sin, but from heartache and pain as well.

"Mine eyes have yet to behold His glory, but I know that He lives, for my heart has felt His presence." This is one of my favorite quotes. I know Jesus Christ lives, I know that He can heal all pain. I know because I have felt His loving arms encircle me at times when I could not stand, but only kneel. I am thankful for this knowledge.

I miss my left hand

Ever notice how much you use something AFTER you can't use it anymore? I mean really, how much do you do with left hand anyways? EVERYTHING but pick your nose. Seriously, I can't even put my hair back in a real ponytail right now. I have NO idea what I am going to do with my hair on Sunday. . . hmmm.

So, I so smartly did this DURING preschool teaching 5 kids. Luckily they didn't see the disaster. I decided to whip up a quick two batches of play dough during their play time. So that they could mix yellow and blue dough to make green. Then trace with the dough the letter D and d we were working on. While measuring the BoiLiNg water into a measuring cup, I OVER SPILLED it (hand slipped) and I poured about 2 cups of boiling water all over my fingers!

What do you do when you burn your hand? . . . Run it under cold water of course! PROBLEM: there is no such thing as cold water coming out of your faucet in Arizona in the summer! I discovered this as the water forced on of the quickly forming blisters to pop. I quickly rigged an ice water bucket for my hand. Finished teaching the rest of preschool with REGULAR - NOT homemade play dough. They didn't get to see yellow and blue make green. They just got green dough. (It was the color of the week.)

I realized part way through teaching that it was pretty bad and called my dear friend Janel and she dropped everything and got me some BURN JELL by water jell at Walgreens. IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOME ON HAND - I would get some! It is great. ;) It helped a TON. But I could tell it was still pretty bad. I finally gave in to the raging prego hormones that were making me cry and went to the doctor. (I mean seriously, I can give birth to kids - but cry over this?!)

I am glad I went. They gave me this amazing cream that they put on burn victims etc. It seems to be holding the dead skin (black in the picture) on long enough for the underlying skin to heal up nicely. If I even brush up against something the skin sluffs off though - so I have to be super careful! And of course my hubby is out of town this weekend at the BYU football game. Thank you mother in law for washing my girls hair today! :)

Enough about me - lets just say burns are SUPER painful. Honestly they would be feeling ok, but just walking out in the 110 degree AZ heat for 10 seconds would make them feel as they were just burnt again! I have a new respect for burn victims for reals.

So the black is all skin that is dead and will come off. Most of it has sluffed off the first finger. . . the white stuff is cream. but under there, all black. YUM YUM!

My lovely "old man"

I think I know what Dustin will be like at 75 years. Sweet, quiet, soft spoken and ASKING ME THE SAME THING every 7 min! :) he he. It's funny today. When we are both 75 it probably won't be as funny. :)

So, today he had a little preventative care procedure that required a mild anesthesia. I must record it all so we don't forget this fun little day! :)

So I walked back just min after they wheeled him out, he was laying there, kinda snuggling up to the oxygen cord. As the nurse talked to me I could see his eyes opening when he heard my voice, but he would go right back to sleep. After a few minutes he tried to talk to me. I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT HE WAS SAYING. I got up really close cause he was talking so soft, trying to understand - but I couldn't. I just kept laughing - "I am sorry I can't understand you." More laughing.

SIDE NOTE: Seriously, I would have SO MUCH FUN being the nurse with the patients after this! I would be LAUGHING SO HARD! Peps on drugs are hilarious! :)

SIDE SIDE NOTE: I would be quickly fired, because I am sure that the patient's family wouldn't appreciate my laughter.

I saw a little into the window of peps on drugs. It was all me and I. I don't think Dustin had much of the ability to think beyond his own issues. Much like druggies. Interesting insight I thought.

All of Dustin's questions revolved around what his brain COULDN'T remember. I found it very interesting. It was as if all his brain could do was to try to "reconstruct" the missed events of the day. These were the things he asked me at least 15 times. How long was he out, how long did it take, what kind of anesthesia did they give him. . .

So now for the funny stuff.

Dustin at one point said "he wouldn't mind being a little taller" (I like his height, he could even loose a few inches and I would be ok with that.:)

He told me it was a good thing that he wasn't driving because the construction cones looked like kids to him. Later he told me that he looked down at his arm and thought it was Mia's leg. 10 min later he told me that he knew his seatbelt was over there on the wall of the car - but it looked like a kid to him. (I laughed and asked him why he was seeing so many kids - he had no clue what I was talking about.)

