Fall around here

I found this tutorial and copied most of it.  I found these carvable styrofoam pumpkins at the dollar store.  I used white spray paint and did two coats, and used modge podge right on the pumpkin then dumped glitter on it.  
After my pumpkins dried more I could still see some orange sticking through and wished I would've done another coat.  Or just used acrylic paint instead.  So I ended up adding a coat of acrylic paint (using a sponge brush) and liked it so much better.  It would've been easier if I did that coat before the glitter!
I think it's a little much glitter and kind of wish I would've just used gold paint but oh well.  Next year. 

If only I had a picture of her mouth after this.  Bad idea Addilyn. 

I found this tray at a thrift store a long time ago and painted it using the paint we used on our wall. I found this birdcage at Michaels for under $5 and filled it with pinecones.  I have a hard time finding what to put on my end tables during any season but I love this tray and think it will make it much easier to decorate.  

These two banners were super easy to make and I did both of them in less than an hour.  To make the fabric one I cut out stripes of fabric and tied them in a knot around a burlap rope.  For the pom pom one I cut a long piece of thread and used a needle to go through each ball.  That's it!! I love how they look and will probably do a Christmas one too.  
I made the chalkboard vase last year and was excited to get it out again.  (Tutorial here)  The V frame was an old frame painted white, and I used a stencil to paint the V on some old burlap.  I can't you how much I love our new painted wall and think it makes everything look so much better.

owl lantern: target dollar spot last year     yellow lantern & owl: hobby lobby     burlap vase & felt balls: made years ago

I made another pom pom ball garland for the dining room, and hung it on my window and shelves.  I went to Goodwill looking for white shelves just like this and found these.  It was the first time ever I've had success finding something specific at a thrift store.  
Now if it wasn't 80 degrees today I'd feel even more Fall like.  Fall weather come back any time!
And just in case you're wondering, no I have not changed out our canvases with Addilyn's one year pictures.  I need to get on that!

Three more months

Dear Addilyn, 
Somehow almost three months have passed since you turned one.  Time is going fast, and it's hard to believe that you are a one year old.  A toddler! 

This last month you have changed so much.  You look older, you're bigger and you learn something new all the time.  It amazes me how many words you know.  It's like one day you decided you were going to start saying real words.  You'll repeat most words we say if you're in the right mood.  But you have a long list of words you say all on your own.  Your daddy and I made a list the other night and here they are:  
mama, dada, up, more, ball, tractor, Molly, grandpa, bubbles, balloon, no, yea, on, banana, bye-bye, down, fish, jump, doggy, swing, brrrrr (when it's cold), water, apple, cookie, slide, eye
You love to say "up and down" over and over.  You'll walk around standing up and squatting, saying it over and over.  You also love to spin in circles when we say round and round, like the Wheels on the Bus song.  You love to dance, especially when you are holding our phones when the music is playing.
This summer we had so much fun.  You love going to parks, beaches, walks (thankfully you like your stroller now most of the time), anything that is outside.  We went to a beach in Wisconsin in August and you loved it.  The water was freezing but you didn't care.  You would've stayed there for hours! 

 You are getting more and more affectionate, but are still kind of stingy with your hugs and kisses. You started giving more kisses to your grandma and grandpas and they love it!  Your sleeping is still inconsistent, but you were doing pretty well with one early morning wake up around 5, then back to sleep till 6:30 or 7. But the last few weeks have been rough! I think it's your molars, but whatever it is you are waking up at least twice a night and I'm anxious for your old schedule to return!

You're still nursing about three times a day (and once during the night).  I have mixed feelings about you being done nursing and am not sure when that will happen.  I think part of me still loves it because you still feel like my baby!  Although I'd love for you to sleep all night long.