I wonder if the above had to do with the questions I asked him shortly after surgery. He told me it wouldn't be a "truth serum" but I used it like it would be. :)

I asked him how many kids he really wanted to have. (He always evades this question - prob. because he knows I want at least 6.) He mummbled and told me, "8 would be too crazy, and hectic. If I had to, I know I could of course, but that seems a little crazy and much to me."

Me: "Ok, but you never really answered the question as to how many kids you want to have."

Dustin: "You asked me that?" (Of course I am rolling in laughter.)

Dustin: "Well, I don't know. . . . I think I could commit to five right now, because 5 doesn't scare me." "But I still don't know about adopting kids yet. . . "

(I want to adopt. He is a little apprehensive.)

I asked him if he still wanted to be married to me, and if he liked it. He answered yes, and that he wouldn't have it any other way. That was good! :)

While still at the doctors he talked a lot about his PT patients and some other medical mumbo jumbo. The funniest was when he told us that when he is stretching old people's legs and hips they often fart on him. :)

FUNNY THING is that he STILL was telling me how to get around since I wasn't too familiar with the roads around there. I missed a turn and he was just like, oh go up to Chandler. I was like he's crazy - there's no chandler. THERE IS :) HE WAS RIGHT. Yet - he doesn't even remember the that part of the drive. :)

I love my man - and I am glad that all was good. No worries about his health. He's in tip top shape and he still loves me! :)

RE confess

So, I have a new confession :) This new year's resolution was to not buy myself any more clothes because I have enough and want to save. :)

Back in April I confessed that I spent about $30 on 6 new shirts at down east basic. And $30 on a prego bathing suit. And I bought a vicki for the girls. (with a coupon of course)

Here are my new confessions:

I did spend:

6.98 on a maternity dress

7 on some "maternity" shorts

THEN I had a free $10 to spend on kids clothes. Got some shorts for my daughter because she complains about "weggies" so she only likes jersey knit shorts. My mom in law brought me the same thing so I got her 4 pairs of shorts and 2 skirts and paid like $4 total. (Course that is ok, because my goal was NOT about buying my kids clothes just me.)

BUT THEN I followed my MIL to the women's shoe section which I just avoid. (I don't really have a shoe thing - I just avoid the women's sections so I can stick to my goal.

What would you know - I found 3 pairs of shoes I wanted! One was flats for Prego (and after) but I seriously can't wear heals. They are versitile and cute. The other two are for later - but I couldn't pass them up. . . AND I found a swim top. TOTAL: $8 a pair for the shoes and $4.50 for the top. The problem. . . I got home and am feeling guilting cause I don't REALLY need them. I could do with out. BUT the OTHER part of me is they are a STEAL Kristina keep em.

Then I got a $10 off your $20 purchase yesterday - I am thinking of seeing if they have the heels when that is good and buying them then 0 then they are only $5 a pair and I can feel good about that. :)

So it is August. I haven't kept my goal perfectly - but if you take away the maternity clothes. . . then I have really only spent $80 bucks in 8 months! :)

Anyways - just tell me that the shoes aren't cute so I can take them back and get the monkey off my back. :)

The "maternity" flats:

The other two pairs:

Talin's last wall

So I finally finished the last wall in Talin's room. Now I just have a curtain to make for the office and I will be "done" with the big things on my to do list before baby. I even recovered my kitchen chairs this weekend! :) YEAH that has been on my list for about 2 years!

no idea why that ended up underlined. . .

Just need a little something in the middle of my clock shelf . . .

So I DO think the colors are a little bright, but at least they pop and are fun. :) The best part is the cost of the wall - $5 for the clock and $1 for the curtain rod ends (that I painted) at good will. The rest - FREE :) cause my mom-in-law gave me a truck load of frames to go through. I just had fun and painted a bunch.

Dustin told me a month ago - that he would like to follow the council by Pres Kimball and have a temple picture in each child's room. I have this one from my wedding. Painted the mat and painted the frame. I think it pops. :) The frame was those nasty old oak things like below:

But the easiest transformed frames are the ones that I kinda dry brushed the light aqua on. Like this UGLY navy blue one that I painted over:

This was the ugliness before :)

There was some nasty black velvet on this one, I hot glued on a little rope and it's one of my favorites on the wall! :)

I put material in a few and like that look, helps to tie in the softer colors of the bedding.

Ok, for reals my favorite favorite is this one:

It was gold and hideous. Oops I did buy this one at good will too - chalk the wall up to $9 total now my bad. Anyways, I tried dong the antiquing in the detail corners etc. Too girly for my boys room? ;)

So of course AFTER I did all this I make a return and find the oval mirror I was looking for all along to put on the wall - and at a price I could have swallowed. BUT now that this one is done - IT IS STAYING :)

My hubbies Cereal

I got home a little late last night and Dustin says, "So, I used that 1/2 gallon of milk on my cereal today. . ."

I began laughing instantly, "That wasn't milk, it was buttermilk!"

"No it wasn't, but it was OLD! I poured it all over my cereal and it was all chunky, I looked at the code date and thought, sick! where did she get this from!? I threw it all away!"

Still laughing I insisted, "It wasn't chunky, just grainy. It was buttermilk, and I froze it a while ago, so I could make cookies and muffins. I looked on the internet and you can freeze buttermilk, it just is sometimes grainy."

"It didn't say buttermilk."

"Yeah it did, you just didn't see it." I was laughing my head off. In fact as we sat there that night spontanious bits of laughter would slip out, just thinking about him pouring buttermilk on his cereal. I secretly wished I could have seen it.

I got up and did dishes, and found the 1/2 gallon on the counter. I searched the label for the word "buttermilk" to show my hubby that there were no worries.

I wish I hadn't have done that.

There was no word buttermilk. I was both a little grossed out, but mostly annoyed. That thing had been taking up precious freezer room for months now and it was just stinking milk? I had paid a buttermilk price for some stinking MILK? I had made a whole batch of bran muffins and two batches of sugar cookie dough that I planned of freezing and using when we need cookies quick. URRGH!

Now I am afraid to share the cookies with others - so my emergency cookie stash won't work out so well. It tastes fine to me . . . but I will admit that eating my muffin this morning - it seemed to taste a little different. Really the taste is the same - but just the fact of knowing, ya know?

So if I offer you muffins or sugar cookies, I would hesitate for at least 3 months - that is how long it will take us to get through the stash :) Maybe I will make some for the boy scouts - they can eat anything! :) and only ONE mom reads my blog :) he he. I am still annoyed.

Disneyland

So we went to Disneyland in JANUARY and I am just now getting the pictures scrap blogged so that I can print them. (PATHETIC) I won't bore you with all 50. :) But here a fun few.

Of course we had to wait in line for 45 min (and we got there early) to see 3 princesses. (This was our very first stop.) I have honestly never liked Snow White, I tell my girls (when they are older) that you should never just sit around, clean house and wait for your "Prince to come." Get on with your life already, and be someone or do something. :) Disneyland didn't help the experience. My girls were a little scared of her, but she did NOTHING to really make them feel better. 45 min in line 30 seconds with Snow White.

THANK GOODNESS for Cinderella! (Happens to have been my favorite since childhood. You know BACK when there were no VCR's and you just went to the Theater EVERY SUMMER to see your favorite movie. For me it was Cinderella. :) Anywho - Cinderella was awesome, she asked the girls if they were from "far far away" and did a great job asking them all sorts of questions to warm them up. Not that Kaylee was scared of her - "Cinderel-E" as she calls her - is her favorite. She walked right up to her do give her the pic mat for her to sign - no problem.

Now if you have little girls, and you plan to go to Disney. MAY I RECOMMEND Ariel's Gratto. I am a cheap, super cheap, but this was worth EVERY penny. But don't go thinking like I did - that breakfast would be cheaper than dinner - NO just pay the $25 bucks a plate for DINNER and not breakfast! The food was great. Yes, we about died when we got the bill, but seriously worth it. You sit at a table, and have 5 princesses come to EACH table for pictures and a little minute with each of the girls. SO much better than waiting 45 + min in line for just 3. Let's face it, food is hecka expensive anyways, and this is the ONE time the adults and just sit, have good food in a nice AIR conditioned place. This was my girls favorite part of it.

While they are waiting they get little crowns and stickers to make. . .
Kaylee's awkward smile phase. :) It's in most all of our Disney Pictures. . .

It's like a pop eye smile. It's not her natural smile, but it is the one she gives cameras. Here she is all dressed up like a princess, taking pictures with princess and she looks like popeye!

So funny enough - the kids favorite rides? The Dumbo ride and the merry-go-round. SERIOUSLY? I could have gone to the fair or the mall for that! :) Mia did love a roller coaster that was like Lagoon's Mouse Trap. She laughed her head off. Kaylee laughed her head off driving the cars. She was awful! She would litterally hit the "rail" over and over again - left, right, left - to the point it would throw her almost out of the car and she would be giggling all the while.