(your first pigtails)

 

(baking with mama)

Your favorite things are grandpa's tractor and horses, playing outside, being naked, taking baths, playing chase, wearing mama's necklaces, Molly, parks, throwing rocks in the water, weekend breakfasts with daddy while mama runs, and animals. 
You are not a fan of being away from me or your daddy.  You do not like the church nursery, but we are working on being consistent and are determined to teach you to love it and hope you do soon! You started throwing some real fits these days and it makes me not so excited about the toddler days. You usually do this when I take something away from you that you can't have or pick you up to do something you don't want to do.  Thankfully you snap out of it pretty quickly.  You're quite stubborn and get upset when you don't get your way.  
(You still love eating Molly's dog food)
We have lots of playdates with your friends and you see Vinny, Ellie,and Ella at least once a week. You love Thursdays when we babysit Aaliyah. 
We finally got you on medicine for acid reflux.  It was a challenge to get you to take it at first.  You now take it so easily and get a chocolate chip right after.  Turns out you were pretty easy to bribe! Since you've been taking the medicine you are now eating so much better.  You actually say "more" to eat and sometimes walk to the fridge wanting more food.  You never wanted more food before!  You've gained almost a pound this last month, which is more than you gained the last five! 
You are the cutest little girl.  You are silly and funny and have the funniest little giggle that I love.  You get so excited when someone comes over and flail your arms and kick your legs and let out this little squeal and laugh.  You're favorite sound is probably the garage door opening because you know daddy is home.  I'm so thankful I get to spend my days at home with you.  You are getting more and more fun all the time and I think you are the best thing ever.  
I love you so much Addilyn Jane. 
Love, 
your mama 

New uniform

vest: tjmaxx   jeans & boots: old navy   tee: target 

I found this vest at TJMaxx a few months ago for $12 and have yet to wear it until today.  I love it. The other day I started going through my closet getting rid of lots of clothes I no longer wear.  I have so many clothes (mostly dresses and nicer pants) that I am not wearing these days as I'm not working. 

In the past I rarely wore jeans.  And while I still kind of hate them, I am getting more and more used to them as they seem much more practical for my days.  Part of me wants to just wear yoga pants and leggings every day, but I am determined to wear more "real" clothes this Fall.  So finding new clothes that make jeans feel cuter and still be comfortable makes me happy.  

Hope you all had a great weekend and are enjoying some Fall weather! 

in the smaller moments

Before having Addilyn I would have characterized myself as a homebody.  I got overwhelmed when we were busy.  I didn't like having something every night of the week and felt exhausted when we had busy weekends in a row with lots of people and many plans.  I felt recharged when I spent time alone. I savored nights at home, sitting on the couch.  

While I still am perfectly content spending evenings at home after Addilyn goes to bed, and actually often prefer that than having plans in the later evening, during the days I struggle when we don't have plans.  I get antsy staying home all day with Addilyn.  I get bored and feel like we've run out of things to do quickly.  I dread the thought of cold, winter days where we're stuck at home.  

I'm so lucky to have a lot of friends that stay home with their kids and we almost always have plans each day.  Even if it is visiting one of my friends at school, or meeting a friend at a park for an hour.  Days where I have no plans I almost count the day from the start as long.  

A few weeks ago Addilyn had hand, foot, mouth disease and besides one brave friend who kept our playdate, we stayed away from friends for the week.  And it was really hard for me.  

I know Addilyn is still so little, but everyday I feel like she picks up more and more.  I want her to be content staying at home.  To not have to fill every minute with one thing after the next.  Which I realize sounds kind of silly to a one year old.  Clearly I'm not expecting her to sit still and do nothing, but to not fill our days with plans after plans.  I want to be more content playing at home.  Finding things to do around our house and being happy with a day just the two of us.   To not be on the phone talking or texting so often, and to be more present.  

I want to work on finding joy and contentment in the smaller moments.  In chasing Addilyn around the house or playing with bubbles in the bathtub.  In the excitement of her saying a new animal sound or eating a new food.   I'm determined to be more content with simple days and quiet moments.  