We took Mia on her FIRST roller coaster ever, told her it was a "Buzz Lightyear" ride. and took her on Space Mountain. I had forgotten how OLD and how JERKY that ride is! Her little head and neck had no chance! She was a champ though! Didn't cry or anything. (Also really didn't want to ride it again!)

Some Facebook entries of the kiddo's funnies I need to get down, so they will print in my blog book:

Ok ok so MAYBE I take comfort over ANYTHING when I am pregnant. And MAYBE you see a plummer's if you come to my house in the day. And MAYBE my 3 year old kept walking around yesterday pulling up my pants and laughing because I was "showing my bottom". I told her it was the baby. So now she laughs and says the baby is showing my bottom, as she pulls up my pants.

While expressing my "joy" of wiping Kaylee to her, she exclaimed, "Your baby poops in your tummy! Ha ha. That's what babies do!" I am so glad she is wrong!

Me, "Mia, will you wrap up the vacuum cord?" Mia (after a small protest of not knowing how): "Did I use the vacuum?" Silence from me. Mia: "No mom, you used it, so YOU need to wrap it up." .............I hate it when your own words haunt you. She is getting too smart.

Oh what do you do in the summertime?

Mia is super in to Jessie the cowgirl right now. :) Those are her bday gifts.

So one reason I was fine having a third girl, was because my house was complete. I was all decorated and didn't have to change a thing. Well, that didn't happen SOOO what I have been up to is sewing like CRAZY and decorating. My sisters have been curious - so here are some pictures of what we did. I tried to REUSE and recycle as MUCH as possible.

First off the Girls room. Thanks to my mom for helping me finish it. I just like to have someone go, "nah, that's too high, or that looks good" So it was wonderful to have her visiting and to have her help too. :)

The girls wanted to be in most of the pictures. :)

Mia is always re arranging the desk top decor - she "decorates" all the time. In fact she said in a preschool paper that decorating was her favorite thing to do with me. (I think she was esp. talking about for Christmas etc. :) But she always wanted to help with this stuff too. Behind her is a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus, Mia is Obsessed with Mary and Jesus. :) Not much "new" here - pre existing.

The ridiculously massive amount of bows I have made. I still want to make more. There is soooo much cute ribbon out there! There is a whole other display of flower bows - and I don't even have all of them up - and I just learned how to make fabric flowers - oh help me! :)

This WAS Mia's room. She had a full size bed - same curtains and basic style. I bought something off craigslist and saw that he had some bunk bed frames too. I actually liked them (sure I would rather have the perfect new white ones - all girly - but I am practical.) Got the bunk bed frames for $80 on a whim really. Bought some NICE mattresses that ended up being a little HUGE and TALL for bunk beds - but they are comfy!

So after searching and returning SOOO many comforters, I ended up making my own because I wanted to keep the curtains and shams I made from before - of course they don't have the material anymore so I had to improvise. Turned out ok, but I would do it differently if I were to do it again. And I am not sure that I would have HAND quilted both of them. That took 5 days. But I hate tied quilts so what can I say? :)

UM WHO SAYS THAT bunk beds can't have bed skirts? I cut up the old one from the full bed and THUMB TACKED it on. yes THUM TACKED! (There is SOOO much storage under that bottom bunk! I got these great little wagon-like-on wheels toy storage bins - plus more bins behind. Come to think about it, those storage bins cost me as much as the comforters!)

The butter flies are from the dollar store -except the cast iron - that is a recycle. Adds a whimsy feeling. :)

The "my prince did come. . . he's my daddy" is my favorite. That was from before too.

The curtains I had to keep.

PS NOT a fan of the doll. Hate those things - but my daughter loves it.

The dresser I got from Ma in law for FREE (Thanks!) It had gold trim and handles. A quick $2 spray paint job (didn't even sand) and brown spray paint on the handles did the trick. My girls love the handles I made on the other old cheap dresser (also from mom in law years ago - used to be part of MY bedroom set. :) Below:

So I did it to both so they wouldn't fight. The lamp was a STEAL at $5 years ago. :)

Now, I admit that this room is a little OVER decorated. But I was combining TWO pink rooms to one. So it was store it or hang it. So we put these on the shelf for their flower bows and hats from Kaylee's room.

So shortly after I did this "make over" we should really call it a "combine over". . . :) We found our AC busted (in AZ peps) and we did a quick fix on it - but should really replace it to the tune of $5k which will (if it's really the price) will pretty much wipe out our savings. SO, even though I FEEL like I did this make over cheap - because of the bunk beds. . . it really wasn't. :)

My cost: Bunk beds $80 Parts that were missing $10 Mattresses $300 Making my own new quilts $ 56 Sheets $16 Mattress covers $ 24 (that's the price of two each) SO it added up. :) Even though the BEDS & Linnens and $2 in spray paint were the ONLY things I bought.