So Long Summer

 dress: target    necklace: groopdealz   sandals: loft 

I wore this outfit maybe a week and a half ago and it already seems like sandals are out of the question.  It's this weird in between stage where you want to wear Fall clothes because there's been cooler days, but still seems not quite cold enough for my boots and sweaters.  

But my house is decorated and ready for Fall.  I've even made a batch of pumpkin muffins already. They should be called cupcakes but muffins it is because hello breakfast.  

And in unrelated news Addilyn is this completely different baby, I mean toddler.  It is unbelievable how much she has changed the last two weeks.  It's like she is this real person with words, opinions and everyday learns something new.  

Like this picture.  When I ask her where something is she'll walk around with her hands out, babbling away until she finds it.  

She's silly and smart and stubborn and is becoming so much fun.  Which is really good because the last few nights she's been fighting bedtime and up at least two times a night.  Molars? All her new skills? I don't know but sleeping all night? I'm ready for you.  Whenever you want to show up around here.  14 months and counting.  Come any time.  

Easiest DIY pillow

I'm pretty positive this post where I shared about these pillows is my viewed post of all times.  I have been busy redoing our living room and dining room.  I have been loving updating things and realize how happy it makes me to love our space.  Goodbye red and beige.  Hello grey, yellow and blue! The last thing on my list was to update our pillow covers.  I bought my fabric online at fabric.com.  That is wear I've purchased fabric for Addilyn's nursery, our basement and our curtains.  It's cheaper than any stores I've looked at, and there are so many more choices.  

These pillows really are so easy, and honestly take me less than 15 minutes per pillow.  You only have to sew three straight lines and you're done!  And the nice thing is they can be taken off easily to be washed or to be changed out.  

Lay your pillow on top of your fabric.  Make sure there is space on both sides to fold it and overlap it and then an inch or so on top and bottom.  No need to measure!

Iron down both short ends and sew.

Turn your fabric inside out and overlap the edges. 

Cut off any extra fabric you have on the sides. 

Slide the pillow out and then sew up both sides. Turn it right side and put it on your pillow!

For the blue pillows I did a printed fabric on the front and a solid color for the back. (Honestly it's because I didn't order enough of the printed one, but I actually like how it turned out).  These were a tiny bit harder, but still pretty easy.  Just make your back piece a few inches longer than your front square so that you can make it overlap and then cut it in half.  Sew a piece to each side of your front.  And follow with step two and three! 

Pillows are the first sewing project I did and is probably the easiest thing to make.  I'm glad they are so easy because I made at least four for our basement playroom this summer and have changed the ones in our living room quite a few times!

Third times a charm

bag: lily jade   top & boots: target   jeans: gap 

When I was pregnant I registered for a diaper bag and felt like it was fine for the first few months, although I soon got sick of it.  I found another one that was more "purse" like on Zulily and again liked it for a few months.  Neither one was big enough to hold all the random things I wanted, plus they both still looked very much like a diaper bag.  

I had seen multiple posts and reviews of Lily Jade diaper bags for the last many months and wished I owned one.  So when I got the chance to purchase one using a great discount code I decided it was time.  I wish I would've bought this at the beginning and not wasted my money on my first two bags. It would've been nice to save myself the money and put it towards one that I really like, since I use is all the time.  Diaper bags are expensive!  

There are SO many pockets in this bag, and somehow I have no problem filling them. (This picture gives a much better view of everything you can fit in there!) The nice thing is that the insert comes out of the bag so that you can wash it or just leave it out and use it as a purse.  I love that farther down the road I can do this as a purse, once I no longer need a diaper bag.

I used to hate spending money on my hair because it's pretty expensive to get it colored and cut every three or four months.  Then I realized how much happier I felt daily when I liked my hair.  I kind of feel the same way about this bag.  I use it multiple times a day and it feels worth the money to me.  

My other favorite thing about this bag is that you can wear it three different ways.  Over the shoulder, like a regular purse, or on your back.  Which is one I use often when we are shopping or running errands.

I think Addilyn is a fan too.  And this new "cheese" face is my favorite.  

Hope you all had a great weekend!