SO, remember I am feeling BROKE. So now it is on to Talin (new baby boys room) I have bought and returned so many things for this.

I started out making the crib set because I couldn't find anything that I liked (or that I would pay for) so this is what I did:

Searching on line for a quilt I liked took a little - but trying to make a pattern from it when you can only see 1/2 of it draped off the bed took some time for sure! :)

I was ok hand quilting this one - didn't take as long :)

Then I bought this head board off of craigslist for $20. It inspired me. It is an antique. I am not CRAZY about the do-dad on top - but I love the rustic feel. But I LOVED the price.:)

So it inspired me to do his name above his crib like this:

Thanks mom for buying that saddle/wagon wheel. I LOVE it. But I didn't $20 heart it. :) As a GIFT, I HEART it. :) PS The star says "sheriff" :)

I just wanted some horseshoes on my wall with that bed. Never found any. But I did find:

It's not above the bed. I don't even know if I will ever be able to hang anything from those super cute boots!

I didn't want to get too themed - but I couldn't resist RE MAKING my daughters pink flower mobile into a cowboy one. My cost on this one : stars $2 total Hats $1 total left over spray paint and left over fabric free. So considering I saw mobiles for $48 I think $3 is great. And I can TOTALLY make it back into the girls with NO PROBLEM. :) IGNORE the flower "nut" that holds it on. I do. he he

Not sure what I am putting in the upper box. I will find something. . . OH YEAH Dresser - $15 at a ward auction (also came with a book shelf I gave a way - stupid stupid stupid!)

The shelf isn't complete - it's a work in progress. I love the boot - but it's not staying there. Just sitting on an existing nail waiting for inspiration.

Thanks mom in law for this rustic sports piece. I love it because it's rustic, and ties in, but says "I am not committed to a single THEME."

So this is now my guest room when I have to sleep them on more than two beds. and my feed baby in the middle of the night cause the queen bed in my room is crowded! :) Anyways, here is the break down cause I am all about bargains.

$20 headboard, bed - hand me down FREE, cream eyelet/lacy pillowcases $6, bedskirt $13, brown suede comforter from Mia's room before (but it was $20 with the shams that are in the girls room), brown pillow kirkland's - $9 the other three pillows I made for $24, curtains $7, throw & rug FREE from wedding. :) TOTAL GUEST PART make over $79.

I just have to say I will NEVER (Ok I will) but I hated making this Neck roll pillow. It TOOK WAY longer that I thought. I had no pattern, and just used left over batting from the girls beds. The white frill I love. But was a little painful - got a knit jersey sheet set for $3 and cut it up and gathered it etc. The rope piping on the pillow you can BARELY see was some ugly tie backs that came with the curtains. So the price was right, but the TIME killed me on this one. :)

Total make over for the baby's part and wall decor :

bumper (I bought one from good will for $2 and washed and recovered it.)

So all the bedding was about $40 skirt, quilt and bumper. But the stinking sheets were $7 each. I want 3 sets because I have two mattresses in there - (easy place to store the toddler mattress for the toddler bed. ;) so $21.

Rope $8, moblie $3, boot board $15, Tractor $12, crates $12, bookshelf FREE, spur $3, truck FREE (From ma in law) the rest I had laying around. (I know it needs more. . . there is a boot I have my eye on at Kirklands for $5. but I have a 10% off coupon. LOL

Total: $104. But would be more if it weren't for ma and ma in law :) They contributed $50.

Dang - doesn't sound as impressive now. :)

So the last part of my project is this wall:

I got the clock at good will for $5 and love it. But I might have to repaint it. I have some old glass less wood frames I am thinking of painting and hanging things from. Spent another $5 at goodwill yesterday on those things that might work.

BUT I CAN'T decide, do I leave the wood plain wood for this room or paint it a color (for my wood frames.) what do you think. I know there is no picture - but just imagine. :) I know the clock is in a stupid place. It too is on an existing nail hanging for inspirations.

If I do leave the frames plane wood, the items to hang, what color do I paint them? Do I need to paint the clock because of the wall color? What nick nack do I put in the bottom of the clock on that shelf?

Well, if you read it all you are a crazy saint! :) he he. I know it was long - but this IS my journal. I need my kids to know how thrifty there mom was. :) LOL.